Family Celebrations: Sepia Saturday

 

Continuing this month's Sepia Saturday theme of Special Occasions, I take a look at family celebration - each with its own story to tell. 

 

Celebrating in Style  

 

I have no idea of this was a special occasion, perhaps the birth of one of his 11 children?   But here the bearded merry figure is my great grandfather James Danson (1852-1906)  of Poulton le Fylde, Lancashire, sitting happily in the old stocks in the Market Square.  My aunt called him a "bit of a ne'er do well"! This is the only photograph I have of him, which was in the collection of my great aunt Jennie - his only daughter (yes - born after all those sons, two of whom died in infancy).  

Celebrating Their Engagement 

 

 

My husbsnd's  grandparents Matthew Iley White and Alice Armitage of South Shields, Co. Durham.  Matthew's distinctive name came from his grandparents Matthew White  and Isabella IIley and was passed down four generations in different branches of the family.  Alice had a chequered childhood - her father Aaron Armitage, a miner in West Yorkshire,   died when she was just three, his life characterized   by his frequent  court appearances  and time in Wakefield prison.  Alice's mother  married again anotherminer George Hibbert  with the  family moving ot South Shields.  They had four children - Ivy, Alice, Violet and Matthew Iley.  

 

 My husband's parents Ivy White  and John Robert Donaldson  - the fourth member of the family to bear that name.  They married in 1929.

 

Celebrating Success 

 

 

A windy day for my graduation in 1965 with my proud parents.  They had both left school at the age of 14, and I was the first person in both families to go to university, followed by my brother four years later. 

 

       

Daughter Celebrating as Home Owner 

 

 

 

Brother Celebrating Becoming a  a Pilot  - he had a share in a private  plane with a colleague.

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Family Gatherings

 

1941 at a family wedding my mother's  Danson family - my aunt Edith, aunt Peggy, grandparents William  and Alice. my uncle Harry and my mother Kathleen.  

 

Anotehr family wedding 2000 with my father,   my brother and   my niece and my daughter.

 

And Finally: Celebrating  60 years of marriage

 

My parents with the telegram from Queen Elizabeth  to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in  1998.  Sadly my mother died shortly afterwards.

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Sepia Saturday gives bloggers an opportunity to share
their family history and memories through photographs.

 

Click HERE to see how other Sepia Saturday bloggers are marking SPECIAL OCCASIONS

 

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