Family History Fun: A-Z Challenges

Showing posts with label A-Z Challenges. Show all posts

Monday, 9 May 2016

Reflections on A-Z 2016

This was my 5th year of taking part in the A-Z April Challenge, and at the end I often think “never again”. But I soon start thinking of another theme for the following year!

I had drafted up to M before April 1st, but then in the latter stages was writing only a day ahead – complicated by a short break away and the fact I am apt to over edit and spend too long tweaking before posting. I also seem to find it impossible to write short posts, and cannot keep to one topic per letter.

My advice to anyone considering taking part - plan and draft your posts well ahead, as the pace can get hectic.

My theme of Childhood Memories had a wider appeal than in previous years, where my themes were strictly family or local history. Bloggers seemed to like the questions I posed and memories I sought. I was delighted at the comments received and reminiscences shared. The new Facebook page “We are Genealogy Bloggers” was invaluable in pointing me to new (to me) A-Z bloggers who I added to my Reading List – In previous A-Z Challenges I was aware of very few FH participants. and support the idea of having a Family History Category in registering/

I tried to read and comment on other blogs regularly, but the slight downside was that I did not extend my reading into areas outside family history.

Yes, the challenge was at times a bit stressful, but I have a few new followers, widened my own Family History contacts (which I had not done for sometime) and learned from the writing of others - plus overall I really did enjoy the experience.

Onto 2017 !!

In Case You Missed

A-Z Challenge 2016 Theme Revealed: I Remember......Memories of Childhood

A - Autumn
B - Babies, Books, Birthdays & Brownies
C - Clothes + Church, Chores, Christmas, Crafts & Cars
D - Dolls + Dogs & Desserts
E - Events + Eating Out & Easter
F - Food + Fads & Fashion and Freedom
G - Grandparents + Games
H - Hairstyles + Hobbies, Houses & Halloween
I - Inspiring Teachers
J -Journeys & Joining
K - Kitchens & Knitting
L - Libraries
M - Music + Movies
N - Needles + Nativity and Names
O - Occupations
P - Poulton - My Ancestral Home + Poems, Pets, Penfriends, Politics and Protests
Q - The Queen's Coronation
R - Radio + Religion, Remembrance and Russia
S - Speccy Four Eyes + School, Sports, Sundays, Student Days and the Space Race
T - Toys + Treats, TV, Theatre and Technology
U - Uniforms
V - Village Life + Vacations and Values
W - Wars and Weddings
X - XRays, Xylophone and Xmas
Y - Youth Culture
Z - Zoo at Blackpool

Friday, 29 April 2016

A-Z: I Remember...Zoo at Blackpool

I REMEMBER......
MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD

Z is for the ZOO at Blackpool.

I grew up in Blackpool, the seaside resor with its famous Tower.in north west England, This was the entertainment complex of its day, with its Tower Ballroom (where my parents met), circus ring, aquarium and zoo. We used to go there about once a year. as a treat.

The zoo would now shock! But in the 1950's it was deemed acceptable. You walked into a large tiled hall, with windows one side and two sides tall, narrow cages for the animals, which included the big cats, bears and monkeys - no room whatsoever to roam, exercise or be stimulated.

I was surprised to read that it was not until 1973 that it was closed down. A new zoo opened on the edge of the town in an extensive area that once was the old airport during the war - and where in the 1950's as children we went to fly our kites.

Blackpool Tower from the North Pier

But the memory of the old Blackpool Zoo reminded me of a poem which we read at school " Albert and the Lion" by Mariot Edgar which opens with the verses:

There's a famous seaside place called Blackpool
That's noted for fresh air and fun
And Mr & Mrs Ramsbottom
Went there with young Albert their son.

A grand little lad was young Albert
All dressed in his best, quite a swell
With a stick with an 'orse's ''ead 'andle
The finest that Woolworth's could sell.

The next 16 entertaining verses tell of a visit to the Zoo with disastrous consequences as young Albert encounters the lion.

The most famous recording of the poem, told in a broad Lancashire accent is by music hall entertainer Stanley Holloway (he also played Eliza's father in the classic film "My Fair lady").

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This A-Z challenge has been a very stimulating blog prompt to follow and great fun. It has been amazing to read how different bloggers have interpreted each letter.

Thank you to everyone who has taken he time to comment and share their own reminiscences, amidst their own busy schedule. I have very much much appreciated these, and I am delighted to have discovered new (to me) family history bloggers.

One thing is certain - we have all approached the challenge with ZEAL and ZEST. We have ZOOMED in on our chosen theme, ZIPPED through the letters, at times been ZANY, but we have now reached this ZENITH.

THE END

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In Case You Missed

A-Z Challenge 2016 Theme Revealed: I Remember......Memories of Childhood

A - Autumn - for Babies, Books, Birthdays & Brownies

C - Clothes + Church, Chores, Christmas, Crafts & Cars
D - Dolls + Dogs & Desserts
E - Events + Eating Out & Easter
F - Food + Fads & Fashion and Freedom
G - Grandparents + Games
H - Hairstyles + Hobbies, Houses & Halloween
I - Inspiring Teachers
J -Journeys & Joining
K - Kitchens & Knitting
L - Libraries
M - Music + Movies
N - Needles + Nativity and Names
O - Occupations
P - Poulton - My Ancestral Home + Poems, Pets, Penfriends, Politics and Protests
Q - The Queen's Coronation
R - Radio + Religion, Remembrance and Russia
S - Speccy Four Eyes + School, Sports, Sundays, Student Days and the Space Race
T - Toys + Treats, TV, Theatre and Technology
U - Uniforms
V - Village Life + Vacations and Values
W - Wars and Weddings
X - XRays, Xylophone and Xmas
Y - Youth Culture
Z - Zoo at Blackpool

Thursday, 28 April 2016

A-Z: I Remember....Youth Culture

I REMEMBER......
MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD

I have to admit that YOUTH CULTURE largely passed me by and my memories are slight.

I remember the advent of rock & roll and remember all the fuss about some girls at my school skipping lessons to go and see Elvis Presley's film "Blue Moon". Cliff Richards and the Shadows were all the rage and I quite liked some of their songs, without getting over enthusiastic.

Frank Ifield, Pat Boone, Perry Como, Val Doonican and the New Seekers come to mind, along with Alma Cogan, Dusty Springfield, Sandy Shaw, Lulu and Cilla Black. We were regualr watchers in those days of TV's annual Eurovision Song Contest.

When I met my husband, and we had evenings in listening to record (and smooching!), Jim Reeves was the favourite.

My tastes were more easy listening, musicals and popular classics than pop. So in this respect I was not a typical teenager. I was into my 20's before I got my first transistor radio. I am hopeless in TV quiz programmes where the topic is Pop Music - I haven't a clue!

On other hand I was very keen to learn to jive!

Fashion was another matter. I followed the 50's trend for full skirts, waspie belt and a pony tail. The 60'sand early 70's of course meant mini-skirts, shift dresses and peter pan collars, with fur hats popular for winter after the release of the film "Dr. Zhivago". So I will end with a fashion show from my YOUTHFUL days!

I loved wearing pinafore dresses and had several in my wardrobe - slimming and versatile worn with jumpers or blouses. Inverary Castle, Argyll in the background.

A miniskirt, peter pan collar with a rather jazzy coat in horizontal stripes.

The Dr. Zhivago hat with big pom pom ties saw me through many winters - here with my daughter taken on her birthday in snowy January.

And finally have a laugh at this!

My first professional job was at the Scottish Community Education Centre, a new organization where I set up the reference library. We held an official opening with a wine and cheese party, and as the girls on the staff we obviously chose to forego our work garb for these typically late 1960's outfits of frills & miniskirts.

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ONTO Z FOR THE ZOO AT BLACKPOOL

In Case You Missed:

A-Z Challenge 2016 Theme Revealed: I Remember......Memories of Childhood

A - Autumn - for Babies, Books, Birthdays & Brownies

W - Wars and Weddings

X - XRays, Xylophone and Xmas

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A-Z: I Remember.......X

I REMEMBER......
MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD

X the challenging Letter!

I was an unadventurous child, unlike my brother, so never needed an emergency rush to A & E and an X RAY for a broker limb - just as well as I had a horror of hospitals as a child.

I would love to have played the XYLOPHONE, but it was 30 years before I came close to fulfilling this ambition. I bought my 5 year old daughter a little Glockenspiel, enjoyed teaching her first steps in music and having a play myself.

* Glockenspiel

* The Glockenspiel (German "glock = bell) has metal bars, whereas the Xylophone (Greek xylos = wood) has wooden bars.

One XMAS we taped ourselves playing and singing Christmas carols for my parents. I came across this tape years later after the death of my parents, so it was moving to hear again.

In my own childhood, our Christmas's were very traditional - we did not have stockings but a pillow case at the end of our beds.

One apocryphal anecdote was regaled every year - my mother and and aunt woke up early one Christmas morning - it was still dark (their house didn't have electricity anyway), and decided to investigate their stockings. One present they were convinced was a box of chocolates, so they opened it and bit into one - it turned out to be a box of dominoes!

My mother (right) and aunt (left)

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ONTO Y for YOUTH CULTURE

In Case You Missed

A-Z Challenge 2016 Theme Revealed: I Remember......Memories of Childhood

A - Autumn - for Babies, Books, Birthdays & Brownies

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Family History Fun

Pages

Monday, 9 May 2016

Reflections on A-Z 2016

Friday, 29 April 2016

A-Z: I Remember...Zoo at Blackpool

Thursday, 28 April 2016

A-Z: I Remember....Youth Culture

A-Z: I Remember.......X

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