Auntie Cathy& the soapsuds.....

Post by **joette** » Thu May 18, 2006 12:53 pm

My Maternal Great-Grandparents had a hard time of it health wise.She had heart problems & he had Pernicious Aneamia for which then there was no cure.
Auntie Cathy was the eldest daughter & was sent into service at aged 13.
She was not to far from home & so would visit on her day/afternoon off.
One afternoon-her birthday I think she didn't appear.My Granny was despatched to see what had happened & she returned with the news that her big sister was"crying in the kitchen up to her elbows in suds"
My Great-Granny-a well educated woman & brought up with servants in her household marched around to where Auntie Cathy was when the children were abed..She spied her daughter through the window still scrubbing although it was now nine pm.
She marched to the front door & addressed the "Lady" of the household
"Madam slavery has been abolished even in the backwaters of America-you pay my daughter a wage you do not own her body"
Auntie Cathy returned home that evening.My beautiful Great-granny died aged 46.She looks like a strong character in the photos we have of her& I always blamed her for the marital problems she & my G-Grandpa had.
However a trip to the Mitchell & a look at the Poor Law Application told a different tale & gave me a new perspective on this namesake of my Mother& the physical resemblance between the two is startling.
Auntie Cathy I knew well & I always remember her remonstrating with my Dad when she thought he was being overzealous in his punishment of myself when I lost a ten shilling note on route to the shops.
I know where my cheekbones come from & my eyes.

delmarco · Post by **delmarco** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:14 pm

Joette:
I look forward to your posts, asy you always have the most poignant stories to tell, please tell me you have these written down for future generations.
Thank you for sharing!!
Karen

Post by **joette** » Thu May 18, 2006 3:17 pm

Thanks I didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted when my sister-in-law remarked to my Brother about one of my family tales which I had written out & given to them at Christmas "Off course Jeannette didn't write this she got somebody else to compose it"
Nope all my own work & we come from a long line off oral story tellers.I used to be the one in the corner "reading" a book with my ears flapping as all sorts of scandals were being divulged by the grown-ups.My Mother ditto so I guess we picked up a fair amount of tales.
I was always fascinated by my long dead family & tales of my parents youth.Maybe I'l write a book for the family with little tales & snippetts.
I will change names to protect the innocent!

delmarco · Post by **delmarco** » Thu May 18, 2006 6:05 pm

Joette:
What a coidncidence, I have my family scrapbook titled little McSnippetts!
I just wish I had the stories to go along with the few photos I have

Im working currently on the stories I can remember, and plan to give journal jars to the youngsters in the family to start their history writing now.

Regards
Karen