Me (Anne) ....and my Mum's teddy!

Anne & Teddy

Yes, as the title says...this is/was actually Mum's teddy!
She grew up with it in India and then brought it over with her when she married Dad. Over the years it became quite bald and lost it's eyes! I remember going to Birkenhead market with Mum to the 'toy hospital' there where she bought 2 new plastic eyes on wire for him!
When Mum passed away it was only right that her childhood Teddy should go with her....my daughter, Katey made a replica in flowers which was beautiful. The funeral Directors even asked if we were sure that Teddy should go to as he was so old!
Katey has a photo of the 'Teddy flowers' which I will find and put up later.

Me (Anne) outside The Ginnel.

Anne outside The Ginnel

I remember that 'costume' well, but just not the day. It was bottle green with an orange and cream trim, and I was obviously at that age of being allowed to wear tights! (no more cold socks for me!)

My hairband was pale blue (I took after Mum for not matching colours - sorry Mum!), and I was obviously fond of pixie boots at that time! Do I really have long arms? That costume was probably made for me at Nancy Huff's (?) seamstress and clothes shop up in The Wiend. Each Birthday and Christmas Dad would take me and respectively Mum, to choose a dress or coat or whatever, and it would be made for us! I remember one year watching a film starring Tony Curtis and Audrey Hepburn in which she wore a beautiful elegant white coat....and yes, you've guessed it, I got to wear my very own handmade version and imagine I too was a Hollywood star! Thank you Dad.

In this photo's background is the Bridge Inn, Port Sunlight's village pub/hotel.

Also behind me to my left - is that Billy Ebbrell's car? I think it was a Ford Cortina, Mark 1?

A little girl and her doll - happy days!

Anne

I'm pleased to see I'm smiling in this picture - not the miserable face I showed in 'A lovely McCormack family photo'!

Do any of my brothers know where this was taken? Perhaps it was on holiday or maybe just a day out?

I vaguely remember that doll, but not her name! I think she had gold earrings!

Another lovely festive memory!

Keith, Rob & Dad

Aw...another Christmas picture - my favourite type!
Dad sitting in 'his' chair with, which looks to be the drinks glasses cocktail cabinet to his right...he enjoyed his tot of whisky! Whenever anyone called, Dad's welcoming words were always, "Nancy, get the whisky out will you!" Mostly he just tried his luck as Mum usually replied "no!" But Christmas was always the exception as shown in the blog entry 'Rob and sideboard full of drinks!'
Rob looks his usual cheeky self and is wearing a tie! - very smart. I think he dedicated the best part of his youth just teasing me! Mind you I think Keith did his fair share too! Keith looks particularly happy here...I guess Mum must have been taking the photo.
What a contrast to the Christmas décor of today! We would always have balloons and those crepe paper streamers as seen hanging above Dad's head here. The colours would even be pastel pinks or blues...not particularly festive?! And who remembers licking all those gummed strips of paper to make paper chains?!...which wouldn't stay stuck!
The tree baubles were always glass, not the plastic ones of today, but inevitably one would break when putting them on the tree, and then we'd lose another one (or two) when taking the decorations off the tree after the traditional 12 days of Christmas.
However for that year, which I think must be about 1959, that looks to be quite an impressive tree which is adorning our front room!

A lovely McCormack family photo

Dad, Anne, Rob, Keith & Granma

Once again, a photo I don't ever remember seeing...unless I've simply forgotten!
For some reason I look extremely miserable! I'm sitting in between Dad and Rob who's next to Keith then there's Gran at the end. (Dad's Mum)
I must be about 4 or 5 which makes the year 1959-60.
I wonder if it's a Saturday as we always picked up Gran then and she would come back to our house for tea. If it was a sunny day we would always have an ice cream cornet/wafer on the way home but it always had to be Wall's ice cream, (or was that Lyon's Maid?)
Remember Buckley's ice cream in New Ferry - it was the BEST ever!