2024 Week3: Favourite photo #52Ancestorsin52Weeks

I wrote about a favourite photo last year. At that time I chose a photo of my dad with his mum. This time round I'm choosing a photo of my dad again - this time with my mum and ME!

Source: own photo

I really love this photo. I'm not sure if I'm cuddling my dad or play fighting him! But by the looks on our faces I'm sure it was great fun anyway.

The photo would have been taken by my sister Margaret - my "big" sister who was a whole 13 years older than me. We are in the back garden at 76 Teesdale Gardens in Newcastle upon Tyne, where we lived from 1958 to 1964. I reckon I'm about 3 or 4 possibly here, so that would make it the early 60s. It is obviously summer going by the way we are dressed and I note the roses are blooming too. I think I have a bathing costume on. If I'm right I can even tell you the colour - it was pale yellow.

I can remember some of the toys I see here - my Triang pram, my telephone and my shopping basket. The building with the flags was made of Lego as I can remember the flags, but I have no idea what is around it. I recognise the cushions too. They were yellow and red and used to sit on our couch.

I love this photo because we all look so happy in it. It cannot have been easy for my mum and dad to have a late baby after such a gap between children. My mum was a month away from her 42nd birthday when I was born and my dad was 43. Although I was a second child, and more than likely unplanned, I was no doubt given the love and attention of an only child. I think this photo bears witness to that.

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