Friday 5 August 2022

Happy Birthday



Today is my late father's birthday; he's the one on the left, with his older brother Reginald.

I find it strange that I always remember my father's birthday, but if you asked me the date of my mother's birthday I'd be grasping at straws.

He was a typical early 20th C father. Slightly distant, stiff upper lip, and traditional. We didn't have a great deal to do with each other, just the occasional "cheerio old chap" as I left for school, and maybe a "hello old chap" as I returned some months later. He never wrote to me whilst I was away.

When I first started work in The City he allowed me to use his tailor, for which I was extremely grateful. When I later received my first class hons degree he asked if it came with a piece of paper. When I said it did, he simply said "Jolly good, jolly good". 

I have great respect for him. He was much loved in the community, was always extremely generous to all those who worked for him, etc. He could always be relied upon 'to do the right thing'. 

So, Happy Birthday father. You would have been 117 today, and would no doubt have celebrated in much the same style as I will this evening; with a glass of good red wine. CHEERS!

16 comments:

  1. If one has to leave this world, kind memories in the minds of friends and family is a lovely thing to leave behind. I just caught up with the past couple of days of your posts and would like to wish you a belated happy birthday. I very much enjoy reading about your activities and life perspective on your side of the globe. Looking forward to many more years of your blogging. Kind Regards, A.K.

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    1. Hello AK. I agree, it's better to leave nice memories than lots of cash. And thank you for your kindness.

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  2. A tailor? No hunting through bargain basement 50% off sales racks for you then.

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    1. All my school kit had come from Harrods, and as a school-leaver I had no money. The loan of his tailor (in The City of London) was a real bonus.

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  3. He obviously got it right as you still have fond memories of him.

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    1. Yes, my memories of him become fonder and fonder with time.

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  4. I had to smile at " he allowed me to use his tailor". Love it! You come from a very different world to me!

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    1. My city job required me to be well dressed, so the 'free' use of his tailor was very welcome.

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  5. August 5th was also my father's birthday. He would have been 108 years old today. It was also my oldest brother's birthday. He would have been 75 today.

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    1. It was The Queen Mum's birthday yesterday.

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  6. It would have been my Grandfather's 119th birthday on July 26th.
    I have a photograph of him with his older brother and sister, they boys are dressed almost identically to your Father and his brother.
    His older brother sadly died at Gallipoli, having lied about his age in order to 'join up'.
    Grandad was a very lovely man, quiet, and very 'proper' in his behaviour, but I absolutely loved him bits! He encouraged me to be inquisitive, to learn as much as I could about all sorts of topics.
    He also taught me to tap dance, and made me into a demon draughts player, but sadly I never got the hang of playing the spoons the way he could! X

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    1. I don't know what my father taught me, other than always to be nice to people (unless they are not very nice to me).

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  7. Did your mother die first? So therefore there were more markings of your father's birthday and so that date stuck more?

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    1. Yes, my mother died about two years before my father. There's something about the date '5th Aug' that make it easy to remember.

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  8. I always remember them on their birthdays, rather than thinking about their deathversary. Like you i raise a toast to them and thank them for sharing their lives with me.

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    1. I'm not very good at remembering dates, but one or two stick in my memory. My father's is one.

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