P – Parents
Sadly both of my parents have passed away now.
My father was the first to go in 1970. He died quite suddenly and peacefully at home whilst sitting on the front Verandah. My dear mother died in 1982. To this day I miss them both very much but strangely there are days when I not just visualise them but it is as though I can hear their voices although I realise it is only in my imagination. I feel sure that many of you can relate to what I am saying.
My father was the seventh child of a large family of eleven children. His parents migrated to South Australia from Poland in 1878. Three of Gran’s uncles migrated previously in 1855 and 1856. Gran’s father remained in Poland. My father was born in 1888. There were six boys in this family and five girls. Sadly four of these boys all died before the age of 20 years.. When in their 20’s my father and his surviving older brother purchased a farm. On this property were two homes. My uncle was the first to marry. This marriage was childless. My father and mother married in 1932. They had a large family of seven children. In 1937 the brothers dissolved partnership and my father bought his own farm where we children grew up. He was well over six feet tall and solidly built. Although he was quite strict and tough on us children at times his dry sense of humour would show through. When other surrounding farmers moved to the modern method of farming buying tractors to work the land, he continued to stay with his Clydesdale horses. It was only when he was well into his seventies that he purchased his first tractor. My mother and I would stand and watch in awe and fear as he drove that tractor!!!. He was fearless and how he never rolled that tractor is still a mystery to this day!!. In his older years he loved to reminisce about the old days. How I wish I had taped him telling his stories as this was a part of history that only people living in that era knew of. It’s all too late now.
My mother was also of Polish descent on her maternal side of the family however, her father she said migrated from Glasgow in Scotland. Mum’s mother died when she was just seven years of age. Sadly when she was fifteen years of age her father died as the result of an accident. She had one sister two years younger and a brother two years older. Both Mother and Auntie Eileen grew up in a Convent where a caring and loving Nun looked after them and it was here that they both attended School. After finishing school they went to live with their Grandmother. When they were old enough they both went out to work until they married. In contrast to my father, my mother was small and dainty being just five feet in height. She had a lovely caring nature and was a born mother. She could always pacify small children and babies when others couldn’t. Unlike myself she was a ‘chatterbox’ and could easily make conversation and make visitors immediately feel at home and welcome.. After my father died she purchased a lovely cottage in which she was very proud in a nearby town. Everyone was always made welcome. I had taken her to the local Hospital one Saturday morning under her Doctors instructions after she had not been well. It was the following morning I received a phone call from the Matron of the hospital to tell me that whilst the nurses were making her bed and she was sitting in a chair chatting away to them when suddenly she became quiet and when they looked they found she had suddenly passed away. They did all that they could to revive her but to no avail. To me it was a blessing that she had not died alone at home where I would have found her on my daily visits.
I am sure we all have wonderful memories of our parents. They may be gone but not forgotten but their memories will always be with me.
Tags: Memories
