Here's Rosie at Bantry House. Doesn't she look regal?
My grand aunts followed them and worked in big houses in Cheshire. Then came the "black fifties" and my dad moved to Lancashire and met my mum at a Palais.
Twenty years ago we moved over here. My eldest talks of going to Australia or the states and we still want to live in Portugal. Well at least for the winter at first. The Irish and UK climate is apalling in Winter.
Two years ago this week we were in the Algarve celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary. It seems like years ago. I wonder if we will ever return there? Everyone and everything is on hold for us all.
It's been quite a reflective post today.
What were the black fifties? And why did it make your dad move to Lancashire? Working in the big houses...in our lingo, 'the big house' is also called prison. I've read about the people who worked for the 'elite'. It seems as if they were almost a subclass? They were treated as part of the scenery, moving quietly, not speaking, and for their part, these 'elite' simply took no notice of them. Is that an exaggeration?
ReplyDeleteAnd Rosie looks as if she belongs to Bantry House.
It was a time in the nineteen fifties when 40000 people a year emigrated from Ireland every year. My dad was only 17. The big houses were country estates. My great aunts were maids and later owned their own business and a pub. Rosie does like she belongs at Bantry House. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo you have some blue blood running through your veins then?
ReplyDeleteIt's only through marriage JayCee. I use to like City until I became a United armchair fan. 😊 My mum was a Labour voter yet she had lots of royal family memorabilia. Lady Diana was my favourite.
ReplyDeleteI thought Diana played for Rochdale. She got sent for an early bath when they played Wigan in the cup. Brutal tackle.
DeleteHaha. I didn't know that.
DeleteYour photo of Rosie is just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Yes it's a cracker Briony. I think we will get it blown up bigger and framed. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteRosie is a handsome dog and that is a magnificent house. Your family history is interesting. It is always fascinating to read about what happened to families back in 'those days'. Mine emigrated to NZ obviously, from england, not Ireland. I'm surprised your aunts returned to Ireland as they got older. Thats what a lot of greeks do. The call of the homeland is very strong
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda. I think my Grand aunt was a maid in Jefferson County and she retired and came back to Ireland. My dad's aunts were quite succesfùl after leaving private service. One aunt and her husband bought a pub in Lancashire and she put up my dad and his brother and a friend then they found work on the railways and in the mills... Thanks.
ReplyDeleteVery many people were employed in "service" in years gone by. I think you would have made a good butler Dave.
ReplyDelete"You called ma'am?"
"Yes Northsider. Get me a mint imperial my good man."
"Of course ma'am. Anything you say ma'am. I am your humble servant."
Yes there were some good private service employers YP. In fact Boxing Day is named after these people gave boxes or presents to their staff on Stephen's Day. I would liked to have been in charge of a walled kitchen garden like the one at Heligan in Cornwall.
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