Sunday 27 September 2009

Tiny Dancer


These are my Mums words, from notes that she wrote on her young life and it talks about the making of, what I believe, is this dress not long before her father died in 1927.

……. As a child you are not really aware of how well off your family is but I suppose we could be described as being comfortable, yet mother would rarely buy anything that she could get cheaper else where and she revelled in the sales. Maybe mother’s careful management of money was how we afforded to have help in the house. Mary came in everyday until I was about ten.

Some of her sale bargains were lengths of material, which would be put away until there was a use for them, either by her or a dressmaker. Sometimes the fabric was really not suitable for the garment that was required but if that was all that she had at the time, it would be made use of.

Once I needed a special dress for a dancing exhibition so she pulled out yards of a horrid drab material and proudly announced, “That will do nicely”.

My heart sank and I suddenly did not want to be in the exhibition at all. There still was one hope left and that was Father. Mother rarely did anything without checking with Father first and so she went to show him her find.

“What do you think about this for Marjory’s dress?” I heard her ask.

I had followed close behind and arrived in time to see Father shaking his head slowly and giving his reply.

“ What ever you do Jean, do not make a fool of the child.”

Mother had her answer and the next day she came back with some beautiful pale pink satin and some other bits for frills and decorations.

Hope you like my stories

Take Care xx

5 comments:

Carmen said...

How vividly described, what a wonderful writer your Mum was. I was really getting into that and could picture the scene perfectly. Have you included that on the page somewhere? How lucky to have these recollections.

Angie said...

The stories that are in my Mums words are typed in a sort of book now but I may copy what is on this blog and stick it to the back of each LO ...so glad you enjoyed it.

Paige said...

What a beautiful story! please please attatch it to the LO! your (great) grandchildren will thank you for it in years to come :) The photo and LO are perfect!!

Julia Dunnit said...

Oh Angie, I LOVE the stories; and the social history; it's compelling reading.

Ginny said...

oh Ange this is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous, I LOVE the photo but the wonderful story in your mums own words is breathtaking..what a treasure she gave you and that you are now passing on to those beautiful boys of yours and their family to come...