1933: Earliest Memories

I found this faded Kodak. It’s of my Mum and me near my Dad’s saloon somewhere near Calcutta in 1931-32?

Have no memory of time , age or place. My most vivid memory is of sitting at my Mum’s feet while she sewed. My Grandpa would play his violin, his piccolo every day. Every evening Mum would play the piano and sing while Grandpa sometimes played his piccolo.

Sometimes a barber would come and shave Grandpa on the verandah.

After an afternoon nap Mum would wash and dress me. Then Grandpa would take me walking or in my stroller to the shops. Before leaving Mum would shake her finger and say “remember Pa only one sweet”. I loved the shops and smiling people . Grandpa talked to everyone, bought things for Mum, cigars for himself, some caramels. I was allowed to choose one sweet. Nearly alway a rasagolla, sometimes a rosamundi.

Reading my Mum’s story – 1932/1933 – it was the Depression. The Bridge Department closed, my Dad had to wait in great anxiety, to get another position to support his wife and 7 children.

He got a job as a Permanent Way Inspector so he had to be away in remote places, hence he had a saloon as living quarters (the Kodak shown). My Grandpa came to live and look after us. My older sisters and brothers went to boarding schools in the Himalayas. The house and compound we lived in for over a year was huge. It was in Tiljala. Near Calcutta. Bengal, India

Tiljala, Calcutta,

• Into the Sixties –1963
• 1953
• Memories of 1942 and 1943
• 1933: Earliest Memories
• Happy New Year Remembering Christmas past as 2022 comes to an end✍️

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