F IS FOR ...FIFTY YEARS AGO and a couple more...fifty two-to be exact.
Here we are are in August 1960, about to board the train in Derby to be whisked away to Canada. Both sets of parents and my sister Kay were there to see us off -- not to mention my ever faithful dog, Rip.
Left to right: Barry's dad, me 22 years old, Barry's mom, my mother, my sister, my father and Barry.
It was quite a confusing experience at this point, as we had planned to cross the Atlantic by ship from Liverpool, but there was a shipping strike and at the last minute Cunard decided to fly all the passengers across to Montreal from London. A lot of repacking had to be done.
My parents were living in Derby at the time, where my father was the manager of Ind Coop's The York Hotel, so although we had been living in Liverpool we all joined my family in Derby for the day of departure.
We had been married less than a year and this was one of several major steps in our lives. Our destination was Toronto to attend Toronto Bible College, now known as Tyndale University College. At this point it was not our intention to stay in Canada, but the Lord had other plans. We could never have guessed that we would be living in Southern California for 40 years (and counting).
FRIENDS FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS (FROM HIGH SCHOOL YEARS)
These are not friends we have just recently contacted again, but friends we have stayed in touch with over all these years.
Janet and Gerald
Maurice and Jennie
Margery and Norman
Sadly Norman passed away a year or two ago, but Margery still lives there in Flamborough, E. Yorks (from which my blog's name is derived) and their sons are continuing the fishing tradition. Margery could have wished it were otherwise, but it was in their blood and the family have been a prominent fishing family in Flamborough for a good number of generations.
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26 comments:
I can see the nervous look on your face. Thanks for sharing such a special memory.
Jane x
Life is certainly interesting with all its twists and turns.
Its lovely to still be in contact with Friends from 50 years ago.
We have several too. its special and kind of shocking when we talk about 50 years. How can that be?
Crossing the Atlantic was the start of a great adventure for both of you. Your family must have found it hard to see you go. Lovely to see your family photos at such a special time, fifty years ago.
I am still friends with a few old classmates from my village school. A very special thing after so much time has passed.
Lovely memories - seems like such a long time ago, but I do remember the day! If someone had told me that day that I would be joining you in Canada just a couple of years hence, I would have said they were crazy!! But I have never been sorry you invited me!
Love the stories and the pictures...I do remember those years back then.
Those pictures are wonderful memories, and great friends.
Great photos - was that the hotel seal on the car door?
Great to have and remain friends for so long - a tribute to you all.
Your hubby and dad looked so SERIOUS.
I have friends from kindergarten, so over 50 years too.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
I enjoy the photos that are part of other lives almost as much as looking back into our own family's moves and occasions.
What a lovely post! So nice to have such lasting friendships. And I love the vintage photos!
Wow such a beautiful memories to hold. The photos are awesome thanks for sharing.
ABC Wed
ROGER: My father has a sort of wry grin on his face. You didn't often see him outright smile. Very Victorian. My hubby, I think must have been talking as the camera clicked. He is always full of jokes. My number one advice to anyone getting married is to marry someone with a good sense of humor!
MERYL: The seal that you see is on the train. I'm not sure what it says, but I think the first word is 'British' on the left of the circle which would suggest that the other word is 'Railways.' Not sure though. Only the very, very, ritzy hotels, probably in London had courtesy cars back then, let alone one with a seal on!
Jane and Chris: I may have looked nervous, but I wasn't. Just really excited.
Lovely couples!
Forty Three
Chubskulit, ABC Wednesday Team
Flying is faster than by ship.
Now I know your blog name. It never got further than me havinf the word Flamboyant stuck in my head, and wondering why you chose that name.
Oh Chris! Such touching photos, past and present. I'm sure you've had lots of adventures in your new country. I pray you have many many more fabulous and fantastic ones!
Leslie
abcw team
Such a big change, you must have been very sure of each other to take sucha a big step together and you have been proved right. You are still sharing adventures together and keeping old friends across the years and the miles.
I always love reading other people's emigration stories! I have a few years before I get to 50 years as an expat, but I'd sure like to be around to see it (I'll be 86 then…). Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the wonderful story! How amazing that you have found a place in this world to do such important work. Have a blessed Wednesday, Chris!
Wil, ABC Wednesday Team.
Fifty years doesn't sound near as long as it used to...
I had the same clothes in the 60th ! I would never have thought in all my 15 (at that time) year old life that I would move to Belgium with my parents and stay there !
Gattina
ABC team
Great to look back! I'm not familiar with Tyndale in Toronto...
or Flamborough come to that! :) God bless you :)
Time Flies when one is having Fun - even Fifty years :-) It must have been a challenging change moving From Flamborough to Southern California. If you are farther away From your Friends, you at least enjoy a warmer climate ;-)
Hi Chris !
F is good for remembering Fifty year ago and Friends.
enjoyed them- so touching
enjoyed them- so touching
What a wonderful time it must have been for you both - you'd have found it daunting as well as exciting to leave your family and seek adventure in unknown lands! What lovely memories of all your friends too:)
What an adventure. I wonder how you all would have felt if you had known it was for ever.
How wonderful to have friends from so long ago. It takes a lot of effort to keep in touch.
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