vintage
Vintage content about families throughout history; all about ancient ancestors, heirlooms, royal families and beyond.
Simply The Best
Being born in 1952 I really didn’t get to know my mother until I was about four years old. Although I can frequently recall her holding my hand or lifting me off the double-decker bus that took us into town. The one thing that does stick in my mind from all those years ago is how hard she worked. She was always the first to rise and always the last to bed. I can’t ever recall her sitting down and having a catnap or five minutes break. I do remember that she was always with child and I would have been fifth of six at that time, with the oldest being eight and the youngest 18 months.
By Eric Harvey5 years ago in Families
Mama's Magic Meatballs
Mama’s Magic Meatballs You could smell it blocks away. The roasting garlic, sweet basil, oregano and other secret spices. You could hear the low, sizzling of the meatballs gently being rolled in the frying pan. The big pot of homemade sauce simmering slowly for hours would make you salivate in anticipation. We had to go outside and play. “Stay out of Mamma’s way”. She was stirring up magic in her caldron. The kitchen was her sacred temple. And only when you were old enough for the rite of passage, the initiation into womanhood, you would be invited to watch, and to learn, and behold the secret recipe to her infamous meatballs.
By Diane Albright5 years ago in Families
A Childhood in Technicolour
This story is set in a little town, far far away, nestled in the flats of Goulburn Valley. Fruit grows in abundance in Mooroopna, yet no-one seems to know where it is. To me, it is a place where my imagination grew from a seed and my creativity was discovered at its source. My memories of 1970’s country life are like an old reel to reel movie. I flick through each frame, taking myself backwards to a moment that comes to life in full colour. My memories are found in Mooroopna’s streets, its old buildings, the land, the weather and of course my childhood home, which still stands like a palace in its own kingdom. Memories live inside it walls, pulsing vibrantly, the source of everything that makes me, me.
By Kate Ashforth5 years ago in Families
Flour Sack Fashion
Flour Sack Fashions In our flour sack shirts and my mother in her flour sack dresses, I and my three brothers were in the height of fashion. My brother when asked about the advertising on his shirt used to grin and tell people that he bowled for Gold Medal Flour.
By Cleve Taylor 5 years ago in Families
Miss Bates
Vivacious Miss Bates was enjoying a great deal of excitement. The time in Bath had been marked by every conceivable delight, and Miss Bates had expectations of her present happiness continuing. Though not a famous local beauty, she was estimated to be quite a credit to the neighborhood, and her wit, though sometimes the merest shade of spiteful, was generally pleasing, and much admired. Tall enough to cast down her eyes at the impertinent and insipid, yet small enough to look through her eyelashes at the assured. Warm enough to kindle the interest of the equally charming, yet cold enough to dim the hopes of the mere admirer, Miss Bates was confident of her own charms wherever she went.
By Margaret Wilder5 years ago in Families
Vanity Reflections
Dear Jean, Jerry and I have large comfortable chairs for our newly renovated basement, a picture of an abstract dancer, beautiful glass and silver serving plates & bowls and all sorts of other condiment and entertaining pieces- all great finds from thrift stores. Yes, your son-in-love, my husband, and I have been going in and out of thrift stores looking to find treasure. It is such a habit now that even when we travel we look up the local second-hand shops, thrift stores, and consignment shops. I am not sure he fully understands my connection to the thrift and why it, for me, is like having a piece of you still with me.
By Deirdre Simmons5 years ago in Families
Memory of a Miracle
I turned the corner in the thrift store and came face to face with the memory of a miracle. Baby Giggles. THE Baby Giggles from Ideal. Not the redone version with the mod outfit, straight hair, and hard plastic legs. The original one, with chubby baby arms and legs.
By Judey Kalchik 5 years ago in Families
A Christmas Tale of 1925.
It was just a few days until Christmas day 1985, Albert found himself babysitting his granddaughter Abbey while his daughter finished off the shopping, she had grown closer to him since Grandma had died two years earlier, Abbey snuggled up to him.
By Eric Harvey5 years ago in Families
