Great Discovery!

March 6, 1955 is the date I was baptised. This is my Aunt Molly, who was really my dad's cousin Molly McCarthy, but we always called her Aunt Molly. She was the best God-mother because she always gave me a gift for Christmas and my birthday. She was from Ireland but lived at my grandfather's house when she was living in the States. Aunt Molly died when I was 6 years old. One day not too long after she died we visited at my grandfather's house, my Aunt Shirley said there was something for me. She pulled out a wrapped box from behind the couch. It was a birthday present from Aunt Molly. A blue sweater that was very soft. I was amazed that I could still get presents from Aunt Molly even though she died.
Above is my Grandfather, John McGrath. He came to America from Ireland in the late 1800's. Doesn't he look like a good ole' Irish Grandpa! I think he was 89 or 90 when he died in 1959, a very old age in those days considering he probably lived a very harsh life.

Holding me is my cousin Mary Lou.

Mary Lou grew up in my grandfather's house where her parents lived.

My grandfather's house was a typical Irish family, lots of people living there and our family faithfully visited every Sunday at least until my grandfather died, and then after but not as often. The women took care of babies and cooked, while the men played cards.

Everyone got dressed up too!

Here's another photos of my Aunt Molly holding me again. Notice the ash tray right nearby! Those were the days!


This is my sister Geri, my Aunt Molly, and My Aunt Mary Jane who was my mother's sister. Oh! Notice Molly has an apron on, I thought that gave a wonderful clue that she was helping my mom in the kitchen. These photos were taken at the house I grew up in by the way. (Notice the burning cigarette in the ash tray, and the man in the chair behind my Aunt Mary Jane, undoubtedly playing cards. He's sitting at the dining room table.)

I love the slip covers on the furniture, I wonder if my sister Mary can tell me what color they were?

Above is a photo of my siblings and I. Robert, Mary, Geri, and me. Notice the baby crib in the background. And see the corner cabinet in the background, my mom used it in several parts of the house...for awhile it was in the bathroom with towels on it, and later, in the 1960's my mom painted it turqouise blue and cut it up to make little corner shelves to hang on the walls.

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I have most of the above original photos in my possession but I always wondered why there were pictures of me posed with different relatives at my christening party but no photos of me with my mom and dad. I always wondered what they looked like when I was born.

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Now, here's the important part. Go back to the photo above. Notice the table next to the kids with the open purse.

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On the back of the following picture it says "Geri's Christening Day, 1951" (mom's handwriting)

BUT LOOK AT THE LITTLE TABLE WITH THE PURSE ON IT! SO IT'S REALLY ME WITH MY PARENTS ON MY CHRISTENING DAY WHEN I WAS ONE MONTH OLD! All these years I thought it was Geri!

Cool Discovery!

My dad was 49 years old, my mom was 39 years old. She gave birth to my brother 9 months after this photo was taken! (He was 2 months premature.)