Today, I turn 50 (how on earth did that happen!?) So appropriately, i thought I’d post a picture of my ancestors, for without them, of course I wouldn’t be here. Personal to our family, this one is an important photo not just for its age, but also because of who’s in it!
The date is 1908 and pictured is my grandfather John Duncan (the baby in the photo who is of course my mother’s father). This was most likely his christening judging by the robes the baby is wearing. The baby was brother to Chrissie and Margaret Duncan (and Jenny who died when she was 7). Little baby John Duncan grew up at Hunthill Road and Broompark Road and went on to marry my gran, Mary Danskin in the 1930’s. To others reading this, the people won’t matter so much, but look at the history in this photo. It was the Edwardian era. Before aviation or car travel. Before 2 world wars.
The location is marked on the back of the photo. Hunthill Road. At the time some of my ancestors lived in the stone tenements on Hunthill Road. This garden was at the back, walled, where the bungalow houses at the top of Stonefield Crescent now are.
So why else is this photo important to me?! Apart from being over 113 old, it’s the other generations in this photo which make this unique and special! Are you ready?! Not just my baby grandfather. Pictured in the middle is my GREAT grandfather, also called John Duncan. To his left is HIS mother, my GREAT, GREAT grandmother and on his right HIS grandmother, my GREAT, GREAT, GREAT grandmother!! FOUR generations! This is my direct Blantyre ancestry line. Confused yet?
A final little snippet. The shadowy man by the hothouse is noted as “Uncle David” although my great aunt informed me he was not a real uncle of the family. Trust my family to be early photobombed! This photo has been scanned in the highest resolution I could find to preserve it and I’ve added a little colour.
One thing’s for certain on the day that was taken, I’m willing to bet my great, great, great grandmother (who was born before young Victoria became Queen) had NO IDEA her half Czech 50 year old great, great, great grandson would be sharing her image to people all over the world!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday Paul, have a good one JJ
You are soooo lucky Paul to be able to see your past family, in colour as well. I would have loved to see my Mother when she was younger, but I did have her until she was 96. Jan J