My Oldest Cousin

Facebook post

5 December 2009 at 15:43

Have just had a delightful pre-Christmas visit from Cousin Daisy (the Senior Cousin and head of the family when Uncle Laurie hands in his chips).  

Lots of laughter and talk of the old times and ancestors.

***

The day after I was born Cousin Daisy celebrated her 22^nd birthday.

She is the oldest of our generation of maternal cousins, I am the youngest.

Fifteen weeks after I was born she was married. 

Mum didn’t go.   

In those days of fuel and financial shortages travelling with a babe-in-arms from Netheravon to Newcastle wasn’t really practical.

Especially in January.

We have a wonderful letter from her mother to ours describing the wedding ceremony and celebrations.  There are some cutting remarks about an in-law, comments on the political situation and “of course the only picture where I look any good is the one where I’m wringing out her veil.”

Being the youngest I never got to play as a child with any of my cousins (or siblings, the nearest is seven years older than me).  Daisy and the rest were people whose names I knew and who appeared from time to time when, or with, visiting aunts and uncles.

But that has changed.

I came up to Newcastle University and settled here; half a mile from where Mum and her siblings, Auntie Edna’s babies and my oldest siblings were born. 

Cousin Daisy and Auntie Edna were the first of the extended family to meet Phil, when we bumped into them at a garden centre.  They were so favourably impressed she phoned to say how much she thought of him.

Auntie Edna, celebrated her 80^th birthday in June 1992 and Phil was well enough to drive me and Mum and Dad to the party at Cousin Daphne’s house.  He took his banjo and there was a general sing-along of Geordie and Northumbrian songs.  I have a happy memory of Mum and Auntie Ed singing “The Waters of Tyne”, with Mum particularly relishing the line “or skull him across that rough river to me.”

As we were going home Auntie Ed wondered aloud when we’d all be in each other’s company again.  “Probably a funeral” she said optimistically and, sadly, prophetically.

Cousin Daisy worked in a clerical position at the Freeman Hospital.

One day that September, during what was Phil’s final stay, she popped up in her lunch hour to see us.

He was in distress and quite restless. 

She put a cooling hand on his forehead, stood very still and I’ve no doubt she was praying

He became much calmer, and I am forever grateful for the peace she brought in that moment.

Five years ago, when I said I had no intention of celebrating my sixtieth birthday, Bigsister threatened me with “Well Middlesister and I are coming up and if you don’t organise something we will.”

I insisted on having our traditional birthday tea at home with the boys, but contacted Cousin Daisy and suggested we have a joint birthday afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth for various cousins, spouses and offspring, on her birthday.

Which is where the photo illustrating this post was taken.

Uncle Laurie handed in his chips in the August of our annus horribilis 2012

I’m glad to say Cousin Daisy and her husband are still with us, and are grand and great grandparents.