Family Photos and Stories

 


 

 

 

Grandad William 'Bill' Collis. Bill died aged 65 before I was born. He was 'sent' to the Army by his family when young and spent his army life all over the world. He must have come home sometimes. He and Liz had eight children!

 

Grandma Elizabeth 'Liz' Collis nee Northwood. We lived at Gran's until I was six. I remember Liz well. She used to chase me around the kitchen table. She died aged 84 when I was five. All that running around the table I 'spose.

My Dad Jack Fowler aged about 20 during the war . Jack joined the RAF when he was 17 leaving his home in Preston. By the time war started he was a wireless operator Flt. Sgt. working at the Y group station at Chicksands Priory near Bedford. Chicksands was one of the feed stations for the ultra secret 'ULTRA' station X at Bletchley Park. He never spoke a word about his war years until the subject came into the public domain in 1976. Dad met Mum after she had 'dumped' his best mate Dick Shepherd. Poor Dick was so upset Dad vowed to avenge his mate by dating Gladys Collis, intending to 'drop' her in return. Never happened, they married in 1945. Jack died in 1979. Dear Dad. He never told me much, but he showed me a lot and I miss him dearly.

 Four Generations of the Collis Family. From left with the cap Uncle Herb 'Squab' Peat, Uncle Bert Collis and wife Gladys, Uncle Cyril 'Midge' Collis and wife Eva, Uncle Sid Collis - not yet married, Uncle Austin - not yet married, Auntie Mabel (Collis)  and husband Hubert Stapleton, With the trilby Uncle Bob Carter and Auntie Flo (Collis) Middle row Auntie Lil Peat (Collis- husband Herb remember), Grandad Bill, Grandma Liz, Great Grandma Liz Front row cousin Velda daughter of Bert,Gladys, My Mum Gladys and the little boy is cousin Kenneth Collis.  

 

These were a happy bunch, my childhood memories filled with the sounds of their stories and songs.

 

They're all dead now, Bless 'em. 

 

My Mum Gladys, the youngest of Bill and Liz, died April 2006 aged 83.
An old ballad the Collis boys and girls used to sing

I'll be your sweetheart,
if you will be mine.
All my life
I'll be your Valentine.
Bluebells I'll gather,
Take them and be true.
When I'm a man
My plan
Will be to marry you.

 

 

My Mum with Daughter Isabel. Mum taught Brother Tony, Sister Tina and me how to write and how to count. She read to us as she's doing for Izzy here.
She sang to us, danced with us, taught us how to cook and even how to knit!.
But most of all she taught us how to laugh. And laugh we did.
Mistress of the malaprop; she once announced "Austin & Doreen are having the decorators in. They're having a dildo rail put up...."
Reminds me of that old joke; "Funny that, I haven't laughed so much, since Mum died". I miss her so.

 

 My two girls. Daughter Isabel and Partner Sue

 

 Izzy and her friend Lauren stealing my favourite chair...And if they don't behave I'm going to post that video they made on Mum's phone!!