Mother/ MUM

[Jan1954]

Grandfathers were always Grandad, but grandmothers were Nanny. How localised is that (I'm a Londoner)?

I am Hertfordshire born and bred. Whilst some of my schoolchums called their grandmothers Nan or Nanny, I was forbidden from doing so. This was because my Gran (Mum's Mum), with whom we lived, had been a Nanny - in service. My maternal grandfather had died 9 years before I was born, but whenever talked about, was referred to as Mum's Dad. My paternal grandparents were Grandma and Grandad.

[terrysfamily]

Mine were simply Nanna and Granddad. Although, I didn’t know my Mum’s dad, he died 9 years before I was even thought of and sadly, I can only just remember my Dad’s dad.

My MUM to my niece was Nanna Gemma, but her name wasn’t Gemma, it was Kye short for Ceinwen.

From the age of 2 we used to sit down with my nice and teach her to read and write. Which she picked up really well (starting each persons name with a capital) and could do both before she started school. However, when she started school they told her to write everyone’s name all in lower case!!!!!

When we were teaching her how to spell her name we told her that her second name was Gemma. She said oh that’s nice, that was my Nanna’s name before I came here. We told her that her other Nanna was Nanna Pricey. She said no not that one the one before I came here. We did try a little gentle probing to find out who she was on about but all she would say was “That was my Nanna’s name before I came here. Make of that what you will.

My MUM remained Nanna Gemma until my niece dropped the name altogether and just called them Nan and Granddad.

[Waitabit]

Terry,I wish I'd had either of those to call out to or be with.
I met my Paternal G'Mother once aged 8, she seemed quite sturdy & elderly & 'what the heck would I do with yet another g'child-ish". May have been my interpretation, she'd had 14 chidren & they'd mostly had children before I was born. She was known as my Grand Mother. I saw her once again aged 14 before I went to her funeral aged 16.

My respective G'Parents may never know what I missed. Hey, but I'm learning about them & THEIR G'Parents.

[junedye64]

I only knew one Grandparent. My Mum's Mum and I called her Granny. She died when I was seven so I don't remember much about her.

My Dad's Mum, who I have found through researching and did'nt even know her name let alone know what she looked like(I still don't), I've grown to love. She's causing me all sorts of problems not having her birth record and she could have a choice of two surnames, but I really love her and I wish I had known her.
Wonder what I would have called her.

June

[pennydog]

My Dad's Dad had died before I was born, my Mums died when I was 4 - he was called 'Old Joe' by the adults and Farve by the children (born & bred in Stepney). Both of my Nans were called Nanny + surname and they too were both dead by the time I was 9. My Mum was aghast when she had her first grandchild and was asked if she wanted to be called Granny (I dare not write what she said!), so she too was Nanny, then Nan. For my brother and sister's children Nanny Prince (our boxer dog) and to mine Nanny Bonzo (Prince had now gone and been replaced by a Battersea rescue hound). Strangely Mum grew up with her own grandmother living with her and she was always called her Gran. I think Mum associated the word Gran with an old person, she maintained her Gran lived to be 90 (I know now she didn't - but probably looked like it) - Mum was well into her 60's when she had her first grandchild, but then my Mum never thought she was old.

[exiled brummie]

Our daughter (40 several) always refers to my wife as Mum, unless she's annoyed with her. Then it's - MOTHER!!

My 2 Brummie grandmothers were always referred to as Nanny. Both my grandfathers died before I was born.