Learning About Myself Through My Father

Lissett Airfield Windfarm Sculpture. Caressing my men. The strange part is that the smile detector on my camera detected the mens' smiles but not my own. So who is the statue and who is the human?

I always love coming to Bridlington, not just because my cousins Pam and Josie live here and their mum, Rosalee, but also because it is where my father grew up for the most part.  Of course, Bridlington has changed quite a bit over the decades.  It used to be a quaint seaside town with stately homes and promenades, which unfortunately, the promenades, have been overrun with amusement rides  and gawdy attractions aka Niagara Falls.  So this would always sadden my Dad.  However, if you can see past the plastic silliness, there is still this lovely seaside resort.  It has grown quite a bit and is now with a population of about 65,000.

Burton-Agnes Estate near where my father's Gransmore Lodge was situated

The area of Yorkshire around Bridlington is populated with numerous lovely small towns and estates.  And the estates are just beautiful.  There are so many hidden gems in this area that I have not nearly begun to explore because I usually am more focussed on visiting my relatives, which is equally as entertaining and historical because I get to explore all sorts of information about my Father’s family history.

Me and Rosalee, Pam's Mother, wife to my father's brother, Terry, standing infront of Arched Lodge, where they used to live. This was the gatehouse to Grimston Garth

Rosalee is an excellent source of information and Pam and I were both in hysterics and amazed hearing the stories of my father’s family and their going’s on well before we were ever in the picture.  I always love to explore my history on both sides of my family because it helps explain a lot of my own life  For instance, on my father’s side, he had three sisters.  All three of them were married at least once and divorced whereas the brothers married once and stayed married.  Well my sister and I have both been married at least once and divorced.  My brothers are still in their one and only marriage.  My Aunt Elsie, who I am told I look like and share some personality, although she had a nasty streak which I do not possess, married a second time but spent most of her life on her own.  She never had children.  I have never had children and I seem to be single more than in a relationship.    Doris, my father’s youngest sister, also never had any children.  But all the Brocklehurst’s for the most part, had strong unique personalities, and well, anyone who knows me, well, need I say more.

The shoreline of east Yorkshire

Pam and her mother took me to Grimston, which is where there is a gatehouse called Arched Lodge where their family lived when Pam was a little girl.  That’s why she always likes to say that she once was a princess who lived in a castle (of course augmented by a wink or two).  Although we could not get close to the gatehouse, I was able to take a picture or two.  Rosalee told me how one her son’s Steve, had burned down a fair swath of the adjacent forest when he tried to help his father with the burning of debris whilst his father was away.   Oops.  Unfortunately, whilst I have been here, the weather has been quite tumultous, windy and rainy.  We were going to go to the seaside but it was a good thing we did not.  However, we did drive close to my father’s old home, Gransmore Lodge.  This is where my mother and father first lived after they got married and where my oldest brother Ewan was born.

Sexy legs - showing off our tans - or lack thereof. I come first, then Pam, then George, then Rosalee

During the war, airmen flying with the RAF out of Lissett were billetted at Gransmore Lodge.  Dad used to tell me stories of those days.  Well they have since erected 12 windmills across the road from the Lodge.  This is the Lissett Airfield Wind Farm.  They have named each of the windmills after one of 12 planes that flew during that time.  There is also a sculpture of 7 airmen infront of the wind mills and on them is inscribed the 158 names of men who flew out of Lissett.  It is a wonderful tribute and put to a great modern use.  It is highly visited and while I was there for all of 10 minutes, 3 more cars pulled up to read and look at the tribute.  I signed the guest book noting my father’s relation to the area.

The wind mills

Of course I have been to this area a number of times but I continue to find out more about it.  Next time I need to wander the countryside.  Pam, Rosalee and I also took a quick visit to see Josie who lives in a wonderful residential care home and she is doing so well.  She is so happy with all her friends and very stimulated with volunteer and work opportunities and being able to live on her own.  She generally remembers me after a couple of hints when I see her each time as we used to write back and forth, with the help of her mum, when I was a girl, as Josie is about 2 years older than me.  And I have seen her over the years abotu 8 or 9 times.  But it is difficult for her to remember me in the same way as direct family she sees all the time.  But she is always very happy and very healthy.  She would have been a very intelligent and bright girl had oxygen not been slow to get to her upon her birth.  Still she shines and wins trophies for her excellent pool playing and swimming.  Anyway, I will wrap up this post for now as I am leaving Bridlington today to head to Edinburgh to see my Mother’s side of the family and I need to get packing and organized.  But more to post on Bridlington again.

Pam, George and Rosalee. George is an old friend of Rosalee's. He used to work with Terry. His wife has since passed away.