Money makes the world go round!

Thanks to all who are following my family saga. I thought it might help you to get the members straight if I publish this "family tree"

My grandparents were very methodical. 2 girls then 2 boys then girl, boy until the 10^th was born. Please note I fitted right in after a boy came me! I once spoke to my grandmother about the large family. I was desperate as an only child to have lots of my own children but she said: "I love every one of them but if I had my time again I wouldn't have so many. It was just too hard." I worked out that the longest gap between kids in nappies came with my birth. Sometimes she must have had 2 in nappies at the same time. She didn't "work" she had enough genuine work at home! But I know that my "only child" life is the richer for the experiences I had in this large family.

I really don't know who came up with the idea. I'm inclining towards Ken (whose eventual job was involved in the stock market) but I really don't remember him taking an active part. We pooled our money and rushed to the local OK bazaars in Hillbrow and bought an ornament. Somehow a shepherdess seems to come to mind! On the Saturday we raffled it. No one was immune - all had to buy a ticket (visitors included!) We made some profit on this. I think we shared some of the profit but put the rest towards our next purchase (a vase I think). Again this was raffled and we split some of the profit etc. I'm not sure if it was now or it was after a few more raffles when the next idea was born. By this time Uncle Bill down to Joan were dating. The date was either movies or dancing. Either way we figured sweets had to be part of the picture so our next purchase was various kinds of sweets. We packaged these and each male (family or suitor) had to buy a pack of sweets before we let them out the door!

Big families! You gotta love them!

My grand father loved to bet on the races. Sometimes he was extremely lucky. When this happened he hid the money around the house. I know that under the claw foot bath was one of his favourite places.

I remember one day he came back from the races looking very glum. When I asked why he said that he had bet on the favourite and it too much money on it so it lost. I don't know if I asked or if he saw my puzzled look or that he decided to have some fun with me (this happened often as I was completely gullible where he was concerned. Pop couldn't possibly tell me lies, I thought!) Anyhow he explained. "You see when a horse has too much money bet on him. He has to carry the jockey as well as all that money." I went away (for months!) with this picture of this poor horse weighted down with jockey and saddle bags of money strapped to him – looking longingly at the finishing post!

A favourite pastime in our family was playing cards (as it was for many in those days). However my family did not just play cards – they gambled! They sometimes gambled until the early hours of the morning. I think they gambled on Fridays and Saturdays but I know they gambled on Sunday nights (What sacrilege!). My poor mother didn't stand a chance! She loves gambling!

I can remember sitting on my grandmother's knee while she played Poker. She would tell me what to card to play. I also kept a close eye on her coins – counting them continuously. My dad used to call me a miser. I was forever counting money. The money in front of my grandmother, the money in my money box. He predicted a moneyed future! Oh dad! Sorry but when I decided to be a teacher all thoughts of a moneyed future went out the door. I still count my money but it is with a horrible sense of disbelieve! "Is this all I have?"

I think this is why gambling was never attractive to me. "This is my money and NO-ONE will take it from me without a good reason – like food!"

When I grew old enough to play cards we would often play a raucous game – I have no idea what it was called or what its aim was but all I can remember is shouting "Black Pop!" because he had to play a black card if he had one!

I learnt all the gambling games very early but the favourites were Poker and 21.

The story goes that my grandparents sometimes played in a poker school with some very rich people. The outcome of one of their sessions was either enough money to buy the semis in Malvern or they actually won the semis. I have no idea if this is true or not maybe someone can enlighten me!