Above: Bricks reminiscent of the outside of the house in Oley. I loved that place!
For as long as I can remember Mama had a tall round Charles Chips can with photographs and negatives. There was also a Charles Sturgis pretzel can with photos and negatives in it. When Mama sold her house on Montgomery Street and we were asked to take what we wanted before the house was cleaned out, I opted for the tins of photos, among other things. I am sure you are aware that our ancestry is fascinating to me so anything from our family's past is precious. The photos and negatives sat in a corner of my closet for years. Then, when I was taking courses on line from the Art Institute, an assignment required we take an old photo and restore it. I had to buy a specific type of scanner which could convert negatives to photos and I had a treasure trove of photos to choose from to complete the assignment.
This treasure trove of negatives is a legacy to all of us from Anna May Lilley, who kept everything. She was a child of the depression, living her pre-teen and teenage years in the 1920's. She saved everything; I remember how she saved butter wrappers and used the smidgens of butter on the paper to grease cookie sheets, how she saved string in a giant ball, un-stitched old clothes to make material for new clothes (I remember well my 7th grade blue and white lace Easter dress), aluminum foil folded and reused, wrapping paper the same. She recycled before recycling became de rigueur. I am sure we went through times of resenting her frugality but when I think about it now I am in awe of her creativity and prudence.
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of negatives. It will take me a long time to convert them and restore those that need it (as well as I can, at any rate). Some of them are double negatives and do not show clearly of what images they are supposed to represent. Some of those I have discarded, but some are too precious to me to discard (the one of the kitchen in Oley, for example). Some of them are people I am not sure of, but I am keeping them as well. I am going to put them on a page of Unknowns and would appreciate any help in identifying them.
Aunt Gin-Gin's Memorial weekend was memorable for more than Aunt Gin-Gin's life. I, and I think many, had a wonderful time reminiscing and being together (the legend of Phil Phillips and Phyllis come to mind immediately). For me, a special gift from Aunt Gin-Gin's life were all the photos her children bequeathed to me. I am going to have a page (or pages) of those photos on this site as well. Those photos include ones of our Grandparents, but also of our Great Grandparents and one or two of our Great Great Grandparents.
So, in memory of Mama, who kept the past alive; to my siblings and their spouses , my children and grandchildren, my nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, great great nieces and great great nephews, my cousins and all those of bloodline and love in my life, I give you these glimpses into the past of the Family Lilley and Lines and Siegfried and Forry and Hertz and Reber and probably others. And hugs and love to my wondrous husband who not only patiently endured while I spent hours on my computer with these negatives, but delighted in the finished result. He, too, loved Mama as his own.
This treasure trove of negatives is a legacy to all of us from Anna May Lilley, who kept everything. She was a child of the depression, living her pre-teen and teenage years in the 1920's. She saved everything; I remember how she saved butter wrappers and used the smidgens of butter on the paper to grease cookie sheets, how she saved string in a giant ball, un-stitched old clothes to make material for new clothes (I remember well my 7th grade blue and white lace Easter dress), aluminum foil folded and reused, wrapping paper the same. She recycled before recycling became de rigueur. I am sure we went through times of resenting her frugality but when I think about it now I am in awe of her creativity and prudence.
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of negatives. It will take me a long time to convert them and restore those that need it (as well as I can, at any rate). Some of them are double negatives and do not show clearly of what images they are supposed to represent. Some of those I have discarded, but some are too precious to me to discard (the one of the kitchen in Oley, for example). Some of them are people I am not sure of, but I am keeping them as well. I am going to put them on a page of Unknowns and would appreciate any help in identifying them.
Aunt Gin-Gin's Memorial weekend was memorable for more than Aunt Gin-Gin's life. I, and I think many, had a wonderful time reminiscing and being together (the legend of Phil Phillips and Phyllis come to mind immediately). For me, a special gift from Aunt Gin-Gin's life were all the photos her children bequeathed to me. I am going to have a page (or pages) of those photos on this site as well. Those photos include ones of our Grandparents, but also of our Great Grandparents and one or two of our Great Great Grandparents.
So, in memory of Mama, who kept the past alive; to my siblings and their spouses , my children and grandchildren, my nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, great great nieces and great great nephews, my cousins and all those of bloodline and love in my life, I give you these glimpses into the past of the Family Lilley and Lines and Siegfried and Forry and Hertz and Reber and probably others. And hugs and love to my wondrous husband who not only patiently endured while I spent hours on my computer with these negatives, but delighted in the finished result. He, too, loved Mama as his own.