Hullo Old Home

[brian daley]

I am a child of a mixed marriage,something that is not given a thought nowadays,but in 1940 it was considered outrageous.
Mum was from a protestant family,and Dad a catholic one.Seems hard to believe now,but it near tore both families apart.
They were very much in love,and could not be dissuaded from seeing each other.My Mum had the support of her elder brother ,through whom she met Dad.All of Dads family were set against the marriage,the parish priest used to rail against Dad.But their love for each other held firm,and they decided against a church wedding,and got wed in a registry office instead.
This upset both families,they were to be considered as living in sin and for the first few years of married life were ostracised by all but a few brave siblings.
When my sister was born in 1940 ,Mum allowed her to be baptised a catholic,as a sop to her mother in law.
In '42,when I turned up,my parents decided,in view of the anger that the protestants felt in my sister being made a catholic,determined that I was to be left "Unchurched"
So, after making my debut in Stanley Rd. hospital,I was taken home to Mum and Dads rooms in Medlock St.
I was 11 pounds at birth and my poor old mother was confined to bed to get over her ordeal.
On her third day in bed,my Dads 15 year old brother turned up and asked Mum if she would like him to take me for an outing in my pram so that she could have a rest.She was really pleased that he could be so thoughtful ,and said yes.
What she was not to know was that my Nin,the catholic grandma,was waiting at the bottom of the street with her hubby and various offspring,all in their best Sunday clothes.They were off to a christening.......,mine!
I was returned by my uncle, none the worse for wear,but with a baptismal certificate pinned to the coverlet.
When the protestants learned of this,in their minds,infamy,I was taken for another walk by a protestant aunt,this time returning with an anglican baptismal cerificate.
My early childhood was spent pretending that I was a catholic with one side and a protestant with the other.I can enjoy the humour of it now,but it was a lot to cope with then.
I learned to love my mixed family,it was a lot more interesting than being on the one side.I did not get confirmed in any of the faiths,I believe in God,but not in religion.
I'll post some more some time,
BrianD