MY FAMILY & OTHER ANIMALS part 3

My mother Joan Mary Gray (nee Fry)

A rarity indeed, a photograph of my mother smiling, albeit rather shyly. This photograph must have been taken shortly after the family moved to wales, and is one of my favoutites, as she looks happy in what I always termed her "Ava Gardener" phase.

She was a complicated remote woman, who never really dealt with a lack of confidence to deal with life's stresses. I also think that she suffered from a post natal illness after My Brother Andrew's birth as well as the birth of my twin sister and myself, and this was never truely resolved until her death.

Bitter at times, angry certainly, later on in life she used alcohol I am sure to self medicate unresolved demons, but could be a talented and waspish storyteller when the mood took her.

She died in 2002




My father "Ron Gray" cut a rather dashing RAF navigator in the 1940's And this picture I feel summed up his sociable personality.

The eldest of three brothers , he became a popular local buisnessman and leading council figure around Prestatyn.
As a second generation child, I always felt rather removed from him, but was lucky enough to understand him a little better before his untimely death in 1990.




He looks very much like my Sister's eldest son Peter








Miss Marple or what?

My Grandparents photographed at Prestatyn's Parish Church with My Mother (Centre), my sister Ann and Uncle Jim with his wife Irene.

My mother as you can see hated her photograph taken, I wonder if she was pregnant with Andrew?

Gran looks like Dame May Whitty in Mrs Miniver