Mum

At the time of my birth mum was living at home with my Gran & Grandad. Home was Woodside Cottage on the edge of  Owston woods in the Leicestershire countryside. Grandad was the Gamekeeper for Sir Henry Tate who owned the estate and lived in Preston Lodge.

It sounds idyllic but for a young spirited girl it felt claustrophobic. She craved excitement in her isolated life and that is what led her to my father.
Mum was born on 7th January 1934 in Denbigh Infirmary in North Wales.

Denbigh Infirmary

Having traced her line back to the late 1700's I'd say she is a thoroughbred. She was the first child born to my Grand Parents Hannah Jane Jones and Evan John (Jack) Hughes. They lived in a tiny village called Henllan in Denbighshire, and the first few years of mum's childhood were happy and carefree. She stayed most of the time at her maternal Grandparents who adored their first Grandchild.

And the child that is born on the Sabbath day, is bonny and blythe and good and gay

My Birth

St Mary's Hospital 

I was born on the 24th June 1955 at St Mary's hospital in Melton Mowbray To say I am lucky to be here is an understatement! Mum told me that she had her waters broken but after 3 days in labour and injections in alternate legs every hour - administered as if the nurse was throwing a dart - there was no sign of me coming out. I was well and truly stuck. I was in distress and suddenly there was a room full of Dr's and midwives. After a quick deliberation it was decided to cut her to get me out (why they didn't give her a caesarean at this point is beyond me!) but there was still a problem. The umbilical cord that nourished me throughout the nine months of gestation threatened to take me before I drew my first breath! It was wrapped around my scrawny neck but eventually I was freed from its clutches and saved. It was touch and go for a few days though. My mum said I looked like a wax doll for the first 3 days and even had me baptised just in case I didn't make it. She told me the vicar had been gardening and he turned up in his wellington boots to perform my baptism...........that's how serious the situation was. I was named Annette Hughes-the name Annette came from a posh girl who visited her Gran in the village! What a worrying time for my poor mum. I did survive though and I'm still here almost (in 8 days time) 56 years later!
Mum told me that being an unmarried mother was a real sin in those days and one of the nurses that looked after her was very 'off'' with her at first, but after seeing how much mum had suffered giving birth to me and how worried she was about my chances of survival, the nurse began to show mum kindness.
Even after my birth mum had to have injections, this time they were iron injections. She said her leg was black with bruising. How she could love me after all that suffering I don't know, but love me she did-even though I must have been a very ugly baby because mum told me I had no hair and no eyelashes or eyebrows for months. No wonder the earliest photo I have of me is when I'm aged 18 months. Even then I was still practically bald!

Only photo of me as a baby (ish)

Friday's child is loving and giving

In the beginning

Today being the 16th June 2011 I have decided to create a blog telling the story of my life so far. It probably won't be very interesting to most but as I'm an avid Family History fan I thought it would be a nice idea for my family to have a glimpse of what and who made me the person I am today......good and bad!
My family are my life so this is for you! My mum, dad, hubby, children, sister, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, God children, in-laws, and all the friends that I call my family especially my little bestie Linda. I love you all! I only wish I could include my Grand parents in this............I miss them so much!

4 Generations

My mum, me, my three children, my sister, her 9 children and my sister's 2 grand daughters