Milford Haven Part 2! (Pt 1 was yesterday's blip.)

It occurred to me that I did not mention where dad had his Lakeland stone plaque fixed. He had it made when he discovered the origin of his middle name. ( See yesterday's blip)but it amused him to include "Haven" after Milford.
He loved having baskets of flowers by his front door. ( Mum died in 1990) He was a widower for 20 years till his death in 2010. 
His gardener used to make them for him and he was the one who took this photo for dad to keep. 
I have it in a frame in our summerhouse. 
It is the home where I lived till my marriage in 1973 and moved to Portsmouth. Eventually moving up here to the Midlands in 1981.  
     The quality of the photo  is not very clear, as it was printed on thin paper. But the name plaque is visible at the right-hand side of the door. He lived in the Rossendale valley all his life. except for a few years in London serving with the Army Pay Corps, surviving the Blitz, and marrying mum in 1942 when he had a few days on leave.
I often think their young lives went through so much more than we can ever imagine. He went on to serve with the East Lancashires in the Signals, and landed at Arromanches on D-Day.
After mum died he said he would never go on holiday again, until one day I asked him if we took him with us, where would he like to go.
Back came the reply. 
"The Lizard, Cornwall. Your mum loved it there".
We took him with us for the first time in 1992. 
Matt and Alan used to come with us as we all loved it.  
When Matt was married, Heidi came along too, with the rest of us. We have been going every year since then.   
Now it just myself and Stephen, still going annually. .  
   It was there that dad said he thought his family had  originated and so I began my quest. 
It is really fascinating to think that my great grandparents came from that area. I traced some of the places and streets even, where they lived.
    Great granddad went into the Church Army, moving his family from time to time. My paternal grandmother was born in  Hastings, along with her sister. I always used to think they had "posher" accents than our Lancashire twang! 
Eventually the family grew to 8 children. 
He moved around the country, goodness knows how! before finally settling in Rossendale and working alongside the CofE church, St Mary's Parish Church, Rawtenstall, until he died from catching pneumonia due to visiting an outlying hill farm, and getting caught in bad weather. He was 52. His wife was then 50 years old.
Several of his children, including my grandmother, settled in Rossendale, and were married there.
In fact Stephen and I were married at the same church as the one in which great granddad served.  
Family history can be fascinating. 
    Today has been absolutely glorious weather. 
We sat in the summerhouse with the door open until late afternoon. 
Extra photo of my grandmother (right) and her sister, obviously going on holiday or returning. There is a case between them. 
I have no idea of the date. They were always close and 
lived near each other when they were married. Every Sunday they toddled down the hill to the church together in their coats and hats, a familiar sight.