Past and Present

Yesterday was an important day . . . really, it was the impetus for taking this trip to England. After Dad died, two years ago, it became important for me to visit his birthplace and to share that with Isaac. I want him to know his roots and understand where his heritage lies. That was the reason we chose to stay in Bournemouth; it's the city nearest Christchurch which is where my Dad's family lived before emigrating to Canada in 1951. This pilgrimage of sorts, is also one of the reasons that Alex, my cousin's son, has made the trip with us. His grandpa and my Dad were brothers, so both branches of the family tree are represented in this journey.

With help from my uncle Frank, Dad's brother, we had addresses and photos of the 2 homes they lived in while they were kids. The original home at 22 Bargates is on a commercial street and houses Autism Wessex, an organization that provides education, respite services, social care and advocacy for people affected by autism. We were able to go inside and look around the entry area which would have been the original lounge complete with interior stained glass windows. The house is now considered a heritage site.

The second home at 38 Maundeville Crescent is in a residential area with homes all along the street that share an identical exterior. There's a lovely green common space that runs behind the crescent and includes a beautiful little creek at one end . It's been great to see both these homes and to feel so connected to Dad while being here. I'm so thankful too, that Isaac and Alex had the opportunity to see where their grandpas grew up.