Post by jpb on Jan 13, 2008 19:12:42 GMT
Hello to all you other Brandrick's out there, I am pleased to make your acquaintance and to make you aware of how delighted I am to share the name with such skilful and talented people. My name is John, John Philip that is (alias jpb), I'm Marks Dad and I would like to say what a great job I think he's done in setting up this site to bring us all together. 12 years ago I new nothing of any other Brandrick or any of my ancestors beyond my Granddad. As I read about all the attributes members have I can see all the underlying Brandrick trait's and skills. When I see Pam's paintings I can see a talent that my father had, that Mark has, Daphne my Dads Sister is well known in Australia for her folk art, she teaches it and has also had a book published on the subject. Bernice another of his sisters does little masterpieces in tapestry and Cross stitch; I could flick a pretty mean paintbrush as well. When I read about Eric I can see my Dad Jack who was a person with a pretty tough upbringing as well and who was also musically inclined. He played the piano and the piano accordion. He had a wonderful imagination and used to tell and write children's stories. He was a Plumber but he gave it up to start farming, something else in the Brandrick's blood as are ancestors seem to have been "yokels" around the 1600's? and many even now seem to have roots connected back to horse transport, farm animals and the land. He was also a person who could make something from nothing. Alec his brother had many skills as well. He was a great model maker and outstanding at marquetry amongst other things. When I search the internet I can find our namesakes with such wonderful attributes. I am impressed with the work Gerard is doing in Australia. I served my apprenticeship as a Plumber (1961-66) and then managed to get a job in the drawing office as a Junior Plumbing designer, since then I've digressed and worked on the design and draughting of high rise buildings, nuclear power stations, Copper mining and for the last fifteen years food and dairy process plants. During this time I've done all sorts of design work including architectural. I hope I can upload a few drawings and cartoons sometime. I hope Mark will put some of his drawings on the site as well. It is nice to see a few photos of other Brandrick's and to see the face behind the words.
In the last two years I have lost both my Dad aged 83 and my Gran who was a 100+. About 10 years ago after some pressure from Mark my Dad wrote 37 A4 pages about his childhood and early married life. I learnt a lot about him from those notes as did my Sons Mark & Andrew. Mark has collated quite a bit about My Grandmother and my Granddad who died in 1982 well before he started the family tree so other than his notes a great deal of their lives have now gone forever. I know little about my Great Granddad but omly because of some photos and infomation from a Great Aunt I am now in a position where I can admire and respect him. Beyond him there are only dates and other smatterings about his Dad and Uncles, and beyond that only the names and dates in the genealogy files. I would urge you all while the iron is hot talk to all the matriarchs of your branch of the family, to your Mums & Dads, Uncles and Aunts Grandparents etc get them to make notes about their childhoods and early lives so when your great grandchildren look back at their family tree they will know who they were and what they had achieved and they will respect and admire them for it. Dates for births marriages and deaths are ok but can be boring, but the people behind them are far more interesting and will live forever if you record them. How wonderful to read about Eric and know he will be preserved in these pages and in the hard copy of the Brandrick's family tree.
Sorry, I hope you don’t feel my introduction is to long winded but as I now appear to the oldest Male Brandrick on my branch I'm going to have my say.
Wishing you all a belated Safe, Prosperous and Happy new year.
John (jpb)
In the last two years I have lost both my Dad aged 83 and my Gran who was a 100+. About 10 years ago after some pressure from Mark my Dad wrote 37 A4 pages about his childhood and early married life. I learnt a lot about him from those notes as did my Sons Mark & Andrew. Mark has collated quite a bit about My Grandmother and my Granddad who died in 1982 well before he started the family tree so other than his notes a great deal of their lives have now gone forever. I know little about my Great Granddad but omly because of some photos and infomation from a Great Aunt I am now in a position where I can admire and respect him. Beyond him there are only dates and other smatterings about his Dad and Uncles, and beyond that only the names and dates in the genealogy files. I would urge you all while the iron is hot talk to all the matriarchs of your branch of the family, to your Mums & Dads, Uncles and Aunts Grandparents etc get them to make notes about their childhoods and early lives so when your great grandchildren look back at their family tree they will know who they were and what they had achieved and they will respect and admire them for it. Dates for births marriages and deaths are ok but can be boring, but the people behind them are far more interesting and will live forever if you record them. How wonderful to read about Eric and know he will be preserved in these pages and in the hard copy of the Brandrick's family tree.
Sorry, I hope you don’t feel my introduction is to long winded but as I now appear to the oldest Male Brandrick on my branch I'm going to have my say.
Wishing you all a belated Safe, Prosperous and Happy new year.
John (jpb)