My host service suffered a major server problem back in May and, though I was able to restore most of my site, I lost all my old blogs.
I have finally managed to restore them all and, with the exception of a couple of photos I can’t find now, I have brought my history back to life!
Now I can actually start blogging again!
My Great Aunt, Ruby Selby, passed away today, aged 92. She died in hospital after a short illness.
Ruby & Wilf’s Wedding
Ruby was my Gran‘s sister, born Ruby Pearce in Sheffield. Ruby married Wilfred Selby and they had a daughter, Christine, who sadly passed away. Wilf and Ruby were heartbroken and I don’t think Wilf ever really recovered. He passed away and Ruby has been on her own for a number of years, but has been helped by her many friends.
A visit to Auntie Ruby’s always seemed like a visit to royalty to me. Their house seemed stately to a young lad, and even now, the wood panelling in the hallway and stairs reminds me why I thought that.
I remember Christmas and New Years parties, adults talking and drinking whilst my brother and I played under the table. I also remember the walnut dash and leather seats in Wilf’s Rover.
Christine was a solicitor and I always remember her graduating class photo in a frame at the foot of the stairs above the telephone shelf.
I didn’t see Ruby for the years I was in Canada, though we kept in touch, but a visit to Sheffield in 1998 saw a nice reunion of Aunts & Uncle in a Stannington pub. Here’s Ruby, Jack Pearce and Iris Booth.
Since I returned to the UK, I’ve tried to call in whilst visiting Sheffield and I introduced my children to their Great Great Aunt Ruby. They thought she was really old.
Ruby hasn’t been in good health lately and has been in hospital a few times but she stayed in her home as long as she could.
Ruby was strong-willed and, I’m sure, many would think her a cantankerous old lady, but she was always very kind to me and I think of her fondly.
Bex and I visiting Ruby in hospital, June 2012
Bex and I saw Ruby the Sunday before Christmas and we had a lovely visit to her house. Some of her friends visited whilst were there, we had cups of tea and a nice chat.
When I spoke to her a few days later, she was feeling poorly with bronchitis and had been prescribed antibiotics. She went into hospital with pneumonia on Sunday and, despite treatment, was very frail and having difficulties. When we visited her in hospital on New Years Day she was struggling but knew we were there and gripped my hand. I knew then she hadn’t long left and said my goodbyes.
Ruby & Iris in Sheffield
So now my Gran’s generation of the Pearce family are all gone.
Farewell Auntie Ruby, you’ll be missed xxx
Christmas and New Year were not happy here, my Dad passed away on Dec 31st.
He was much loved and is much missed every day. He’s left a huge hole in our lives, will never be forgotten.
David (Dave) McClelland
1927-2010
Dave was born April 4th, 1927 in Sheffield. His Mother died when he was young – and in the war years too – so his grandmother and aunts saw to his well being.
When he was 18 he was conscripted to the army, The York and Lancaster Regiment and the London Irish Rifles, serving most of his time in Italy, some of it guarding the British Embassy.
When he was demobbed, he found work in the office of a large steel producer in Sheffield. It was there that he met his future wife June in 1949 and they married in 1952.
They had two sons, David (1958) and John (1962) and lived in the village of Stannington, outside Sheffield. Dave had by then realised he enjoyed a life in Sales, managing furniture shops and travelling for Tri-ang Toys, among others.
In 1987, after 35 years in the same house, the family moved to Canada, to start a new life in Nova Scotia. The change was tough at first but they soon adjusted and made many new friends.
In 2006 June and Dave moved back to the UK and settled in Poulton-le-Fylde. Dave was in poor health over the last two years, but enjoyed visits from carers and district nurses who enabled him to stay at home.
Dave passed away on December 31st after a short stay in hospital. He leaves his widow June, sons David and John, their partners Rebecca and Angela and grandchildren Modena, Benjamin, Sophie and Joseph.
Doing a few updates to the website and decided to finally add a blog.
I’ve been doing a blog-like page for ages, What’s new Dave? But without heavy coding changes it didn’t have the blog features everyone expects.
Much of what is here will be similar to my Facebook stuff for those of you that are Friends. Anyone can follow my Facebook Group here
Expect to see information on upcoming Stage, TV and Film appearances, my take on the news of the day (or yesterday) and bits and pieces I stumble across and want to share.
So, let’s open shop and see what happens…..
Muchwhat’s new Dave? what’s new Dave?