"The moment a child is born the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never."
Rajneesh
Manchester is the only place in the world where you can get a degree in 'mummy studies'. By happy chance that is where I would meet up with my 'mummy' and the rest of my family. First stop would be to see my youngest brother and the mummy of their two rug-rats, Rose and Herbie. They sound like a fluffy duo from a children's novel, in person their cute adorability makes them an instant best seller.
"Other things may change us,
but we start and end with the family."
Anthony Brandt
I thought Jasmin would burst from a massive rush of cousin love. We had travelled around the world for several months to deliver that hug and it was worth every second.
"Babies are such a nice way to start people"
Don Herold
There was another baby born in Manchester other than the ones we were visiting. In 1948, the University of Manchester ran the first program on the first computer and it was known as ‘The Baby'.
Once our real live babies were fast asleep, it gave us larger people time to eat, drink and catch up on all the news until the wee hours of the morning. I should have planned ahead and got more sleep as Rose and Herbie woke bright and early the next morning ready for a day of fun and discovery. First up was a breakfast outing and a lesson in physics and the strength of an eggshell. Sitting in a high chair, Herbie the fledgling physicist, was following the mighty footsteps of Ernest Rutherford. In 1907, Rutherford took over the physics chair at Manchester University and his team succesfully 'split the atom'.
"Splitting the egg"
"Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life" Unknown
It was a fairy tale dream come true when we took the day to head off and teach young 'cuz' the ways of big girl shopping. A family tradition handed down from generation to generation.
Granma and grandson
Time to go a visiting and a big lunch with family is one of my most favorite things. How is it that all my photographs have us eating? Perhaps I am pavlovian and as the saliva begins I am 'Canon' conditioned to pull out the camera and make everyone pose while their food goes cold.
Father daughter real ale drinking team
I have learned to order whatever real ale my dad is drinking. He is an expert in sussing out which is the best locally brewed bitter. Luckily non of us were driving so even bunny got in on the celebrations.
Rose and Bunny
Rose and Bunny are not the only dynamic duo to frequent the Manchester Hostelries. In 1904 an auspicious meeting took place when Charles Rolls was introduced to Henry Royce at the Midland Hotel.
Dad, Son and 'Catty'
But it was all too much for Herbie and his "Catty" and it didn't take long to convince him to take an afternoon nap. The first few days of fun flew by in a whirl of food festivities and frivolity. However, I am a firm believer in visitors being akin to fish and that after a several days either can begin to stink. So in an effort to not outstay our welcome we left our bigger suitcases behind and wheeled onward with smaller bags and a promise to return in a few days.
On the road again
We were not technically on the road again, rather on the rails. We caught the tram to catch the train. Travelling on public transport is an education in history when you are in the Manchester. You literally travel back in time when entering Victoria Station, the original building was constructed in 1844 and then upgraded in 1909. It is not surprising that the station was voted the worst in the UK in 2009 due to the leaky roof. I thought it a small price to pay to walk under the Edwardian glass and iron canopy imagining the steam trains of a bygone era.
Bye bye
Sitting back and staring out of the window as the train gathered speed I enjoyed the watching the countryside creep back into the scenery. Viewing the rolling hills and wooded dells it was easy to see why the Romans called the city Mamicium which was derived from the Celtic name meaning ‘breast-shaped hill’. It had been a great visit to the mammas in mamicium and we were looking forward to seeing another mamma on the east coast of Yorkshire.
