Gramma pics

pbromaghin · Mar 25, 2018

My grandmothers on Christmas 1962, maybe the first photograph I ever shot, with my brand new Kodak instamatic 100, $16. I was 5 years old.

Two more different women you could never find. On the left is Gramma Mae, on the right is Gramma Hurd. Gramma Hurd was very much a 19th Century woman, a tee-totaling English Congregationalist. Gramma Mae was a red-headed Irish Catholic who owned a bar. She died watching CBS Evening News with Walter Kroncite and smoking a Camel.

pbromaghin · Mar 25, 2018

Sorry it's such a bad photograph, but I was only 5 years old.

BrianShaw · Mar 25, 2018

It looks like a great memory! Their posture alone show how different they were. I’ll bet both were very nice and fun, but in completely different ways.

Bill Burk · Mar 25, 2018

I miss the decor of the era.

Sirius Glass · Mar 25, 2018

It was a very different time. The air was clean and words were dirty.

ciniframe · Mar 25, 2018

Liked your description of your gramma Mae, looking at the shoes each one wore would be a giveaway too.
On a side note, I thought the 126 Instamatic didn't come out until 1963, that is my recollection anyway, but Christmas 1962 would be close to 1963 and the model 100 was the first.
A month ago I saved a Instamatic 154 (basically a 124 flash cube model but with a spring motor advance). It was in the trash ready to be tossed. Really good condition too.

pbromaghin · Mar 26, 2018

ciniframe said:
Liked your description of your gramma Mae, looking at the shoes each one wore would be a giveaway too.
On a side note, I thought the 126 Instamatic didn't come out until 1963, that is my recollection anyway, but Christmas 1962 would be close to 1963 and the model 100 was the first.
A month ago I saved a Instamatic 154 (basically a 124 flash cube model but with a spring motor advance). It was in the trash ready to be tossed. Really good condition too.

Good on you for saving that camera! As far as your dating the cameras, I have sometimes suspected I might be taking credit for a picture taken by my sister with her brand new Kodak Starmite, as pictures got all mixed up in the box! The Instamatic may not have been a gift until the next Christmas. Hopefully she won't be coming after me for copyright violation, though.

Mick Fagan · Mar 28, 2018

So which grandmother lived longer?

Mick.

blockend · Mar 28, 2018

pbromaghin said:
Sorry it's such a bad photograph, but I was only 5 years old.

On the contrary, it tells us everything we need to know about the place, the era and the people it comprised. Never underestimate the descriptive power of a simple camera.

pentaxuser · Mar 28, 2018

Fine shot. Who says that a five year old cannot handle a camera and take a picture
pentaxuser

pbromaghin · Mar 28, 2018

Mick Fagan said:
So which grandmother lived longer?

Mick.

Gramma Hurd (Agnes) lived a couple of years longer, but her mind was slowly going and she didn't talk or smile much after Grampa Hurd (Albert) died. Mae was much more spry and alert and moved with energy, right up to the day she died, even after recovering from a heart attack. Both women were very intelligent and extremely hard-working throughout their lives. Mae was a school teacher when she married my grandfather Pete. She did the Minneapolis Star crossword every night.

Agnes and Albert would host get-togethers for extended family on their farm on summer Sundays after church. The women would take over the kitchen, the men pitch horseshoes in the shade, and we kids would tear all over the place. The men were by far the quietest group. Pete and Mae lived next door to us on our farm and I think they were glad to see us (4 kids) go so they could get some peace and quiet. We had a party line and Mae would spy on my sister's conversations. Agnes made delicious molasses cookies with fresh ginger that made your mouth pucker up.

I guess that's enough wool gathering for one day.

resummerfield · Mar 28, 2018

Bill Burk said:
I miss the decor of the era.

So do I. My parents had that exact same clock built into the wall, installed in 1956.

Gramma pics

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