Grandpa-Mayne-small.jpg

Emerald Isle bundle by ADB Designs
Journaling:
My Grandpa Mayne is not very prominent in my collection of photos. This photo of him from about 1977, is one of a very few that I have. I don’t remember much about him, although I was already out on my own and teaching when he passed away in 1988. Like the photos I have, my memories are blurred and faded. I know he arrived in Canada from Northern Ireland in 1913 with his immediate family. I don’t know the reasons behind their leaving Ireland for Canada but I know that he was not Roman Catholic, as much of Ireland was, and later became a minister in the newly formed United Church of Canada. He didn’t talk much when I knew him, but I vaguely recall an Irish lilt to his speech and he always called my brother, Peter, “Peterick” with a little smile at a private joke. The one time that I remember Grandpa addressing me directly was through a letter he wrote when I was in Grade 12. I am sure he wrote a well-balanced letter with equal parts of news, small talk and advice but the only part I recall of the letter was his advice about the boy I was dating at the time. It was my first boyfriend and we had been dating for about a year when I received the letter. His concern was for the fact that the boy in question was an LDS church member and Grandpa was encouraging me to move on. I was a bit surprised by the letter but by that time I had already made up my mind that this was not going to be a lasting relationship so we were in agreement. Looking back now, I wish I had known my Grandpa a bit better.