MEMORIES of THE BLACK COUNTRY

My parents were Joseph and Mary Taylor (nee Johnson).  Their children were Mary, Kath (me), Jo and Frances.  My father had a brother George.

I married Valentine Kiely and our children are Peter, Tim and Patrick.

My husband's parents were Joseph and Margaret Kiely.  Margaret had been married before, when her name was Curley.  She was born Margaret Burke; her parents were Patrick and Mary Burke; and her brother was Valentine Burke (after whom my husband was named).

When my mother-in-law, Margaret Kiely, died I received a number of old photos.  Unfortunately I do not know who all of them show.  But there are some wonderful photos and here are some of them, showing her side of the family.

	This is Patrick Burke, my husband's grandfather.  He seems to be wearing some kind of ceremonial dress.  If you know anything about it, I would love to know about it.		This is a Burke family wedding, but I do not know which.  It looks like a typical Victorian room. Note the aspidistra.
	These are both Burke family photographs.  I do not know who they are but look at the contrast between them.  The one on the right shows a rural looking family.  It was probably taken by an itinerant photographer. The one on the left was taken in a large studio, which boasted a very elaborate back drop and a carpet.  The family is wonderfully well dressed
This old and battered photo shows Harry Curley on the left.  This may just be a First World War photo but it may be a photo taken before that, at something like the summer camp of a Yeomanry regiment.		My father-in-law, Joseph Kiely, is on the far right of this group of men, who have just finished putting a new roof on Sankey's.  The roof is still there.  Later Joseph lost an arm: he scratched it on a nail, it became infected, the infection spread and eventually he lost the arm.  That was how it was in those days, both with accidents at work and with medical services.

Coming now to my own family:

This is the wedding photo of my father and mother, Joseph and Mary Taylor. They were married in 1924 and ...	25 years later this photo was taken at their Silver Wedding celebrations.  This is a group of members of the Mothers' Union, at the function we held in the British Restaurant.  It was just behind St. Mary's Church and many functions were held there, including my own 21st birthday celebrations	And this charming photo is of my Father's sister, known as Ciss.

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