Milestones and Celebrations

There have been a couple of big ones just recently.

We had a whirlwind trip to join in and make sure everyone felt celebrated.

First there was Mum’s 80^th birthday celebration which was requested to be low key. Birthday fuss isn’t a big thing in our family, but there are some milestones that need to be made a fuss about. We arrived the day before, bearing cake.

On the evening of the day itself we went out for dinner and were joined by other family including a couple of cousins who had journeyed further than us to be part of celebration number two. My cousin’s wife had just had her birthday too, so the celebration was shared which spread out the fussing levels nicely.

We tried to recreate a photo taken for Dad's 80th nine years ago, thank goodness the big trees in Pollard Park protected us from much of the rain falling. Someone had repainted the bridge though and not cleaned it.

The day after her birthday, was Mum and Dad’s 60^th wedding anniversary. Yes, they had got married the day after she turned 20, back in 1958. Taking advantage of the long weekend which falls at that time of the year in New Zealand.

Since it fell in the middle of the week this year a celebration was organised for the following weekend, with friends and family travelling from afar to share the fun. We tried to recreate another photo too, with much hilarity and too many people giving orders. My cousin stood where his Dad stood 60 years ago next to the groom - it was a bit like herding cats.

#52Ancestors, Week 37, Closest to Your Birthday

So, closest to my birthday ? Pretty good timing for this topic, since it IS Birthday week.

Aside from that who shares my birthday on my tree, or celebrated in the days either side ?

Sept 10: 2xGreat Grand Uncle Henry’s birthday

Sept 11: 2^nd cousin Vicky’s wedding anniversary; 1^st cousin twice removed Hilda born and died (88 years apart)

Sept 12: 3^rd cousin once removed Kerry’s wedding anniversary; Great Grandmother Emma’s birthday, 2xGreat Grand Uncle Watty (the goldminer)’s birthday

Then as far as history goes – it is a date which will not be forgotten. Etched into history for time ever more. Although when news broke of the events of September 11, 2001 it was actually already the day AFTER my birthday in my timezone. Now it is the first thing people say (out loud or just on their face) when I state my date of birth. Maybe in a few more decades it won’t be so.

There are quite a variety of historic events across September:

Sept 1, 1159		Death of the only English Pope Adrian IV (Nicholas Breakspeare).
Sept 1, 1715		Death of King Louis XIV of France ("The Sun King").
Sept 1, 1875		Birth of Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950), author of Tarzan of the Apes.
Sept 1, 1939		Hitler invaded Poland; thus began World War II in Europe.
Sept 2, 1666		Great Fire of London.
Sept 2, 1945		President Truman proclaims V-J Day upon the surrender of the Japanese.
Sept 3, 1783		Treaty of Paris signed that ended the American Revolutionary War.
Sept 4, 1781		City of Los Angeles founded by Spanish Governor Felipe de Neve.
Sept 4, 1962		The Beatles start their first recording session at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios, London.
Sept 5-6, 1972		Eleven members of the Israeli Olympic Team were killed during an attack on the Olympic Village in Munich by members of the Black September faction of the Palestinian Liberation Army.
Sept 5, 1800		The end of the Siege of Malta, as Napoleon’s forces surrender to the British following a two year long naval blockade.
Sept 5, 1997		Death of Nobel Peace Prize winner and advocate for the poor, Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Sept 6, 1620		The Mayflower ship departed from Plymouth, England, bound for America with 102 passengers and a small crew.
Sept 7, 1533		Birth of Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
Sept 8, 1900		The worst weather disaster in U.S. history: a hurricane with winds of 120 mph struck Galveston, Texas, killing over 8,000 persons.
Sept 8, 1944		The first V2 flying bombs kill 3 people in London.
Sept 9, 1776		The U.S.A. came into existence as the Continental Congress changed the name of the new American nation from the United Colonies to the United States.
Sept 9, 1976		Leader of Communist China, Chairman Mao Zedong died.
Sept 11, 1863		Bushranger Captain Thunderbolt escapes from “escape-proof” Cockatoo Island gaol in Sydney Harbour by swimming to the mainland.
Sept 11, 1915		Britain’s first Womens Institute opens in Wales.
Sept 11, 1928		Charles Kingsford-Smith lands the first trans Tasman flight at Wigram, Christchurch.
Sept 11, 19xx		MY BIRTHDAY
Sept 11, 2001		The worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.
Sept 12, 1908		Marriage of Winston Churchill to Clementine Hozier.
Sept 12, 1990		Treaty was signed to reunite East and West Germany.
Sept 13, 1902		Henry Jackson becomes the first person in Britain to be convicted on fingerprint evidence.
Sept 14, 1752		The first day of the Gregorian calendar in Britain.
Sept 14, 1982		Former actress, American born Princess Grace of Monaco died following a car accident.
Sept 15, 1830		MP William Huskisson becomes the first rail fatality at the opening of the Liverpool Manchester Railway.
Sept 15, 1890		Birth of prolific English mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976)
Sept 16, 1400		Owain Glyndwr proclaimed Prince of Wales.
Sept 16, 1810		Mexican Independence (from Spain) Day.
Sept 17, 1701		King James II of England dies whilst in exile in France.
Sept 18, 1709		Birth of Samuel Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary.
Sept 19, 1893		New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote.
Sept 20, 1258		Consecration of Salisbury Cathedral.
Sept 22, 1735		Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole moves in to 10 Downing Street.
Sept 23, 1848		Chewing gum is produced commercially for the first time.
Sept 24, 1776		The first St Leger horserace is run at Doncaster, Yorkshire.
Sept 25, 1513		Balboa first sighted the Pacific Ocean after crossing the Isthmus of Panama.
Sept 25, 1818		The first transfusion of human blood is performed at Guy’s Hospital, London.
Sept 26, 1580		The Golden Hind arrives in Plymouth harbour having sailed round the world under the captaincy of Sir Frances Drake.
Sept 27, 1888		First use of the name “Jack the Ripper” in an anonymous letter to the central news agency.
Sept 28, 1066		The Norman conquest of England began.
Sept 28, 1542		Spanish discovery of California by Cabrillo.
Sept 28, 1745		“God Save the King” is sung for the first time at London’s Drury Lane Theatre.
Sept 29, 1758		Birth of Horatio Nelson.
Sept 30, 1928		Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin while working at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London.

#52Stories, Week 28, Which of your birthdays were especially significant for you ? When you turned 8, 12, 15. 16, 18 or or maybe 21 ? What do you remember about those special days ?

Birthdays. Meh.

I’m not all about fuss. It’s a family thing I think. None of us really seem to enjoy having a BIG fuss made of us. These days birthday celebrations are normally just going out for dinner together if possible, or catching up with friends. No party party party for this girl.

I don’t remember any specific parties when I was younger either. Just a few friends over, some party games (pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs) a treasure hunt, cake.

Just a sponge, or chocolate cake with candles – none of the crazy over the top great cakes we see today. Cheese and pineapple on toothpicks stuck in an orange, cheerios, maybe some chippies and fairy bread and fizzy drink if we were lucky.

I remember one birthday a group of my friends and I went to see “Around the World in 80 Days” at Founders Theatre – on our own ! Maybe 10^th or 11^th ?

I remember some major presents; a doll’s pram, a wrist watch, a bike, a pair of roller skates, books to read.

There you go, birthdays. Best spent with those you love and those you love to be around in whichever way floats your boat.