George

__ Harry Brotherton (My Grandad) __ Harry Brotherton wasn’t exactly brought up in a normal family because he didn’t only have four older brothers and sisters he also had four younger brothers and sisters which meant he was among a family of nine kids! Although the oldest of the kids wasn’t so much of a child when the youngest was born, because Joan, the oldest sibling, was 22 years old when Frank (the youngest) was born. They lived in a house with one kitchen, one living room and two bedrooms, the five boys slept in one room and the four girls slept in the other bedroom. There was not much fighting amongst the children as everyone had to co-operate because the house was so small which meant they had to be a much disciplined family. Most families growing up in the 1930’s and 1940’s had to either work at a very young age to earn money for the family or they all did jobs to help around the house. Harry and his family did not have a stereotypical household where the girls stayed at home and did the chores and the men went off to work or school. This was not the case in this house because the parents made a list of jobs and then whoever was home and was able to do them did them. When it came down to the difference between the boys and girls jobs and lifestyle’s they were both very similar because the household jobs were spread out equally. Going to school was not the same as nowadays because they didn’t get any homework and if the younger ones were being bullied then there would usually be an older family member in the same building to come and help and sort out the problem. All nine of them went to the same school so the teachers knew the parents and the family well because most of them would have had 3 or 4 siblings amongst their students in the space of 5 years. The family remains close even today, when the children grew up, most of them stayed in the same area they grew up in and remained close friends. One or two like my grandad moved out of town and only stayed friends with the family members who live close by. When I asked my Grandad how his youth had affected how he lives today he stated that “The early years of your life must have an effect on the rest of it.”

Nice start, but more a general story of your g'pa instead of the ways gender played a role in his childhood. It would would be very interesting to know what his sisters ended up doing and then the same for him and his brothers. Did any go to college? Then the two purple sentences: the first is confusing/don't start it with although. The second: describe the chores, the list--what kinds of jobs would they have had? Bringing in coal? Dishes? Tending the baby?

I like the background history but I would add how growing up with 4 brothers and 4 sisters has impacted his life today. - Daniel