Young Winifred.

Why do people destroy photos of themselves? My mother was really upset when, in the last year of his life, my father tried to tear up lots of his old family pictures. She rescued a number of them I am glad to say.

My grandmother never ever felt that she could do anything well enough, unlike my grandfather Thompson who could do anything. They were and odd couple in that respect. He was the Salt of the Earth, balanced, kind, full of wisdom and love, capable and helpful to the end, for him it was never about self - always the other person came first. If I do have any heroes .. then he would be one of them.

Sound like he was a man to be respected but he obviously saw much in your grandmother that she may have not seen in herself. My father was not a sentimental man and was perhaps tidying up for others as he felt his life was nearing its end or something; I don t know.

To be Frank (my grandfather s name!!), I too have had these feelings about being the custodian of so much that would not have otherwise be seen were it not for Picture Penzance and my creation of web-sites. I suppose a great deal of futility is wrapped up in the feelings we have at our age and it is an extension of Col Warfield s statement that Pres Truman had on his desk - The buck stops here ...

I agree entirely.