A short family history...

I have mentioned on our blog on several occasions that I come from two generations of Gamekeepers. I have now found the photographs I have been searching for, so here is a snapshot of my life pre 10 years old.

This is the gamekeepers cottage. The first picture was taken before I was born, the second is probably the same age as the rest, mid to late 1950's. It had no electricity and was two miles outside the village of Wheldrake, North Yorkshire. I used to spend most of the summer holidays there and loved it.

This is my Grandfather William Young a gamekeeper up until the day he died in 1961. I was devastated when he died.

This is my late father Colin Young, taken as a young man. The story goes he shot a sheep in his younger days!! He went on to become a gamekeeper in Dalton Holme, East Yorkshire. Shortly after his national service he took up engineering, because the pay was better.

This is me with my Dad

The next photographs were taken after a deer was spotted in the adjoining cornfield, it did not survive long. If you look at the photographs either my Dad or Grandad shot it right between the eyes. It was duly butchered and shared between the landlord and our family.

Finally an 'Ahhh' photograph but not for the pig as it was raised purely for meat. I also remember similar photographs of me in the working dog pens, mainly retrievers. Will have to see if I can find them.

I have the Young (single line) family tree going back to the 1600's and would like at some time in the future to expand it. Many of them are buried in the village churchyard. One interesting fact I found out was that my relations used to run the stagecoach between Wheldrake and York.

It's on my list of things to do!!!