Sylvia’s granddaughter, Kerry Beighton, made a moving tribute at the funeral…
Nannan
Anyone who knew our nannan would know that she always had a lot to say for herself and was never afraid to give her very honest and frank opinion! So much so, that she actually got herself banned from Rony Robinsons’ Radio Sheffield phone in show!
She certainly wasn’t afraid to tell her family what she thought. In fact we grandkids were always copping for her honesty. Particularly Kim and I. She’d say “oh Kim why do you have to wear all that make up? It looks awful” or “No offence Kerry but what have you done to your hair? You look ill!” But it was ok we didn’t get upset cos she started every telling off with: “no offence but….” That was like nannan’s get out clause for being rude!
Anyone who ever bought nannan a present or brought her a gift would know that. “No offence love but you know that present you bought me for Christmas… well I don’t want it, it’s no good for me, you might as well take it back” even down to bringing her some teacakes: “no offence but where did you get those teacakes from? They taste weird you’ll have to take them back, I can’t eat them”. If anyone else on the planet came out with some of things nannan did you’d think “how rude!” but not nannan. It wasn’t rude it was endearing! She had a special ‘nannan’ charm that meant she could get away with anything.
In fact at my wedding – after planning my whole wedding breakfast around what I knew nannan could and couldn’t eat and even tweaking the meal for over 70 people to suit her very specific needs.....she still asked the waiter for chips! I was mortified but the waiter just laughed and 5 minutes later there was a freshly cooked bowl of chips in her place. She just gave me her special wink and smile as if to say “see your nannan knows what to say”. And she always did!
I should have expected it really cos she was always funny with her food. So much so that she would turn up to parties with a cold tuna-fish toasty, wrapped in silver foil’ and a banana in her bag (she didn’t go anywhere without a banana in her bag), “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve brought my own dinner” she would say. At family buffets Kim would be on strict instructions to make a very specific sandwich: 2 crusts with ham, on its own plate wrapped in cling film, and everyone would know not to touch nannan’s special sandwich. But it wasn’t just parties where she would take her own food, there was the cinema too. There was nothing nannan would not take into the cinema with her. I think the most memorable was the time she took some bread, a knife, ketchup and a boiled egg! She just whipped up a smelly egg sandwich right there in the middle of the cinema. But she didn’t get in trouble cos she charmed them too! She was well known wherever she went and she got away with murder wherever she went cos she was just so charming and unique.
I say unique because she had so many funny little ways that will stick in our memories and make us smile whenever we think of her. Her funny little routines and finicky ways were what made nannan so special. She showed great attention to detail in everything she did, down to the smallest things: the order in which she hung the washing out, when it was her day to have a bath (and timed to the exact minute!), how she put coins in her purse even down to how she organised greeting cards on her mantle-piece. In fact there was no way you could get away with forgetting to send her a card cos every family member had a specific spot on the mantle-piece and until she received them all there was a very obvious gap, that would be clearly pointed out to us! We even knew what time we were allowed to ring her on an evening. There was no point trying between: 7-8 cos that was soaps time. The problem was we all tried to ring during the allocated slot so she was always engaged! These are just a few reasons why nannan was so special and loved by all.
Although she wasn’t just loved by all but she loved all! She would do anything for anyone, particularly her family. As much as I’ve talked about nannan getting away with murder, we grandkids got away with more! There was nothing nannan wouldn’t do for us. Especially when we were kids; we used to sleep over most weekends and nannan even converted her spare room for us and bought bunk beds. It became a second home for us all. She would even give up her own bed so we could all squeeze in together next to her and those were some of my favourite childhood memories. At bed time when it was time to get washed and ready for bed she would fill a bowl with warm soapy water and let us get washed in front of the fire so we wouldn’t have to go upstairs in the cold. Then it would be a bowl of cold water to brush our teeth in. finally she would lay us on the sofa and we would say “tickle my back nannan” and of course she would. Then just as we were about to drop off she would kiss our heads before whispering those 4 little words “night, night, god bless”.
Well now it's time for us to say the same to you: “night, night, god bless nannan”.
Comments
A truly honest and moving tribute by Sylvia's granddaughter which had the congregation on the verge of both tears and laughter at the same time.
Those of us who knew Sylvia well will remember her thoughtfulness and the many kindnesses she showed to people. My mother, who is now in her 106th year, had a special relationship with Sylvia, although it is several years since they last met. Whenever I told Sylvia that I was travelling to Kent to see my mother she would always give me a card and/or present to take with me to let my mother know she was still remembered. Her full and active life is a challenge to all of us to value people from all walks of life and see the positive aspects of any situation.
John Mellor