Where your Mother was born was nothing like the house that she lived in at Magheramorne. It was a very large property. The house was a big old farmhouse, situated on thirty acres of farmland. That was where I grew up and the house was so big that Geoffrey lived in only half of it. The house is still standing, so this can be easily verified. Old Man Shaw worked at the cement works and it was Geoffrey who began to farm the land. Our sitting room was filled with very good furniture and we had plenty of silver. I should know as I had the task of cleaning the dammed stuff as I called it. There was definitely money at one time. The piano I shall never forget, with it s really ivory keys. There was also two banjos in leather cases lined with blue velvet and a brass trumpet, that belonged to Ian. I am totally tone deaf so the instruments were no interest to me.

I do think that Annie Elizabeth, your Mom's mother, had a great influence on her attitude towards life and also mine. The old lady was a force to be reckoned with. Her son Geoffrey worshipped her. According to my mother she thought that she was superior to everyone else. Yes the Shaw lived in a large house and had servants. I do not think that they that they were particularly wealthy, but by local standards they were the rich. They owned land and Geoffrey drove a car. A local saying.-- He cut a dash. As I was growing up , in fact until I left home, I was never allowed to socialise with the village children. I was given a private education. I could not wait to leave home, so I can well imagine how your Mom felt.

Annie Elizabeth Shaw was very musical. I can remember as a small child her teaching the piano to children from the village. They came to the big house where she had a very splendid piano with ivory keys. She also had several banjos. The Shaw's were obviously very wealthy at one time. So is it possible that your Mom inherited her [accordian]?