The young Peter Ugarte, yes, your humble correspondent and I reckon it was 1961, meaning I was one going by my younger brother. I was a chunky boy and the in family joke for me being so cheerful was because mum is dangling a pie out of frame. On the other hand, maybe I was just a happy baby that day. I never asked my mum where the picture was taken and I doubt my dad would know. It was either Patrick Street, Tiger Bay/Butetown or at my Nan Ugarte’s house, I would have loved to have known but I reckon it was nan's.
Another time again I have no idea how old I was but looking at the picture, maybe four or five making it 1964/65 before school. The picture was taken in Pomeroy St we had moved there from Patrick St in 1962. The really sad thing about this picture my mum never saw it dropped into our hands after she had passed away. It was to her crying shame she never keep good stewardship of the few family photos that were taken. Still with the smile, I was a happy kid with no troubles then just plenty of fresh air and happiness has far as I can remember.
Fittingly with Christmas closing I I have been studying the picture with the one above and cannot decide if we are younger in this one? I thing we are younger. Has for this one I know it was taken in one of the big stores in Cardiff town centre but which one I have no idea. It could be the old C&A store I do remember we when there before to visit Stata’s grotto. That was before just sitting on Stata's lap one year I remember climbing into a space ship to the North Pole to visit State. Love the Duffle Coat and the hair, cool and I am the older on the right of the picture.
The birth of the colour photo and looks like we had our hair cut for this one. I remember it being taken in our living room in 4 Pomeroy St by a photographer who lived across the bridge in Grangetown. He had us sit on top of the couch/sofa with our legs either side and as for my age I would estimate seven/eight putting it 1967/68. I think I am looking good in the blue jumper, nice a chunky and I think of the very few pictures we have my favourite. After a few days, we called on the photographer to collect them.
The dreaded school picture if one of us had fleas we both had them afterwards. This was in St Cuthbert’s and happened every year but to my knowledge the only picture surviving from back then. You sit in the corner of Mr Walsh’s classroom behind a desk while being observed by his class of the older kids, causing a feeling of unease and awkwardness. People would say or look twins but I could never see it. They could have had a clouded eye because mum had the tendency to dress us the same. Still mum really looked forward to the school pictures and come Sunday we would distribute them around the family. Again I would say mid-sixties this was taken.
A big jump from the mid-sixties to 1974 but unless the picture were arranged we just didn’t have a camera to take any. It was taken while I was in secondary school, Mostyn RC, in the carpark in a photographic trailer. It was time away from the classroom, which was always good, and if you could get yourself at the back of the queue even better. Looking at my hair in the photo, I was lucky to have it taken my unkempt David Cassidy hair look would have got me into trouble with the Headmaster and his Deputy they were always advising me to have a hair cut.
The lack of family photos would be no problem today with all the cameras around. Within touching distance, I have three devices to take pictures with and a camera in my wardrobe in the bedroom. In away I am glad there was not that kind of option when I was a kid.
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