My father was the fourth child of six, with five sisters. My grandfather was a senior Civil Servant and they were evacuated to Blackpool for World War II. Blackpool was where US Airmen went for R&R, and Auntie No.3 married a US Airman and became a GI bride. She settled on Long island New York, although in the 80s she moved to Florida- like many New York retirees but also because my cousin and husband were settled there. He worked in Miami and I have a feeling that he might be from that area. Aunt No 4 also emigrated to the States in the early 60s, also settled on Long Island and now lives in Florida. Just after I finished university, I went with my mother and brother to visit her.
At the time, very few people I knew visited the USA, except relatives and people doing American Studies at University. It still annoys me now when people say "Oh you've been to New York? Oh gosh, so have I, where did you stay, what did you visit?" and they're awfully put out that you stayed in a residential area towards the East of Long Island, and, among other things visited relatives and friends, as if they were sole proprietor copyrighted of tourism in New York!
We also did some excursions, into the city, and a coach tour to Niagara, Washington DC and Philadelphia, but here are a few snaps,taken round my aunt's retirement condo complex.
Random photos of American flags (sadly, a hostage had been murdered in Lebanon just as we arrived).
And beach and coastal snaps
I'm wearing a t-shirt (Nottingham University Drama Festival 1988) in the final picture because I was playing in rough waves and soon found that the force of the water throwing me to the ground tended to remove my bikini top! Great fun - once modestly attired!
These photos were taken on film and scanned from paper prints.
