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tvieno t1_iu4r086 wrote

Your grandpa was Ray Orbison?

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gestella OP t1_iu4ubz7 wrote

That's really funny you say that, as when he was on holiday in America, a couple in a convertible pulled up beside him shouting "Oh My God Its ROY ORBISON!!"

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telstarado t1_iu68d1k wrote

"In Dreams" is definitely my favorite of your grandpa's songs!

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ploptones t1_iu7hfu8 wrote

How did the rest of grandpa’s life go? Can you share any tidbits?

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gestella OP t1_iu83ym6 wrote

He lived a life full if adventure. He came from the slums in Gillingham, Kent in the UK. Born into a very poor family, he enrolled in the navy cadets at a young age (11ish?) and got a job cleaning the toilets on the ships on the weekends (gross!) to help support his family. His father was an alcoholic who died young, but he had a very good relationship with his mother and after opening up to her about wanting to go to art school (nobody in his family had ever been to university), she supported him on his quest to gaining a full scholarship to one of the leading art schools in the U.K. During his time at art school he met my Grandma, who came from a rather wealthy family (her dad owned various Jaguar car dealerships in the U.K, and also a very successfull timber company in Bedford, U.K) and they got married a year or so later and rented a flat in London overlooking the Thames (for 8 pounds a month, which apparently back then was quite the steal!) After art school, my Grandpa went on to get a job at the BBC where he ended up working for over 40 years as a set designer. He travelled all over the world designing sets for Top of The Pops, Miss USA, Dr Who etc etc etc. The list goes on and on lol.. he lived a very fulfilling life!

I ended up moving in with my grandparents when I was 13 as I was having trouble living with my mum and stepdad (I grew up in Singapore up until that point), so he was a real father figure to me. He died 7 years ago yesterday, although it feels like just a few years ago ☹️. My Grandma is still alive and I am incredibly close to her still, which is nice.

Thank you kind stranger for asking me about his life... writing about it has been really cathartic for me and brought back so many memories which I had forgotten, so thank you for that! Xx

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ploptones t1_iu9la3v wrote

And thank you for sharing this wonderful and heartfelt story. I was very close to my dad and he passed 14 years ago. My own experience is that I still miss him very much, but the painful ache of him not physically being with me has ebbed away as the years have gone by. It has been replaced with the lovely “brain vignettes” I have of the simple daily things he did as a dad that showed he loved me. And more come daily. Yesterday I pulled out starch, which I have not used in decades. When I smelled it, it took me back to when my mom would let me iron the front hankies he used to wear in his suit front pocket. I was so proud of them, and when he wore them. So I promise- that gaping hole you feel in your heart will continue to fill in with the warmth of his memories.

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zerombr t1_iu5l51n wrote

Literally was going to say this exact thing

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isecore t1_iu4onuk wrote

Sunglasses, turtle-neck and a Rolleiflex (or possibly a Yashica, but equally good) now that's the king of cool.

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Danny_Mc_71 t1_iu4s1t2 wrote

Did he smoke Gitanes? Listen to Jazz?

I will never be as cool as your Grandpa.

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EezyRawlins t1_iu4q7eh wrote

International man of mystery

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dyjcdthvchj t1_iu5197k wrote

What about the ladies in the background?

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gestella OP t1_iu521km wrote

My Grandpa was a set designer for the BBC for many years, so I believe this photo to have been taken on set and I imagine the girls in the background were actresses or dancers 😊

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Docgrumpit t1_iu4ww30 wrote

The real "most interesting man in the world".

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Ok_Pressure1131 t1_iu4simp wrote

Yeah...a twin-lens reflex camera! I need to dig out my old Yashica Mat 124 and shoot some stuff!

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pippoken t1_iu52cqa wrote

I got one too! Haven't used it in ages though.

I bought it because I love my dad's rolleiflex and wanted one but those were too expensive for me.

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thelmaandpuhleeze t1_iu4sm6w wrote

Was he raised in an orphanage? Did he get out of prison and try to raise $5K to save the orphanage? By playing the funky blues rock? With his brother?

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diskowmoskow t1_iu5d1cp wrote

“Felt cute, might develop the film later”

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Am_I_leg_end t1_iu6raoa wrote

I refuse to believe anything other than his name is Fritz, and he was a leading member of the Bauhaus movement.

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cmkrn1 t1_iu5czxa wrote

old school cool for sure. This should be the banner or icon for this sub

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gestella OP t1_iu5ddi7 wrote

I agree! Today is the 7th anniversary of his death, and comments like yours have really helped to cheer me up! X

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wifespissed t1_iu6ixqy wrote

He looks like the epitomy of 60s coolness. He snaps instead of claps.

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bigrom10 t1_iu4upve wrote

That’s Joaquin Phoenix playing your grandpa

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LesterBanks t1_iu6r9fa wrote

In later years, a bored and jaded Roy Orbison pursued his interest in black and white photography

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Mikelgo06 t1_iu6hi9a wrote

I thought it was John Lennon for a sec

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KtownDetector t1_iu6j9v8 wrote

Anyone else getting Joaquin Phoenix playing Roy Orbison in a biopic vibes?

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SandMan3914 t1_iu7lrfo wrote

Total Beatnik vibes for sure

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CallMeBruceGold t1_iu7ugv3 wrote

Look what you’ve done to Mr. Bigglesworth!

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walluper t1_iu9213b wrote

Dieter from Sprocket?

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talentsmart t1_iuaasmd wrote

I think he used this for his Tinder profile. Hence Grandma came along.

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HickTheMan t1_iu70q10 wrote

I don’t believe that’s a selfie. Don’t think the camera is facing straight and I bet you would see the chair in foreground and reflection

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somdude04 t1_iu74jyp wrote

See the vertical line on the left third? That's a gap between two full-height mirrors.

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bean224_ t1_iu4zx75 wrote

Was your grandfather Jeffrey Dahmer

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