HECTIC APRIL 2010 - GAMcG 100

As if I didn't have enough on my plate with preparing for the exam etc, in a moment of madness, I decided to mark what would have been my father's 100th birthday had he lived, instead of dropping dead of a heart attack at age 55.

I had uncovered a lot of items belonging to him in the stuff from the attic, items that in a sense made him come alive for me again.

So I moved a gread deal of the 'stuff' from the Front Room into the kitchen (You can't imagine what the additional chaos was like). In the temporarily empty space I created an exhibition of his belongings.


 This baby-chair was designed and made by Gerard McGuire, my father. Rather than make a full-size high chair which would have required storage, this chair has two metal clips that go over the back of an ordinary chair whenever the baby is visiting.

Gerard also made this leather handbag. He made handbags for his various female relatives. This one was made for his sister-in-law Nancy, probably during the 1930's

A selection of Gerard's tools, stored in the sheet-metal suitcase he made.
I still have the case. Seems like he took the conventional fastenings found on a typical suitcase, and used them on this very useful artifact.

This hand carved paper-knife sports an interlaced design, appearing to be actually woven from the mahogany timber.
Family memories say this knife was made during the long hours at sea.

Some tools displayed, including a set of dies used to print on metal.

At the top of the picture are some of the 100 candles.

Passport and certificate of discharge. This document showed all the 'trips' taken over the period 1943-1948 approximately.

Other trips were taken on British ships, but there is no documentation for these.

Another view of the tools. Part of the appeal of these for me is the perception I have that some of my father's DNA must be lodged in the handles of these object which he used so often.

 Cap-badge, shoulder tabs, and stripes from his uniform sleeves.

I think the four stripes indicates that he was now a qualified First Engineer, and therefore equal in authority to the captain.




 
Then on the birthday April 21 2010, I did a performance by lighting 100 candles to the accompaniement of my own reading of a paper I had written about his maritime career which I had written in 1986-7.

(This video was shot by my husband Tony Cleary April 21 2010)