What is your earliest childhood memory, and how old were you?

[ClareA]

Mine is of being about two and sitting on our coir doormat, and feeling that it was prickly on my bottom.
Also of tipping my toy Post Office's cardboard coins down the loo, flushing it, and wondering why they didn't come back again.
The scary sound of the Civil Defence siren when it was tested nearby.

[horselady]

I was 3 and my brother was pushing me in my pushchair, I stood up on the footrest saying I wanted to get out and fell out, face down on the pavement. My brother didn't know what to do with this screaming child and a lady waiting for the bus came to help and took us home. My brother still says that I'm ditzy because I fell on my head.

[lady-janine]

during the war we lived with my grandad and he had brought home some strawberries from his allotment in greeniwich park and i took one without asking. it was delicious every last swuiggy bit of it. i still like strawberries even though i got into trouble for taking it. i was about three before that i can only remember hearing what i now know are explosions and buildings falling.

[RATTER15]

I remember being in a pram in my front garden and my older sister sitting on a pram seat and I was pulling her pigtails. I often wonder whether I actually remember the event or whether i remember the memory, if you see what I mean. It just seems unlikely that I would remember that long ago and in such detail, Over 50 years ago!!

[netibiza]

RATTER - my memory is from 63yrs ago!

[LoftyLottie]

I know what you mean Ratter about remembering the memory.

However, my earliest recollections are being frightened by a boy in a gollywog mask whilst in my pram (very hazy) and then being in hospital at aged 2 (Lots of very sharp and detailed memories of that)

[annie0000]

My earliest I think was lying in my pram listening to the rain pattering on the hood and also the rain smell. The next is when i was about 1 and I remember sitting on the step playing with some dirt and wondering where my mum was and then she appeared with the camera. I have the photo and it is at the house we lived in until I was about 13 months old - I presume the pram memory is earlier, but don't know, as in those days (60s) I think the prams were bigger and we stayed in them longer before graduating to a pushchair.

[redman41]

My most cherished memory is standing in the doorway of a hospital ward waving at my Mother who was lying in bed dying of TB. I was not allowed into the ward to hug her as TB was contagious, it was the last time I ever saw her as she died that week, 5 days before my 5th Birthday. I have other childhood memories but this is the most poignant.

[Bobbisox]

red , this always makes feel so sad for you, she must have had some wonderful attributes she passed down to you x

mine was sitting in my cot and it had been brought through to the living room (it was called a kitchen then) because the fire was roaring up the chimney, I must have been poorly or something and my two sisters who are 15 and 17 yrs my senior, coming from work with little prezzie for me, I must have been about 18months as I can remember standing up to reach out to be picked up

[mccfluff]

awww red :-(

mine is being in the garden with our dogs and escaping on the the farm/allotment next door and being fed something i think grapes buy the owner

[alexanderd]

I remember my first day at school they let us out to play at 10 o clock and I went home!!. I thought that was it, Mum was not pleased

[redman41]

Thank you Bobbi ! x
Yes we all have memories which seem to stick in our mind somehow, some sad some happy, but we have to get on with life the best we can as there is always someone worse off.

[paddywak]

This strage man (my uncle though I didn't know it) feeding myself and my two sisters segments of the two oranges he'd managed to get and much to the disgust of my sisters getting the last odd segment because it was my second birthday.

[Bobbisox]

on a lighter note, I remember my brother who is 3 yrs older, taking charge of the push chair I was in and we were going along South Sheilds Pier at the time, my parents were just one step behind, he turned the bloody thing to the edge and the front wheels went over, good job I was strapped in..LOL, my Dad yanked the handle back..phewwww!!!!

[tastymorsel]

Annie,you have just awoken a long forgotten memory.I can also remember being in a pram with my brother and the rain pattering on the hood.Aso that unique 'smell' of the rain on the pram apron.That is probably why I love to hear the rain now.

[carlton23]

!942,. the WW2 had started and I was in the main hall of the Royal Boscombe Hospital Bournemouth, laying on the floor on a mattress surrounded by injured people because, I expect, all the wards were full, and a soldier comforted me during the night as I obviously was very ill with rheaumatic fever, but next morning when I awoke he wasn`t moving, and they came and took him away. I believed he was still asleep. RIP Soldier boy.

[annie0000]

I still love a rainy day tasty, it makes me feel very secure and comforted. Must go back to the baby days. I like walking in it, I like when it is wet outside and sitting with soup or hot chocolate watching it run down the windows - probably just as well as I live in Scotland!

[ClareA]

I'd no idea what a lot of happy and sad memories this thread would provoke. Thanks to all - and no need to stop!