Earliest Memory

[nailit]

Was reminiscing with my mum earlier.
Realised that I actually havnt got an 'earliest' memory.
Do you?
I find it odd that some people can pinpoint a memory and say that its their first.

[zebo]

My earliest memory is the subject of some mystery! I remember when I was almost 4 going to the side of the house with my mother late morning to get some coal, there was snow on the ground and I recall the nappies for my brother drying on the big fireguard. As my mother was getting the coal the lady from across the road came to the end of our path and said 'Oh, isn't it awful, the King's dead', I can see it like yesterday. My late mother however said it never happened, that my dad brought her a cup of tea before he went to work and told her. However, during the various anniversaries recently it was said that the news was released late morning, so my father couldn't have told her and they wouldn't be a day out as they were both very interested in the news. Sadly my mother died before I could further discuss it.

[Caran]

marvel, I remember. the shunting yards, I lived in Warwick.

[marval]

What a coincidence Caran, we lived there from 1952-1955.

[Caran]

We were much later, about 1973 to 1980ish.

[david small]

Remember my grandfathers Alsatian dog, I was two. It bit my face badly, the dog was put down.

[wolf63]

I remember being four and my baby brother was 5/6 months old. We were in the back garden and I was sitting on a seat and was holding him. Mum told me to be careful as he was fragile. My first thought was if his head would survive hitting the wall of the house.

I think the reason that I remembered it was it was totally out of character.

Now that I have admitted this I hope he doesn't see my confession.

[ummmm]

I remember sitting in the street in just my knickers in the summer of 76. Other than that my first day at school.

[woofgang]

I have a clear memory of being sat on grass and I couldn't walk...the sensation of being bottom heavy and planted is very clear. Someone was rolling a ball to me accross the grass. Its the first memory that I have that feels like a memory and not something that I have been told happened.

[jno]

some people remember being born (or earlier)

https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-2899,00.html

I think it ties in with what PP says - once you learn to talk and understand, more recent memories start to crowd out your first ones.

[Mamyalynne]

Great link Jno - my eyes gave out, will look again tomorrow.

[Arksided]

That stoke has a lot to answers for ;-)
My earliest memory is about 2/3 years old being away on holiday to Blackpool and My Mum telling stories about 'Charlie the suitcase'... I still don't know happened, funny enough when I mentioned it to her over Christmas... She were amazed that I remembered.

[waterboatman]

Aged two, playing with a toy car, using the pattern on the carpet as a road.

[waterboatman]

Same age (1950's) being in the Princess Elizabeth Military Hospital in Woolwich, chronic asthmatic attack and hearing the army doctor telling my mum I wasn't going to live through the night. That was 70 years ago!

[malagabob]

I can remember things from whe I was young,but they’re all traumatic. Being inquisitive and turning the tap on a tanker holding boiling tar and getting my legs covered. Being in severe pain. Found out in later years a nurse had snapped a hypodermic needle in my bottom and left it there. Climbing a water tower with my brother who convinced me to drop down inside ( it was empty n dry) Then he thought it funny to pretend to leave me there for 10 minutes. All these memories are when I was maybe 3-4.

[aelmpvw]

i remember taking my father's gold sovereign to primary school 60+ years ago to show to the other kids and losing it :-(

[rowanwitch]

I think I blanked out my early memories as my dad died when I was 2½ and apparently from that point I became very introverted. I remember a book Thomas the tugboat and digging a hole in my great grandmothers garden. Serves her right for leaving a trowel where a three year old can find it.

[retrocop]

I recall my first RTC. We lived in a road that was quite steep, appropriateley called UphillDrive, Kingsbury. I was in my new pressed steel red pedal car on the pavement outside our 1st floor maisonette.
A flight of about 10 steep concrete steps led from pavement level to our side door. I decided to drive the quick route home. Ouch. About 4 butterfly clips later in my forehead I was up and running. Still got the scar. :-)

[retrocop]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That was 1953 and I was three.