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Original poster

If you met one of your grandparents when they were the same age as you are now - round you recognise them?

31 replies

Nows · 06/11/2023 20:48

This ridiculous question is inspired by a photo I have of my late dh's grandfather. He's about 40 in the photo and is the absolute image of dh at that age.

That got me thinking about my grandma and I wondered if, in the hypothetical scenario that I bumped into her in the street when she was a young woman, would I recognise her as my grandparent to be.

OP posts:
JeezWhatNext · 06/11/2023 20:49

Well I knew my grandparents when they were my age so obviously I’d recognise them.

Original poster
Nows · 06/11/2023 21:15

No I mean say you're 30 now, if you somehow met them when they were also 30 - you know like if they were magically teleported from the past - would you recognise them?

OP posts:
Topofthemountain · 06/11/2023 21:20

The family genes (Mum) are strong so there would be little doubt we were related.

Dad's side not so much, though as my Grandma had the same genetic condition as Dad and I she would probably be easier to spot in a room full of strangers.

JeezWhatNext · 06/11/2023 22:05

Nows · 06/11/2023 21:15

No I mean say you're 30 now, if you somehow met them when they were also 30 - you know like if they were magically teleported from the past - would you recognise them?

Yup I got it. But a lot of people on MN are older than 30.

Original poster
Nows · 06/11/2023 22:08

JeezWhatNext · 06/11/2023 22:05

Yup I got it. But a lot of people on MN are older than 30.

Show quote history

They are - including me. Significantly.

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 06/11/2023 22:08

JeezWhatNext · 06/11/2023 20:49

Well I knew my grandparents when they were my age so obviously I’d recognise them.

Me too. I’m actually older now than my granny was when I was born.

DramaAlpaca · 06/11/2023 22:19

I'm not young, I'm actually the same age now that my grandmother was when I was born. Funny, that's never occurred to me before! Yes, I'd recognise her.

JeezWhatNext · 06/11/2023 22:21

The youngest Grandparents start at roughly 30, so assuming you can remember being 10, anyone over 40 will probably remember their grandparents.

Somanycats · 06/11/2023 22:24

Absolutely. I'm 61. I knew them all well at that age.

Pinkpinkpink15 · 06/11/2023 22:26

Nows · 06/11/2023 20:48

This ridiculous question is inspired by a photo I have of my late dh's grandfather. He's about 40 in the photo and is the absolute image of dh at that age.

That got me thinking about my grandma and I wondered if, in the hypothetical scenario that I bumped into her in the street when she was a young woman, would I recognise her as my grandparent to be.

@Nows

i think that might be where you come unglued.

yes,I'd definitely recognise 3/4, my other grandparent died before I was born, when my mum was only a very young girl. I think I'd recognise her though because I've seen photos.

the thing is though, I'm not a young girl. The three of them were my age now when I was a child, so I'd definitely recognise them.

i think the actual age is important, iyswim

KohlaParasaurus · 06/11/2023 22:27

Yes, but I wouldn't have anything in common with them because my grandparents were much older than I am at the same age.

SkaneTos · 06/11/2023 22:28

I am in my mid-thirties. I think I would recognise my maternal grandparents if I met them in their mid-thirties. I have seen quite a lot of pictures of them. Not so sure about my paternal grandparents, not as many photos of them at that age.

user1471556818 · 06/11/2023 22:28

Yes as their generation looked old from quite a young age .I always thought the hadn't aged much throughout my lifetime till their deaths .But both didn't make 70 .

shivawn · 06/11/2023 22:31

No. 3 of my grandparents passed away before I was born and the only grandmother I knew living a bit away so I didn't get to see her very often and she passed away over 10 years ago now.

BarneyAteMyHomework · 06/11/2023 22:32

I’d recognise my father’s parents, mainly because they both had distinctive physical features. Don’t think I would recognise my mother’s parents, but I’m in my 40s and don’t have any memories of them before they were in their late 60s / 70s so that’s not really surprising.

SittingOnTheChair · 06/11/2023 22:33

No. But my grandfathers were dead by the time I was born and both my grandma's only lived till I was 6.

Didn't see them enough.

BlazingWorld · 06/11/2023 22:35

One of my grandfather's didn't make it to the age I am now and I never knew him. The others I would almost certainly recognise. Especially my other grandad who, judging my photos, looked almost identical from when my dad was little to when I was a.child.

SpaceJamtart · 06/11/2023 22:40

No probably not.
I'm in my mid 20s and I didn't meet any of them until they were in their 60s and 70s and the few photos of them young are not great quality. If I saw them in the street I doubt I would notice them.
I'd love to meet them though, as I never really got to know them as adults before they died.

AcrossthePond55 · 06/11/2023 22:47

If you mean if I met my grandparents on the street when they were in their 30-40s, would I recognize them?

I'd recognized my maternal grandparents because there are pictures of them when they were around those ages plus I knew them. And my mum was the spit of her mother and one of my uncles and an aunt were the spit of their dad.

My paternal grandparents, not so sure. They died before my parents married and the only picture of them young is their wedding photo when they were in their early 20s. I think I'd recognize my grandmother because my dad and a couple of my uncles bore a strong resemblance to her based on that one photo, they especially had her eyes. She had very distinctive and beautiful eyes. I definitely wouldn't recognize my grandfather because I've only seen the one picture of him as a young man and none of his sons really looked like him. I have one cousin who we were told looked a bit like our paternal grandfather.

Loverofoxbowlakes · 06/11/2023 22:50

I'd recognise my mum's parents, I have lots of their photos around the house. I never knew my paternal grandad, and my paternal grandma was always a very little old lady, so no, I don't think I'd recognise her at all.

There's a huge family conk on my mum's side that I'm fortunate to have skipped a generation. I reckon I could spot a good number of her relatives at 100 yards possibly in the dark

MaidOfSteel · 06/11/2023 23:15

Yes, I'd recognise my grandparents. I'm the same age now as my Nanna was when I was born so I'd definitely know her.

Now I'm back to missing them lots.

Aparecium · 06/11/2023 23:17

Mum's mum - absolutely. My dsis is the image of our dgm.

Dad's mum - probably not. I find it difficult picking her out in old photos taken when she was a young woman.

Mum's dad also changed massively, but I think I would recognise him from the old photos. He always looked so stern and slightly worried in every photo!

Dad's dad was one of 6 brothers who all looked extraordinarily alike. I'd recognise him as a member of my family, just not know which.

CrushingOnRubies · 06/11/2023 23:17

I would recognise my paternal grandmother as she looked just like me. And both of my grandfathers my maternal grandmother I'm not sure

funbags3 · 06/11/2023 23:44

My GM was 50 when she had my DM. I wouldn't recognize her or my GF.

Sonolanona · 06/11/2023 23:50

I think so... the facial genes on my mother's side are strong... we all look ridiculously similar. When I was about ten I was walking down the road where my Gran, and her mother and her Grandmother had always lived (I didn't.. we lived 100 miles away)
An old lady leaned over her garden wall and said ' You MUST be a Cleden!' Grin
I'm now the image of my Gran , and her young self looked a lot like me, so yes I think I'd know her. Grandfather... probably not.

I wouldn't have a clue on my Dad's side!