“Let’s go mother”
Thomas A. Short
Welcome to Travels With Tom and Gerry. A photographic series of adventures seen through vintage photographs taken by my grandparents Tom & Gerry (Thomas Arthur and Geraldine Susan Short).
Series #1 – introduction
My grandparents were great travelers and I have written previously that Grandfather Short was a ship and boatman. His business was all marine engineering related and he was very keen on mixing work with play. Since he enjoyed life on Pacific races and world-wide water expeditions frequently, that left my grandmother on the journey with a lot of time on her hands, that is, when she chose to go, and she chose to go many times.
Being a curious traveler for local information and culture, she would plan and collect as many tourist pamphlets as possible to run away for the day. She also archived few and kept many photographs of their adventures.
Here I will start a new series from her ever painstakingly preserving of such memories through photographs taken by both on their travels from back in the 50s through the 70s. The dates could be a little more or less. I thought it would be interesting to share some of the places they ventured in a time gone by. Possibly boring to many, but I find the photographs to reveal history in a geographic of change. I am sure my grandmother was hoping someone would appreciate them. I remember her always sending postcards from the adventures and wishing I was there.
There was certainly a development of friendships from all over the world. They were very social and in some of the upcoming photographs you will see that. They knew people from all ranks of life and enjoyed them all immensely, and they did keep in touch with many through writing and in return were hosts to them at their home in San Francisco.
Below is my first round of the ‘Series’ with just photos of Thomas and Geraldine (Tom & Gerry) back when this would be their selfies of the day. I picked a few for you to get to know the faces.
The next Series will begin posting photographs of places visited, but in the meantime, these few selfie photos introducing both of them made me smile and laugh a bit. Since I never knew the adult travel side of them, finding them in these photos were perfect for getting to know them in a way I never knew personally. In future writings on this ‘Series’ I will post tidbits written on the photograph when that is available.
I am hopeful family will enjoy this visual jaunt through the world from their photographs and others too who are interested in places that may have changed through the years.
Welcome and enjoy.
See you on the next Series,
TALES FROM MY LENS 
Responses to “Travels With Tom & Gerry”
What a great collection to have! This sounds like a fabulous series. I love reading these old family tales (just call me nosy).
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I’m just as nosey 🙂 and love listening to family ancestry. Have fun!
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Thank you Kathy! You are such an amazing storyteller and artist. It is so touching to see our grandparents come to life…they would be so pleased. You honor their memory. love you, Cousin Susie
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Thank you for being a huge part of this! I could not have done it without you luvs
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What a wonderful idea for a blog series! Your grandparents sound awesome, to have travelled so much when it was less easy to do so than nowadays. And how lovely that you have this archive on which to draw for your posts. I will look forward to reading them all immensely 😀
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Thank you so much! I know you do quite a bit of this too and I find it all so interesting. Thank you for joining me on their journeys!
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