I loved visiting my Grandfather Floyd’s TV repair shop when we traveled to Florida. You could see all the guts from the inside of the TV’s. As a child, it was beyond cool. . . but it also dispelled the myth that there were people who lived in the TV.
As I began writing this, I realized I had a huge mystery on my hand. My Grandfather, Francis Blanford Floyd went by the name Jack. . . But where did that come from? So, I couldn’t finish up this post without calling my mom to solve this little mystery. Uncle Gaugh and My grandfather were supposedly named after the doctor and the landlord. Mom said she didn’t think there was much truth to that. When my grandfather was a kid, he was playing and, of course, hated the name Francis Blanford. He was playing one day and he told his siblings that they didn’t call him Jack he wasn’t going to play with them. So, now with that mystery solved, I can get on with my post.
Grandpa was part owner of Wild Woody’s with his friend Eddie Wood.
Then he owned Jack Floyd TV shop. I remember his shop in Tampa. I also somehow remember that Dunkin’ Donuts must have been near the store. And Grandpa always spoiled us.
As I talked to my mom, I remembered how I used to marvel at the pig-latin my grandfather and grandmother would speak. . . and I could never pick it up fast enough. They were married for over 50 years.
And this story’s going to go in small tangent. . . just for my cousin, because when I was going through old family photos that my mother has shared with me, I came across this picture taken inside my grandfather’s shop. This is his grandfather, my Uncle Gaugh (AKA Garland Floyd- mom wasn’t sure where the shortened form of his name came from). His wife’s name was Francis- how ironic is that!
And where I found that picture, I found these.
(This one is my grandfather’s brother, Uncle Gaugh, and their sisters Mary and Helen)
It is so interesting to me to see these family members in their younger years.
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I have boxes of old photos that I am trying to weed through and to construct a family tree. Your post mentioned Wild Woody’s, we used to go there weekly and shop and I remember one particular “nylon” dress that my mom bought me…very pretty but if it got near a flame it would melt. Funny what one remembers.
The photos I used for this post are all from my mother’s work. After a little lesson or two in scanning, she’s spent a great deal of time scanning in all the family photos that she seems to be the keeper of.
I never had the chance to go to Wild Woody’s. But, I love hearing stories from my mom and Uncle of those days. My Uncle actually worked there for a while with my Grandfather.