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- PRIVATE
- After the death of her father Edith and her mother and sisters went went to live at Malan Mission, Transkei, South Africa, where her father's brother, Rev. John Lundie and his family lived.
The girls were able to attend school at the mission. However, I don't think her mother (Bessie Auld) got on with Grannie's mother (Rebecca Best), and so returned to Edinburgh where their mother attempted to eke out a living by teaching.
The three girls were found to have contracted TB and spent a year or more in Woodburn House, a TB sanatorium up in the hills near where Douglas and Catriona live [and where I had an office for 11 years!]. They were given the 'fresh-air' treatment, which meant sleeping out of doors in all weathers, on mobile loungers but under oil-skin tarpaulins to keep off the rain or snow! They were fed on lots of high cholestrol food and fruit. All three survived, and the family moved to Worthing, because the climate there was warmer than Edinburgh and they could get plenty of fresh air on the beach!
All three sisters became missionaries and teachers in Kenya. When their mother was dying they returned to Worthing and set up a small private school which they ran until they retired.
They all survived into their 90's and I visited them there a couple of times before Dorrie died. At that point the symbiotic relationship which had sustained them, collapsed. Within two years both the other sisters had died as well. Wee Edith [90] was 'away with the fairies' but her two sisters were very sweet with her and she was much loved. She helped with cleaning and washing up, but was liable to wander if the door wasn't locked. She got lost in Worthing a couple of times to the great consternation of Dorrie and Eva.
I remember them all with much affection, for as Grannie's first cousins they bore a striking resemblance to her, especially Dorrie. Eva looked very like Aunt Fum!
Source: Adapted from E-mail from Ian Thompson. 12 March 2007
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1898 - 1993 (94 years)
