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- PRIVATE
- A great source of family information, so also left a collection of glass plated photographs currently in the care of Ian Thompson.
Edith visited South Africa in the 1980s.
The following is the tribute to her given at her funeral in 2005 MEMORIAL SERVICE
at New Restalrig Church, Edinburgh, Scotland on10«sup»th «/sup»January 2005
«b»IN MEMORIAM
Edith Helen Thompson 1910-2005
«/b»Edith was born at 28 Lismore Crescent on 6 June 1910, the only child of Henry James Thompson and Edith Jessie Tarbat Smith.
Edith's family have had a continuous connection with the fellowship of New Restalrig Church for over 150 years. Edith was baptised in the church on 10 July 1910 and worshipped regularly in this church until she became house-bound following a serious stroke in 1993. This occurred on Christmas Eve after she had spent the previous week serving lunches to the 'old folk' at the church!
Edith's father was a merchant banker and her mother a teacher. Edith was educated at Piershill Primary School and Edinburgh Ladies' College and was regularly awarded certificates of merit for sewing and gymnastics! Trained as a commercial secretary by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce & Manufactures, she obtained distinctions in typing and shorthand! Employed in insurance, she retired from Yorkshire Insurance Company in 1969.
She was an active Friend of Bruntsfield Hospital and proud member of the Red Cross, trained in both first aid and home nursing in 1933. She obtained her first driving licence in 1936 and greatly enjoyed touring the length and breadth of Scotland with her friends. During WW2 she was an Air Raid Warden and had various adventures! She believed 'the Devil finds work for idle hands' and kept hers employed doing most beautiful knitting, sewing and embroidery, and baking pancakes, 'highlanders' and mince pies of legendary quality.
After WW2 she was responsible for terminal care first of her mother and then her father. After 1957 she found fulfilment through virtually full-time involvement in the church. She was amongst the first cohort of women to be ordained elders in the Church of Scotland, and served proudly in that role for 30 years until incapacitated by her stroke.
When Edith turned 75, and passed the age achieved by either her father or mother, she was rather morbidly anticipating an imminent death. She would never have anticipated living another 20 years! She outlived many of her friends and contemporaries, but continued to make many friends among those younger than herself. She was also rejuvenated by the return from Africa of members of her family and as 'Aunt' Edith, adopted a whole new clan of grand nephews and nieces and great-grand nieces and nephews!
The final ten years of her life were spent first house-bound in her own home, then at Queen's Bay Lodge and finally at St Anne's Convent Care Home. She found dependency and immobility very trying but bore her infirmity with fortitude and good humour!
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1910 - 2005 (94 years)
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