"Bowl of Beauty" peonies with foxglove
My short stories have been published in Scottish literary magazines such as Northwords and Pushing Out the Boat. Some of my stories are “written in American,” but increasingly they come to me as narrated by a vaguely Scottish/British voice. To read one, click on the title (under “Short Stories”) on the bar on the right.
Hi christine
Just thought I’d mention that I was brought up in St Martha’s Home which was run by the nun’s of St Margaret’s Convent which was adjacent, from aged aprox 3 until the home closed in 1973. Some of the nun’s and stories I remember are both funny and sad at times – but my siblings and I all grew up to be normal law abiding people
By: Chris Pollock (nee Kelman) on January 16, 2012
at 8:06 pm
Hello Chris! How very interesting. I never knew that there was a children’s home next to the convent. I’d always assumed that it must once have been a very large convent, because there are so many rooms, but perhaps what I was looking at was in part the children’s home.
I’m also interested from the point of view of being an adoptive mother. My experience of modern adoption and the care system, and my acquaintance with older local people who grew up in old-style “orphanages,” leads me to believe that they were in many instances a better environment than what many “cared-for” children currently live in. I bet you do have some sad and funny stories…
Thanks so much for your comment!
By: christinelaennec on January 18, 2012
at 11:08 am
hey chris i was in the home from1969 tillit closed i wonder if you remember any of the macleod family dawn,,,scott,,,brenda and mysel fiona ?if you do e.mailme on shonna_@hotmail.co.uk
By: fiona aitkenhead on October 23, 2012
at 9:06 pm
Hi Christine
Yes when you look through the gate of 19 Spittal the large building was the Children’s home it housed at one time up to aprox 60 children we were divided into houses ie Robins, swallows and sparrows. As you say it seems it was a better enviroment than many today.
Chris
By: Chris Pollock on January 18, 2012
at 6:34 pm
Hi Christine do you remember me liz ogg. I remember you and your siblings. I have so many good memories and some not so good. Have a few photos I got from mother verity before she passed away which I am sure you are in and probably some other kids you would remember. If you want to get intouch just e mail me or ask for me in marks & spencer I work in ladies wear 1st floor. My married name is Macrae. Hope to hear from you.
By: Liz macrae on April 8, 2012
at 7:45 pm
hi liz doyou remember any of the macleod family dawn,scott,brenda,,and myself fiona if so e.mailme would love to know if we r in the pix as sadly i havnt got very much pix of myself when i was small
By: fiona aitkenhead on October 23, 2012
at 9:09 pm
Hi Fiona I left st Martha’s 1967 and my photos I have are of children earlier than that. Hopefully Christine will remember you or your siblings. X
By: Liz macrae (nee ogg) on October 24, 2012
at 8:48 am
HI Liz
Firstly apologies for delay in replying to your message and yes I do remember you and would love to see photo’s and also get copies if you would’nt mind as I only have 2 or 3 of myself as a child.
I remember my sister Mandy saying she often would bump into you in
M & S. Her daughter is due her second grandchild (A boy) 1st week in May so I will be in Aberdeen then and would love to catch up with you.
Chris
By: Chris Pollock (Kelman) on April 10, 2012
at 8:05 pm
Hi christine would still like to hear from you . Sent a message to Lin Patterson as I was hoping she would tell me her mums name to see if she was in any of the photos I have but got no reply. Is Mandy still workin at council. Hope to hear from you soon.
By: Liz macrae on August 19, 2012
at 8:44 pm
Hi Christine would be happy to meet up and show you photos. I finish at 3or 4 most days so we could meet up for a coffee. Just let me know when you are free. It would be good to catch up. Tell Mandy I am asking for her.
By: Liz macrae on April 10, 2012
at 8:46 pm
Hi Liz Thanks I will let Mandy know and get in touch soon.
By: chris pollock on April 12, 2012
at 4:22 pm
Hi, great to read that someone else was at St Martha’s .I have been trying to find out about it but with little success. My mu was brought up in St Martha s until the age of 15. She was there in the 1940′s and 50′s
I’d love to know more about St Martha’s for her.
By: Lin Patterson on June 26, 2012
at 6:48 pm
Hi Lin, your Mum was there before my time but I’m sure some of the Nun’s were the same. I don’t have any photo’s other then my confirmation one and one with my sister, myself and another girl and Sister Francis. Your Mum may remember Mother Annis Mary ( which are my middle names) Sister Verity who later became Mother Superior those are a few I knew or remember. I tried to find out more info myself but apparently any rrecords there were have been destroyed after 50yrs by the council. I was told the archives at one of the universities in Aberdeen may have some documents.
By: Chris Pollock on June 29, 2012
at 4:53 pm
Hi Lin just wondered if you got my message. Hope to hear from you soon. Liz
By: Liz macrae on July 13, 2012
at 12:42 pm
Hi Lin I also was in st marthas from 1958 – 1967 I have quite a lot of photos that I got from mother verity before she passed away. A lot of them before my time. Do you live in Aberdeen and what is your mums name as some of the photos have the children’s names on them. There seems to be little info on st Martha’s.
By: Liz macrae on July 1, 2012
at 4:15 pm
wouldlove to know if anyone has any pix of any ov the macleod family that was in the home from 1968 tilit closed sadly dont have may pix when i was small
By: fiona aitkenhead on October 23, 2012
at 9:12 pm