My dad was the youngest of the eleven children over 26 years that my grandmother Christina Walker had. Her three eldest died in infanthood/childhood. However, by the time my dad was born, he had siblings ranging from age 4 through to 21.
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Having grown up myself not close to my sister who was 13 years older than me, I cannot imagine that he had close relationships with all his siblings, but maybe with him being 'the baby' things were different. His eldest sister Mary, known as Polly or Poll, was still living in the family home when my dad was born, but the following year, she moved out when she married William Clinton, a miner. The couple were not married in their home parish of Shotts, but at Calton in Glasgow by a sheriff's warrant. A marriage by a sheriff's warrant in Scotland was usually a way to register an 'irregular' marriage (the couple having lived together or having a child together, yet unmarried in the eyes of the church or state). However, in Mary and William's case, it was a quicker way than going through a regular marriage ceremony, with banns having to be read in church beforehand. Why the need for speed? Well, it took place during World War I and, according to the marriage certificate, William was serving as a Private in the 3rd Batallion of the Cameron Highlanders ( the 'Cameronians') at that time. Indeed William's military records show that he had been with the army since August 1914, stationed at Inverness. He spent more time there after his marriage, before being deployed to Ireland. He was discharged back to Scotland and to his wife in June of 1918.
So it was rather an unconventional start to their marriage, with them separated for four years. During some of this time Mary was employed as a domestic servant on the Murdostoun Estate at Murdostoun Castle in the parish of Shotts to the Stewart family, Sir Robert Stewart and his wife Lady Alice.
I have fond memories of my 'Aunt Poll'. By the time I was born, she was 64 years of age! I always knew her as an 'old lady'. I remember her house quite clearly - she lived in a council house in Newmains, Lanarkshire. I stayed with her a few times, most notably when my mum's mum died in 1961, when I was four years old and we were living in Newcastle upon Tyne and they needed someone to look after me while they were at her funeral etc. She used to take me out for a short walk to the corner shop to buy morning rolls and square sausages to have for breakfast. She was a very kind old lady.
I never knew her husband, William. He had died from cancer, before I was born. Seemingly too, they had separated a while before he became ill ( I don't know the circumstances of this) but she took him back and nursed him at home until his death. That again speaks to the sort of person she was. I think she was also my dad's favourite sister.
She also had her picture in the local newspaper, the Wishaw Press, in 1957, when they wrote an article about four generations of a family being still alive. The way she looks in that photo is how I remember her:
My Aunt Poll, her grandson Hugh, my grandmother Christina and Poll's daughter, Christina.
My Aunt Poll died when I was 12 years old. Her grandson, Hugh is still living locally, aged 89.
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