In December 2009, we held a conference in partnership with WEA women@work, Women’s Work in the Highlands. Women from all over the Highlands gathered for a wonderful day which included introductory oral history workshops. This recording and the transcription below is an example of some of the fascinating stories and memories that were recorded.
Runaway Bride
P2: […] And upholding the name of the family. My great grandmother, that’s my mothers grandmother, was a fascinating women. She was a Rowntree, she was part of the original Rowntree family in Yorkshire. But she did the unforgivable, and she ran off with the Irish groom.
P1: Oh no.
P2: And married him. And had 14 children. And she was totally excommunicated by the Rowntree family. As far as I know, anyway. And it wasn’t talked about. My mother mentioned it to me, but as a child I used to want to more because I liked Rowntree chocolate. That’s probably why I inherited this state. And she just wouldn’t. No, no, no. And nobody would speak to her about it either. Her mother never mentioned it her grandmother never mentioned it. And the Irish groom, I mean I have got photographs of them both, but I would loved to have met him. But he drank. So my great grandmother had a business head on her, and she had number of different businesses. One was a jointing car business. Taxi cab service. And as fast as she made the money, he drank it. And then in his mid 40s, apparently, when he was in the pub, or the bar, with the men, the Salvation Army came in and he didn’t touch a drop after that. He just never ever drank after that. And it’s absolutely amazing. And I see these two photos and I think, I wish I could have met you. But my mother could tell me nothing about them. Apart from the stories that she had of her childhood with him. Because he was an old reprobate – I’d loved to have met him. But I mean, it’s just not talked about. And I remember as a child asking my great aunts – my spinster great aunts – in Ireland about great grandma, it was ‘Sshhhh. Don’t talk about that.’ That was me well and truly told off. I think all of our, all our families have secrets they do not talk about. You know.
