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Added by Philip Mitchell

Margaret Touhy

1880-1956
Born: New Monkland, Lanarkshire
Died: Barrhead and Levern, Renfrewshire, Scotland

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  • Story: Margaret Touhy

    <p style="text-indent: -36pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt"><span><font face="Times New Roman">I have no knowledge of Great Grandparents, except that on my Father&rsquo;s side they were Irish and called Tough.* (sic)</font></span></p><p style="text-indent: -36pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt"><span><font face="Times New Roman">In fond terms, I had a big granny and a wee granny. My big granny lived in a <strong>downstairs tenement in Aurs road</strong>.</font></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt">Aurs road branching off the Main street, coming from the town centre and going towards Glasgow (seven miles away) Notable in those<span>&nbsp; </span>days (30&rsquo;s &amp; 40&rsquo;s) Was a Tramcar repair depot. Aurs road leading off into the countryside and the<span>&nbsp; </span>Barrhead dams that supplied the South of Glasgow with water. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt">Getting back to my big granny,<span>&nbsp; </span>who was a large woman, stout, and supposedly <em><strong>blind.</strong> </em>This uncertainty in my young mind came about when I made one of my frequent visits to her small tidy Room and Kitchen. I was always alone, my other brothers seemed to shun this rather dark mysterious elderly woman who sat all day in her armchair by the fireside. She was always dressed in a black frock. and a shawl around her shoulders. While everyone else addressed me as Victor, she insisted I be called Donald. To me, it was like being a<span>&nbsp;</span>different person - in a different world that only her and I inherited. (such was my fertile imagination). Anyway, the incident in question concerned a cloth ball that lay underneath her display cabinet, which again, incidentally contained<span>&nbsp; </span>horse ornaments. Indeed that whole living room Contained large ornamental horses, <strong>carriage and horses</strong>. She had a strange fad for these equine beasts. This was during the war years and any kind of ball was hard to come by. I confess to have stolen it, thinking<span>&nbsp; </span>she would never know. However, after I had kicked the stuffing out of that poor inadequate ball, I eventually returned to visit my big granny and as I sat facing her in the other armchair, munching a cake she promptly told me to return the ball. Well, I choked on my cake and mumbled something, wondering how a blind woman could spot a small ball underneath her display cabinet.<span>&nbsp; </span>I think a trust was broken, because I don&rsquo;t recall ever visiting again after that. I think, in my boyish fool heartedness I broke her heart a little. Perhaps she and I will pick up our unique relationship once more in God&rsquo;s new order.<span>&nbsp;</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span><span>Granny Mitchell had one <strong>daughter Ruby</strong>, another daughter was mentioned, (but like the mysterious absence of the father, one can only wonder what became of her).&nbsp; She raised six sons; <strong>Donald, Neil, John, Duncan, James, and William</strong>.&nbsp; John being my father.&nbsp; They were poor, rough and ready.&nbsp; In their teens they were known as the <strong>Donnie gang</strong> (named after Donald, eldest brother).&nbsp; <em>That was the reason my mother didn&#39;t want me to be known as Donald.</em></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span><span>Suspicion falling on my big granny&rsquo;s wayward life with men. Her husband&nbsp;leaving home for some mysterious reason, never to be heard of again.. I wonder how his life story worked out?. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt"><span><em>*(should spell/read as Touhy)</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span></p>

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