GG’s Letter of wishes
GG as she was known to us all, left very precise instructions to us about the disposal of her last earthly remains in a letter dating from 1960 which we have now deciphered using some up-to-date technology. She wrote her instructions to each of her four children, Ro, Helen, Margaret and David, in 1960 after the death of her much-loved husband, ‘Daddy’ Tom. Because she had four children, she copied the letter four times, using the technology of the day – a photocopy which was just that – a thin paper photograph on sensitive paper developed with chemicals. Over the next 40 years, nearly all these copies save one were lost, but unfortunately, the surviving page, found with her daughter Helen’s effects after she died in December 1999, had become unreadable due to the effect of time and light on the chemicals. However, using an ultra-violet hand light, Helen’s son, David, was able to decipher the letter carefully word by word. and transcribe it. The description is detailed and atmospheric. Tom’s two sisters, Great Aunt Ro and Great Aunt Helen, were with her by the water.
September 3rd 1960:
“Friday September 1st dawned a beautiful day. Auntie Ro, Auntie Helen and I got a packed lunch and went by beautiful pine woodland up on to the heather-covered moors to visit Lochindorb. We drove down the West side of the loch past the lodge hidden in the fir trees and found a quiet picnic spot beside the loch. There were fleecy white clouds in the sky and the sun shone through and the reflections in the loch were just beautiful from there and from the surrounding land, particularly one green field.Fish were rising and jumping in the clear waters until a slight breeze rose and caused the merest ripple across the waters. We had already seen other lochs nearer. Boat of Garten very pretty with the trees and heather coming to the water’s edge and I had been wondering which to choose to leave dear Tom’s ashes. Loch Garten, the prettiest, was a possibility – but it is rather public and used by picnickers especially since the Ospreys have been returning to nest there for the last 3 years.
Daddy always preferred the moorland lochs so I decided that this is where I would like to leave him. We walked a little further along the road and I chose a spot near an old Ash tree about half a mile from the Southern end of the Loch. It is opposite the old ruined castle or fort in the middle of the Loch and there is a farm on a hill on the opposite side.
There was no one in sight. I placed Daddy’s ashes in a clean white towel and we stood round – and Auntie Ro at my request said a beautiful extempore prayer. She gave thanks for us all for Daddy’s life and for all he meant to us and did for us. She then gave thanks for the courage and steadfastness of his life in the face of much adversity ill health and that he was now at rest and knew his soul was with the righteous and that he was at our side and asked for courage for those he had left behind. She then gave thanks for his skill in his profession in that he was able to use the natural waters of the earth and make them of use and service for mankind.
I then quietly scattered his ashes at the water’s edge. It was so clean and still and it seemed so right after Auntie Ro’s reference to Water Engineering. I silently said farewell from you all by name and myself, and said my private thanks for everything. It was all very beautiful and I am quite happy about my choice and I am sure Daddy would not have wished anything better than that it should have been Auntie Ro whom he loved and respected so much who committed him to his earthly resting place.
She had told Daddy in her last birthday letter to him that he had a special corner in her heart, and I am so glad that I have been able to carry out his plans and bring the car here to take him and his other sisters to visit all the lovely places here they knew and loved, and which I have grown to love. am hoping to revisit the spot which is now a hallowed one for me before we leave and to take Auntie Betty and I hope that one day it will be possible for you all to visit it.
When the time comes for me to be reunited with Daddy, I should like my ashes to be scattered near the same spot and a memorial placed to us both in All Saints Church Douglas (I hope the new church) where we worshipped for the last 30 years.”
E.I.G
The Greenfields 