36002

Generation: B

John Whyte, I


Father: James Whyte, I
Mother: Anne McAlister

Isabella Black



Children:

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Twin with Tom Whyte. In trade in Brazil.

MBM:

MBM and RLM visited "the Park" in 1928, with son Alan, called after Alan Whyte. Mrs Whyte was a widow then living with her two daughters, all very gracious ladies.

RLM Nov. 1970:

About 1919 I did make the trip to Stranraer to see Alan's folk, again also perhaps a year or two later. They were most kindly and generous.

Isabella Whyte was a widow, with a white mutch on her head, and a dark dress. She and her husband had spent many years in trade in Brazil, had obviously prospered greatly, and then retired. They then bought the Dowager or Manor House above the town. It was called "The Park" and was enclosed by a stone wall. Probably the place would be 300 years old. The walls were three feet thick, the windows big and looking over a pleasant garden, with of course a private drive from the road to the stabling or garage, for they had a car, with a chauffer/gardener. He wore a formal cap when driving the old lady, and a dark jacket or uniform. They laid on every comfort for me, from a hot water bottle in bed to a jug of hot water in the morning for washing and shaving. The plumbing was a bit old fashioned. The old lady or Ethel said grace at meals. If I remember aright now, there was a short bible reading in the morning. There was plenty of silver around. Dishes were kept hot by a methylated spirit burner on the sideboard. Each egg in its silver cup, covered with a woollen cap. There was a choice on the table of tea, coffee or coca. The furniture was very much in the style of the age, heavy, plentiful and dull.

They took me down one day to see John Black, a cousin, who had a farm and specialised in cheeses. I also visited Port Logan with them to see the fish which came up for feeding in a tidal pool.

For our marriage, the Whytes sent us two pictures, engravings; one was of Haddon Hall. I forget the other (Margaret has it on her wedding list upstairs!). As the years passed the paper began to get a bit stained, but the frames were splendid. They are, to our pleasure, still on our walls, but the pictures have been replaced by two Van Goghs: the cornfield in the wind with the cypress, and the blue cart.


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