“I hadn’t expected to be any more thrilled with Scotland than England, but Scotland has an atmosphere of its own, a difference you can feel. They even told me later that I looked different when we came into Scotland. As was passed through the first Scottish town Dumfries, a pipe band was just finishing playing. We stayed that night at Kilmarnock. Being Saturday we thought a dance would ben fun, so found a local hop in the town hall. Korshed (Mrs Mehta) wore a sari, and altogether we created quite a stir – three Indians and Nell and I. Korshed is a beautiful singer (trained, and did radio work in Bombay), so Norshir’s cousin Kheki, suggested she give the locals a treat and sing. It was soon arranged with the band – the crowd were absolutely enthralled, and we were treated to supper with the management (tea and cakes in the back stage room of the town hall).
Image of the border crossing from Jean’s collection:
Postcard written from Gretna Green by Jean to her mother:
We drove through Glasgow next day, and Nell had a couple of addresses near there of people who were friends of friends of hers at home to look up. We found the second of these to be very well off and about to set off with friends (a car load’s all told) for a picnic on the “Bonnie Bonnie banks of Loch Lomond”.
They invited us to join them, so we all set off. The first sight of Loch Lomond in the distance was a real thrill. We drove on up the Eastern shores and found a quiet spot for a wonderful picnic meal (about 4 o’clock, but never-the-less, our lunch). Being Sunday, the roads were busy, and the Eastern shore has only a dead-end road, quieter, but there was a real holiday spirit about the southern end with picnickers and little boats. After a game of ball with the kids, we had to press on – back and up the western shores, following close by the beautiful shore all the way. We went for miles, thus, before arriving at Tarbet, in the early evening. What a peculiar feeling to be there in that place, which we’ve seen so many times in pictures, and which I knew so well from having done that pastel drawing years ago. I felt as though I knew every bump in the mountains over the loch and Ben Lomond, and that little pier and that romantic looking castle like building which is Tarbet Hotel where we stayed the night. While out walking that night, we heard cuckoos, the first I’d ever heard, and they’re beautiful – musical and haunting.”
From Jean’s letter to her sister Mary, written at Stonehaven on 19 June, 1951
Images of Balloch on Loch Lomond (from Jean’s collection):
More Loch Lomond Images (from Jean’s collection):
Images taken at Tarbert, when Jean overnighted on Loch Lomond:
