Playing scrabble- a family tradition

 Doreen and I had a game of Scrabble last night here at the Loft while Fred was watching rugby.

I have kept my Dad's board, it has a bag which Mom made, and the little fabric covered book (which I had made for her) filled with 3 letter words and pages full of tricky words using the 'j', 'q', 'x', 'z'. We still use both the book and the bag when we play a game.

Last night, while we were playing, I was chatting to Doreen that Scrabble has been part of the Wedderburn family tradition for more than four generations.

As a little girl I was aware of games being played by my grand-parents in the dining room at Kalkwal, the family farm, of an evening, using the paraffin lamps.

My folks played regularly and we joined in as we got older.

This scrap of paper is a gem. It's from the mid eighties and early nineties just before Mom died. Dad recorded some of the memorable, high scoring words like on the 16th December 1985 I scored 216 by placing 'relaxing' over two triple word scores. This score was trumped in a game between Mom and Dad during the May of 1992 by placing 'acquires' on two triples for a score of 221.

I got two opportunities to use all my letters last night and almost got to a score of 400. Dad notes two games where he played three full words and scored 361 in 7 rounds.  They had a high score of 434 in the March of 1987 while I was away in France.

Impressive.

How we appreciate these jotted notes that reflect our family passion for words, for scrabble and the pleasure of playing the game together.

I think it is appropriate to follow the tradition, I will start to jot down the memorable, high scoring games or words too, as we play here at the Loft.

Last night's killer game, I got all my tiles out twice!

Relationship news in Dad's little black book

There is something quite charming and also poignant about Dad's little black address book with its side bars about the people he and Mom knew.

He would jot down when he last saw them, or add some news and as they passed, cross out their entry.

I read this entry tonight next to the details for Liz Vale, which made me grin.

I remember Dad calling me all excited about having met a woman in the mid 1990's a few years after Mom had died, they had bridge in common.  She moved in with him and we were all pleased that he had found companionship.

This entry in his notebook is from December 1997, she had given him 'words and said she was moving out, "I agreed"'.

He writes, 'still friends but platonic only.' Nice to know Dad!

The note is then updated in the May of the next year, just to let the reader know that Liz is still hanging on, Dad's view is 'Keep as is, friend only.'

Liz has kept in touch with Dad all these years and every now and again pops in to see him in frail care.

Doreen and Dad with Liz Vale.

Creativity of Postcards from Morocco

In 2013, Barry and I in Morocco, feasting, cooking and taking in the wonderful atmosphere.

Original fibre art by Elaine Barnard.

Two women in the Marrakech Medina.

Yesterday I spent the day at the 18th South African National Quilt Festival in KwaZulu -Natal.

I was so taken with these masterful fibre art works by Elaine Barnard. Her creative mixed media Postcards took me straight back to my trip to Morocco in 2013 with my son Barry.

We had joined Peggy Markel for her iconic Culinary Adventure in Morocco spending time in Marrakesh, in the Atlas Mountains and in Essaouira.

The experience is summed up so well from Peggy's website:

"And most essentially, in Morocco, be prepared for a culture deeply imbued with a simple humanness that, as you contact it, cannot help but bare your own soul. Morocco: A Feast for the Senses offers the most complete experience of how cuisine and culture can bring a sense of expansiveness and appreciation to our lives. This rare and deeply satisfying journey asks the most of you – and will fill you with a kind of magic in return." Peggymarkel.com

If I was as creative as Elaine, the image I would chose to interpret is this photo I took of two women in the Marrakech Medina.

How I love the texture and the colours of the wall and doorway along the Derb la Jouich, the rustic furniture, the pattern in the grate, the women in traditional wear, feeling the cold, even though March in Morocco, for me, was more than warm enough.

They were so purposeful as they went about their daily chores.

Original fibre art by Elaine Barnard

Acknowledgment:

These two Post Cards are from a series of 6 created by Elaine Barnard called "Postcards from Last Spring 1-6". 

They are her original designs inspired from India and Morocco.

The pieces are on display at the 18th South African National Quilt Festival as part of the Fibreworks Exhibition.

Summer of 1987, a happy time

Monet's Garden and House in Giverney, July 1987

Our summer in Paris was in full swing.

Our house in Les Ombrage, Marly-le Roi was full of the coming and going of visitors and we were comfortable in the rhythm of living in France. I could shop and get by with my little bit of conversational French, I could move around with ease, and things felt familiar at last having lived in France for a year.

We maximised this summer of 1987, popping into Paris and St Germain-en-Laye, watching celebrations which the French do with such style.

Slightly further away, to the west of Marly was Giverney. I really loved my visits to Claude Monet's house in Giverney, particularly the yellow and blue kitchen which I have always coveted. These two colours have featured in my kitchen here at home too, a throw back to these visits.

The garden at Giverney is the highlight of any visit. My letter to Mom on the 16 July 1987, mentions these gardens; 'Quite beautiful especially the water-ponds and Japanese bridges, water lilies were in bloom and the garden was a riot of colour.'


The visit to the Bois de Boulogne with Shawni and Oma was another summer joy.

Just reading my letter brings back so many memories. The exhibits, Shawni swimming, riding the carousel, watching a puppet show, playing in the sandpit to find fossilised elephant teeth, all so wonderful.

I was even more excited than Shawni at the Babar exhibit.

'Babar the Elephant is a fictional character who first appeared in the French children's book Histoire de Babar by Jean de Brunhoff in 1931, and enjoyed immediate success'.

 Each elephant was about 10 inches and dressed by the top Parisien designers, elephants in Hermes scarves had me completely smitten.

I see Martie's travel plans were coming together too and she was due to visit in August. More on that in another blog.

"Howick Covered", Doreen honours our mother Estelle Wedderburn

My sister Doreen has a graphic design business in Hilton and has just completed the first publication of "Howick Covered", a book featuring the local businesses, schools and institutions.

She used this opportunity to honour our mother, Daphne Estelle Wedderburn and show case her wonderful art.

The Wedderburn family moved from Vanderbijlpark to Howick in 1980. Mom got involved in many things during her stay in Howick and we are particularly proud of the drawings she did of the historical buildings around town.

I love what Doreen has done, she has created a Historic Howick page and featured two of Mom's line drawings, the Anglican Church and the Howick Falls Hotel. They are both well known landmarks and well loved buildings. The "Howick Covered" gets delivered to all the businesses and residents, no doubt they are going to enjoy seeing these drawings.

For Doreen: your talent is remarkable. Thank you for thinking of this special tribute to Mom, she would be so proud of you and she would have loved to see her worked featured in this professional way.

The story of William Argyle's petition for a divorce

What a twist when I read this first petition document in the divorce file I have just received from the United Kingdom National Archives.

In the November of 1902, when William Argyle, my great-grandfather was petitioning for a divorce, he was in Pretoria on active service with the 92 Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery!

This is so interesting as I have been wondering when, how and why he ended up in South Africa and what caused him to leave the Isle of Wight.

I have mapped the William and Kathleen timeline from all the documents and research I have done:

• William born in 1869 on the Isle of Wight, to John  and Anne Argyle (nee Sibbick).
• Kathleen born in 1878, to Frank and Jane Guster, from Freshwater on the Isle of Wight.
• They have a registry marriage on the 25 September 1897.
• They lived at Church Place for about a year and at No 2, Chartree Villas, for eleven months, both places in Freshwater on the Isle of Wight.
• Their first child, a daughter called Edith, was born in 1898, baptised on the 13 May and died on the 15th August 1898.
• Nellie Winifred, my Nan, was born on the 29 May, 1899.
• William is ordered to leave the Isle of Wight on the 13 November 1899 for active service in South Africa.
• He is 30 years old in 1899.
• Little Nellie is not even 6 months old when he leaves.
• The 1901 Census record has Kathleen and Nellie with her parents at 16 Church Street in Christchurch.
• William remains in active service in South Africa and does not know when he shall be able to return to England.
• Kathleen, on the 12 April 1902, starts her affair with Arthur Merchant.
• Kathleen and Arthur reside at 13 Albert Street in Ryde, Isle of Wight.
• William's younger brother, Ernest, writes to William and informs him of the facts about Kathleen and Arthur.
• William first hears about his wife's adultery in this letter from Ernest on about the 10th May 1902.
• William acts on the information and instructs his brother to take proceedings on his behalf to abstain a divorce against his wife.

• The petition is filed on the 12 December 1902 by Turner and Co, Solicitors at 61 Carey Street, Lincoln's Inn, WC. Lincoln's Inn is a fascinating historical set of buildings in London. Worth a visit I think.
• In the meantime from Pretoria, William organises his documents under the signature of JHL Findlay who is a Justice of the Peace for the District of Pretoria in the Colony of the Transvaal. 
• The documents have both his signature and initials on them, William has a good handwriting, open and clear but certainly with a lesser flourish than the esteemed Findlay.
• He lays out his case for his marriage to Kathleen to be dissolved.
• William also requests that he have the custody of the child Nellie.
• Findlay also requests that the co-respondent, who is Arthur Merchant, may be condemned in the costs of these proceedings.
• Also that the petitioner may have further and other relief as may seem fit.
• On the 26th may 1903, the Decree Nisi - Jury, noting that the respondent and the co-respondent did not appear  and did not defend the suit, pronounced that the petitioner had sufficiently proved the contents of his petition. 
• The document confirms the 50 pound claim and more importantly gives William custody of Nellie.
• On the 7th December 1903 the Decree Absolute was brought before Sir John Gorell Barnes, a Juctice of the High Court, Strand in the County of Middlesex, and the marriage was declared dissolved.

An artefact that Bert has made by William Argyle

Goodness me, I suppose William then sends for Nellie and at some point he decides to remain in South Africa. 

All I have of William Argyle is the odd black and white photo. When I met Bert Cornell, Mom's cousin, he showed me this artefact that his grandfather William had made. Looking at it now, it makes a bit more sense given William's military history.

So here I am, generations later looking at William and Kathleen's story and trying to understand how it must have impacted my Nan. I assume she never saw her mother again and had no communication with her either. 

William does remarry one Fanny Murray, has three more daughters but he dies in 1919 at the age of 50.

I feel the need to breathe deeply and put this story aside.

Census data showing William's younger brother is Ernest. 

An envelop arrives from The National Archives

I have been eagerly watching my postbox for the last few weeks, waiting for this envelop from The National Archives in the United Kingdom.

The postal slip arrived yesterday and I dropped everything to fetch my letter parcel.

The envelop contains all the documents relating to the divorce of my great-grandparents, William and Kathleen Argyle, my maternal grandmother, Nellie's, parents.

I was immediately struck by this stamp, "CLOSED UNTIL 2004", these documents were sealed for 100 years!

As I hoped, reading the petitions and the Court Minutes has shed more light on this part of my family history.


Nan, or Nellie Winifred Argyle, grew up in Pretoria with her father William and stepmother Fanny and her 3 half-sisters, Edith, Elsie and Kathleen. It was only after I met Mom's cousin Bert Cornel, Kathleen's son, that I learnt that my Nan and her father had come to South Africa from the Isle of Wight and that very little was known about her mother. This got me doing the research and discovering the divorce of her parents online. I then paid the National Archives to have these document photocopied.

The timeline is shown on this cover page:

• Petition Filed: 12 December 1902
• Setting Down Cause: 16 March 1903
• Decree Nisi: 26 May 1903
• Final Decree: 7th December 1903

The first document confirms their civil marriage on the 25th September 1897 at a Register Office on the Isle of Wight, William was 28 and Kathleen 23 years old. The marriage was witnessed by by Frank and Annie Guster, Kathleen's parents. I notice William was living at Church Place, Freshwater and this is where they start their married life. William gives his 'Rank or Profession' as Carpenter and it is blank for Kathleen.

The certified copy of the Marriage of William Argyle to Kathleen Guster in 1897, provided to support the divorce process.

Well lets dip into the documents and recreate their story.