Roots and early days

My Mother was born at 6, Green Terrace, Hawick in Scotland on 26th September 1912. She was named Esther Reid Botwright - her second name ‘Reid’ was her Grandmother’s maiden name - this was the custom in Scotland at that time.

Her Mother was Isabella Paisley Botwright (nee Richardson) and her Father was Harry Alfred Botwright - a British soldier from Laxfield in Suffolk. Harry met Isabella (whom he always called Bella) while he was stationed near Hawick in Scotland.

I know very little about Isabella’s forebears other than that her Father, David Richardson, worked as a Wool Carding Machine Worker and her Mother, Esther Richardson (nee Reid) had died three years before Isabella and Harry married.

Harry was the son of Alfred Botwright and Mary (nee Pipe). Harry left school at 12 years old and for a time worked on a farm but he was anxious to learn a trade and so secured an apprenticeship for five years with a local blacksmith. On completing his apprenticeship he enlisted in the Army Service Corps on 30th January 1906.

He first went to Woolwich where he worked as a shoeing smith and then about three years later he was posted to Scotland where he met Isabella. They were married on 31st March 1911 at 3, Teviot Row, Hawick. The officiating minister was James Henderson M.A.B.D., Minister of Orrock Place United Free Church Hawick.

Isabella was working as a Bobbin Machine Winder  at the time of her marriage. Harry and Isabella had twelve children - my Mother Esther being the second-born.

Two children died as babies — Ollie (5 weeks old) and Jean — and my Mother told me she remembered seeing Jean (sometimes called Jeanetta) lying in a little white coffin and she recalled the funeral when she and other family members walked behind the cortege drawn by black horses with plumes on their heads.

Harry remained in the Army for the first few years of married life and it is presumed that Isabella continued to live with her family during which time Ollie and Esther were born.

In 1912 Harry completed a Veterinary Course in Aldershot which was to prove very useful in his future career.

In 1913 Harry returned to Civilian Life and joined the Army Reserves. The family - Harry, Isabella and baby Esther left Scotland and settled in Easton, Suffolk where Harry was employed as blacksmith on the Duke of Hamilton’s Estate. While living in Easton, Esther’s brother Harry was born and both children were christened in the local Parish Church.

Being on the Reserve list, when World War 1 was declared in 1914 Harry was immediately called up and sent to France.

My Mother often told how her father Harry said one of his proudest moments was standing in front of King George V on the battlefields in France but being embarrassed because his toes were protruding through his army boots. For three months he had no means of washing or changing his clothes. One of his most treasured possessions was a brass tin presented to him Christmas 1914 which had a picture of Princess Mary on the lid together with the names of the Allies, and contained tobacco and cigarettes.

Soon after Harry was called up his son Harry was born in 1914 and Lady Hamilton sent a telegram to Harry in France to give him the news. Shortly after this Isabella’s Aunt, with another member of the family, came down from Scotland to Easton and took Isabella and the two children back to Hawick. This was quite a journey for the Aunt and her companion to undertake — my Mother told how when they arrived at Laxfield station, which was out in the country with no street lights etc., they were absolutely terrified having always lived in a town. How they found their way to Easton my Mother never knew! Isabella stayed in Hawick until the end of the war in 1918. Harry must have gone to visit them from time to time when he was on leave because more children were added to the family during these years!

My Mother, Esther, started school in Hawick at the age of five. While living in Hawick she remembered sleeping in bed in an alcove in the wall of the living room - this had a curtain drawn across it.

At the end of the war Harry, with his growing family, left Hawick. They were posted to Grantham in Lincolnshire, then to Woolwich before embarking on a great adventure - their journey to Egypt in 1924.

Helen Patricia Cousins © 2006

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