Sat. 14th cont...
Jean Deas Hunter is now considered the matriarch of the family.
We gathered at the Tudor Hotel in Airdrie for dinner. There we met Kenneth and Janis Burton.Janis is a grandaughter of Archibald Stewart and her mother Janet was born in Rhodesia. We also met Linda and Jim Rennie who had travelled up from Largs in Ayrshire to meet us. Linda is the daughter of Jean & Jimmy Brabson and grandaughter of Mary Stewart Malcolm Donald. Mary was a sister to Jock Stewart. We met Margaret Aitken nee Urquart the great granddaughter of Mary Stewart. We were formally introduced to the family group and made most welcome by Margaret Reed. We found the experience and the evening humbling with some emotion, to be made so welcome and presented with a Scottish "quaich" - a cup of welcome and farewell. Traditionally this orginated in the Scottish highlands, is a shallow drinking bowl with two handles. Today made of pewter and silver - which is filled with scotch whiskey and passed around. We also received an album which included a number of Stewarts old and new with a few gems amongst them. There was alsoa gift of clotted cream fudge together with a picture of Jean Brabson nee Donald who died at the age of 90 in 2010.
Richard passed around Jock Stewart's family book and David has agreed to copy the disk for other members of the family. We now have a few more email addresses in order to keep in touch. The dinner ended with a creditable rendition of Auld lang syne. Some of us retired to Nancy and Ronnie's home for another coffee and chat before David and Margaret returned us to the hotel in Livingston. A most memorable and enjoyable day - thanks to all.