Annie Isabella Fraser Melville 1923 - 2004

Ninth and last surviving child of George Melville and Annie Fraser Ross.

Born at Culmaily where George was a ploughman.

She attended Golspie Senior Secondary School where she was a good pupil passing her qualifying examination.  However, the necessity to earn a living meant she had to leave school at 14.

Annie worked in her early years in the local business of O M Fraser.  Later she worked as a cleaner in the primary and secondary schools and the County Offices as well as working in a number of local homes.  For a time she worked for the Rev. Alston in Fountain Road , a minister she much respected.

At the start of the second World War Annie volunteered and joined the WRENS with a posting to Dunfermline .  She remained there until she had to return to the family home on Main Street in 1943  to look after her ill mother.  She cared for her mother until her mother died in 1944.   This caring continued with a similar duty to her father until 1952 and his passing.

In 1943 Annie met her future husband Matt.  He was with the Newfoundland Forestry Unit, having volunteered in 1940.  Matt was based in Ross-shire and travelled regularly to Golspie to see Annie before moving to the Newfie camp in Dunrobin Glen.  They married in Dingwall in 1945.  First living in the family home on Main Street and then in Millicent Avenue and latterly in East Millicent Avenue . 

During the war many service personnel were billeted at Culmaily and many kept in touch with Annie and family.  It was not unusual for 'long lost' friends from the war time to turn up on her doorstep to introduce their spouses and families to her.  She corresponded regularly over the years with a number of those war time colleagues and former guests who had resided in the family house.

Annie was always a sociable person having many visitors, family and friends, to her home.  And in her role as unofficial family historian and archivist her knowledge was avidly sought over the years.  If you needed to know a birth date or a relationship then Annie was the one to ask.  Brothers and sisters were always given a great welcome to her home and those further afield were never forgotten.

Indeed she even went to Canada with Matt and the young James to meet their 'Canadian Cousins'.

Annie and Matt had three sons, Allan, Ian and James.  Four grandchildren, Avril, Fiona, Andrew and Scott, came along and then three great, grandchildren, Morven, Neave and Lewis.  She doted on her family, grandchildren and great, grand children and looked forward to their visits.  She was proud of her family and was quick to tell visitors about them.

Her last year was a hard one for Annie with her time spent in the Lawson Memorial Hospital , the Cambusavie Unit and Seaforth House.  Until near the end she kept her spirits up and still relished the visits from family and others.  She would say she had few or no visitors but when one started counting one soon moved into double figures.

Annie is sadly missed by all the family and especially great grandchildren Morven and Neave who, from a very early age, got very excited in the car as it turned the corner from Main Street into Seaforth Road , Golspie.

[Photos of Annie]                   

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