We know Staff News is popular with local staff, colleagues and partners across Forth Valley however we were a bit surprised to find that it had made its way over the English Channel to Jersey!
This was confirmed when we were contacted by a woman, who had been sent a copy of our previous From the Archives article on the history of Airthrey Castle Maternity Hospital.
Christine Hammond’s mother lived in Clydebank and was one of the early mums to be evacuated to the castle when the war started. Christine was born on 11th October 1942.
She had always wanted to visit the castle at some point to see where she was born so her 80th birthday she travelled to Stirling with her daughter and drove to the castle. She said it was a very emotional experience walking around the grounds.
Christine explained: “My dad was in the army and we lived with my grandparents during the war so I didn’t see much of my dad only my grandfather. When my dad returned after the war apparently, I asked my mum – who is that man? as I didn’t recognise him. My mum died a few years ago age 98 and my dad died just before his 80th birthday so the story of the castle brings back a lot of memories.”
Photos of Christine’s birth certificate and her return visit to the castle 80 years later are shown below.
