Interview of Mary Morrison

2005 Mary Morison (South Vancouver, April 10, 1921). Mary married Allister James Morison from Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1959/60, although he died not long after they were married. He moved to Canada in 1910, his father was a shoemaker on Commercial Drive and he worked for various drug companies. They met each other at the Loch Nagar Clansmen Social Group, Sons of Scotland, of which she was a camp Chief for one year. She used to teach Gaelic songs at this camp. Mary worked at Eatons for 15 years. They had had two sons: Murray Allister and Ian James. They don't really keep in touch with their Scottish roots, although they do still sing snatches of Gaelic songs, which they used to perform at the concerts their mother organized. Mary's interest in Gaelic songs came about in the 1930s when her parents tried to organize a Gaelic choir. She went to General Woolf's School in Vancouver. She remembers having to sing "Maple Leaf Forever" during the raising of the flag every time they went into school. She then went to Queen Alexander's School for 4 years before going to Grandview Commerce. At this stage her mum was working for Elmer Cannery. Mary went to work too on the bean belt, she remembers a lot of Scots and Italians working well together. She left school at 18 years old. Mary's been to Scotland twice: once in 1979 (she wasn't impressed, she had heard about all the costumes and festivities, etc, but she didn't get a "warm feeling" from the people and the legendary Highland hospitality turned out a myth) and again to the Black Isle in 1997. Her father was Alexander Murray (North Dell, Lewis). He died when she was very young. He spoke Gaelic and wrote songs and poetry. He went out to South Africa to work as a stone mason before coming to Vancouver. Her mother was Joanna Campbell (Valtus, Uig, Isle of Lewis, 1890). Both she and her eldest daughter, Catherine, went out to work at Kerrisdale, then at Tulloch's Cannery. She then went to work for Canadian Fish until she was 65 years old. Her grandfather on her mother's side was Alexander Grant Campbell (Dunvegan/Harris?) He lied to get into the army at the age of 14. He joined up with the Cameron Highlanders and Seaforth Highlanders. He was stationed in Manchester. He was gassed in WWI and had a terrible cough afterwards. He worked on the BC street cars in Vancouver. He had one brother in Glasgow – John Campbell. He was a Gaelic speaker. Her grandmother on her mother's side was Catherine Smoth (Uig). She came from a family of five. She loved Gaelic songs. She couldn't speak English when she first came over to Canada. Keywords: Scottish societies, Gaelic, Aberdeen, Lewis