Vera Winton

Vera Winton 1928-2011

Vera was born in on 5th August 1928 in Birkenhead, the daughter of William Roberts, a bank manager, from Llangollen in Wales, and Edith McGregor from Aberdeenshire. At that time Birkenhead was a thriving shipbuilding town and port, and the Vera has always retained an association with and interest in the sea. She attended Birkenhead School for Girls, just round the corner from her home in Grosvenor Road. In 1939 the whole school was evacuated for three months to Yeaton Pevery, a large mansion on the edge of Shrewsbury. Vera and her fellow pupils saw this as a huge adventure, and thoroughly enjoyed climbing trees and making use of the vast grounds. Vera was later to write a memoir of her experiences. As this was the time of the phoney war, the bombing of Merseyside did not begin until after the school had returned to Birkenhead. Vera remembers an Anderson shelter in the back garden, and a bomb landing in the next street.

When she left school, Vera ignored parental wishes for her to attend a local college, and went to University in Edinburgh, where her Godmother lived. There she met Alex, over afternoon tea, and was entertained by his stories about his family. Vera, as an only child, had always craved brothers and sisters. The two regularly went hill-walking in the Pentlands at weekends. They took a small primus stove on which to make tea, but would end up at the Flotterstone Tea Rooms, where they would demolish a high tea, before taking the bus back to Edinburgh. Both went on to Moray House to train as teachers, and Vera worked in various Edinburgh schools, including James Clarks before working for a time at St. Dennis. In 1953, Alex and Vera bought Ferndale, Carlops, and were married on 24th December in Edinburgh. Two years later, Andrew was born, followed by Sandy in 1958, Mary in 1960 and Janet in 1968.  Vera gave up teaching on her marriage, but as the family grew up, played an active role in the village community by serving on the Village Hall Committee and on the local PTA. She played the piano for the village Hallowe’en and Christmas parties and the local Highland dancing class until Janet was born. Later, when Janet was at school, she became an active member of the local Red Cross, teaching First Aid, doing hand care at the local care home, and providing a First Aid service for local events when required, as well as being a volunteer driver for hospital visits. Vera was also an active supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, taking part in a march in the early 1960s, and twenty years later, joining the Tweeddale Peace Group to campaign against the arms race in the early 1980s.

Vera’s first grandchild, Sarah, was born in 1984, and was followed by Christine, Ewan, Sean, Christopher and Nicky. She enjoyed entertaining them in Carlops and occasionally babysitting. In 2003, Vera and Alex celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the Flotterstone Inn (formerly the tearooms) at Glencorse.

In 1997, Vera suffered her first stroke, but after 14 weeks in hospital, recovered sufficiently to be able to enjoy many former activities. Alex took on the role of cook and chief carer, while Vera continued to draw, read, sew and take herself for short walks in the village. Following further stays in hospital in 2003 and 2007/8, Alex’s role as carer increased. Vera still enjoyed outings to the Peebles Stroke Group, Edinburgh Art Galleries, Dobbies and Dawyck gardens in spite of by now severely hampered mobility. Earlier this year, while Alex was in hospital, Vera spent 10 weeks at St. Ronan’s care home in Innerleithen, and following only a short time back in Carlops, was herself in hospital at Haylodge. It had by now become apparent that Vera’s care needs could no longer be met at Carlops, and so on 15th November Vera went to live at Dunwhinny Lodge in Peebles. Alex had been due to join her there for a week’s respite care, and to keep her company in early December.