• General Notes

  Essay from Janet Hazlett when in form IVM in Dalriada. SUPER GRAN  As a child of about four or five I remember going to Portrush every  Sunday afternoon to see Granny. She was actually my Great Granny. I  remember going to her cupboard and bringing out a bucket full of toys,  and, in the summer I would lift the bucket, and Granny and I would walk  down on the beach.  My Granny was eighty five, almost eighty six, when she died. I remember  her about five years ago riding my sister's bike around our house and my  mum would be standing trying to tell her to get off it but she just said  "You worry too much". My Granny was very independant and was very  reluctant to move into Rothsey Court in Coleraine but it wasn't like an  old peoples' home. She had a flat of her own and buttons in various  places in her flat which she could press if she ever needed any help. These created great amusement for the younger grandchildren. When she  moved in she made many friends and her family felt a little more at ease  knowing someone would be there in seconds to give her help and she was  closer to them.  Granny usually spoke up when she felt strongly about something, like the  time she told our minister his sermons were too long; the minister just  laughed, thank goodness. Sometimes on Sunday mornings when I came  downstairs Dad would say "You're not going to church like that" and  Granny would say "You might as well be out of the world as out of the  fashion". Another of her saying was "Birds in their little nests agree.  It is a shameful sight, when children of one family fall out and strive  and fight". For Christmas last year, Granny's daughters bought her a reclining chair.  On New Year's Day, Granny had to go into hospital for an operation but I  was not all that worried, just looking forward to her coming out again.  As the weeks rolled on I began to get worried. Her daughter came home  from Norway and her other daughter and husband came home from their  holiday in Teneriffe. Time passed and Joy, the daughter from Norway, went back to Norway.  All of a sudden Granny's family were called to the hospital. She had  become worse again. Her daughters and grandchildren took it in turn to  stay in the hospital overnight. Her great grandchildren were not allowed  to visit as she was so ill and doped with drugs and our parents did not want us to remember her that way. Through all of this Granny never  complained about the pain which must have been excruciating. I felt so  proud of her.  On April 2nd, 1991, the phone rang and everything was quiet. I saw the  tears swell in Mum's eyes. She told me to go and call Dad who was  outside. She told him, then us.  The next days I felt awful but at her funeral I felt very upset, seeing  that box, knowing my Great Grandmother was in it, The church was packed  and i only wish Granny could have known how many people loved her. She  only sat in her new chair once.

Details of Ethel 's family with John Torrens