(…not the movie!)
I have been off for the last four days, enjoying some free time which has been great! However, I can’t help but miss my granny! I thought, for a while, it was getting a little easier and I guess if truth be told it is, but there are just dark times when I would love to just chat to her! Bring her a feast lolly!
Anyway, I just wanted to post her full tribute here! For those who knew her but couldn’t make it to her funeral…and for those who didn’t know her, I want to share this little glimpse of a wonderful life, lived by betty, with you all!
There are, quite simply, no words which could possibly do justice to the force of nature that was Betty Glasgow. I have no doubt there are enough recollections and anecdotes about Betty’s life swirling around in the reminiscences of everyone here which would take from now until tomorrow to exhaust. Do continue to share these experiences with one another and with Betty’s family; these stories matter, because they report the happy truth of our lives. It is my impossible task to try, in little more than a few moments, to give a thumbnail sketch of an extraordinary life in which the height of the woman to whom we pay tribute bore no relation to the size and enormous reach of her influence.
Frances Elizabeth, or as she as universally known “Betty”, was born on Sunday 17 August 1924 in Douglas, the Isle of Man, to William and Agnes Williams. She was one of eight children, and is survived by her brothers Norman and Roy who still live there. With her roots firmly planted in the Manx society where she grew up, Betty was educated at Tynwald Street Mixed Infants’ School and Murray’s Road Secondary School in Douglas.
In common with so many young girls of her time, she left school at the age of thirteen and worked in, successively, a stationer’s, a jeweller’s and a range of other posts involving clerical and book-keeping duties. The range of employment Betty pursued, even as a girl, reflected her appetite for work and a determination of character which was to sustain her throughout the rest of her life. As a young teenager, she was a highly accomplished diver and swimmer, a feat which resulted in her representing the Isle of Man in major competitions and championships.
When war broke out Betty was fifteen and she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service which was the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War. She was billeted to Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow and there sought to make her contribution to the war effort. She loved to tell humorous stories about her time in Scotland during the war, such as the occasion when, during a night-time air raid, Betty dived for cover into the nearest available shelter which, unfortunately, proved to be a pig sty; unfortunately she couldn’t leave until the all-clear sounded and so stank for the next 10 hours until ablutions opened at 6am the followingmorning.
When the war ended, Betty returned to help run her mother’s Bed and Breakfast at 20 Upper Duke’s Road on Douglas in the Isle of Man. It was there she met the man who was to change her life forever. A quiet and thoughtful visitor named Albert Glasgow, originally from Cookstown in Northern Ireland, was in the Isle of Man to see an orthopaedic specialist about a serious arthritic condition and had chosen to lodge at Upper Duke’s Road. Betty and Albert found themselves increasingly in one another’s company and so when Albert returned to Northern Ireland on completion of his treatment they corresponded faithfully for the following year. During this period Betty returned the engagement ring of another suitor to whom she was betrothed and so irreversibly vowed to herself that Albert was the man she was to marry. This ambition was soon realised and the pair were married in St. George’s Church High Street Belfast on the 30th of April 1948.
Whilst Albert continued his work for the Ordnance Survey, Betty got a job in the Grand Central Hotel Belfast where she held several posts throughout her time there including receptionist, ledger clerk and function manager. There she met a variety of famous and exotic hotel guests from Charlie Chaplin to Laurel and Hardy.
In the early years of their marriage they lived in digs in Ava Gardens and Benburb Street among other places before moving to set up what would be their home at 19 Farmley Gdns, Glengormley in 1953. Early married life was tough and it was to be 10 years before they would commence a family. 5 children followed, 4 of whom were born in the back bedroom of the family home. It can be said with absolute certainty that the lives of Angela, David, Joanne, Keith and Gary became the centre of Betty’s world. There is, quite frankly, no greater tribute possible to her than the fact that these children seem, to me, to exemplify everything that is admirable, reliable and fair to those who know them.
Betty’s role as mother didn’t mean she withdrew from the wider society; someone of her gregarious nature couldn’t stay away from the stir of society for long. She became involved in Glengormley Primary School’s Parent/Teacher Association, serving as the treasurer in that organisation for over 25 yrs.
She also supported the Glengormley Scout Troop by actively fundraising, primarily through ‘bring-and-buy’ sales. On these occasions the Scout Hall became the local Dragons’ Den thanks to Bet’s entrepreneurial spark. Even before the phrase ‘cross-community’ had been coined, Betty started up a senior citizens’ club in the Scout Hall in Glengormley, regularly hosting over 150 members weekly on a Thursday. When asked about eligibility of membership Betty would merely respond, “We’re not affiliated to anyone, and everyone is welcome.” Many happy family holidays were spent in either the Isle of Man or Islandmagee, but perhaps
one such holiday stands out with greater clarity than any of the others. On the 2nd August 1973, the entire Glasgow family were in Summerland on the Isle of Man when the building caught fire. Tragically, 50 people died in the disaster at the leisure centre, but it would have been significantly many more had it not been for Betty frantically lifting people over the turnstile to safety. Betty stayed to help even after her own family had safely emerged from the area and she was one of the last people out of the complex herself.Albert and Betty attended Glengormley Presbyterian Church and encouraged all of their children to become actively involved in church family life. When the children were small, Betty was in the Young Wives Organisation, although, inevitably, five young children prevented her from being present at many church functions. She, undoubtedly, saw her calling at that time as a homemaker and in that role nurtured her
family’s physical growth as well as their spiritual wellbeing. The twin strategy of a constant supply of fried bacon in one hand and a push out the door to church with the other seemed to work and Betty had the joy of seeing all of her children, in God’s time, come to know and trust the Saviour for themselves.Once her children were a little older and more self-sufficient, Betty returned to the world of employment not least to meet the financial needs of a large family. She became the manager of the Glenwell Filling Station and Crazy Prices supermarket on the Carnmoney Road; she did jobs cleaning and cooking in Glengormley and Newtownabbey Police Stations; she spent time serving in Thompson’s butcher shop and the Fruitfayre greengrocers, even, latterly, becoming a school patrol crossing lady, despite knowing nothing whatsoever about road safety or traffic control – it would, however, have been a brave van driver who failed to stop when Betty waved her lollipop. In the greengrocer’s shop, she famously advised a customer, with her customary native guile, that green peppers were simply red ones that hadn’t yet ripened! She also managed the Wine
Cellar in Glengormley where she demonstrated a similar level of understanding in giving recommendations regarding the many varieties of grape. One evening in the off license she thwarted a terrifying robbery by bluffing the would-be crook into believing that there was a live video link to the police station from the camera over her left shoulder. She could always be very persuasive.After 34 years of marriage, at the age of 58, Betty was widowed suddenly, and she, inevitably, struggled to cope after the loss of her beloved husband. Albert was the only love of her life and she was utterly and faithfully devoted to him. There is no question that when he died there was a part of her life which was gone forever. Ultimately, she survived Albert for another 28 years, seeing all of her children married and
starting families of their own. She celebrated the birth of each of her 13 grandchildren and enjoyed a unique but equally special relationship with each one. She was fiercely and justifiably proud of each and every one of her children and grandchildren.Throughout her period of further employment Betty’s activities meant she was able to contribute more to the life of Glengormley Presbyterian and, shortly after receiving a Good News Bible from Keith on her 60th birthday, she made a clear commitment of faith in Jesus for herself. After that, she enjoyed nothing more than being at worship and contributing to it in her own inimitable style. When Betty was in church, she was never inconspicuous and people invariably enjoyed her company. She had the priceless and unpredictable gift of surprising the occasional minister or visiting speaker provoking humour (in us) and terror (for them) in equal measure; she was even known to contribute to the children’s address when she was well into her eighties. Just as her home had been open to all-comers throughout the formative years of her children as they brought an endless succession of friends for one of “Betty’s fries”, so, too, in this period of her life she opened up her home to allow the church to have a home group meeting there for study and prayer.
Latterly, she particularly loved being a member of Thursday Together and had her own unique role within it. It was not unknown for Betty to encourage sacrificial giving by calling, “Get your money out girls,” when it came the time for the offering.
Betty could be marvellously inappropriate, but everyone who even remotely knew her understood that her unique sense of humour was never meant for offence, but always for effect. There was a theatricality in all of her gestures and comments which never carried the weight of malice and could even, at times, disguise her own vulnerability. Her favourite word was probably “Lovey” because, underneath it all, this was how she looked at us all – with compassion and never contempt.
In 2002, after almost 50 years in Farmley, an acknowledgement of her failing health ( a realisation brought about by her inability to climb out of the bath) prompted a move to fold accommodation in Glengormley.
She settled instantly into life in Ardrigh Fold in Salley Gardens, made new friends and became a well-established figure, waving, with almost papal authority, to everyone from her first floor bay window in Flat 25. Her good humour, outgoing nature and, often, her energy seemed to have survived this final move in her life. The hospitality in her new apartment was as good as it had ever been in Farmley Gardens. Her welcome was typically generous, be it with egg and chips, or a milky coffee and a Tunnocks Mallow, or, if you were really lucky, both.Betty struggled to get out to church in recent months, but she battled with the tenacity which characterised her life to be at worship as often as she possibly could. The last time I saw her was just a few weeks ago as she made her way across the front of the church to take her seat at the end of the row in which I was sitting. Despite her breathlessness and unsteady movements, as soon as I smiled over and greeted her she made the huge effort of raising her hand…curling her fingers into a ball…making a fist and then she started to shake it at me saying “What do you want?” I couldn’t want a happier final memory.
Betty became unwell just before Christmas. On Wednesday 9th February she was admitted to hospital for the 3rd time since entering into this final period of illness. Despite being in pain and with deteriorating health, her spirit remained indomitable. She was, almost inevitably, herself to the end, joking with the staff and other patients and entertaining those who came to see her.
Her family have precious memories of that last week spent with her in hospital and the little things she said and the way she said them. She remained brave and serene through these final hours and brought great comfort to the grandchildren who were alongside and her own daughters whom she assured she was ready to go home to be with the Lord.
Frances Elizabeth Glasgow left her family peacefully an hour before midnight on Wednesday and was welcomed into God’s family gathered around his throne in glory forever.
At the end of C. S. Lewis’ novel, The Last Battle, on the final page of the very last book in “The
Chronicles of Narnia”, Aslan speaks to Peter, Edmund and Lucy.
He talks to them about the fact that their lives have ended and that they, with their parents, have
gone to the “Shadowlands” or Heaven.
This is what he says:
“The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning. And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”Betty has now begun to be a part of this new story.
We can only give thanks to the Lord for the long, full and very special life that Betty lived. And commend her family into the love, comfort and peace of Almighty God.
Her favourite word was probably “Lovey” because, underneath it all, this was how she looked at us all – with compassion and never contempt.
greensleeves
Anyway so the party…it was just really good relaxed craic! To be honest I was worried it might be a little awkward coz all my cousins are going their separate ways and I guess we’re not all 10 year old who’ll just play outside and fall and cry and fight and then get over it or whatever anymore! But I was pleasantly surprised! It turned out to be a very shall, we say ‘mature’ (without wanting to sound boring) party with just really good socialising and catching up on the past months of life! So that made me very happy! Knowing where my family’s at and that we’re still able to just mess around and joke about stupid things the way we used to as well as have sensible conversations!
