Harkness – MacGillivray Stories

As I poured my time and effort into this project, I often found myself deep in my reflections and musings. I often say here, “I’m going to reach into my ‘Magical Memory Box’.” I have also said that my mother would have made a great keeper of archives. However, she did not systemize all the photos, documents, artefacts and items of memorabilia to any great extent.

I can’t ask her the relevance of each item, as she is no longer with us. Obviously, I should have asked her 15-20 years ago, when I first started on this project. However, at that time, I was not fully aware of the complexity and hidden stories behind everything. There were so many photos, documents, artefact, and the various items of memorabilia. It is complex because they each have a story to tell. Not only that, but the ‘story’ becomes more apparent when all the items and artefacts are viewed as a whole and with their interrelations.

The Reconstruction

It is only when you start to examine all the items and artefacts more closely that you start to become aware of their relevance. Although my mother has passed away, it is still possible to reconstruct the story. It’s pretty much like how archaeologists can reconstruct a history using various finds, such as bones, pottery shards, and other artefacts. Moreover, there are a large number of items and artefacts that are not systematized. Nonetheless, but by cross referencing them, it is possible to gain some kind of a picture.  

Fortunately, Scotland’s People on the Internet has also provided me with various certificates; Google Maps takes me on a Magical Mystery Tour. It enables me to reconstruct a map showing work locations, the various addresses my family lived at, and where my parents were married. The Internet has become my ‘extended Magical Memory/Mystery Box’.

As an aid to this verbal presentation of my reflections and musings, I reach into the Magic Memory Box and extract a map of Scotland. It shows where my parents and grandparents were born, and where our family lived in Dunoon.