Jessie's sister Martha Blair

I obtained some family birth and death certificates lately, Martha's showing that she had died at Ashburn Hall in 1927.  Ashburn Hall was a clinic for the mentally unwell.  The Hocken Archive in Dunedin has copies of admission documents and case notes, and the following were taken from Martha's records:

Martha Blair - admitted 8 February 1926 with "advanced Tuberculosis of the lung and Melancholia". Her occupation listed as "Teacher of small private school".

Case notes:

"She is dull and depressed, takes no interest in anything, is slow in answering simple questions, says that there is not hope for her, that she will never be well, that she is no longer a Christian.  Her general appearance, conduct and conversation indicate that she is labouring under acute mental depression."

The rest of the case notes record a sad physical and mental decline from March 1926 through to her death in  June 1927, and while it was originally my intention to put these notes on the blog, out of respect for Martha I won't.

She was visited by her sister Florence during her time there, and the tone of the case notes suggests a great deal of care and concern for Martha.

I am keen to hear more about Martha and her life prior to this sad decline from the older members of the  family.

Jessie's brother Andrew

Mum's Uncle Athol, my grandfather Darcy Blair's brother recalls that Andrew Blair travelled to India at some point, perhaps as part of his seafaring lifestyle, and lost his hair after coming down with Yellow Fever.

Athol's brother Haddin was given a rhinocerus hide walking stick from his Uncle Andrew after one of his journeys.  This is now in Haddin's son Ian's possession, though he describes the 'stick' as being quite flexible...perhaps a whip?

I would like to learn more about Andrew Blair, as it seems he lived a very interesting life, and travelled widely.

The search for Jessie's grave...Mahabaleshwar

Undeterred by being unable to find Jessie in Pune, we decided to have a look at the now privately owned Christian Cemetery in Mahabaleshwar - just in case.  After a visit to the cemetery's owner at his hotel we obtained permission and the keys to the cemetery.  The cemetery was small, about 1/2 acre, well maintained, and sadly did not contain Jessie's grave or any other missionaries from the PIVM.

The question then is - where were these missionaries buried?  There is one other cemetery in Pune, near Dhobi Ghat that we did not get a look in.  All the other cemeteries contain war graves from the time of the British Raj.

Entrance to the Mahabaleshwar Christian Cemetery

Mum reading gravestones

The hunt for Jessie's grave...in Pune

While we were in Pune, having heard from UK sources holding Jessie's death certificate, that she died in Pune we attempted to find Jessie's grave in the St Sepulchre Cemetery in Sholapur Road.

This cemetery is divided into two parts, the Indian burials on one side of the road and European on the other, which is then also in two parts, pre 1900 and post 1900.  It was with some difficulty that we negotiated our way to the correct part of the cemetery.

Unfortunately the cemetery is in a state of disrepair with people living amongst the grave stones at the entry, and making market gardens towards the rear of the cemetery.  Many of the gravestones have collapsed and lie amongst dense foliage.  Having unsuccessfully tried to source records for the cemetery we decided to chance it and see if we could find Jessie's grave.

It was while we were scrambling through the bushes and long grass reading the gravestones that mother said "do you know if India has snakes?".  "I don't know" I replied, and we carried on.  Turns out India has 38 species of snake, 18 of them of the unpleasant variety.  Apparently they don't come out in the heat of the day, and we were searching in the heat of the day...thankfully.

Despite our best efforts, and some very interesting reading, we were unable to find Jessie, or the graves of any other missionaries.

St Sepulchre Cemetery (East) where we concentrated our efforts

Lonely sentinel

Gravestones in varying states of neglect

To hedge our bets while we were in Pune, we went to St Andrews, which in a former life was a Church of Scotland church.  We were informed that it had never had a graveyard and now belonged to the Hindustani Christian Church. They were very welcoming and let us look through the old stone church, which was being renovated inside after a catastrophic fire in November last year which destroyed the stained glass windows and the original seating, and furniture.

Situated just down the road from the PIVM headquarters at Napier Road, it is likely that Jessie would have attended some services here.

Mum, myself and Mahabaleshwar

On 10 March mum and I left NZ for Mumbai, India, where we spent a day before travelling by private car to Mahabaleshwar around 6 hours away.  There we had a local guide, Dittah, a university student who grew up in Mahabaleshwar, who showed us all the places Jessie talked about in her letter home.

I have inserted pictures along with text from Jessie's letter:

"The journey here is a very long one...[after a refreshing cup of tea at Wathai] we drove 38 miles uphill..."

""Whenever daylight appeared we roused up from our sleepy condition, and enjoyed looking on the plains below us and the hills around us..."

"When we reached Panchgani, men followed us selling strawberries and flowers..."

Roadside strawberry stall at Panchgani

"We were glad to reach our destination...where we were warmly welcomed by one of the American missionaries, who invited us to have breakfast with her in the next bungalow [Norheim]"

Unfortunately we were not permitted to photograph "Norheim" but it is almost identical to "Ilona" and only around 30 metres away, situated on the same driveway.

"We are staying at a nice little bungalow (Ilona) which belongs to some of the members of our mission.  It is situated high up in the pretty jungle trees, and from the verandah one of the prettiest views in Mahabaleshwar can be seen..."

Ilona bungalow (Norheim to the right through the trees)

Sleeping quarters - since renovated

Main dining/lounge area, kitchen at rear, bedroom areas x 4 off to sides, utility rooms off to left side

 

Small cottages next to Ilona bungalow

"About a minute's walk from the bungalow brings us to a point where we can see the lake..."

The path Jessie talks about, overgrown, but just a minute's walk to:

Where Jessie sat and enjoyed the view out over Venna Lake

"The soil is very red here, and the red roads shaded by the green trees seem to invite us out for long walks..."

"The sunsets here are magnificent, and we generally arrive at some high point to view them from.  After the sun has set we linger to see the afterglow."

Sunset at Lodwick Point

"While visiting Old Mahabaleshwar one evening - a village about two and a half miles from here, we looked into two large temples..."

Old Mahabaleshwar, taken from 'new' Mahabaleshwar

Pathway to Old Mahabaleshwar market and the two temples

"The Fountain Hotel is occupied this summer entirely by missionaries, and there twice a week at 5 pm Mr Lowe conducts a bible reading..."

Front entrance of Fountain Hotel

Entrance foyer/atrium of Fountain Hotel, usually has glass ceiling

The dining hall at the Fountain Hotel with rooms above

We were unable to visit the now privately owned bungalow that the Lowe's stayed in, "Bonne Vue" which is some distance away (10-15 minutes walk) from "Ilona".  Our guide phoned and asked permission, but this was denied.

The Fountain Hotel is currently being renovated, so our plans to lunch there, look around, and ask regarding any pictures/chattels from Jessie's time were thwarted.

On the whole incredibly satisfying to have seen with our own eyes what Jessie described in her letter, and to have 'walked where she walked'.

Blair family photograph ? late 1890's

Andrew Blair in insert.  In the back row Jack, George (my grandfather's father) and Jim.  Very dashing looking chaps.  John Blair and Martha are in the middle of the photograph and then the girls are left to right: Martha, Florence, Mary and Jessie.  This photograph was taken from the original on my cell phone, I'll upgrade it to a higher resolution picture at some point.

Updated timeline of events in Jessie's life...

Date	What we know	To follow up
1877	Jessie Dougall Blair, third daughter born to John and Martha Blair (nee Dougall), First Clerk of the Green Island Presbyterian Church Deacon’s Court, Dunedin.	Family Tree
1895 Apr 1899 à	Jessie begins to think about entering the “foreign mission field”.  She is an active member of the Christian Endeavour Society (1895-1888/9), a Sunday school teacher and later runs a bible class for “lads”. Jessie writes a letter to the Executive of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union in 1898 regarding her availability for missions.  Her letter intersects with a letter from the PIVM requesting an “intelligent young woman” as a missionary.  Jessie’s appointment is recommended by Professor Watts and the Rev J Spence of Clinton.  Miss Bernard of PIVM writes and accepts Jessie. 32 pounds 12s and 5d is raised for her passage by the local PWMU branches, and a portion of this is contributed from the Zenana Mission Fund. Jessie trained for a few weeks under Mrs Driver at the Missionary Training Institute, (moved to Castle Street, Dunedin 1901).  Classes given on bible study, Christian ethics, evidences of Christianity, outlines of Christian doctrine, physiology, medicine, English and music.  Mrs Driver (b 1862) previously a missionary in east Bengal (Bangladesh) 1887-1889 but had to return home due to ill health.  Settled in Dunedin 1892 and set up the MTI.  Helped establish the Baptist Women’s Missionary Union. d 1943. Brother, a doctor died in missionary service in Bangladesh of dysentery in 1905.  Mr H H Driver was General Secretary of the NZ Baptist Union and Missionary Society.
1896	The Plague (bubonic/pneumonic) epidemic started in Bombay (now Mumbai). Victims are sent to ‘detachment’ camps, their bodies burned when they die.  Also from 1896-1908 severe famine rages due the repeated failure of the monsoon.
Up until 1897	Amy Parsons (Australia) is the only woman worker at PIVM.
12 Aug 1899	Farewell at Victoria Hall, Dunedin.  Mr John Lowe (a former Engineer in Chief at NZ Railways) and his wife Charlotte and daughter Amy (they have one daughter, and six sons, including Manley and Frank who will travel with them) speak prior to their departure for India.  Jessie will be accompanying them.  Money has been raised for her passage. Their aim is to establish a resort in the hills (Mahabaleshwar Rest Station) to which missionaries engaged in teaching could retire to ‘recruit’.  Mrs Lowe was to be in charge of it, while Mr Lowe helped out with local evangelism. At this time there are 51 members of the Poona Village Mission – 32 ladies and 22 gentlemen*. (In 1895, Charles Reeve, an experienced evangelist from Tasmania, established the Poona and Indian Village Mission (PIVM) in Poona. He travelled regularly to England, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia to recruit missionaries and to raise funds.  The mission was multi-denominational).  The HQ of the PIVM was 10 Napier Road, Poona 1.	How well did Jessie know the Lowe’s?  Was Amy Lowe a friend? Who were these others?
Sep 1899	Jessie travelled Dunedin to Melbourne, leaving Melbourne on 12 September 1899 with 30 other missionaries on the SS Karlsruhe bound for Colombo.  She and the other women travel in the second class, the men travel in steerage.  At Colombo they board the B & I SS Lawada, primarily a cargo ship and travel to Bombay.	On what ship did Jessie travel Dunedin to Melbourne?
9 Oct 1899	Jessie arrived in Poona.  The usual length of service was 5 years before furlough, however most lasted just two years before they had to take a break due to ill health. New members who were part of Jessie’s party: Lucy E F Morison, L Pauline Morison, Ernest A Rimmer (-> Poona), E W Brown (-> Poona), J J Baily, Josiah A Ryburn (-> Poona), Flora Wilkes, A F Witty, J H de Carteret (-> Poona), Fred Strange (Nasarapur). The Lowe’s resided at No 8 Elphinstone Road, Poona (Lord Elphinstone was a Governor of Poona). Jessie worked as an associate missionary working with Miss Bernard and Miss Kesting in the Zenana Mission.
End 1899 or early 1900	Jessie refers in a later letter to one that she sent back to the church at this time.  Minutes of the PMWU February 1900 refer to a letter received from Jessie.	What happened to Jessie’s letters?
Dec 1899	Misses Hooper and Ford leave for NZ, both returning on doctor’s certificates. Work among Brahmins and students restarts after stopping for several months due to plague.  Misses M Steel, A Morton, K Steel, L Knights, F E Frith, R Roberts and M Sharp taking their annual holiday at Mahabaleshwar.  Staying in Norheim the temporary Mission Rest Home.
Jan 1900	Nurse Short, Misses Munnings, Simpson, Frederick, Kay, Jenkyn, Newton, Robertson and Beale to to Mahabaleshwar for a rest.  Nurse Morrison is convalescing from diptheria.
Feb 7-9 1900	Third Annual Convention of the PIVM.  Mrs Orlebar negotiating for the Fountain Hotel – her object to provide a Home where Christian workers may find spiritual fellowship and help and physical rest.
Mar 1900	Jessie’s mother, Martha travels to Scotland.  She is presented with a bible by the church before she leaves.  She is involved with a mission society in Scotland. 20th - The Lowe’s moved from Poona to “Bonne Vue” (Mahabeleshwar) for the rest of the season. Misses Harrison, Brown, Wier and Burder resting at Mahabaleshwar.
4 Apr 1900	Jessie’s LETTER to home church: Visited Paud, 20 miles from Poona, worked with 100 needy women.  (The church at Paud belonged to the Church of Scotland during the British era, now owned by Church of North India). Camp pitched in a valley surrounded by hills. Travelled overnight for 12 hours by mule and cart to Mahabaleshwar via Wathar (spelt incorrectly in the letter as Wathai) and Panchgani. Stayed at a “nice little bungalow” called “Ilona” belonging to members of the mission.  Situated high in jungle trees.  A few minutes walk from the bungalow can see the lake (Lake Venna). Sat on monument erected in memory of the late Governor of Poona. “Many missionaries from all over India are here” – the Fountain Hotel “occupied this summer entirely by missionaries”.  Mr Lowe conducts a bible reading there twice a week. Visited “old Mahabaleshwar”, saw two temples Wednesday morning’s prayer meeting at “Norheim” – neighbouring bungalow. Saturday evening’s weekly prayer meeting at American Mission Hall. Open air meetings in the bazaar. Famine “raging” in India (due to failure of the monsoon).  60 children being cared for in the orphanage. Learning the language (Marathi) with first exam due in September. Requests prayers for safety from “terrible plague”. Mr Fred Perry who has been suffering from insomnia goes to Mahabaleshwar “for a change.” PIMV holds “Soldier’s Meetings” at Evangelistic Hall.	Is Ilona still there today?  Old Mahabsleshwar 2.5 miles away.  Next door bungalow “Norheim”.  Also “Bonne Vue”. Does this still exist? Where was the orphanage?
May 1900	Messrs Irvine and Murray are recruiting at Mahabaleshwar, also Mrs Cutts (staying at Fountain Hotel) and Nurse Morrison (staying at Bonne Vue). .  Miss McGrotty of the ZBM Mission passed away May 21st – of “overwork”.
June 1900	Jessie and other members of the PIVM are photographed outside a bungalow, ? Location, but likely Poona.  Published in WATH, ? taken at PIVM convention in February.  Cholera breaks out at some of the Missions.  Most of workers have returned from Mahabaleshwar.  Half-toned block process Plant now at work – able to reproduce photographs in the newsletter.  Mrs Wilkie Brown, wife of Rev W E Wilkie Brown of the Free Church Mission in Poona “called home” after at first appearing to recover.
July 1900	The head office of PIVM is transferred to Nasarapur.  The monsoon is delayed.  Mr Reeves is unwell and having to rest.  Mr W Perry returns home to Australia, after being ordered to leave by doctor.
Aug 1900	Amy Lowe began training at the Mission Hospital for women in Poona. Miss Robertson, seriously ill for some days.  Mrs Cutts, Mrs Lowe and Miss Wilkes also unwell. From the other bungalow Messrs Low, Strutton, Wark, Ryburn and Valpy were also sick – “chiefly Malarial fever”.  Messrs Plow, Hinton and O’Farrell were also unwell at Nasarapur.
Sep 1900	15th - The Lowe’s leave India (from Bombay to Trieste) having been ‘compelled’ to by their son Frank’s ill health.  Earlier in the year their son Manley (aged 15) had died of a cholera-type illness in seven days (somewhere between April and August).  White Already to Harvest (WATH) September 1900 describes Manley as having a “buoyant disposition and gentle manners”.  He had hoped to undertake medical training and become a missionary.  He had been baptised on arrival at Poona in 1899. Missionaries resting at Mahabaleshwar:  A Morton, Miss K Steel, L Knights, SG Frith, M Sharp, R R Cuttle. 15 plague cases reported in a single day. Mrs Cutts leaves India due to her health.  Mr A H Leigh (PIVM Secretary) also to leave India on medical advice but in fact gets very sick and has to be treated in hospital then convalesce at Mahabaleshwar before he can leave. 13th – Poona Day of Prayer, YMCA rooms, East Street
Oct 1900	Increase in plague victims – 94 deaths in one day.  Miss L Simpson (from PIVM) to be in charge of Parsee Plague Hospital for a few months. 15th – Miss Glesen and Miss and Master de Carteret from NZ join PIVM. 22nd - Jessie dies of Typhoid (Salmonella typhi) in hospital in Poona (? At Sassoon Hospital).  Spread person-to-person via faecal/oral route or contaminated food/water.  Fever develops up to 60 days after infection.  Fever, headache, rash, +/- diahorrea, abdominal pain, delirium, dehydration.  Has set stages that generally take four weeks to progress through to recovery.  Death occurs when bowel perforation or septicaemia occurs.  Clearly Jessie had complications that caused her death. Inoculation for Typhoid was underway by 1910.  The fly was the usual agent of faecal-> oral transmission. Jessie’s mother got the news of her death while returning from Scotland on SS Perthshire on which her son John (from Waitana, Taranaki) was an engineer (SS Perthshire frequently travelled London>NZ (including Bluff>London). 29th – Mrs Reeve arrives in Poona for a 6-month visit.	Who cared for her?  Was her body burned or buried?
Nov 1900	Messrs Rimmer, Bartram, Strange, Duthie, Hinton, Evans, Brown and Badden are spending their holidays at Mahabaleshwar.  Miss Edith Reeve (daughter of Mr Reeve) remains unwell. Dr Watt gives a eulogy for Jessie at the morning service of the Green Island Presbyterian Church.
19 Mar 1901	At monthly prayer meeting of Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union, Jessie Blair is remembered.  Her aunt, Mrs Kirkland speaks.
	*Miss Alice Henderson (1895-1901) and Miss Helen MacGregor (1892-1901) had previously been stationed in Madras.  Miss Henderson was from Akaroa, Miss MacGregor from Oamaru, she died in 1933 after retiring in 1928).  Miss Henderson and Miss McGregor clearly came to Poona to help out (both sent quite a number of letters – MacGregor 36, Henderson 10 - back to the Presbyterian church which are held in the archives. Miss Henderson wrote several books.) Other Mission stations were at Nasarapur, Khed-Shiwapur, Lonand, Shirwal.