Mary Crossett

Mary was my husband’s Grandmother. I never met her, but by all accounts she was a force to be reckoned with.

Born in South Shields to a Father from Shetland, she was a well travelled woman. She married Rev Robert Crosset, who was also a correspondent with the BBC, and during WWII was a Padre in the army. This seen the family move to Bray, to Hamburg, to Dundonald, to Harrogate and finally ending up in Magherafelt.

She was most definitely a strong woman. There is a story of her sleeping with a gun under her pillow whilst in Germany. It was never needed thankfully, but I think it caused more anxiety for Peters Mum than reassurance.

The basket Mary is carrying here was occasionally used as a tool to show her displeasure of a situation. If a car was parked on the footpath, the basket would accidentally brush along the car. Any damage caused to the paintwork would have been avoided if the driver had been more considerate of pedestrians!

The basket is now living a much more sedate life, filled with threads, fabric and scissors on my shelf, although it is missing the handle.

This photograph was taken in a Belfast market in the 50’s without her knowledge. It was discovered by a family member when printed in the News Letter and is now a much loved family photograph. It embodies the fierce determination Mary showed all her life, nothing seemed to phase her.

I know for sure I would definitely be stepping out of her way if I came upon her charging down the street tree in one hand, prickly holly in the other!