SISTER MARY ALBAN F.C.
21.8.1882:
Gladys Macaskie, who
became Sister Mary Alban, was born.
23.5.1903:
Entered the Medical School of the Royal Free Hospital in
London.
1905:
Converted to Roman Catholicism and was baptised on 17th
April.
1907:
Gave up her medical studies to become a novice with Daughters of the
Cross at St. Philomena’s in Carshalton.
1913:
Gained a 2nd Class Honours Degree from London University in
English and French, never having attended a lecture.
1914/15:
Studied
Teacher Training at Fulham College and left with Distinction.
15.8.1917:
Took
her Perpetual Vows.
1916/1919:
Taught at the
Order’s houses in Chelsea, Cheam and Carshalton.
27.12.1919:
Appointed
Headmistress at St. Bede’s Convent in Jarrow.
1.5.1925:
Appointed
Headmistress at the Central School in Chelsea.
1932:
Became Headmistress at Carshalton.
October 1937:
Left for India.
9.11.37:
Arrived at St. Joseph’s Convent, Panchgani, a hill station for Bombay,
to become Headmistress.
August 1939-August 1941:
St. Joseph’s Convent,
Karachi.
August 1941-December 1946:
Headmistress in Panchgani.
December 1946: Appointed Headmistress and Mother Superior at St. Joseph’s
Convent, Karachi.
1952:
Returned to Carshalton.
23.5.63.
Died.
Gladys Macaskie was the second of the six surviving children of Stuart Cunningham Macaskie and Emily nee Lechmere-Pugh. Born into a Church of England legal family, she and her siblings had a difficult childhood. Her mother died when she was 11 and her father when she was 21. That same year she began her medical studies at the Royal Free and worked hard with great success and happiness. Her plan was to qualify and go to India under the auspices of one of the big missionary societies.
It is not known why she became a nun, but after first becoming interested in Anglicanism, she turned to Catholicism and, in 1907, made the very hard decision to give up medicine and become a novice with the Daughters of the Cross at St. Philomena’s, Carshalton. An idealist, she was a gifted teacher and dedicated her life to helping mankind through God. Always fascinated by politics, Sister Mary Alban encouraged the older pupils to look at the world outside and gave weekly lectures on Stephen King Hall’s political letters. Her hobbies included gardening and photography and, as well as directing school plays, she designed and painted much of the scenery.
After thirty years of waiting and hoping to go to India she was sent as Headmistress to Panchgani, a hill station for Bombay.
During her life in the Convent, Sister Mary Alban kept up a lively correspondence with her siblings, especially with her elder brother, Nick and with her sister Dorothy. Many of these letters have survived and reveal much of her character and diverse interests, with those from India during the years of the Second World War giving a fascinating insight into her life, her views on politics - international and Indian, education, flora and fauna, literature etc. At the same time she kept a war-time diary, noting down the major events as they occurred.
In 1946 she was moved to Karachi and after Partition came another challenge: she determined to provide for the higher education of girls in Karachi by building a college for women. The archives of the College record that she overcame many obstacles and disappointments with dauntless courage and perseverance A former pupil recalled “…It was daring of Sister Mary Alban to venture upon the project of a Degree College in Arts and Science, where quality would be the hallmark of learning. There was no building, no money, no philanthropists who were willing to provide the money for this noble cause. However, she had both the grit and the personality to forge ahead..” and on 13th July 1951 the College was finally opened.
She returned to Carshalton in 1952 and spent her retirement years teaching, translating, gardening and writing letters to her family. She died peacefully on 23rd May, 1963.
With kind permission of Lady Helen Lowe
(11152) and Mrs Penelope Windeler (11161 ), authors of 'A NUN
WITH A DIFFERENCE