Page 121 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 121
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
I have met quite a lot of Chefooites lately in the Chinese Labour Corps. I had a days
journey with my Company with two others in the train. One of the others was
commanded by a 2nd Lieutenant of the London Scottish. I thought I knew his face,
and when I heard him speak Chinese, I was certain he had been in China. He told me
his name and I replied, Well, I think I ought to know you seeing your brother married
my sister! It was Arthur Andrew - he is now a Captain. We met once or twice again
before he went away.”
Notes of interview I had with Uncle John Andrew at Stythians in Cornwall in 1972
My great grandfather was a miller in Derbyshire and his son, my grandfather, was a string and paper
merchant in Manchester. He had three sons. My father George was the youngest, and Isaac was the
eldest. Isaac had no musical training but he was a great musician who played in the local Methodist
Church and wrote cantatas. When I came home I met his youngest son Jim, the only one living then.
He told me he also taught himself music. He told me that when he was trying to play, his father (we
were all scared of him - a very bad tempered man) would come in and smash the lid down and tell him
he was doing it all wrong. But when his father died, he took over the music in the Methodist Church
and the two of them were there for 75 years as organists.
There was another son, John, who was a draper in Bridlington. I lost touch with all his family.
Jessie Findlay was born in Newton Stewart in Scotland. Her mother was a Rae. One of the Raes
had a hotel in Scotland and I used to stay with John, a cousin. One Sunday, out for a walk with him,
we met a fisherman carrying a herring. He was the leader of a very strict Brethren group. John
said,”Sandy, I never expected to see a man of your persuasion fishing on Sunday.” The man replied,
“As the Lord made this fish to jump into my boat, who am I to refuse His gifts?”
Q. Did John Wesley have much influence on your family?
A. My great grandfather was probably one of his first local preachers.
Q. Where did your father meet your mother if she was Scottish?
A. The whole family moved down to Manchester - a very big Scottish clan. She always laughed
at me when I said I was Scotch because I was born in Manchester. But to be born in a dog
kennel does not make one a dog!
Q. What education did your father have?
A. My cousin John took us to his old school - Kirkham Grammar School - it is also where I went
to school. I was brought up by an old Scottish aunt when they left me at home. I have been
cut off from the family practically all my life. Last time the family were more or less all
together, except me, was at somebodys wedding in Shanghai. I felt hurt at one time, but not
now.
Jim died in 1942 and Alf during the War. George was the eldest boy, then myself, then Jim and Alf.
Jim was taken ill in Malaya, but died at home. He was buried in Manchester in the South Cemetery - a
very big cemetery, and my mother’s parents are buried there too.
Father’s brother, John, lived at Bridlington and I used to go there for holidays. One of his sons was a
sea captain on the China coast.
121
Amy Moore
I have met quite a lot of Chefooites lately in the Chinese Labour Corps. I had a days
journey with my Company with two others in the train. One of the others was
commanded by a 2nd Lieutenant of the London Scottish. I thought I knew his face,
and when I heard him speak Chinese, I was certain he had been in China. He told me
his name and I replied, Well, I think I ought to know you seeing your brother married
my sister! It was Arthur Andrew - he is now a Captain. We met once or twice again
before he went away.”
Notes of interview I had with Uncle John Andrew at Stythians in Cornwall in 1972
My great grandfather was a miller in Derbyshire and his son, my grandfather, was a string and paper
merchant in Manchester. He had three sons. My father George was the youngest, and Isaac was the
eldest. Isaac had no musical training but he was a great musician who played in the local Methodist
Church and wrote cantatas. When I came home I met his youngest son Jim, the only one living then.
He told me he also taught himself music. He told me that when he was trying to play, his father (we
were all scared of him - a very bad tempered man) would come in and smash the lid down and tell him
he was doing it all wrong. But when his father died, he took over the music in the Methodist Church
and the two of them were there for 75 years as organists.
There was another son, John, who was a draper in Bridlington. I lost touch with all his family.
Jessie Findlay was born in Newton Stewart in Scotland. Her mother was a Rae. One of the Raes
had a hotel in Scotland and I used to stay with John, a cousin. One Sunday, out for a walk with him,
we met a fisherman carrying a herring. He was the leader of a very strict Brethren group. John
said,”Sandy, I never expected to see a man of your persuasion fishing on Sunday.” The man replied,
“As the Lord made this fish to jump into my boat, who am I to refuse His gifts?”
Q. Did John Wesley have much influence on your family?
A. My great grandfather was probably one of his first local preachers.
Q. Where did your father meet your mother if she was Scottish?
A. The whole family moved down to Manchester - a very big Scottish clan. She always laughed
at me when I said I was Scotch because I was born in Manchester. But to be born in a dog
kennel does not make one a dog!
Q. What education did your father have?
A. My cousin John took us to his old school - Kirkham Grammar School - it is also where I went
to school. I was brought up by an old Scottish aunt when they left me at home. I have been
cut off from the family practically all my life. Last time the family were more or less all
together, except me, was at somebodys wedding in Shanghai. I felt hurt at one time, but not
now.
Jim died in 1942 and Alf during the War. George was the eldest boy, then myself, then Jim and Alf.
Jim was taken ill in Malaya, but died at home. He was buried in Manchester in the South Cemetery - a
very big cemetery, and my mother’s parents are buried there too.
Father’s brother, John, lived at Bridlington and I used to go there for holidays. One of his sons was a
sea captain on the China coast.
121
