Edinburgh, Portobello High School

Dot

My great Gran was often called Dot because her real name was Doris and she was always the spot of attention.

Doris Morphy was born in 1913 and sadly died in 2006 when I was four years old. I didn’t see her much but when we went to my Granny and Granddad’s in Corbridge, we used to pass her old folks’ home. I remember we always used to buy her a bag of jelly babies.

My mum remembers her most by her great laugh and her musical mug. Her mug is a musical mug that plays Auld Lang Syne when you wind the handle. We have inherited it and we always play it on Rabbie Burns’ Night.

She claimed to be able to predict her dreams as everyone in her family was associated with a different animal and, whenever she dreamed of something happening to that animal, she knew something was up. For instance, when my Grandad (her son) was at boarding school, she could tell when he was ill. She would phone up and ask if he was, and they would always say ‘Yes, how did you know?’. My Grandad has confirmed that that is true and did happen.

She always made my mum feel very loved. I always think that when I grow up I want to be like her.