May Mathieson was born on 31 August 1912 at her grandparents' home in Springburn, Glasgow. Her parents, who married in 1911, had both worked for the Co-operative movement, and the family often moved due to her father's promotions within the Co-op. May grew up knowing all of her grandparents, who were in their sixties when she was young - she remembers thinking that "they were quite old!" She has two younger brothers - one a war veteran, one a veterinarian - with whom she is still close.
She first went to school in a tiny hall in Westerton, having lessons around a central stove. Due to the family's moves, she changed schools fairly often, attending Rothesay Academy, a school in Springburn, and Shawlands Academy. Her father died when she was 16, an event which she feels changed the course of her life. She went to Allpress's College to learn shorthand typing, which led her to a job in a laboratory dealing with standardising milk pasteurisation. She took courses at an agricultural college and the Royal Tec while there to further her knowledge of the job, and enjoyed it so much that she stayed there for 17 years until her marriage in 1943.
When May married, she moved from Eastwood Parish and joined her husband in Spiersbridge. The family mostly lived in terraced houses, but she has lived in the same semi-detached bungalow since 1968. She made many close friends through the Guild and the Thornliebank Bowling Club (pictured left); she has been a member of the latter for 40 years!
She also loved becoming a part of her husband's large family, and soon had her own son. He now has his own 12-year-old son, and she has a wonderful relationship with both of them. She and her husband were married for 35 years; after 21 years as a widow, and having experienced other losses in her life, her philosophy is that "life has still to go on".
Created by
Paula Cuccurullo and Howard
Mitchell
Updated 21 June 1999
© 1999 WEA Scotland
