Christmas Without You: Muriel Gow of New Deer, Torry, Peterhead

From New Deer to Torry’s Victoria Road, the French accent of Muriel Gow, was known far and wide.

But it’s closer to home where her loss will be felt this Christmas.

Today, on the second anniversary of the 88-year-old’s death, her daughter Heather has paid tribute to her mum, for our Christmas Without You memorial series.

Africa-born Muriel fell in love with a Scots soldier

Muriel Marie Mavis Ducrotoy was born on March 25 1934 to French parents in Kitali, Kenya.

Muriel and Herbert Gow on their wedding day, in Kenya.

In the mid-50s she met Herbert Gow from New Deer, a Gordon Highlander working as a farm manager in Kenya.

They married on November 1 1958 at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Mombasa.

The couple welcomed three children: David in 1960, Heather, in 1962, and Richard who was born back in Scotland in 1971.

Life, love and loss in Peterhead

Back in New Deer while Herbert worked on a farm and as a postman, Muriel was a carer and home help.

Muriel with her firstborn David, while still living in Africa.

In 1973 the couple and their family moved to Peterhead but in March 1980 Herbert died at just 55 years old following a bypass.

“Mum spent a while on her own but did remarry, though it didn’t last.

“She moved from Peterhead to Aberdeen, living on Victoria Road in Torry for a while before moving into sheltered housing in Seaton.”

Later Muriel moved into Rosewell House, Rubislaw – though she was never keen on moving into residential care.

Following a cancer diagnosis, she died on December 14 2022. Her ashes were scattered “at home” in New Deer. She was a mum, grandmother and great-granny.

‘People person’ will be remembered this Christmas

“It’s been horrible,” daughter Heather said. “I loved going into Aberdeen visiting mum, then back to Peterhead. Since she’s gone I have passed her flat several times and it’s so hard to think she’s no longer there.”