Interview of Peggy Askew

February 10 2012 Margaret (Peggy) Maryanne Askew (nee Gillies; b. 1943 in Sidney, NS) is the only child of Donald John Jones Gillies (b. 1901 on St. Kilda) and Lillian Gilmore (b. 1911 in Turriff, Scotland). As the youngest of five boys, Peggy’s father grew up on the island of St. Kilda, collecting eggs and birds on the island’s cliffs, one of the many jobs necessary to stay alive. The soldiers stationed on the island during the First World War intrigued many of the young people with stories of the mainland and, in 1924, Don left St. Kilda for Glasgow where he painted boats in a shipyard. Shortly thereafter he sailed to (Montreal) Canada and began his studies in the theology department at McGill University. After graduating, Don began a position at Knox Presbyterian Church in Carberry, Manitoba where he met Peggy’s mother; they were married in 1935. Ron and Lillian moved to Cape Breton where Ron had a three-point charge as a lay minister in Indian Brook. In 1940, Peggy’s father entered the army as a chaplain; he was stationed in (Aldershot) England, the Netherlands, Belgium, and in Germany. Ron wrote a record book of his time in the Second World War as well as a monograph on his upbringing on St. Kilda, The Truth About St. Kilda. He was also a Gaelic speaker (as well as being able to read and write the language). Peggy’s paternal grandfather, John, a Gaelic speaker, died young due to a flu epidemic on St. Kilda; he never left the island during his lifetime. Peggy’s paternal grandmother, Ann Ferguson, was also a Gaelic speaker; she was amongst the 1930 evacuees from St. Kilda. Peggy’s mother, Lillian, grew up in Manitoba with her six sisters and one brother; their family had emigrated when Peggy was two months old. Lillian did not return to Scotland until 1958, but she never lost her Aberdeenshire accent. Peggy’s maternal grandmother was Mary Jane Sivewright (b. 1888 in Turriff) and her grandfather, John Gilmore, was a carpenter. Peggy does not remember anything about her great-grandparents on either side of her family. After Peggy’s father left for service in Europe, her mother took the children to live in Carberry, Manitoba, where they lived until Peggy was almost three years old. After her father returned from the war, the family moved to Vancouver in 1946 where Peggy’s father took up a call at Vancouver Heights Presbyterian Church. Peggy attended Kindergarten at the local IOOF hall (Hastings and Kootenay) and elementary school at Franklin Community School and Gilmore Community School (grade five onwards); she does not mention where she went to secondary school or college. Peggy started Highland dancing around age four/five after she saw Phyllis Thompson’s dancers perform at a church Burns’ Supper. Phyllis Thompson taught her Highland dancing until age sixteen/seventeen when she joined Mary Isdale’s dancers. Peggy was a competitive dancer, successfully completing the professional class and later becoming a teacher and a judge. She is a life member of the BC Highland Dancing Association, and was their secretary for approximately twenty years. Peggy is also a piper. Peggy started piping at fourteen and joined the Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band at sixteen. (Her piping instructors were Ian McKinnon and Malcolm Nicholson). In 1964, she competed with the Vancouver Ladies in Scotland; they lost by 1/8 of a point. Peggy once won the Peabrich competition as a Senior Amateur. She was a solo piper until the age of twenty-six, as well as being the band’s pipe major for two years. She has also piped on various ships and was involved in a mini-kilt evening act, dancing and piping with four other ladies. While Peggy was working as a schoolteacher, she also taught piping to various girls. When asked about which dancers with whom she is currently impressed, she mentioned Fiona and Alastair Lee. Peggy does not play any other instruments, but loves listening to music, particularly violin, fiddle, and/or accordion pieces. Peggy met her husband Don while travelling on a cruise ship with her girlfriends; she first noticed him while on a bus tour of the Golden Pagoda. The cruise ship later caught fire and they were forced to spend a good deal of time in Hong Kong while the boat was being repaired. Peggy and Don have three children, two boys and one girl, all of whom Highland danced. Although their two sons only danced until ages twelve and sixteen, their daughter is still teaching. When asked about feelings of “Scottishness” amongst her children, Peggy says that their affiliation with Scottish culture mainly stems from their involvement in Highland dancing. Her children’s partners are not Scottish, but tartan was incorporated into her daughter’s wedding. Peggy still has strong feelings of “Scottishness”; the “character of the [Scottish] people and the beauty of the land” are at the heart of these sentiments. At home, Peggy and her family celebrate Burns Day and attend various Highland Games. They do not regularly eat Scottish foods, but Peggy particularly enjoys scones. Peggy reads various local Scottish newspapers (i.e. The Celtic Connection). The last time that Peggy visited Scotland was over ten years ago (she likes to visit St. Kilda). When asked about the Scottish referendum in 2014, Peggy abstained from providing an opinion as she does not feel knowledgeable enough about the issues. If Peggy were to relive her life, she would not change anything. She loves her Scottish connections. Peggy retired in 2003 and has since been spending her time dancing recreationally, looking after her grandchildren, and pursuing various leisure activities.

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