Isabel Cowe: Shore Gull and Suffragist

Isabel Cowe was the owner of The St Abb’s Haven boarding house from 1914 to 1931. A native of St Abb’s and of fishing folk, she was a popular figure in the village. Throughout her life, Miss Cowe fought against the injustice of the Parish Council on a number of issues which she believed were detrimental to the community, earning herself the title ‘The Provost of St Abb’s’ from those who came to know her and respect her.

Isabel Cowe was no ordinary woman, devoting her life to serving others through charitable work for organisations such as the RNLI and the Children’s League of Pity. It was through her tireless devotion to the RNLI and the St Abb’s lifeboat crew that she earned one of her greatest accolades when awarded with the RNLI’s Golden Brooch.

As an influential female business owner, in a time before women were granted the vote, Miss Cowe gravitated towards the Suffrage Movement, becoming a member of the Women’s Freedom League.

In October 1912, she was to help organise and participate in the gruelling 400-mile Scottish Suffrage March from Edinburgh to London, which was a precursor for the Great Pilgrimage of 1913.

On her death a sundial was erected in her memory in the grounds of The Haven. The sundial, which still stands to this day, was funded by over 200 subscriptions from the length and breadth of the country by the many people who had come to know and respect this great woman and pioneer.

Intrepid Souls

Intrepid Souls is the story of millions of minorities who live in India, struggle for equal rights, humane treatment, and survival. The hatred projected by the Hindu majority, especially towards Muslims, is immense, uncontrolled, and often supported by those in charge of maintaining law and order. This book provides an understanding of the inglorious and dangerous idealism of the Hindu nationalism which will eventually lead to instability and insecurity in the nation. A nation must support its minorities and in turn, the minorities must support the nation for its survival.

This is not the India where Farrukh Jamal grew up; nor where her ancestors lived. They loved this land and worked hard to make it a wonderful place as the Muslim minority of today is doing. However, the sense of belonging inherited by them via their ancestors is now being obliterated through violence and coercive efforts of the majority to remove Muslims from the fabric of Indian society.

She grew up not just facing discrimination but also fearful of unprovoked occurrences of riot and violence. Intermittent wars with Pakistan also jeopardized the lives of the Muslims in India because they were perceived as enemies. What protected her was the profound love of her parents, their emphasis on education, the kind and impartial treatment of the nuns in her English Catholic school and the support of friends regardless of religion.

Imperfect Recollections

Welcome to the fascinating world of general medical practice in Australia.

This book is a collection of stories from the author’s rich and varied career spanning over 40 years.

During that time, he has been a country GP, delivering babies and doing anaesthetics, a retrieval doctor with the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, worked in the emergency departments of various hospitals and followed his passion of motor sport medicine, especially internationally in the fields of Formula 1 and World Rallying.

The stories are both funny and poignantly sad. They are told in the style that invites the reader to sit down, share a glass of something with the author and tell a few tales, like old friends.

Many of us see ourselves or people we know in these pages… You may be right or you may be wrong, but then that would be telling!

If You Can't Take a Joke

The gates of RAF Swinderby were the entrance to an alien world in the eyes of a young man with no previous military experience, and arrival there came as a shock to the senses; a shock which the instructors did their level best to maximise, by giving every instruction and making every observation in an ear-splitting shriek that could melt earwax. From dawn until dusk there was no respite as a host of alien concepts were hammered into us from a variety of different sources, nor from dusk until midnight when we would be cleaning every nook and cranny of our barrack block until everything gleamed, although it never seemed to be shiny enough for the corporal or the sergeant.

Gradually though, the unfamiliar became familiar as those alien concepts sank in and stopped being alien, as we learned and toughened up, becoming the best we thought we could be, and then exceeded that and started to become as good as the instructors thought we could be; until we really learned how to take a joke.

I Do Not Want a Fish Finger Sandwich

Being shown the private convenience of the Queen of England in The House of Commons was not the career highlight that Viv had expected.  A dazzling profession as a Prima Ballerina had been her plan but having two legs of the same length and width would appear to be a pretty strong prerequisite for a successful livelihood in that arena, not to mention a couple of ballet lessons at least. 

What did happen along the way were a random selection of activities which were not anticipated either:

• Inter-store “It’s a Knockout” on Cable TV
• Jumping the queue at the Austria/Slovakian Border Control
• Attempted mugging in Bratislava
• A West Highland White disgrace on National TV
• Acquiring a temporary Iranian Bodyguard
• Drinking schnapps in an isolated house in Eskilstuna

LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE MAKING PLANS

I Became Speechless and Immobile

I Became Speechless and Immobile tells the powerful and inspiring story of Mary, a woman whose life is forever changed by a sudden stroke. A seasoned traveller with a zest for life, Mary sets off on a holiday to her ancestral home, filled with excitement and anticipation. But when she arrives, her world is turned upside down as she collapses without warning, leaving her incapacitated and fighting for survival.

Through her journey of recovery, Mary shares her struggles and triumphs as she learns to navigate the physical, emotional, and mental challenges that come with living with a stroke. With her moving account of determination and resilience, Mary’s story is a must-read for anyone affected by this devastating condition. Not just a tale of overcoming adversity, this book also serves as a reminder to act immediately if you feel detached from your surroundings and a guide for those who want to learn survival tips. Be prepared for a powerful and emotional journey as you follow Mary’s story of hope and triumph over one of life’s most difficult challenges.

Hysterical Memories

Here is the story of a man’s life that has been riddled and ruffled with emotionally unstable personality disorder, a known mental illness. Despite spending a considerable part of his life at various rehabilitation facilities, Eugene’s life was largely marred with crazy-bound incidences. He was a convicted drug dealer with a history of violence. His case was so bad that he even attacked his dad with a claw hammer. He was everything you could think of when it came to drugs and crime. However, from the lowest depths of a mentally unstable man, Eugene rose to become one of UK’s finest chefs of all time.

Human Desire Towards Determination

The world is not what it seems! The adventures in a person’s life can be of all types. However, the underlying meaning in life will always be the same.

This book is based on the travels of a woman through the adventures of life, where the only constant support came from beyond. Being lifted by angels helped her in her determination to survive and strive in life, and certainly modified her dreams for the future after discovering the world beyond the normal life.

How Cricket Saved My Life

An honest, often sad but humorous account of life inside a body that no longer does as it is told!

Ian Martin was a sports-loving youngster. When he realised he was more enthusiastic than talented enough to make a career out of playing sport he left home and joined the Royal Navy. This book tells the story of his experiences at sea onboard HMS Ark Royal, his service during the first Gulf War on HMS London and his subsequent medical discharge after being diagnosed with a neuro-muscular condition. Ian talks about the impact of the diagnosis, his deterioration and mental health battles and how cricket helped him transition into a wheelchair and to him finding himself, and a new career.

It’s a tale of rejection, dreams, discovery, determination, resilience and, ultimately, success via the floors of many hotel bathrooms and scrapes with airport security.

Grass Roots

Would you expect a suburban Melbourne solicitor to settle brothel brawls, to locate dead bodies and to search for buried bullion? The author relates all of these adventures and more as he explores engaging stories of humanity, gleaned from decades of legal practice. From courtroom characters to family feuding, the author highlights the true, yet untold stories that show a surprising side of legal practice, told with simplicity and colour. As William Shakespeare said, “An honest tale speeds best being plainly told.” Whilst the author draws on client experiences from the humorous to the harrowing, the stories are respectfully related reflections upon client battles at the grass roots.

Granddad's Babies

In Granddad’s Babies, readers embark on a heartfelt journey through the life of Peter, a devoted husband, father, and doting grandfather. With unwavering love and boundless joy, Peter cherishes every moment spent with his growing family, especially his beloved grandsons. This touching book takes us on a nostalgic ride, delving into cherished memories that span across the years, each one filled with laughter, love, and the indomitable spirit of family bonds. As we navigate through the pages, we witness Peter’s unwavering presence and support for his children as they navigate the trials and triumphs of life. However, the narrative takes a poignant turn as it leads us to the year 2019, where the inevitable departure of this remarkable man leaves a void that echoes through the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Granddad’s Babies serves as a poignant tribute, celebrating the enduring legacy of Peter and the profound impact he had on his family’s lives, reminding us of the immeasurable power of love and the timeless connections that transcend even the boundaries of mortality.

Good Luck for You, Good Dreams for Me!

No good story ever started with: “I checked into my five-star hotel and ordered a pina colada.” Mine starts with: “So, I’m dancing around the witch doctor’s coffin in a small village on the Thai/Myanmar border.”

Grab your passport and come with me on a crazy adventure to Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal and many more countries.

You will experience the joy, heartbreak, triumph, exhaustion, calamity, love and exhilaration of volunteering in underdeveloped countries. The feeling of accomplishment is priceless.

You will climb volcanoes, teach incredible kids, bathe elephants, dance in conga lines, fly kites, crash on motorbikes, drink too much, visit medicine men, feed hungry kids, survive earthquakes, visit stunning temples, help families in poverty and see the most beautiful sunsets on the planet!

I have been robbed, crashed from paragliding, been hacked innumerable times, lost my backpack, had all my clothes stolen, had endless illnesses and much more. If that is the price of helping out the underprivileged kids, then I’m all in! If I can inspire people to “go, volunteer, make a difference”, then we all win!