Obituary for Alice Glass

We regret to announce the death of Alice Mary Glass (nee Swain) on 1st April 2010 aged 94. Alice was the second daughter of Fred and Mary Swain, and born on 2nd February 1916. She married Sidney Glass on 14th June 1939, Sidney passing away on the eve of their 55th Wedding Anniversary in 1994. Alice had three daughters, Trina, Pamela, and Valerie, 7 grand-children and 9 great grand-children.

Those who knew her will remember her great love of the island history and the remarkable accounts she would relate of Tristan life in old days. Her favourite story was of the day when her husband Sidney rode on the back of a large whale which had capsized the fishing boat. Until thrown a rope to get rescued Sidney rode the whale and received quite deep cuts from the barnacles on the whale's back. At the time of her birth in 1916 she was one of just 111 islanders. There were just twenty-two families at that time living in eighteen houses. She was one of the few remaining on the island who remembered Tristan in the times before there was a school, church, hospital, doctor, money or radio. She would often say that people were happier and more contented then and rarely was there any illness on the island. She had her garden of flowers, her knitting and her bible and a loving family; those were her treasures.

She was the oldest Tristan Islander, and widely known by all as ‘Granny Alice’. Following a fall earlier in the week she died on Maundy Thursday and the funeral service and burial was held on Good Friday. She will be greatly missed by all her family and many friends.

Alice’s greatest treasure, her family, would like to express their thanks to everyone for their kind messages of sympathy and their ongoing prayers during this very sad and difficult time.  This has been a source of comfort and blessing to them all.

Obituary for Pauline Green

We regret to announce the death of Pauline Laurie Green (nee Glass) on 4 th February 2010 aged 77 after a short illness.

Pauline was born on 17 th December 1932, the eldest child of Joseph Glass and Elsie Glass. She is survived by husband Barton, sons Gavin and Keith (married to Joanne) and by grandchildren Jason and Caryn.

The family wish to thank all those who have sent kind messages as they come to terms with their great loss.