I learned of the death of Isabella (Ishbel) McEwan this week, former librarian at the Mitchell Library and cousin of my late father. Ishbel was 90. She was an intelligent, articulate woman with a sharp mind and an eye and ear for detail. She was an invaluable source of information for me in my research into the Douglas family, for instance supplying character information and such physical details as I have about her great grandparents, Charlie Douglas the blacksmith and his wife Jane Ann Clark. She also told me about Nancy Douglas and supplied pictures of her and I was delighted to be able to find and show her how she was related.

I spoke to her a month or so ago, little thinking that this would be our farewell.