Christian
Shirres
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Christian Shirres |
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Christian Shirres |
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Date and Place of Birth: |
3rd March, 14, Bon Accord Square, Aberdeen |
Date and Place of Death |
17th March, 15, Bon Accord Cresent, Aberdeen |
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Biographical Details
Launched her father's ship, the Calypso, when 12 years old. She was a chess player, a musician, keen photographer, captain of her golf club, a fisherwoman and one of the first women in Aberdeen to bicycle. She was a gifted linguist who spoke perfect French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and a smattering of Greek. However she was not domesticated and was unable to find her way out of the kitchen in her house when showing it to detectives after a burglary. In her early days belonged to a Ladies Educational Association, before the days when women were admitted to Universities. Took the same English Examination as the students and ranked with the 1st prizeman in the English Literature University Class.
She was the youngest child in the family and only daughter. Most of her brothers (including William who went to New Zealand) died relatively young. The last surviving brother Charles and Leslie died in 1920 and 1928 respectively, leaving most of their estate to Christian. She supported her brother, William, children after he died by paying school fees.
"Like her brothers, she was endowed with more than the usual amount of brains. She was an intellectual – literary, musical, artistic, a gifted linguist, a keen photographer, in those days still in its infancy. She exhibited, and won awards at the Annual Salon held in Aberdeen. She was a golfer and was capital of her golf club. She was a keen chess player and was ahead of her time in that she was on of the first women in Aberdeen to bicycle. She was an enthusiastic fisherwoman. Also, she was no mean artist and she wrote and published short stories in Charles Dickens magazine, All the Year Round, and Household Words " – Christian Selina Shirres
She belonged to a Ladies Educational Association sat University English exam ranking with the 1st Prizeman, even though at the time women could not study at the University. In 1877 and 1878 she attended school in Paris to learn French with cousin Anna Shirres.
Visited brother William in New Zealand in 1888, returned with him on S.S. Tainui leaving Lyttelton, New Zealand on 20.9.1888. She wrote an account of this visit "Squatter Life" which was published by Charles Dickens in his "All the Year Round magazine on 11.2.1893.
She travelled extensively throughout Europe with niece, Christian Selina, but suffered a stroke in 1936 from which she never fully recovered.
"The death has occurred of Miss Christian Shirres, 15, Bon Accord Crescent, daughter of the late William Shirres, Shipowner. She was a scholar, an artist, a musician and a gifted linguist. To a wide circle of friends as well as many in humble circumstances who never appealed to her in vain, her death has come as a severe blow. During WW1 she was awarded the M.B.E. for her war work in the Red Cross. For several years she was Hon-Sec of the Franco-Scottish Society, and under her capable direction the society flourished greatly."
Visited New Zealand in 1888, She travelled extensively and suffered a stroke in 1935, ten years before her death aged 81. Whilst in her wheelchair she was noticed by the King to be poaching fish (See supporting information). Her obituary notice states:
"The death has occurred of Miss Christian Shirres, 15, Bon Accord Cresent, daughter of the late William Shirres, Shipowner. She was a scholar, an artist, a musician and a gifted linguist. To a wide circle of friends as well as many in humble circumstances who never appealed to her in vain, her death has come as a severe blow. During World War 1 she was awarded the M.B.E. for her work in the Red Cross. for several years she was Hon-Sec of the Franco-Scottish Society, and under her capable direction the society flourished greatly."
Not very long before her death she (Christian Shirres) was one day happily fishing, attended by Nurse and Maitland , our chauffeur, in a peaceful little stream called the Gairn, amongst the hills and the heather that she loved so much and far from the madding crowd. None of the three was aware that this particular part of the Gairn's fishing was Royal property. And now I think I cannot do better than quote from a newspaper cutting:-
"A charming story is being told of the King and Queen after their recent visit to Deeside. The King and Queen accompanied by an official from Balmoral Castle were crossing an ancient bridge across the Gairn - on foot - when the official was astounded to see comfortably settled in an invalid chair (this chair always accompanied Aunt Christian on her sketching and fishing expeditions) illegally fishing for salmon with a maid (really it was Nurse) and a chauffeur in attendance. This official started forward to chase away this amazing poacher when the Queen said, "Do not disturb her; she looks a nice old lady". The King, laughing heartily, added, "By all means, leave her alone; she is enjoying herself."
Aunt Christian, Nurse and Maitland, until they read it in the newspapers, were quite unaware of the incident in which they had unwittingly been partakers!
from "Sailing Ships & Sheep Stations" by Christian Selina Shirres
Left £31188 in her will extracts of which are given below:
15, Bon Accord Terrace, died 17.3.1945 at Aberdeen testate. Confirmation Aberdeen 22.6.1945 (will sealed in Llandudno) to Christian Selina Shirres, 15, Bon Accord Terrace, her niece, Executor. Will dated 22.9.1942, recorded Aberdeen 20.6.1942. States that she should be buried in family burial ground at St Peter's cemetery. To cousin Christian Selina, house and contents, motors cars and £12,000. £100 each to cousin Katherine Christine Gerard, cousin Elizabeth Agnes Gillespie, cousin Isabella Luvina Shirres, cousin Margaret Lucy Thompson. Residue to be split into 3 equal shares between niece Christian Selina Shirres, nephews Leslie Emile and nephew John Vass.