Durban North author turns 100
CENTENARIAN Catherine Turnbull celebrated her birthday earlier this month surrounded by family and friends.
Originally born in Coatbridge, Scotland, not far from Glasgow, Turnbull and her family emigrated to South Africa when she was 5 years old and settled in Vereeniging.
She was married there, raised six children and then moved to Glen Ashley in 1993 with her youngest daughter and son-in-law.
“I have lived here in Durban North for 29 years,” she said.
Her four children (two of her older daughters have since passed on), 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren live across three continents.
Apart from working as a tracer (draughtswoman) at Stewarts and Lloyds for many years, Turnbull was also an author. “I have written two personal books for my family, recording my life and sharing my research of our family tree.
“The first is called And it came to pass..., the title reflects one of my maxims for living – all things pass, nothing comes to stay,” she said.
Turnbull’s second book, And time marches on..., reflects another maxim for living, she said, that no matter the problem, the sun sets each evening and rises again the next day.
“It was written after the death of my eldest daughter in 2015.
“She had been seriously afflicted with polio in the 1956 outbreak and although she survived, it had a life-time impact on the whole family,” she said.
Turnbull’s granddaughter, Tegan Kay Havenga- Bennet, wrote a book about her grandmother in 2010.
Havenga-bennet, who now lives in Wales, wrote and illustrated a book titled Supergran and her amazing shortbread as a Christmas present for her grandmother.
Tegan’s mother, Morang Bennet, said the book was inspired by her mother’s love for baking.
“My mother is famous for shortbread which she would give as gifts.
“I used to be the principal at La Lucia Junior Primary School at the
time and my staff were so enchanted by the book, a copy was placed in the library,” said Bennet.
Bennet said a year after the first book was published, her daughter wrote another book as a 90th birthday present, titled Supergran goes the extra mile.
She said the book was about the importance of “going the extra mile” whenever one tackled a task.
On August 11, the day Turnbull turned 100, there were several events held to mark her milestone.
Some of them included, about 100 children from La Lucia Junior Primary school paying her a visit to sing Happy Birthday.
A tea party for her friends was held and Turnbull was able to use her mother’s Royal Albert tea set, while a bagpiper serenaded her with the song, Flower of Scotland.
She also received a birthday card from Queen Elizabeth.
Turnbull’s message to the youth
was: “When one wakes up feeling off colour, get up, get dressed and get going and you’ll almost always feel better”.