ASSYNT HIGHLAND GAMES

​Annella was born on the 30th of March 1952 in The Pope Maternity Hospital, Helmsdale.

 

Annella and her brother, George, who was born in 1954, initially lived in the family-owned hotel in Inchnadamph. Then in 1955 Annella and George moved with their parents, Willie and Anna, to the recently vacated local schoolhouse.

 

Annella attended Assynt Primary School and then, at the age of 12, transferred to Dornoch Academy, staying in the Ross House Hostel along with another 42 girls from the north and west of the county. She was educated at the Academy for the next 5 years, not only academically, but on how to cope with life. She was homesick to begin with but her time there left her with a great affection for Dornoch.

 

After leaving higher education, Annella studied computer operating at Aberdeen College of Commerce. A computer in those days half-filled a room and was operated by programmes, accumulators, card readers and punch cards, a far cry from today’s laptops, ipads and smartphones. She says she is now a ‘techy dinosaur’ and that she had learned a lot more about Aberdeen’s social life than any significant computer knowledge!!

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After completing her 4-year computer course, Annella returned home to work in the family business for a couple of years before moving on to The Royal Hotel in Ullapool, for one season, and then to The Laichmoray Hotel in Elgin. In 1977 Annella left Elgin and returned to Inchnadamph, due to her being needed at home.

 

Her father Willie was the Games Chieftain in 1978. Her mother, Anna, sadly passed away in 1979.

 

Annella met Joe, her husband to be, when he came to the Inchnadamph Hotel on a fishing holiday. She moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, with Joe, and lived there for two years before they were married in May 1987.

 

After Joe retired from Northumbria Police, they moved north and lived in a static caravan, in Inchnadamph, while their new home was being built in Culkein Stoer. On the 12th of August 1990, while still living in the caravan, Annella went into labour. Her son Matthew was born the following day in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness (her life’s greatest achievement). A week later, Joe collected them from the hospital, and they moved into their new home. They weren’t totally organised and they only had one bowl which was used for their porridge, soup, pudding ………… and to hold the water to wash the baby’s bum!! They all survived!!

 

When Matthew was 3, Annella started working for the Highland Council, transferring school meals from the Lochinver Primary School canteen to Stoer Primary School, where she served them, and then washed up. She did that for 14 years, during which time Annella was also the school cleaner and driver of the school minibus. She also home-helped, conveyed meals on wheels and joined the Stoer Hall Committee, participating in many events held there.

 

Sadly, Joe passed away in 2005.

 

In 2007, after Matthew completed his schooling, Annella began driving for Rapson’s Coaches, Inverness. She has now been driving buses for 19 years and although she has cut down to 2 days a week, she says “I can’t quite give it up altogether …………. well, not yet anyway. Maybe when I’m old!!”

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Annella's passions in life are Country Music and photography, very often combining the two. She says she might give her cowboy boots an airing on Games Day, there may be sequins, and a Stetson is very likely. As for her photography - well - who is going to take the (unofficial) photos??

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