Since we came to Bridge of Allan, over 20 years ago now, I have tended my grandparents graves in Logie churchyard. I always stop by this beautiful statue of an angel [please click on the image below to play a short film]:
The angel ‘remembers’ Margaret Mary Risk who died on the surgical table on the 29th December 1923. Margaret Mary was just 29 years old. Her father was a wealthy man, regarded as gentle and quiet. In his life he gave away much of his wealth to those in need and for science and artistic causes. He gave £20000 for a ward in Stirling Royal Infirmary and called it the ‘Risk ward’ after his daughter Margaret Mary.
My mother has the very same christian names. My mum is an angel too [any scientist who says otherwise does not understand language.]
Music credit: ‘Ghosteen’ by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Borrowed Words: from the ‘The Peppermint Tea Chronicles’ by Alexander McCall Smith; and from ‘The Gate of Angels’ by Penelope Fitzgerald.
The opening voice is mine. The only other voice is that of the sculptor Antony Gormley [from the BBC Radio 4 Series – Only Artists – where he chatted with Roddy Doyle]