Life History

1932	Born in South Africa

Notes

Was Shirley blind? (Ref. Tristan)

From South Africa ID Records:

Shirley Theresa Stewart Drewry born 1932

and, given the names, she was a very good candidate for descent in the Drewry line.

Anne Lehmkuhl found a number of documents at the National Archives of South Africa (Cape Town) regarding placing the Drewry children in an orphanage.
[File reference: 1/QTN Volume No. 23 Reference 33/2/4/18 dated 1937-1951]

One of the documents was the Personal History recorded when Shirley was taken into care.

Shirley was in good health. There is no mention of blindness.

Nor does Shirley look blind in the photo above, taken at her brother Clive's wedding in 1961.

When her mother, Anna, left the children in the orphanage she gave Shirley a bible with a picture of herself (right). The bible was passed down through the generations until someone opened it and wondered who the strange woman was.