Welcome to the personal site of Jane Dawson

THIS SITE IS UNDER MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION

Updated 4th April 2012


       

I'm Jane Dawson - I was born in Cleethorpes, Lincs., UK in 1942 and moved to North Walsham, Norfolk when I was seven years old.

I was educated (sort of) at Norwich High School GPDST but as an undistinguished scholar I was advised to marry a farmer; so I did.

Rod and I married in Gibraltar (so we could watch migrating birds of prey) in 1969, having begun to keep waterfowl a year earlier.  We began with various British species, building up to more expensive ones as I became more competent at rearing their young. 

When it became clear that seaducks were what we loved most, we moved our collection from Lincolnshire (where I'd returned in my mid twenties after a couple of years in Jamaica) to the Isle of Islay in 1974.  Rod had bought a small estate here in 1971 and the home farm was run in conjunction with the farm in Lincholnshire.  Rod died of cancer in 1977 at the age of 34; we had two small children, aged three and one.

Below: Rod sitting on the mountain where he wanted to be buried, overlooking not only the Ellister Estate he loved so much, but several other islands too, including Colonsay with Mull behind, Jura and Rathlin:

I enjoy birdwatching, botany and most especially breeding Highland Ponies and all that that entails.  

Following a stroke in July 2003, which paralized my left side, (partly due to some very vigorous disco dancing), I was put onto cholesterol lowering drugs which caused the most horrendous side-effects, leaving me with muscle and nerve damage and prevented full recovery from the stroke. 

My right hand man (or I should say left leg and left hand man) is Gilbert who lives next door to me; I don't know how I'd have managed without him.  He is farm worker/pony man/electrician/plumber/water manager/bird curator and companion.

 Below is Easter Ellister farm steading and houses

On the far top left is An Linnean self catering accommodation, run by my daughter Lucy.  It sleeps eight and has an outdoor heated tub.  For further details go to: http://anlinnean.co.uk

On the far right is Ellister House (the old farmhouse) self catering accommodation, also run by Lucy.  Ellister House has a barbecue hut in the garden, which sleeps three.  For further details go to:  http://easterellister.co.uk

Below is Ellister House; the sitting room overlooks the foaling fields

Below is An Linnean self catering, overlooking the foaling fields

Below is Lagmore House, where I lived before moving back to Ellister again.  It's in the village of Portnahaven - some three miles from Ellister - and is now self-catering accommodation run by my older daughter Heather MacKenzie.

Lagmore sleeps up to ten and is actually in two parts with an adjoining door.  Each side is totally self contained with its own sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms.  It's ideal for two families or grandparents and family.

For more details go to: www.lagmorehouse.co.uk

Below:  the view from Lagmore House on rather a wild day ! 

Other links:  Lucy's photography can be found at: islayphotos.co.uk

Heather's reiki and meditation therapy can be found at: wheredragonsfly.net

For Ellister Islay Highland Ponies, go to:  http://ellisterislay.co.uk

Updated 4th April 2012