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Belfast Between The Wars

MARRIAGE IDYLL IN BIRD SANCTUARY: FORMER BELFAST GIRL AND HER FATHER’S GHILLIE

Larne Times, Saturday 29th May 1937


PERFECT ISLAND FOR A HOME


Miss Monica S. Allan, the Ulster-Scottish heiress, who dislikes cocktail parties and London social life, was married last week in a little Argyllshire church to Mr. Robert Sutherland, of Caithness, once her father’s ghillie.


They will live in an idyllic open-air life on the Hebridean island of Shuna, off the West Coast of Scotland, which Miss Allan recently acquired.


They chose the island as the perfect retreat and intend to make it into a bird sanctuary.


The couple met six years ago at Caithness, where Miss Allen’s father, the late Mr. Charles Allen, a Belfast engineering magnate, owned an estate.


Her mother, Mrs. Charles C. W. Tennant, of Stratton House, Piccadilly, and Mr. Tennant, were the two witnesses to the marriage, which took place in St. Conan’s Church, Loch Awe.


Rev. Adam E. Anderson, who performed the ceremony, said that he was asked to do so by Miss Allan some time ago.


It was a very simple service. Miss Allan, who was dressed in a dark brown costume with a fox fur, appeared radiantly happy as she posed for photographs taken by her mother and stepfather.


Miss Allan, who is twenty-two years of age, describes Shuna as her Treasure Island. She said recently that when her fiancé saw it two months ago, he was charmed with it.


“Both of us are passionately fond of a quiet country life,” she added. “I cannot imagine anything more ideal than living on Shuna married to the man I love.”


“Our life will be in no way primitive. There is the castle, which I am putting in order, and which has 35 rooms, and my fiancé and I will have a farm.


“We shall make our own electricity and I am laying a telephone line to the island.


“I loathe Society, and I visit London only when I cannot help it. Our mutual interests extend even to playing the bagpipes.”


She said that she met her husband when she was sixteen and their friendship developed.


Mr. Sutherland, who is 39, said, “It is a perfect island for a home. I shall do most of the work on the home farm, and we shall spend much time together studying wild bird life. Neither of us think it a sport to shoot birds.”


Miss Allen is a daughter of the late Mr. C. E. Allan, for many years a director of Messrs. Workman, Clark & Co.




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