Caithness to Patagonia: Elizabeth Sinclair talked of Caithness as home
Recorded 6 years ago
About this recording
Monica Bain is the granddaughter of William Bain and Elizabeth Sinclair, who were among the original Caithness pioneers in Patagonia.
Monica’s grandparents came from Lybster in Caithness. Her grandmother emigrated to Patagonia in 1910 and returned to the family home in Caithness in 1912 to give birth to her first child. Plans for another return to Caithness were later cancelled following the death of her husband, William Bain.
Monica recalls that Elizabeth Sinclair lived near Puerto Deseado in Patagonia and had ten children. Because Monica’s father worked on the family farm, Monica spent much of her time with her grandmother.
Elizabeth spent the winter months in Buenos Aires to escape Patagonia’s cold winters.
She stayed in a Buenos Aires hotel and became well known to people and shopkeepers in the district. She lunched daily at the same restaurant and took tea at the same tea shop, often with friends or with her grandchildren, who were at school in Buenos Aires.
Monica remembers that her grandmother, Elizabeth, always wore a hat.
Monica describes her grandmother as a very generous woman who returned to the farm with presents for everyone in the family. Although intended as Christmas gifts, she gave them out in September when she came back, so in December she travelled to Puerto Deseado to buy more. She also bought presents for the farm workers.
Elizabeth Sinclair always referred to Caithness as “home,” but when her family tried to arrange a trip there for her seventieth birthday, she did not wish to go.
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