Near the Watson Street entrance to Victoria Park in Aberdeen, sits a memorial bench dedicated to Bunty Walls and her husband.
Facing the direction of both the street where she lived as a girl and the street she moved to when she was married, it’s much more than just a place to remember Bunty.
For the bench has become a place of comfort, joy, celebration and reflection for Bunty’s daughters and their families. The couple’s ashes were also scattered by their special seat, and in the same spot their granddaughter received her marriage proposal.
“This is a very special place for us, much more so than visiting a grave would be. We feel close to mum here, and dad.”
Bunty’s story
Annabella Marshall, always known as Bunty, was born on February 27 1927 in Strichen. Her father Charles Marshall was a butcher. Her mother was Christina Marshall (nee Duncan) and Bunty was one of five. The family later moved to Torphins and then into Aberdeen.
Bunty began her education in Torphins, before switching to Mile-end.
From there she progressed to the Central School but on the day she was supposed to begin, war broke out. This meant their classes were moved to wooden sheds in the grounds of the Grammar School.
Despite this, at 15 – the same year her father died – she became a civil servant in the Ministry of Works. A UK Government department formed in 1940, during the Second World War, she would have helped to organise the requisitioning of property for wartime use.
Love ‘at the dancing’
Towards the end of the 40s Bunty met Andrew Walls at the Palais de Danse. However, she wasn’t unknown to him. As youngsters he had spotted her in her school uniform coming into Rosemount Co-op where he worked from a young age.
They began courting and Andrew took Bunty for a walk to the picturesque war memorial in Stonehaven to propose. The couple tied the knot on April 19 1952 in Rosemount Church and had their reception in the Douglas Hotel on Market Street.
They honeymooned in Ballater, where they stayed at Alexandra Hotel.
The pair went on to have two children, Marjorie – born in 1953 – and Patricia, in 1956.
Andrew’s background
The son of Meg and Andrew Walls, Bunty’s husband Andrew was born on December 6 1922. He was the oldest of five and worked as a buttery delivery boy before school.
His mum worked for Raggie Morrison’s, on the corner of Netherkirkgate and St Nicholas Street, now Marks and Spencer. His dad was a bus driver.
Andrew was based in Defford with the RAF during the war, but on his return resumed work for the Co-op.
When Bunty and Andrew tied the knot they initially lived in a couple of rooms in College Bounds. They moved to Watson Street – just around the corner from Loanhead place where the bench faces – in 1958.
A place to remember
When Bunty passed away in June 2015, the initial thought was to have her ashes scattered at Hazlehead Crematorium, However, when the family discussed the plans they felt a bench in their local park, a place that Bunty enjoyed – would be more apt.
It was installed in September 2016, placed at an angle to Loanhead Place and Watson Street.
The couple were married for 63 years. Andrew died in January 2021. As family gathered from around the world both their ashes were scattered at Hazlehead and around the bench.
Tears of joy
However, the Victoria Park bench is not simply a place to remember the family’s loss.
Patricia’s daughter Caroline got engaged at the bench too. And it’s still a ‘go to’ place for Marjorie and Patricia, and their wider families.
We learned of Bunty’s story when we explained the reason behind our memorial bench series and Marjorie Roadnight, Bunty’s daughter, saw her mum in the paper.
“Thank you for mentioning ‘our bench’,” she said. “It’s a very special place to our family and so special to know mum’s story will be told.
“Sitting here you just remember mum. She loved it here, and the park itself was a place of peace for her. After mum died my dad loved coming here. If I close my eyes I can just see them both. I feel near to them in this place,” said Marjorie Roadnight, their daughter.
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