"Gillie" was educated at Calne Secondary School, initially,where sh e was
a star pupil. She was the only pupil to move to the CalneBentley Gra mmar
school to take extra studies prior to going to art schoolin Bath.
Gillie won a teaching position at a Leytonstone schoolteaching art t o a mainly
black class. This gave her the edge she required to gainher next pos ition
teaching black children in the Bahamas, at Nassau. She hada three ye ar
contract, which was only renewable to Bahamians. On herreturn to Eng land she
joined the dole queue, as there was a glut of art teachers.She foun d an ad
for an art teacher in the Gilbert & Ellis Islands, SPacific, but i t was over a
month old, and she was not inclined to apply, thinking itwas too lat e, but her
brother (me) persuaded her, as he felt there would not bemany peopl e with her
experience. He also phoned on her behalf and afterexplaining her cre dentials,
was asked to get her to apply.
About 2 months later, Gillie flew out from Heathrowairport, saying g oodbye to
Mike & Carol, who took her to the airport. She flew toFiji, went b y steamer to
Funafuti, and canoe to Tuvalu.
She married Penhura Hauma, a local school principal. Almosteveryon e on the
island turned out for the wedding, and everyone wore flowergarland s typical of
S Pacific islands.
Gillie seemed extremely happy with Pen. They built a houseon land ow ned by
Pens family. The house was surrounded with palm trees andon the beac h. Pen
would walk out onto the coral reef and catch Bonito (afish) with hi s hands and
they would usually eat it raw.

Gillie caught hepatitis. The doctor was on another island,and a stor m blew up.
The doctor could not get to her in time, and Gillie died.Penhaura to ld me that
he believed the witch doctors had something to do with it,as they di d not
approve of him marrying a white girl.

Gillies body was brought to the island in a canoe deckedwith flowers , followed
by dozens more canoes. The entire population from all thelocal islan ds waited
on the shoreline for her. Pen brought his son Katsy Jamesto Englan d to see his
relations, some months after Gillies death.

PEDI birth