# The Story of Vivien Combe *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-20 — 1 clipping.* --- > Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Guy Barclay, The Story of Vivien Combe, bahai-library.com. > ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── > > 625Vanalman Ave. > Victoria, BC. > January 27th, 1996. > > The Baha'i Community > Victoria > > On behalf of my family I would like to thank all > those who atterided and gave of their time to > arrange Vivien's graveside memorial. > Vivien's remarkable talents and love for all people > touched the heart of everyone she came in contact > with. Very few people have lived as full a life, > traveled so eztensively or had so many true > friends. She will be sorely missed. > I was very pleased and touched by the Baha'i > memorial ceremony as I am sure my family would have > been. The beauty and simplicity of the service was > ezactly as Vivien would have wanted it. Ber song > uFacination• made it all perfect. > Thank you again for your help, love and compassion. > > Sincerely yours > > , > > Roger Barclay (Vivien's nephew) > > The following account of Vivien's life was compiled > by my father a couple of years ago. We hope it > will be of interest and a help in your endeavor to > chronicle her contribution to the Baha'i movement. > If you do publish > copy. Thanks. p. > an article my family would love a > > ...... > THE STORY OF VIVIEN > She was born on June 23rd 1903 in Lee, Surrey, England, > the elder daughter of Captain Basil Charles Combe, Master > Mariner and his wife Edith Neville, nee Rymer-Jones. At the > age of two she left with her mother for Honolulu via New > York and San Francisco to join her father whose ship the > "C.s. Restorer" was based there. Capt. Combe had assumed > command iri .Singapore on February 1905 for her new owner the > Commercial Pacific Cable Company and sailed across the > Pacific arriving in Honolulu in April of that year. > The ship's task was to maintain the company's telegraph > lines which ran from San Francisco to Shanghai and beyond. > > The family cont~nued to live in Honolulu until 1908 > when the "Restorer" was based to Esquimalt harbor and the > family moved to Victoria. Life in Hawaii was very different > in those days, there were very few tourists and the city of > Honolulu was quite a .small place. Young Vivien attended a > kindergarten at Punahou College in 1907. On arrival in > Victoria the family rented a house on Cook Street. > In 1909 Mrs. Combe and Vivien paid a six month's visit to > their English relations. On the trip over the, then seven > year old Vivien, performed for the first time on the stage. > Aboard "R.M.S. Canada" she sang a solo "Yip-Addy-i-Ay". > This was her first performance in a lifetime given to the > theatre. > > It was in 1911 that the family moved into their new > home on Verrinder Avenue. Vivien received her education at > St. Margarets school and. it was there that she decided her > forte was the theatre. She took singing and dancing lessons > and started to take parts in ,plays. She was Hebe in "H.M.S. > Pinafore" in the .Old Victorii Theatre in 1912. > > On November 2nd of that year her sister, Adele Laura, > was born. These were happy days. There were many visitors > to the family home on Verrinder Avenue. one of the early > ones was Harvey Combe, a second cousin, who was the Registrar > of the Law Society. He was an ardent golfer, one of the > original members of the Victoria Golf Club and many times > the B.C. champion. His daughter Lenora, who married Hew > Paterson, followed in his footsteps and his winning ways. > Another frequent visitor was Judge Stanley from Honolulu. > His two boys Desmond and Dermot were boarders at the > university School and his mother, Lady Heron,stayed with the > Combe's shortly after Adele was born. > > Aboard the "Restorer" many parties were held and to > bring the guests to the wharf A.T. Goward, the then head of > the B.C.Electric Railway Co. and a good friend of Capt. > Combe, arranged that special street cars were provided. > > Vivien was also having a good time at St. Margarets acting > in school plays and playing tennis and basketball. > Then in 1914 war was declared against Germany and the > "Restorer" sailed to Seattle and berthed at the > Bremerton Naval Yards. Until this time the ship had flown > the Union Jack but now, for the greater protection of this > vital and specialized vessel, she was to sail under the > neutral Stars and Stripes. She contiqued to carry that flag > for the rest of her life. > > The family moved to Seattle and rented their Victoria > home. During the war years they lived in two Seattle houses. > Vivien started school in Seattle in September 1914 and it > was there that she· met Whilimena (Willie) Blankevoort who > became a very dear friend for many years. Vivier:. was unhappy > in Seattle, missing a~l her friends in Victoria ~n~ it was > not long before she was back at St 'Margarets as a boarder. > In 1919 the war ended and the family returned to Victoria > and found their home in a deplor~ble state. The ~Restorer" > with Capt. Combe in commaad remained in Seattle. > During the war years, while Vivien was a boarder at St. > Margarets she continued to interest herself in school plays > and spent her holidays with the family in Seattle. Here > she remembers spending her weekends on the ship with her > friend Willie. > On the family's return to Victoria she ~nd her sister > Adele, bot~ attended St. Margarets as day girls. In 1919 > Vivien put on ci'nderella in the s_chool gym. She remembered > the vi~it of Edward, Prine~ of Wales, l~ter Edward VIII. > There was a splendid ball given ·for him at Government House > and her great friend Jean Donald received an invitation, > however she being several months younger was judged to be too > young and much to her chagrin was not asked. Several years > later the Prince again visited Victoria and this time she got > her wish and had the satisfaction of meeting him whil~ he > was with a friend of hers. > She graduated in 1920 and when her father asked Miss > Barton, the headmistress, what prdfession Vivien should > follow, he was advised interior decorating. Courses in that > field not being ·readily available, Vivien 'took a business > course at St. Ann's Academy. This was a shame as she proved > later dn in her life she had a natural flair for design .. > After completing the commercial course Vivien got her > first job in Spencer's Tea Room. There were many of her > school friends working there with her and they all had a > rather good time.· Lunch there then cost about 50 cents and > she recalls that she was once left a 25 cent tip! She spent > her first earned money to buy a copper coal scuttle which > her sister now has. > > In March 1922 the "Restorer" returned t.o Victoria from > a repair job at Midway Island and it was to tie up there and > not in Seattle. From then until 1941 she was to berth in > Esquimalt or Victoria waters although sti~l retaining her > New York registry and the Stars and Stripes. > > While anchored in Esquimal t Harbor in- 1922 the birthday > bf the Captain's elder daughter gav~ rise to one of the > gayest parties ever hel-0 on the ship. Paddy Heaton's > orchestra greeted the ·barge loads of guests who were fsrried > over to the ship from the wharf. Chief Steward Robb served > a sumptuous repast and dancing folltiwed until the small > hours. > > Soon after this event the ship was to receive orders to > proceed again to -Midway Island where the cable had faulted. > On arrival at the island she ran into a vicious storm. Capt. > Combe,although he felt ill, was not able to leave the bridge > for several day·s. He became so desperately ill that he was > forced to give in and turn his command over to someone else. > The repair job took much longer than usual because of the > dreadful weather and when she finally docked in Honolulu the > Captain had to be taken to the hospital where he remained > for weeks. He never regained his health ~nd had to > relinquish his command after 18 years service. He returned > to his wife and children in Victoria where he lived on as a > semi invalid: until his death at the Royal Jubilee Hospital > on December 27th. 1926. During these latter years he had a > summer cottage built on the north shdre of Esquimalt Lagoon. > The family entertained their friends there and really > enjoyed the isolation whfch then existed beside; .that seldom > visited spot. > Vivien continued her acting career. She took part in > many amateur performances and joined the Victoria Little > Theatre. She recalled acting with the Campbell twins· and > with Eva Hart who was a popular singer in tho se days. 0 > She > was given parts in many of the plays that were put on and > 1 ~er work came to the notice of Mr. Reginald Hinks who was > producing shows at the Playhouse Theatre on Yates Street. > Vivien joined him acting in the plays he produced each week. > > Hinks wrot~ ~11 the scripts and picked out ·the songs. > These were topical of the events of the day and were· very > popular with the public. Vivien's roles were her first as a > professional actress and she soon made a name for herself in > Victoria. She carried on at ,the Playhouse for the next two > years, usually taking the part of the comedienne. > > After Capt. Combe's death the family was left with very > little money. His pension ended at the date of his death > and hospital bills had consumed most of the family's > savings. > > Vivien, now 24, realized she would have to earn her own > living and do what she could to help support the family. Her > talents were theatrical, and while she had done well in > Victoria and was highly thought of, the scope there was not > great and the rewards were small. > She decided she would try for success in England where > the scope was much greater. Therefore she travelled to > London and found a place to live at the ·Theatre Girls Club > on Greek Street. She did achieve some success but the > competition was fierce. She found living in a big city with > very little money was very discouraging and was homesick for > the free ~nd easy life in Canada. > During this period she visited a number of her English > relations and made many friends. She ,was always very good > at meeting people and keeping in touch. For instance through > a friend she received an invitation to a reception at South > Africa House where she met Elizabeth, the Duchess of York, > now the Queen Mother. Among her memorabilia is a copy of the > invitation signed by Elizabeth and others who attended > including Vivien Combe. > > She was a prodigious letter writer and fortunately for > the producer of this account some of her letters and those > she received have survived, as have some of her diaries. > > Meanwhile in Victoria her mother came to the conclusion > that, as Vivien was in England and as her relations lived > there , she and Adele should go there too and perhaps stay > on to 1 i ve. Therefore she rented the Verrinder .house and > booked passage on the Royal Mail freighter "Loch Kathrine" > sailing to England via the Panama Canal. She carried 12 > passengers and the trip lasted six weeks. They stayed in > England for six months but found life there so different > from the one they had grown to love in Canada that they > decided to return. Vivien agreed feeling she would be able > to get work there. > > They booked retu~n passage, again on the "Loch Kathrine" > via the Panama Canal. The trip was a happy one and the two > sisters got on famously with the cadets and officers aboard. > On the way they enjoyed a stop over in Jamaica. > Back in Victoria Vivien was welcomed back at the > Playhouse but unfortunately the theatre soon closed and she > had .to f;ind another job. She learned to master the art of > riveting china and glass and worked for antique stores and > Monty Bridgeman's china shop. > Mrs.Combe and a neighbour Mrs Treherne started a little > store they named . "Cornbetree" sel 1 ing B. C. handicrafts on > commission. Combetree was -ndt profitable and did not last > long. > > Then friends of the family asked Mrs Combe if she would > consider boarding young girls from out of town while they > attended art school, business cqurses etc. This was a happy > arrangement and many of these girls became their dearest > friends, namely, Betty Johnstone Shaneman, Poppy Beale > Glaspie, Joan Proctor Morris, Madie Innes Hewlett, Issa > Jones Dobell and Dodie Tremayne Hamilton. Verrinder became a > meeting place for young people, among them were, Alan King, > Les Hardie, Jack and Roy Shadbolt, the.Leeming boys, yours > truly and other current beaus. We had sing songs around the > old player piano, acted out charades, played parlor games, > went on hard-time country dances and scavenger hunt~. On > saturday there was the dinner dance in the Crystal Ballroom > at the Empress Hotel, with Billy Tickle's orchestra and > later Len Acre's. The cost was $2.50! The girls always > wore evening gowns and the boys dinner jackets. It was a > formal age and during the "Big Depressio~" we all had to > work hard for our money, but we did have a lot of fun and no > regrets. > > Vivien was very active in theatricals, producing and > directing, sometimes with Mrs Dorothy Wilson of the Russian > Ballet School. The costumes and sets were always > outstanding, she could make anything superbly and was very > good at organizing work parties to become involved. Her > Christmas Pantomimes and other big productions were very > popular. I remember particularly, Alice in Wonderland, > Cinderellla and Dick Wittington and his Cat all performed at > the old Victoria Theatre. She also enteied plays in the > Dominion Drama Festival, often with success. The Naval > Officers put on a hit production 0£ "The Mi~dle Watch" in > which Vivien played a leading role. In fact she was very > well known and admired in Victoriaa and many old timers will > remember her as Daisy with Al~n King in their "Bicycle Built > for Two" which they performed many times for various > occasions. > > As well as her theatrical activities Vivien found the > time to work for Peggy Napier in her Murdoch's Antiques on > Fort Street and was Peggy's bridesmaid when she married > Victor Bartholomew. The two girls had a keen sense of humor > and we thoroughly enjoyed their stories ab6ut some of their > customers. One we remember was about a w.oman who was walking > in one of the display rooms and spotted ,the Three Feather > Coat of Arms of the Prince of Wales with the motto Ich Dien. > She called to Vivien saying, "I've forgotten my "La£in" but > can you tell me what the sign says". When Vivien told her > it means "I Serve", the woman called to her friend saying; > "Emma Jane come over here and look at this sign it says "I > ServQ", gee wouldn't that look cute above our bar"! > > In June 1933 Adele and I became engaged and were > married in October of the following ,year. Vivien was much > involved in the arrangements for our wedding. ·we were wed by > Archdeacon Nunns at St. Mary's Church, Oak Bay and the > reception was at the family home on Verrinder. > World war II started in September 1939 and Vivien felt > she should become involved and travel to England. However > her'mother and friends dissuaded her saying that as she > suffered from hay fever and such severe bouts of asthma, > ~6metimes endirig in hospital, she couid easily prove a > greater hindrance than help. So off she went to Montreal and > stayed with her father's younger brother Aubrey, a civil > engineer, who lived in Westmont. There she found work in the > china department of the Henry Morgan Co. She worked there > for about three years. > I had returned from England and Adele had joined me in > Kingston in the_ spring of 1941. We were living in the staff > quarters of the Royal Military College. We soon contacted > Vivien in Montreal and it wasn't long before she came down > to Kingston to meet her new nephew Roger then about nine > months old. > Vivien had not been really happy at Morgan's because > she did not speak French and found that many of the customers > resented this. Therefore she decided to leave Montreal for > Toronto where she had applied and been accepted for work at > Eaton's. She left Morgan's, travelled to Halifax for a visit > with a childhood friend Jean Donald Gow who had married a > naval officer and was stationed there. Then on for a short > visit with us before reporting' to Eaton's in Toronto for > work in their china department. Vivien continued working at > Eanon's for the next fourteen years. > While we remained in Kingston we saw Vivien fairly > often. She had Christmas with us in 1941. Came to visit us > after Patrick was born and was his godmother at his > christening. She lived in several apartments in Toronto, > made many friends there and seemed to live quite a gay life. > In 1943' I was posted to England to command a R.C.E.M.E. > workshop and Adele, her mother and our two boys returned to > Victoria. I should have mentioned earlier that mother·combe > had been with us in Kirigston from shortly after we had moved > from R.M.t. to an ap~rtment in the town. > > Meanwhile Vivien had been promoted to the Display > Department where she arranged flower and table displays in > the store and in outside locations such as the Canadian > National Exposition. Later she moved on to the Fashion > Bureau. > > Here with a number of other quite senior st'aff members she > had responsibilities for fashion- decisions, gave lectures > and arranged displays. She attended seminais arid was sent on > courses to Parson's school of interior design in New York > city. In 1952 I was sent on a business: trip to Washington > D.C. Adele was with me and we 'met Vivien in New York on our > way home. She was staying there on one of her Fashion Burea > assignments. We gathered she was doihg well, wa• enjoying > her job and was well thought of by her company. In fact she > was now on a first name basis with the senior staff > including David Eato~. > > While 'living in Toronto Viv_ien. had made many friends > with people who had simiJ.;ar ar·tistic . interests and it was > with Aileen Adams and her, friend Myra that she took off on a > trip which lasted six months and took them over a gobd part > of Europe. > > They left Toronto, in January 1953 and sailed from New > York aboard the "s . s United Sta te·s" for London. On . arr i va 1 > they stayed at the famous Gore. Hotel which had recently been > refurbished and the. Elizabethean room opened for the > Coronation. They dined there and found it quite an > experience, guests friends and strangers sat' 'at long > refractory tables and waitresses dressed in Elizabethean > garb served food as it was eaten in -th'at period on pewter > plates. Later they came around with very large bowls ,for you > to scrape your leavings into, for the pbor! "Two young men > were sitting opposite me and one said to the other, how do I > get· the attention of the waitress? His friend replied. "As > she passes pinch her bottom, that was the way they did it in > Elizabeth's time!" "An older man was sitting next to me and > I remarked to him I seem to know you. Do you work for > Eaton's in Toronto?" With a smile he said, no I work in > Morgan's in Montreal."! am Henry Morgan." The right boss in > . the wrong,shop! > > This incid~nt was typical of Vivien. Everywher~ she > went all over the world, she would soon spot an > - acquaintance. She had an extraordinary memory for faces and > an interest in people that made this possible. > > Continuing I quote frbm Vivien•s·diary: "On our first > day in London we took the bus to Picadilly and had our lunch > in Lion's Corner House. Then went to Canada House and got > tickets to the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. I went to > see my dear Aunt Ada, actually mother's aunt, who was > nearly blind. She lived in a big apartment house with an old > friend Miss Willowby. 11 > > "Murray Rymer-Jones and his wife Molly asked me to > lunch at the United Services Club. The last time I haa seen > him was in 1927, when I had been staying with his mother and > fl\th,~,--, .J,.r,n, ;-.-....1 ~·1·,-c.••df.::\\"t,c,,:C, > ' > ,1c.·.,.;,·,~··,-1· > ·-......f ,,j > b,{·Tt,c,-. > > "I then went to stay with Aunt Ada and came down with a > terrible cold as I invariably did in London. Next I visited > Genieve Millman .(Irving), whose bridesmaid I had been many > years ago in Victoria. I also went to see Miss Barton my old > head mistress at Sb... Margarets Schoo! .. I ,found time as well > to go and see Nessie Bell at the Theatre Girls Ulub where I > had lived on my previous stay in London." > > "Aileen and r went to view a dress collection. Oliver > Messel was there. We talked to him about his wonderful White > Bedroom which:all had raved about in one of the big revues. > He is Anthony Armstrong-Jones uncle." > > The preceding paragraphs illustrate Vivien's usual > activity in looki,ng up old friends and seeing the sights in > the places she visits. Knowing that she did not have the > time to travel around the country to visit -11 her Combe > relations she wrote to them and invited them to come to > London and have lunch with her. Uncles Leonard and Herbert > the latter with his ~ife Millie ~nd Aunt Mildred met her at > Victoria Station for ' lunch. She .was still suffering from > the cold and had a· bad attack of asthma. She felt awful and > had to call a doctor, who gave her shots. > > "Myra was ill too and we had to cancel our plans to > attend the openings of several Paris Fashion Houses. Aileen > went by. herself. The doctor.'s bill was 12 pounds 12 > shillings. We gave. him a tin of crisco! He had come to the > hotel. three times .." > > In February they went to the airport and took a plane to > Lisbon. They found rooms in the Mira Parque Hotel. "We > spent our first day walking around the city ahd visiting > the Marques de Pombal park. Here we saw the famous Estufa > Fria greenhouses with displays of e~otic tropical pl~nts." > > "Next day we took the train to Estoril. We met a very > nice couple from California who persuaded us to move to the > Atlantico Hotel facing the ocean. our friends picked us up > with our luggage and took us there. We booked rooms at $2.00 > per day including meals·! I.Aileen arrived from Paris and joined > us. Here we spent our remaining stay in Portugal. Estoril, > at that time was the home of a number of disposed European > royalty. We saw the ex~king of Italy and the lrchduke of > Austra-Hungry and took ~hotos of all the royal houses." > > They drove· to Sin tr a where they visited the Royal > Palace and the Pena Palace atop the rocky hill above the > town. They spent another day visiting the old quarter of > Lisbon, the Alfama, the Castelo Sao Jorge and the area along > the banks of the Tagus. Altogether they were three weeks in > Portugal before travelling down the west coast, crossing the > Spanish border and continuing to Seville. > > "We left Seville the next morning, stopped in.Jerez to > visit a winery. This is where the fimous sherry is produced. > Then we went on to Algeceras and crossed over to > Gibralta by ferry. We tried to find somewhere there to stay > without success. Aileen and I walked over the hills and saw > the apes. We had to return to Algeceras to spend the night. > rt was an unattractive town and I.suffered from a bad attack > of asthma, dogs were everywhere! We took a bus to Seville > and I went right to bed. We were staying at the hotel > Christina and I had a comfortable room overlooking Marie > Louise Park. My throat was very sore so I went out to try to > buy a gargle, as I did not know the Spanish word for it I put > my head back and pantomimed gargling. They understood and I > returned to my bed and slept most of the next day. While in > Seville we visited the Alcazar, the fabulous Cathedral and > the Macarena where they keep the famous religious treasures > used for the Easter Parade. our Lady of Esperanza was there, > she is the Virgin for the bull fighters." > "On March 9th we left for Grenada and arrived· at the > Alhambra Palace Hotel. In Grenada I visited the Alhambra, > the Generalife ~ardens and the old Arab Market •. It was cold > there as you are at the foot of the snow capped Sierra > Nevada mountains." > "l took the train to Madrid and met Aileen and Myra at > the Emperado.Hotel, We took an excursion to Toledo where we > saw El Greco•s·house and the Cathedral. On March 16th we > took the train to Barcelona. It was a pretty trip." Vivien > noted in her diary that she went for a walk, saw the > magnificent cathedral, the market and then on to the zoo, > where she met five little girl~ who asked the time. she took > the children into the zoo to see the monkeys which they > called monos. "I tried to talk to them in Spanish and did > well enough for them to direct me to the right bus for my > hotel.It was a delightful experience I would not have missed > for anything." > The following morning they went by ship to Genoa, where > they spent the night. Vivien noted that they saw the house > where Christopher Columbus was born. They left for Rome the > next day and stayed at the Hotel National. Vivien had run > out of money and had wired her mother to send some to the > American Express in Rome. It had not arrived but this did > not prevent her ftom seeing the sights. She saw the > Colosseum, Hadrian's. Villa, the Vatican and the Catacombs. > The others decided to head north but as Vivien's money had > still not arrived she borrowed some from. Myra and went by > bus to Naples. She carried on to Sorento by train. Luckily > travel was·very inexpensive in Italy at that time! Here she > met some youths who wanted a passenger to help pay the fare > for the Amalfi drive a nd on to the Isle of Capri. > > "On the way we stopped at small town of Revello and saw > that a-movie was being shot at the cathedral'~quare. I went > over to see who was in the cast and recognized Peter Lore, > Robert Morley and John.Houston. the director. The movie was > Beat the Devil. Later on at the Garden Party at Buckingham > Palace I saw Robert Morley again. That time elegantly > dressed in a frock coat and topper!n > > "The followin~ day we went to the Isle of Capri. The > ride out to the island was very rough and it had started to > rain. Nevertheless we· had a terrific day seeing· the lower > town and having'a most.memorable boat ride through the Blue > Grotto. Next day the lads and I went by train to Pompii where > we spent a fantastic two hours touring the ruins. There was > so muc~-. to see; the house of ill-repute, the lovely wall > murals, the mosaic of a. dog, the stone ovens and the > petrified loaf of bread!" We returned·~o Rome via Naples > and I was delighted to find that my money had arrived and I > was able to repay Myra." > > The preceding paragraphs illustrate that Vivien never > let a temporary shortage of funds interfere with her plans. > In fact we could never understand how she could manage so > well on so little! • > > "Solvent again I took the train to Florence. I stayed > at a pensione to save money . It was cl~an and cheap. In > Florence I visited the Uffizi GaJlery, the· Convent of San > Marco and Michael's statue of 1 David. I went to see Mrs > Coskell and had lunch in her garden. Then was shown over her > lovely 14th century house with its wonderous collection of > Chinese paintings. I spent another day yisiting San > Gimugnano a~d $ienna by _'bus. Then on to ~enice and > travelled up the Grand Canal to San Marco square, the > Basilica and the Doge's Palace._ I went for a gondola ride > with an Australian girl~-took photos of a ~edding party in a > gondola and saw the Bridge of Sighs". • > > "April 26th I left for Nice by train passing through > Milan and Genoa enroute. On he train I met a young Norwegian > Publisher and we had drinks, the next day we met again, > dined together and walked to the old part of Nice. I went on > a bus tour to Monte Carlo. A very nice Englishman who was > sitting next to me in the bus accompanied me to the gaming > tables in the casino. We had drinks'and then danced for > awhile. Another day I bussed to Canne~ and--walked along the > front, then visited the Garabaldi Museum. I travelled to > Paris by train the next day. In my carriage there were two > old spinsters. After awhile one turned to her friend and > said "She is an actress I think!" Vivien stood out iri a > crowd. Her clothes, ~any of which she had designed and made > herself were always 1n qood taste and she knew how to wear > them to enhance her app~arance. . > > "It was May when I arrived in Paris and on every corner > lily of the valley were being sold. It was beautiful. I > went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, then walked past the > Ecole Militaire, the Palace of Chaillot and up Ave. Kleber > to Place de la Concord. I saw an exhibition of modern art > at the Petit Palace and then back to my hotel in the rain. > The next day I took in the Louvre and then visited the > Museum du Jeu de Panue to see the Impressionists paintings. > On my third day in Paris I took a bus to the Bois de > Bologne. I wanted to see what I had been singing about so > many years ago at the Playhouse on Yates Street; "As I > walked along the Bois de Bologne with an independent air, > etc, etc." After this I followed the left bank where the > artists sell their pictures. I bought a Tolouse Lutrec for > 2500 francs! I visited Notre Dame. On my last day in Paris > I went to Versailles and wandered around the gardens." > On arrival back in England Vivien still had several > weeks before her scheduled trip back to Toronto. She stayed > in London looking up old friends and visiting places she had > missed earlier. In her diary she mentions the Chelsea > Flower Show, Gre~nwich and Kew Gardens, also a number of > theatres, one of which was the Haymarket with Noel Coward in > Blythe Spirit. > Another entry in her diary describes the Buckingham > Palace Garden Party that she and Aileen attended. " We > passed through a large reception hall out into the gardens > to the rear. There were hundreds of people milling around. > The Queen looked very regal as she received her guests. > Princess Ann was there and looked very nice. It was a really > memorable occasion." > "While at Eaton's in Toronto I had used Wedgewood china > for a number of table displays and had a letter of > introduction to one of their London executives. I phoned him > and he arranged a luncheon and a tour of their factory at > Stoke-on-Trent. we saw the china being made, painted and > fired and I found it all very interesting. When I asked my > guide why the town was so foggy he replied, there would be > something wrong if it wasn't, as that would mean the > potteries were shut down." In fact during the war smoke > from the kilns had camouflaged Stoke from the German planes > and saved many lives. > As Vivien still had time before leaving for Canada she > did some travelling around England. These trips took her to > Bath and, as she added, to see the baths and buy bath buns! > Warwick Castle was visited, the famous earl was an ancestor. > On she travelled to Stratford-on-Avon, Oxford, Bristol and > many other places. > > Uncle Leonard was her godfathe, she visited him and > his wife in Horsham. They had been married in Ceylon and > Leonard gave her three delightful paintings of Ceylon > flowers. Today these hang in our dining room in Vancouver > and are much admired. > > Murray Rymer-Jones invited her to a meeting at Scotland > Yard to see the police dogs perform. Vivien was enormously > impressed with their training. Murray had been the first to > introduce working dogs to the Metropolitan Police. He was a > very senior officer in the force. > > It was now time to say her good byes and be off to > Southampton to board the "S.S United States" for New York. > As they left the docks they saw the ships of the Royal Navy > lined up for the Spithead Revue. > She was back at the Fashion Bureau in June. It had > been a very eventful trip where she had seen and learned a > great deal and met many new friends. Her work under Dora > Mathews continued as it had previously, arranging displays > at such locations as the Canadian National Exposition. She > lectured on such subjects as table settings. She took a > course on photography and worked with photographers and for > relaxation attended an art course in Kitchener. > > Vivien retired from Eaton's in 1955 after 14 years > service with the firm. She told Adele she felt she was > getting a "diamond E brand on her brow" and was considering > going into business for herself. However after casting > herself adrift, she decided to spend that winter with a > friend Torchy Faulkner in Mexico. They left Toronto in > November by car, with Torchy's two children, and drove right > across the U.S.A. and on down to San Miguel Allende in > central Mexico, where they arrived ten days later. Here they > rented a house and attended classes at the Institute. Vivien > took up pottery, wood carving, jewelry and photography. > In December she and Torchy went on a trip which took > them to Mexico City, Taxco, Veracruz and Orizaba. "My visit > to Orizaba was one of curiosity and sentiment. I had always > wanted to see the place I had heard so much about from > mother! My grandfather, Alexander Manson Rymer-Jones, a > civil engineer, had arrived here in 1871 with his young 22 > year old bride Ernestine. In 1872 their eldest son was born. > A nanny was sent from England with a complete layette for > the baby. The child was very fair and the Spanish people > named him nino blanco (little white boy). In those days > Mexico was a wild and dangerous place and the young couple > slept with revolvers under their pillows. > Adele and I visited San Miguel in February 1956 and the > three of us went on a short trip to Morelia and Patzcuaro. > Vivien seemed to be very happy in San Miguel where she had > made friends with other artistic people at the Institute. > > •••. > She left Mexico in March and returned to Toronto as she had > to find another job. > After her return from Mexico Vivien and a partner > Margot started a business they called ''Flair". They rented > space on the second floor of a building on Young Street. > Here they set up a display room with tables on which there > were settings of china, silver, table cloths, flowers etc. > > "We had people come to lecture on the correct win~ to > be used with various foods, Margot lectured on flower > arrangements and I on correct etiquette; the placement of > silver, china, napkins, ash trays, etc. for various > occasions. We hired a model to demonstrate how to walk, sit > and what to wear." The business was not profitable. It was > probably before its time and it did not last too long. > It was during this period that Alan Edwards who was > originally from Victoria and had been employed by Eaton's > became a close friend of Vivien. He was an artist and > inteiior decorator. Thei became engaged. > "It was Alan who persuaded me to leave Toronto and join > him and his mother in Dallas Texas where he had 1 work. He > said it would be a good place, for someone with my talents > and there was greater scope in the U.S.A. tha·n in" Canada". > Vivien accepted his advice, went to Dallas and became a > landed immigrant. She worked there for the nex~ two'years. > First for the Nieman Marcus departmental store and-then for > Lambert 1 s landscaping. From one of her diaries we noted that > while in Dallas she attended A.A. meetings and as she > certainly never had a drinking problem we suspect it must > have been because of Alan. > Early in 1958 she left Dallas for Puerto Rico. Aian had > proceeded her and had a good job doing interior decorating > for the Caribbean Hilton Hotel. He got Vivien work making > dresses for the waitresses at the hotel. These were very > well received, so it was decided that they would start a > business they named Carrib Casuals. Alan did silk screening > with Puerto Rican motifs and Vivien des'igned sports wear > which they sold to the shops. "I soid one outfit to Mrs. > David Eaton". We hired a young boy to help with the silk > screening and a woman to do the machining of the' dresses. > Their local help proved to be very unreliable and Vivien > became frustrated. Alan drank too much and Vivien could not > get along with Mrs. Edwards. She decided to leave Puerto > Rico and return to B.C. Her engagement broke off.· > When she arrived in Vancouver, Vivien was at a very low > r-'0 1'nt lo her career. She was broke and very depressed. • We > r'e,,, ~ > ,..Y 6 c..- 1-i·.,_.,..mother saying Vivien has lost all of her > -; pa. v- k > She rented an apart~ent in the west-end of the city > and landed a Christmas relief job at the General Post > Office. She also worked as a census taker, and found the > work extremely tiring in the wet cold winter weather. > > She heard of ~ possible job with the Canadian > Broadcasting Commission, applied for it and was hired for > their costume department. Here she designed and made > costumes for their productions. While with the C.B.C.she met > Josephine Boss who became a great friend. > > For the surnme~. mopths Vivien travelled to Banff Alberta > and worked in the Toggery Shop. It was here she made her > first contact with the Bahai Faith that was to have such a > great influence in her life later on. > In the spring of 1961, while in Victoria, Vivien met > Desmond Stanley. The Stanleys had been great friends of the > Combes in Hawaii many years ago and Desmond and his brother > Dermot had been .educated at the University School in > Victoria. Desmond persuaded Vivien to come to Honolulu > where he would sponsor her. She decided to go and Desmond > met her on her arrival in April. She soon got a job as a > nursing aid at the Monalaui Hospital. > In 1962 Adeie and I travelled to Honolulu to see her. > She was. still working at the hospital and owned a little > while volkswagen. She had settled down and made many > friends in the city. The warm tropical climate of the > islands ~mi ted her and she was her old self again,. > > In December that year her mother became critically ill > and Vivien came to Victoria to be with her. On January 9th. > 1963 her mother died and after the funeral Vivien returned > to Honolulu. During the past year she had again come into > contact with the Bahai Faith and had been attending > meetings. The ne~ religion had a great appeal and she became > a convert. > > Bahaiism is based on :the teachings of a Persian > prophet, Baha'u'llah. • He taught that religion must be the > cause and source of love and unity of all the people of the > world. He believed in the oneness of mankind, the oneness > of religion and the individual's personal search for truth. > His objective was to unite the people of the world under one > religion and one social order. There were to be no churches, > no clergy and the faith was to be spread by informal talks in > the homes of the people, > > Vivien felt that the life she had been living had > little purpose. She wished to bring her new religion to > others and in order to do so she felt she must learn a great > deal more about it. > > She therefore planned to go on a pilgrimage to Haifa in > Israel where the House of Justice, the headquarters of the > Bahai Faith was located. > In the autumn of 1964 she purchased an airline ticket > that would take her around the world. She planned to travel > across the Pacific to Japan, then across Asia to Haifa, from > there to Greece, then through Europe and home by the > Atlantic. It was her aim to meet Bahais in the countries > she visited and learn more about the faith so as to be > better able to spread her new belief. > > She left Honolulu in November and flew to Tokyo. Spent > some ten days in Japan, traveling as far south as Osaka with > a stop off in Kyoto. In these centers she was ~et and > entertained by local Bahais. She saw.puppet shows and was > impressed by the stories that were told by this means. Later > on Vivien was to use puppets in her missionary work. > > From Japan she continued to Hong Kong, came down > with a very bad cold and spent four days in bed. Her next > stop was Bankok, where the weather was warm, and she > recovered from the cold and thoroughly enjoyed the sights. > Vivien never went anywhere without meeting interesting people. > While in Bankock staying at the very posh Oriental Hotel she > met and went sightseeing with The Hon. Charles Strutt, a > cousin of the Duke of Norfolk, > Next on to Delhi where she took a side trip to Agra to > see the Taj Mahal. Next to Teheran and was met by Bahais, > staying with a wealthy family who had interests in Pepsi Cola. > They arranged a trip for her to Isfahan and on to Shiraz. > It was in the latter city that the Bahai Faith got its start > and Vivien visited some of the holy sites and also had time > to see the wonders of Persepolis. > Returning to Teheran Vivien flew to Tel Aviv and took > the bus to Haifa. Here with a number of other pilgrims she > stayed at the Pilgrim House and visited some of the shrines. > At Akka (ancient Acre) she visited· the place where > Bah'u'llah the prophet had been imprisoned and died. > Her next stop was Athens. Here she visited many of ·the > famous sites; the Acropolis, Delphi, Corfu, etc. She fell in > love with the country and found a special spot on the small > island of Porus in the Agean which she felt would be the > ideal place to retire to. English people were buying land > there and were planning to build. Vivien was so impressed > that she signed an agreement and made an advance payment to > purchase her dream home. More about this later. > From Greece she flew to Rome which she knew well from > her stay there in 1953. It was so cold, then midwinter, that > she headed south to Palma Mallorca and remained there for the > month of January. In February she was in Zurich, then on to > Frankfurt. In Hiedelberg nearby she saw Josephine Boss' > sister. Then Amsterdam in March and from there on to > Honolulu via Toronto and Vancouver. > > On h€r return to Honolulu Vivien continued acting as a > companion to elderly ladies. First there was a Mrs. Judd, a > member of on~ of Honolulu's oldest families. After her came > a Mrs. McCoy, a wealthy woman with a large estate and a > staff of about fifteen. She treated Vivien as a daughter . > > . Vivien also spent a lot of her time at the Bahai Center > and regularly attended the weekly meetings known as > "feasts", although they had nothing to do with. dining. They > were feasts for the soul! > > Time was passing and by July 1968 Vivien would be 65 > years old, She planned to retire and build a home on the > property she had purchased in Greece. For living expenses > she had a life interest in her mother's estate and after her > sixty fifth birthday would be eligible for the Canadian old > age pension and a U.S. social security pension that she had > been contributing to from the time she had become a landed > immigrant in Dallas Texas. However in order to receive the > Canadian pension she had to prove she must have lived in > Canada for at least 25 years and had been a resident for one > full year immediately prior to her 65th birthday. To meet > the latter condition she returned to B.c. and obtained > employment at the Toggery shop in Banff where she had worked > previously. > > After working for the summer months in Banff she and a > friend Margaret Cornelius flew to Prestwich Scotland, hired > a car, visited Glasgow and Edinborough, then headed south > for London. On the way they made a number of stops to visit > friends and relations. They arrived in London in October and > Margaret returned to Canada. Vivien spent several more weeks > in England. She mentions seeing her aunts Dorothy and > Mildred and visiting her'cousin Jack Combe, his wife Barbara > and their son Gerald, a lad of 19 who had recently graduated > from ''H.M.S. Worcester" to embark on a career in the > merchant navy. A Combe tradition! She also travelled to > • Greenwich to see Murray Rymer-Jones and his wife Molly. > > In November she flew to Athens and got a room at the > Greek House Hotel. She got in touch with Adrienne Allison, a > cousin of Patrick's wife Margaret .. Her husband Steven was > with Canadian External Affairs and they had two children. > In order to complete the purchase of her property in > Porus she traveled there by ship to pay the balance of the > purchase price and legal fees. There was some delay in > waiting for a draft from Yorkshire Trust. However the money > arrived and the deal was co~pleted. Vivien then had a > meeting with George Kelyvas, a local architect, whom she had > selected to design and supervise the construction of her > house. She was very disappointed to learn that the cost > would be a great deal more than .she had bargained for. > Kelyvas' fee alone would be $2000. She would have to delay > construction for at least two years to save sufficient > funds. > After several weeks in Porus, with visits to other > islands nearby she returned to Athens and the Greek House > Hotel. The weather had turned wet and stormy and Vivien > found that Greece in the winter was not, the idealic place > she had pictured. She suffered from a bad attack of asthma, > spent Christmas with the Allisons, travelled aro~nd southern > Greece and even considered the possibility of going to Crete > or southern Italy. It got colder and colder, ice formed on > the puddles in Athens and Vivien was coming to the > conclusion that the idea of retirement in Porus was a > mistake. Perhaps she would be better off in Canada or > Hawaii! She wired Adele and asked her to find her an apt. > to rent in Victoria from February 1st saying she would be > arriving in Vancouver in one weeks time. > On her arrival she confirmed that she had given up her > plan to build on the island of .Porus and retire there. Later > she was to donate the property to the Canadian Bahai > National Assembly. > She moved to Victoria to stay with an old friend Jose > Godman on Saxe Point Esquimalt and was to remain in > Victoria until September 197Z when she went to the island of > st.Helena as a Bahai missionary. > > These were the years when Vivien started to make > puppets and put on shows. She had been se~king a medium to > spread her Bahai religion and became convinced this could > best be done with puppets. She would design and make the > puppets then using her experience in the theatre, write the > scripts and direct the plays to illustrate the principles of > the Bahai faith. As always Vivien went all out on this new > project. She joined the Puppetiers of America and attended a > number of seminars in various centers in Canada and the > United States. She took a course in carpentry and learned to > make very excellent puppets out of balsa wood. She also made > a stage on which to operate them. > IQ > (_ I > > She rented a studio and wrote plays to demonstrate the facts > she wished-to 'portray and tried:to enlist and train > assistants :to work the.puppets~ The lattet proved to be ·her > greatest prob!~~ ·as she found it m6st diffi~ult'.to keep them > motivated. > Her first venture was with the B.C. Coast Indians. She > had read George Clutesits ~Son of Raven Son of Deer" and had > based her scripts on the fables of the Coastal tribes. > > She then set out with her Indian puppets to put on > shows for Indian Bands up and down Vancouver and the Gulf > Islands. Her shows drew good audiences in the villages but > she was disappointed when they did not produce many > converts. However, in spite of the lack of positive results > she persisted with her puppetry and put.on shows in Victoria > for mixed audiences. Adele and I attended one of these at > the 'War Amps hall on Fort Street and Oak Bay Junction. > As well as her work with puppets Vivien became very > interested in the Victoria Maritime Museum and became a > docent. > In the summer of 1969 She accompanied. Jose Godman to > England. Vivien visited a number of places in Wales and > attended a Bahai school held at Harleck Castle. She was also1 > > in Ayrshire Scotland, crossed over to nublin Ireland where > she took in a performance at the Abbey Theatre and went by > car through County Wicklow. She also mentions staying with > Combe relations and with Angela Beanlands the daughter of > Cannon Beanlands one of B.C's early clerics. > > On her return to Victorij?ihe rented an apartment at > 1418 Newport Avenue and broUght'out.some of the postessi6ns > she had left in Toronto in 1957 when she went to Dallas. > She lived here for the next three years and regularly held > meetings for her Bahai friends. She also entertained her > wide circle of friends from her earlier days in Victoria in > 'her tastefully furnished iuite. There were also frequent > trips to Vancouver when she stayed with us or her many > friends on that side of the straits. > One interesting evefit that took place in Augu~t. 1972 > was a tea at Vivien's apt. for Eva·Hart, who she had often > acted with some sixty years ago. For this event Vivien had > gathered together many of those from the theatrica1·world of > those days. To name a few; Eva, Noel Cusack, Archie > McKinnon, Eva Petch, Pierre Timp, Len Acres, Billy Tickle, > ( ., C' C l ~-' . j /~ I I....; '' .• - l i > In the summer of 1972 while attending a Bahai meeting > in Edmonton Vivien volunteered to become a ''Pioneer" (Bahai > missionary) on the very isolated island of St. Helena in the > Atlantic Ocean. This remote island located some 1500 miles > west of the African continent and 1000 miles south of the > equator is a British possession and is administered by a > Governor who is also responsible for Ascension Island 800 > miles north west and the Tristan da Cunha group far to the > south. It has no airport and can only be reached by ship. > It is served by ships of the Castle Line which sail between > London and Cape Town and call at Jamestown its only port > about every three weeks. > > The island's population is approximately 5000, of very > mixed racial origins. There is practically no industry and > very little agriculture so most of the food and all supplies > must be imported. In days gone bye it was the port of call > for many ships traveling to the far east but today it is a > backwater and the islanders have little opportunity. Some are > employed by the cable and wireless service that has a station > on the island and a few others find work on Ascension Island > where the Americans have an airport and satellite tracking > station. The British Government attempted to start an > industry growing hemp but it did not prove to be a commercial > success. > > The most noted event in St.Helena 1 > s history was it was > the place of exile for Emperor Napoleon after his defeat at > the battle of Waterloo, until he died there in 1821. > > Vivien rented her apartment in Victoria in September > 1972 and traveled to England. Just after she got there her > aunt Dorothy died and she was present at her funeral. Then > she flew from London to Johannesburg and after a short stay > there traveled on to Cape Town as she planned to leave there > by ship on Sept.27th.for st. Helena. This was not to be and > it was not until November 15th. that she could get passage > to the island as all ships were fully booked. However she > made the most of her time in Cape Town. She was very > impressed with the beautiful country, visited the wine > growing area at Paarl, traveled to the Cape of Good Hope and > viewed the city from the top of Cable Mountain. The only > thing she took exception to was the treatment of the blacks > and colored which she found very wrong and so much in > conflict with her Bahai belief. > > On November 15th. she finally set sail for St.Helena. > Vivien described her departure in a letter home; "The docks > at Cape Town were stretched out for miles it seemed, we > finally found our ship, the "Good Hope Castle", with > accommodation for 12 passengers. We sailed at noon and as > we headed out to sea we looked back to Table Mountain, then > stood on deck till Cape Town disappeared into the distance. > We weren't to see land again for three and a half days". > > She found herself in very good company as among those on > board were the newly inaugurated Archbishop of South Africa > and a Chief Justice who was going to St.Helena to take five > court cases. "My cabin mate was a girl from Tristan da Cunha > who was going to the island for a course in midwifery. The > trip was a pleasant one, the weather fine and the sea calm. > We seemed to be always eating or sitting out on deck > enjoying the sunshine." > > "On the 18th. we were all up on deck straining our eyes > to see the first outline of the island. Finally we saw a > large rock corning out of the mist. St.Helena appears a > foreboding place with its massive crags rising abruptly like > a huge black castle from the ocean. As we neared our > destination we could see what we had viewed in pictures; two > towering rocky bastions on either side of a beautiful green > valley in which the small town of Jamestown is prettily > nestled. We turned into the harbor and anchored. I could > now see the people on the quay. Nearly everyone comes down > there to see a ship enter the harbor. Soon small boats were > corning alongside to take us to the dock and as I landed I > looked into a sea of faces and then saw a young girl holding > onto a baby carriage. She said" Are you Vivien Combe". and > I knew it must be Barbara George. She introduced her husband > Basil. It was unbelievable! Here I was on the island of my > dreams at last and had just met the couple that were to > become two of my greatest friends." > Prior to Vivien's arrival there were only three Bahais > on St,Helena. The Georges and Cliff Huxtable, who was > Superintendent of Schools. It was her aim to seek converts > using puppets to create interest in the faith. The first > objective was to form a Local Spiritual Assembly which > requires nine members. There was a considerable opposition > from the Anglican Clergy on the island to her missionary > work and she had to be very careful not to publicly preach > her faith. However by putting on puppet shows and teaching > the making and operating 0£ puppets to the children in the > schools she was able to reach her initial objective in six > months and by the time she left St.Helena in August 1974 > there were some twenty active Bahais on the island attending > their weekly "feasts" (meetings). > > Vivien's first residence was at Yon's Cafe, but it > wasn't long before she found a house to rent and moved to > Adam's House on Market Street where she was much more > comfortable. She moved several more times before she left > the island. Vivien soon started to work on her puppets and > in order to put on shows she needed a stage. With the help > ot- Ri·c~c,,,..,1 ·1vc1n'f<'r-C<- L),-,hn ,· vJhv h,,d c:,rili\'C c·,,'l}-,,e_ 1s./qnJ > they constructed one out of packing cases. It was made so > il-.a1'-it":eor.-~.-1c..\·,:t>_-:.;.,l--r b~ T-.:cv,<2-i t:ip-.,r-t c,....,,1 >'r1('.,'c-Jlt..-c,V1p\c,ccTZ- > place by car. > > Tranter was not able to stay on st.Helena for long as > he could not find work there. Vivien had started to give > classes in the schools on puppetry to both the teachers and > the older children and soon she was putting on shows for > both adults and children. She was able to use a large hall > in the ballroom of the old Consulate Hotel which seated 400 > for her adult show,s. These were often packed. > > She also put on shows for children in a big room in her > house. The youngsters sat on the floor. Very often there > were knocks on her door and she would find children who > would ask the "Puppet Lady" when there was to be another > show. > The themes Vivien used for her shows were quite varied. > She did a historical play about Napoleon's life on the > island and went to very considerable trouble to dress the > puppets in authentic costumes and produce background scenery > for the period. In this connection on the invitation of the > French Consul to St.Helena she visited Longwood the estate up > in the island's center that had been where the Emperor had > lived. She was taken through the buildings and shown > pictures and records of Napoleons stay and the Consul agreed > to record on tape an introduction to her play. > > For the children she used traditional small plays > based on nursery rhymes and biblical stories and for her > Friday firesides she attempted to portray basic Bahai > beliefs. > Her social life on St.Helena was very limited and was > almost entirely with her Bahai fellow believers. There was > little social contact with the official v.r.Ps. who tended > to treat her as a rather unwanted missionary whose work > would unsettle the islanders. As for the islanders > themselves, who were very like children, there was of course > no intellectual bond. > After Vivien had achieved her aim of forming a Local > Spiritual Assembly in May 1973 she began to think her work > was complete and the time had come to plan her return home. > She had to renew her visitor's permit at that time to > November 1973. However she decided to stay on. She > continued her work, saw her Bahai flock increase until there > was a solid group that would persist in spite of the > opposition of the Anglican Church. When her visa expired > again she actively tried to seek a passage to England. This > became quite difficult as one of the Castle ships serving > the island was lost by fire. It wasn't until August 1974 > that she finally left the island for London and then home > to Canada. > She arrived in Vancouver in September and stayed with > Adele and me for about two months. During this time she > traveled to Victoria, gave up her apartment there, sold > her furniture and belongings and then headed for Hawaii, > where she had decided she would make her home. > > Vivien continued to live in Hawaii, from the spring of > 1974 until early in 1986 when she returned to Victoria. > During this period she embarked on two more missionary > expeditions. The first to the South Pacific from September > 1978 to March 1979 and the second to the island of Malta > from February to October 1984. More about these two trips > later. > In Honolulu she continued her work with puppets, > putting on shows to promote her Bahai faith. She also spent > a great deal of her time at the Bahai Center, where she > handled the mailing out of information to Bahai centers > throughout the world and also occupied herself with > maintenance including flower arrangements. Vivien kept up > her prodigious correspondence with close Bahai friends whom > she had met during her travels and from time to time > attended important Bahai conventions in Canada, the U.S.A. > and around the world. For instance in 1977 she made a second > pilgrimage to Haifa and during the trip stopped off in > England to visit Barbara George and family with whom she had > shared so many experiences in St.Helena. As well Vivien > visited her friends and family in B.C. In 1983 she took in > the 75th anniversary of the founding of St.Margarets > School where she had been one of the earliest pupils. There > she met many of her friends of many years ago. > Adele and I visited Vivien in Kaneohe Oahu in 1977. She > was sharing a house with a friend, Kay Ruggles. We found her > in good form, still very much occupied with her good works. > > It was in the next year that she started off on her > second missionary trip to teach her faith using puppets. > This was to the islands of the South Pacific, Australia and > New Zealand. She flew to Pago-Pago in American Samoa then > crossed the straits to Western Samoa where she took part in > the laying of the foundation of the first Bahai House of > worship in the South Pacific. She traveled to Tawara, in the > Gilbert Islands to stay with a couple Sam and Lynde Tranter. > Sam was the brother of Richard Tranter who she had known in > St.Helena. They had a lovely home built after the style of > the Gilbertese Murishas (meeting houses), with the sides > open to the lagoon beach. She spent a week with the Tranters > who were Bahai pioneers and put on three puppet shows. In > the Gilberts she traveled to different atolls and villages > with eight other Bahais to give concerts that included > singing, dancing, guitar playing and the puppets, which the > villagers called "dollies". > > "They joined us in the maurishas to listen and watch." > Vivien wrote. "Then they entertained us with their singing, > guitar playing and old and new dances." She added l ~ I > slept outside on the deck of the catamaran. It was simply > beautiful. I have never seen so many stars!" > > At one time when the catamaran went off to another > island, the rest of the group traveled from place to place > by motorbike, by truck and once by bulldozer. > Bahai friends in the villages brought them gifts of > coconuts, papaya, bread and fish. Some of the fish were bony > and some not good to eat but the Gilbertese knew which were > good and how to cook them. > > It was in the Gilberts that Vivien gave a radio talk on > her puppets. Sometime later a young Gilbertese university > trained school teacher, who heard the talk, came to ask her > how to make puppets and how they worked,as he wanted to > teach maths with them. > Leaving the Gilberts Vivien went to Australia where she > did some teaching in Sidney and Melbourne, before visiting > Norfolk Island about 1000 miles east of the Australian > mainland. Norfolk was originally settled as a penal colony > but later the "Mutiny of the Bounty" people were resettled > there from Pitcairn Island. Vivien wrote that she met Peter > Christian, a direct descendent of Fletcher Christian of > Bounty Fame and put on a puppet show for the school > children of the island in their only school. She also did a > puppet show in Peter's home for his family and invited > friends. > Next came five days teaching puppetry and giving a show > at the Bahai summer school in New Zealand before continuing > on to Nuku'alofa Tonga. She spent a month here. It was > quite frustrating at first as she did not receive much > assistance from the local Bahais. Adele and I paid her a > visit there in February 1979 and found her staying at a > guest house run by an islander named Sela. We remained in > Tonga for three weeks and spent our time exploring the > island with Vivien and hearing all about her experiences in > the South Pacific. After we left for home Vivien was able > to find more help in her teaching with the puppets and did > shows on Tongatapu and some of the outer islands. She left > Tonga at the beginning of the second week of March, spent a > couple of days on the island of Nauru and arrived back in > Honolulu on the 13th. She had found her South Pacific > experiences stimulating. She had taken a great number of > photographs and on her return to Hawaii was able to assemble > these and lecture about her successes in teaching with > puppets. > Vivien moved into an apartment on Ala Wai Terrace and > resumed the life she had lived before her South Pacific > trip, continuing her work at the Bahai Center and attending > the weekly feasts. There were however changes taking place > with the Center's administration. Younger members of the > group were becoming more active and were taking over > responsible positions and oldsters like Vivien were feeling > rather left out. > > In July Vivien left on a visit to B.C. arriving in > Vancouver on the 11th. and leaving for Victoria the next > day. Betty Shaneman met her at the ferry and they drove to > her flat at Dunsmuir House on Esquimalt Road. As Betty was > leaving for Denman Island the following day she left Vivien > in charge. Vivien stayed on for the following eight days > and looked up a number of her old friends. Nora Paterson had > suffered a stroke and Vivien went to see her at the Jubilee > Hospital. Nora didn't seem to know her. Jose Godman was > also at the Jubilee and Vivien saw her too. Michael > Johnstone drove her out to John and Liz Barclay's to collect > two portraits of her that had been stored in their attic. > One was of her as a child and the other by Mike Orr showed > her with a low neckline, smoking a cigarette. We have never > been able to trace these portraits. On the 20th. she took > the train to Courtney where Betty met her. They drove to > Betty's home on Denman Island and stayed there four > days,visited Hornby Island and then drove back to > Victoria. Vivien stayed on in Victoria, visiting other > friends and attending Bahai feasts. Then back to Vancouver. > > Early in August she left for Akron Ohio for a puppet > seminar. On her return learned that Nora Paterson had died > and together with Adele and I attended the funeral. After > this she returned to Honolulu. > In 1980 her old friend Eileen Stanley died. In May 1981 > Vivien again came to B.c. and left for Chicago to attend a > large Bahai convention. > Vivien was in Vancouver again in August 1982 staying > with her great friend Josephine Boss. Patrick, Margaret and > the children were staying with us at the time. We had > arranged that Vivien would meet the rest of us at Mother > Tucker's restaurant for supper and this was the first time > we realized that Vivien had become quite forgetful and > confused. She stayed on in Vancouver until September then > traveled to Montreal for a Bahai meeting. > In May, the following year she was staying with > Josephine again and we began to hear rumors that she > intended to go to Malta as a pioneer. This was the most > disturbing news as we felt she was now rather too confused > to head to this far off spot. > Back in Honolulu Vivien was able to return to her > apartment in Ala Wai Terrace, > In June/July 1985 she spent a month in Victoria and > Vancouver trying to decide if she should continue to live in > Honolulu or return to B.C. Her choice was Hawaii where the > climate suited, where she had so many friends and got so > much enjoyment and comfort from her religion. > We however were becoming very concerned. For her age > she was in excellent shape but mentally her memory was > failing badly. We did not oppose her return but I wrote to > her great friend Lil Hollinger to ask her to keep us advised > if Vivien's condition worsened. > > By the following winter Vivien was finding that living > alone in a small apartment in Honolulu was becoming > difficult for her. Her rent had increased dramatically and > she became worried that she had sufficient funds. > In February she gave up the apartment and returned to > B.C. On her arrival we noted how badly her memory had > deteriorated. She had a friend in Nanaimo and thought she > might live there but after a visit decided no. > > We took her to Victoria and found an apartment that she > liked in Beckley Manor on the Dallas Road. Here she was > beside the sea, not far from Beacon Hill Park and within > walking distance of a shopping mall. She moved in. > > In Victoria Vivien had a host of old friends and there > was an active Bahai Community. We believed she would be > happy there. She remained in Beckley Manor for the next two > years. > During this period she made one short visit to Honolulu > to see her old friends there. > Her problem became her continuing loss of memory. She > became lonely. She often forgot invitations and so saw less > and less of her old friends. Her Bahai involvement became > less also. > we consulted the Social Services people who advised she > should move to a home where she would be with more people > and have her meals and other services provided. > > Roger found a vacancy at Glenshild Lodge, a residential > hotel on Douglas Street near the Parliment Billdings and not > far from the City center. She moved there in May 1988 and it > remained her home for the following two years. > She got on quite well at first but as time went on she > began to need more care and this the hotel could not > provide. > > Roger again took on the job of finding a home where > more services were given. Through Social Services he > obtained a vacancy in the James Bay Lodge on Simcoe Street > and Vivien moved in on April 1990. She is there today. Her > physical condition i~ still very good but her memory has now > quite gone. She recognizes Roger, Adele or me when we go to > see her but does not connect our relaionships to one > another. However she is happy there and her disposition > remains friendly and caring. The staff like her and she is > very considerate and kind to the other patients who know her > as the "nice lady". > Vivien is still cloths conscious. One day Adele bought > her two nightdresses, warm ones with ruffles at the sleeves > and neck. Vivien took one look at them and remarked; "These > are the kind that little old ladies wear!" However she > remembers nothing atall about her exciting and adventurous > life and to us this is so tragic. > Here lives a woman who was so talented. Someone with a > host of friends all over the world, someone full of life > and always willing to accept challenges. She is now > spending her final days in a place where there is only > monotony and sameness. However we must be thankful that, in > spite of other problems, she retains her sense of humor and > can still whistle beautifully the favourite tunes of days > gone by. > > God bless you" VING TWINKLE" > ADDENDUM > > About five years ago Vivien broke her hip and consequently > spent about a month in the Jubilee Hospital. She was next > moved to the Mount St Mary's Hospital on Burdkt Street. > Here she was much less mobile and spent her time in a wheel > chair. Gradually her condition deteriorated and her mind was > more confused.About 2 years later she did not recognized us > However one day, at lunch time she was sitting at a table in > the dining room. Adele came and stood in the doorway looking > for her. Vivien suddenly looked up and on seeing her said. > "There is Adele''· We were amazed and Adele went over and > gave her a big hug and sat beside her. On the other side was > a nurse feeding a patient. She pointed across Vivien at > Adele and said;"Miss Vivien who is that?" Vivien replied; > "Dont point it's rude!" That was the last sensible remark we > heard her make! Since then she only garbled nonsense. It > was tragic to see her in such a state but we were thankful > that the staff took such good care of her and always kept > her immaculately groomed. No one could have been kinder. She > had been in hospital for five years when we were informed by > her doctor that the end was near. We could only feel it > would be a merciful release for her. > > Vivien died at 3 a.m. January 16 1996 > > Mr Guy Barclay > 3216 West 27th Avenue > Vancouver BC V6L 1W8 > DATE: May12, 1981. > > To: Local Spiritual Assembly of the > --------------- > Bahn'is of Honolulu, Hawaii > It is cy specific and carefully considered request that in the > > event of my death I be buried in the Baha'i Garden of Light in the > > Hava11an Memorial Park, Koneohe, Hawaii or nearest burial place within one hour's travel > time from place of death I furthur request that > > all Beha1 i laws and directives on death and burial be dutifully > > observed. > > o~ all arrs.ne;ecents with respect to services, funeral, and burial and > .•• that the Local Spiritual Assembly ca.rry out this request with lovinc > '' > care in accordance with Baha'i Scriptures and customs and that all > > . well oca.ning and interested :f'riends and relatives refrain from inter- > > . ference n.nd deviation from r:ry ovn wishes which arc: > > Flowers or Contributions fl1wers frem n1n-lihi 1 is; c1ntriauti1ns frem laha'is. > --------.--------------' > Music, if desired Yes, •sweet Scented Streams• > . • '··~·.•• > ..... > '~ • > ' > '• .. > ______ > , > > Type casket desired ----------- > cheapest ,Precessien, if desired No , > " > Open or closed coffin display cl1sed , Single or joint burial with > no > ---------------- > graveside , > , Service (chapel, r,raveside or > > ------------ > oeoorial) Nnoes and addresses > Mrs. GuyBarclay, 3216 27th Ave., Vancouver,B.C., or Yorkshire Trust Co., > be notified: W. > of persons to > > Victoria, B.C., or Mrs. E. Hollinger, NSASecretary, Hawaii, Tel. 595-3~14 > Other instructions: Musical selection •Fascinatio! .' > > I Leave all unspecified details and all unforseen events to your > > d,iscretion, knowina and requcstine tho.t the u,cal Spiritual Assenbly > > will execute them in oy best interests and in o.ccordance with your > > _•_d_~---- > duties. > > Signed __ ft_~_• > ,:.._u_ /,L.oL'4 .-.J(i c~. _ > > I - Be) 8 -- 3 7 3 - 2 + > — *The Story of Vivien Combe (Used by permission of the curator)*