Nancie's First Romance with Bill Park

Nancie left Kilmacolm School when she was about fifteen and went to work in an office at Hurry Brothers in Greenock. She found it very boring but it was probably then that she met Bill Park. He was several years older than her and she considered herself 'engaged' to him when she set off for Baghdad in 1929. On her return he bought her a ring and the engagement became official. Bill Park was at sea and travelled the world on the Prince Line, eventually becoming Chief Electrician on the 'Southern Prince'. In 1930 Nancie went off to Le Havre, in France to work. They kept in touch by letter and when Bill met a girl called 'Tissie' he asked Nancie for his ring back. She happily sent it to him but regretted it later. Bill and Tissie had a son, David but sadly she died of cancer in her thirties. Nancie considered that her early courtship had been a good life-lesson. She had her principles and wasn't going to give up on them, even with a ring on her finger. Other people, she decided were not so principled. She believed in marriage but it had to be with the right person and one who shared her moral principles. She had seen unhappiness in a marriage and wanted something better for which she was prepared to wait! Her faith and her strong moral sense kept her safe through many romantic adventures. Both jobs, in Baghdad and Haft Kel were in isolated places where females were in short supply. No wonder Nancie was never short of an escort or a dance partner!