This memorial website is in everlasting dedicated memory of  our loving mother.
(Betty) Biography BFI Film Network (The Betty Stewart Story.) Registered Copyright 2022. Film Script Hub & other published works dedicated in conclusion. 

Mrs Elisabeth  Stewart - Kelbie, was born on  the 18 May 1934 in Bellwood, Royal Deeside.  Our mummy was born into a large musicial, Romany Gypsy family with it's roots in Lewis, Skye. Record's have been located traced by Elgin City Council, we are deeply very grateful to the researcher's in Elgin City Council archives for the data leading to the first world war in 1914 to 1916.  Many family members joined the Aberdeen Gordon Highlander's our thanks  to the Gordon Highlanders Branch Aberdeen. And  the former Aberdeen Police Court.

During the great depression in Scotland, there was much poverty; the welfare state was reformed covering the education  needs of children from all family background's and walks of life, including Romany children. Very little information was found on our mother's early years' although she was taken into care during 1937' and placed in the children's home in Aboyne.  There she received  the very best education while having access to her family. Records kept by the former Borough Parish Council's confirms our grandparents James & Elsie, resided in the area as such children had to be sent to school.  The main focus was educational based and she was free to stay with her parents providing she attended parish church school. This was the Church Of Scotland in Tarland, and also Aboyne and Towie, every romany child had to attend church school's  romany residential traveller's sites are recorded by the Parish Kirks  on the 09 September 1870. Our great grandparents Donald Stewart & Grace Stewart are recorded.

The work house's in Perth also stored data on the Stewart side to our family.

During the out break of world war two, our mother steadfastly became a gifted writer by the age of nine along with art and social history subject of current affairs of that time, and she developed a demand to improve in her living standards while in the Gypsy Encampment at Bellwood. Farm work was not for her' her mother Elsie, our grandmother wanted her to be inspired in art and writing, her father and brother's who had much work on local farms and often our grandfather James performed his musical Scottish Highlander's  Bagpipe's in the former market town of Tarland. He was an deeply complex young man' who had seen much conflict during 1916 while in France at the western front, including the sad deaths of three other family member's who died in the great war.  Many Romany families  sadly were taken into care during the conflict in France on the home front.  Our family went through so much loss, our grandparents James & Elsie children are  Allan 09/05/1930, &  Alexander, 17/08/1932.  Andrew, 29/03/1936. Helen 18/09/1939 & Agnes. 

Despite  encampment raids  - despite the great depression and the second world war our grandparents came under the spotlight all too often by the state. There are no care records apart from Brough Council education records. 

It is clear from the historical data and official records they loved life as children' in Royal Deeside, while our grandfather 'James' kept in contact with family in Kinstore and in Aberdeen area, he was an very private man, and our grandmother Elsie, kept our family together accordingly' taking great care to her children's welfare.  I have studied the data on our loving grandmother Elsie, she had a very strong powerful energy in the sole protection of keeping her family together throughout  bad period's in British history. 

Leading into the 1950, period a new generation of youth's to our family would change the course of time for so many whom became victim of racism and most cruel abuse ever inflicted; history reveals many care proceeding's in two generations  linked to our father's family before 1945. Non Connected till 1958. On the 04 March 1961, they were married at the Aberdeen Register Office. Our father ' Alexander' (Sandy) was a factory worker in Aberdeen Docks. Many family members resided at 5 Castlehill Barracks Aberdeen.

During the period of the birth of the Rolling Stones and Sir Cliff Richard, and Adam Faith, the Four Tops and  the Beech Boys,  Aberdeen was also undergoing radical changes our parents indeed first met at the music ballroom in Union Street  Aberdeen.  Family appear to be highlighted accordingly they moved to Dundee during 1957 by then, they had three children and on the 18 November 1957 Alexina, was born at Maryfield Hospital Dundee. 

Father's family hail from the Banff area noted, in the first records throughout the former police counties. 1730 to 1960s Orgins recorded (Hawkers  & Tinker) stereo type clan of outlaws from the county Brough's throughout the North East regions of Scotland.  Nairn archives' reveal intensive family roots to ref:ST/AB/14/10/2011. Our greatfather Francis Kelbie who married Agnes Robertson on 15/5/1906. 

Many family members on our father's family had settled in Tayside and the former Tinsmith trade was secured to Dundee's history books and is an thriving, outstanding tribute to the national metal industry today. Inspired by our family connections  to our great uncle Richard Kelbie,  and Francis who is stated employed as a general scrap dealers. Many well - known names in the scrap metal industries kept to its family connection's to Peter Atkinson's principles on a national scale although Peter, (retired) sucess lives on throughout the markets establishing the family name 'KELBIE' as Scotland's leading experts in the trade only a few named scrap metal businesses remain to maintain everlasting success story. From Wandsworth London, to Knockholt Kent, our family name maintains its cultural status in our birth - right is itself a tribute to its historical sucess while many claim, there is nothing left of Scotland's romany tinsmith trade they can be sure it's here today triving throughout Tayside and Scotland.  I have thanked Peter and hope he is enjoying his retirement in Surrey.

We thank  Dundee City Council archives for the information on our late grandfather Hector Robertson - Kelbie. Many family members resided in the Arbroath area before 1930.

A clear track record is accountable through the former Police Court and Dundee Sheriff Court mainly on our  grandfather Hector. While in Dundee our father changed his job to Itinerant Scrap Dealer. Sadly on the 16 or the 24 November in 1958 at 9 Pennycook lane Dundee a police raid took place in the home of our parents and Lissie and Alexina were injuried on the premises' admited to hospital with our mother who was also injured during arrest. Child Welfare Officer the late Ms Ruth Haring former Barrister at Law, had placed Jayne (AKK) Jeanie, Elizabeth - Elsie - Alexina into care at the Dundee Children's Shelter. A application to the family court eventually commenced in early spring 1960 however Alexina was fostered and sadly was abused in care and died on the 31 August 1960 in Dundee aged 2 years. 

Our sincere thanks to the former Police Officer enfold in that arrest & retired Police Officer's from the Sub Police  Station Perth Road, Pennycook Lane Dundee. Our thanks and dedication's to the late Sheriff John Christie, Dundee Sheriff Court Family Court Judge and  subquent discharge order 23 - 28 May 1960, of the (KELBIE CHILDREN). Back to our parents at 9A Hutchinson Street, Aberdeen in July 1960. The charge of child neglect was  also discontinued by Sheriff Christie and it was considered by the arresting Police Officer' Alexina had been also discharged and returned to our mother in Aberdeen. No data was ever recorded by the Dundee County Council, on Alexina's death the arresting Police Officer, considered case closed and all ended well for Betty although he had forgotten our father's name the injury to Alexina was a minior fructure to her right wrist he was unaware of the foster proceedings during that time. 

From late 1960 period family members were far from happy concerning the plyite of their loving devoted sister our mother's brother's had taken Alexina's death to matters of the heart. Likewise our father Alexander's family showned far greater contempt for the law enforcement officer's in Grampian for sometime. 1961 Aberdeen Press & Journals' had published far greater details on all family members including unfolding events that lead to further care order's being made I conclude every loving member to our family became depressed by our late sister Alexina's death each family member stood their ground and many sadly lost their lives in horrifying circumstances. From those archive report's in Aberdeen nobody could had foreseen the sheer distruction to our family,  we had arrived many decades on into 2014, with massive success unfolding in securing a far greater everlasting loving dedication's we never recovered the photography of the late Sheriff John Christie with our mother and sibblings.
We never recovered any official photo's of our loving mother' we uncovered their story their version of accounts despite care proceedings nothing destroys the love and bounding of motherhood and accordingly during many arrests at the 'Mercatt Cross' in Aberdeen, something deeply special remains  a voice for children was indeed born while many joined the CND claiming (Ban The Bomb) was a far better cruise aid more important than children's welfare, as of yet' the only real international crisis that has in fact came true is on the sheer billions of people suffering from the effects of historical child abuse.  Time has proven our mother to be standing on secure foundations she was correct regardless sober minded or not.

She was not intoxicated all the time, with her cherry red wine hidden, under her demi jacket' perhaps one more drop of red wine will cure the pain. Her public outburts much to  the disapproval of  Grampian Police Officer's and Sheriff's gave her the edge towords bravery who utter the words murder - murder  made no clear connection to the younger woman who was seen as a liability to the state rather than a spectical in her time, classed as a tinker with mental health issues a violent woman drunk and unstable. Such degrading treatment forced on all family members was indeed very well published in the Scottish People's Archives and Scottish Records Office.   Unstable she was mentally ill yes but honest and loving sincere and kind no questions asked nobody cared  her ethical demands to see her children in care only resulted in more arrests and wrongful imprisonment to HMP Corntonvale Stirlingshire. 

Linemoor Children's home Cults Aberdeen became her vocal point even in 1964 telephone conversations where recorded in local council's. Mother's had no right's in her independent circle of best friends she was able to build new friendship with female police officers from Elgin, they came to agreement between each other; that they understood  there was a duty of care for vulnerable women who became a risk factor, the arrests stopped and our mother secured the trust in WPC P.P. 

A Press Report Dated Wednesday November 13, 2013 Oxford, confirmed my plea for people to come forward who independently knew our mother.

I wanted to find our mother for myself! everyone knew her while I didn't.  I did not deny my sisters or older family member's my sisters' - knew I would find out for myself in my own time.  Email's from our mum's friend is safely stored she inspired others to come forward with data and information the horse had bolted from the stable gate and many people came forward.  The headlines during the 1961 period, confirms her strong ability to mastermind her faith in securing the truth six decades on after the event  our mum never died she is with us today and for always her life was documented but at what cost! and why did it take six decades for her story to be revealed in the many secret archive report's now domain suitable for discloser purposes for researcher's to see. I became aware as her loving devoted son to shink my tears in dismay and sadness while in study for the first time the truth was handed over to me file by file was brutal reading although there was no real bad publicity before 1961.

Our mother is remembered by our family till this day' Christmas reveals home truths tales of gypsy encampment raids total destruction to a romany culture family way of life that is far better to be kept filed at Kew Gardens.  Indeed gypsies often failed to secure the same friendship bridge once seen in the woman police officer towards our mother, while she had nothing to live for confident of family reunions and a hot meal in the police cell's often did the trick to try and and secure memories giving far greater explanations of her soberly state of mind. There is Peter and Jayne Elsie and Charlies and Elizabeth and Isobella cousin Martha's children in care never to see the likes again one more drop of wine heals the pain nick - nick 'your under arrest Betty'! shame on you police officer's in their shining black brouges or worse still black army boots saw her as easy prey for the cells in Lodge Walk.
 
The public have been of great help giving account to that of the same as the retired Police Officers whom knew her as a friend. She is highly dedicated today, by those who  knew her very well. Her legal right to have a memorial was arranged in October 2017 and her 'motherhood memorial' is at the (children's section) Trinity Cemetery Aberdeen. 

Still a few recall the lucky white heather  girl who only greeted and showned warm love to everyone who met her they turned their heads in the other direction and did not believe her.
Further reading: Duchan Williamson (The Horsieman) Biography.  Dedicated to Grandfather Hector and Grandmother Lissie Whyte Royal Braemar. Aberdeen Press & Journals Archives. British Newspaper Archives.