Bathgate (Upper) Station [Image by Ben Brooksbank, Wikimedia]
Wednesday 16th February 1916: Two Bedford children who have been missing since last Thursday have been found safe and well in Scotland. On Thursday eight year old Allan Wallace, got into some trouble at home. With the romantic idea of saving him from the consequences of his naughtiness his thirteen year old sister, Norah, decided to take him away. That night they went to London where they spent Friday, before taking an overnight train to Edinburgh. From Edinburgh they began to walk to Glasgow, a city Norah knew where she thought she would be able to get work. On Saturday night they stayed at the railway station at Ratho; the next day they continued their walk and reached Bathgate where they spent Sunday night in the waiting room. The porters suspected something was wrong and informed the Inspector of the Poor who got a kindly woman to look after them. Norah refused to give any information about their identity until yesterday, feeling that although she now regretted running away they must carry out their plan.
The news that they had been
found came while their father Donald Wallace was in London following up a
report that the children had been seen at St. Pancras Station on Friday
morning. He immediately left for Scotland to collect the children. Norah’s
parents describe her as a “remarkably good, bright, and clever girl”. During
the time they were away the children lived on just one shilling. Norah took
great care of her little brother, wrapping him in her jacket at night and
keeping him from any harm.
