In February 1977, there was a warm welcome for a South American family who fled their country and travelled 3,000 miles to live in Blantyre!
The previous home of the Raby family was in the Chileean Capital of Santiago. James Raby was a successful young economist working with the government in Chile living with his wife Lidian and their children there.
Then, in September 1973, there was a coup and James along with many others was wrongfully imprisoned. When he was eventually released he had to find work wherever he could.
“We wanted to get out”, his wife told Hamilton Advertiser reporters.
“In October 1976, we managed to get out the Country and went to London where we lived for 3 months before going to Wishaw to live with another Chilean family. After a month, we were told there was a house for us in Blantyre and so we moved here to Fernslea Avenue in February (1977)”
Their move was assisted by Councillor McInally and Father Demsey of St Josephs and Rev Allan Paterson of the Congregational Church.
When the family came to Blantyre, they had nothing. They left Chile with only what they wore and in modest sized suitcases. All the furniture in the house in Blantyre, came from donations from the people of Blantyre. They community rallying and treating the family well, with respect.
I understand that James took a post graduate degree at Glasgow University and hoped to continue as an economist. I don’t know what happened next in this story, but I hope the Raby family thrived in Lanarkshire!
