A 104-year-old care home resident in Edinburgh has been joyfully reunited with a traditional Korean garment she wore as a young child nearly a century ago. Mary Davidson Smith, born in Korea, donated the outfit to the National Museum of Scotland decades ago, where it now forms part of the Patterns of Life gallery.
A Life of Adventure
Ms Smith led a remarkable life, born in Korea before moving across the globe. She served in the Royal Navy and was posted to Washington DC, where she met her husband, Charles Wynard Davidson Smith, a British Army officer. The couple eventually settled in Edinburgh, where Ms Smith raised their two sons.
It was during this time that she donated the traditional Korean outfit, made for her by her nurse when she was a toddler. The ensemble includes a hat, bag, and a wraparound jacket known as a chimageogori, a charming example of traditional Korean dress, or hanbok.
Wishing Tree Initiative
Staff at Care UK’s Murrayside care home in Corstorphine learned of Ms Smith’s wish to see the garment again through the home’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to share their dreams. Determined to make it happen, they arranged a special trip to the museum.
Ms Smith was given a private tour of the gallery by Dr Friederike Voigt, principal curator for west, south, and south-east Asia collections. Seeing the outfit again, Ms Smith remarked: “I felt like some sort of celebrity! It was so nice to see the dress again, it was a lot smaller than I remember.”
Museum and Care Home Collaboration
Dr Voigt expressed her delight at reuniting Ms Smith with her donation. “It was wonderful to have the opportunity to welcome Mary to the museum and reunite her with her outfit. We are grateful to Mary for her generous donation,” she said.
Suzanne Welsh, home manager at Murrayside, added: “No matter how big or small, we always aim to make residents’ wishes come true. When Mary shared her desire to see her childhood outfit once again, we knew we had to make it happen. The trip was incredibly emotional and nostalgic, reconnecting her with cherished memories from her early years and bringing a piece of history vividly to life. Seeing Mary’s face light up with delight was truly heartwarming.”
The reunion was made possible through the collaboration between the care home and the museum, highlighting the power of community and remembrance.
