[taken from Chapter 9 Manx Worthies, A.W.Moore, 1901]

EMILY MARIA GAWNE, nee MURRAY (b. 1814, d. 1889),

the second daughter of Colonel Richard Murray and Catherina Bacon, and great granddaughter of John, the third Duke of Atholl, was born at the Hill's House, in Douglas, but spent most of her young life, till she was married to Edward Moore Gawne (see p. 75) in 1835, at Mount Murray. Till her father in-law's death in 1837, when they removed to Kentraugh, she and her husband lived at Ardairey in Arbory. When once settled at Kentraugh, she inaugurated the systematic plan of almsgiving which she carried out during the rest of her life. Her charitable deeds, though munificent, were never spasmodic, being thoroughly well directed, and organized in a business-like way. An instance of this is afforded by the benefit society in the parish of Rushen, which she instituted in 1843. Again, during the time of the Irish famine, when there was great destitution in the island, she started a shop where tea, groceries, and other necessaries were sold at cost price, and she also gave employment to a number of people in spinning and weaving wool. Before the introduction of public elementary education in 1872, she largely supported the girls' school. in the parish of Rushen, and she was mainly instrumental in building the new church at Port St. Mary. A true lady bountiful, she was regarded with affection, mingled with profound admiration and respect for her pious and amiable life. In her relations to her husband, her family, and her friends, she was in every respect admirable, and she performed the duties of hostess with dignity and affability. To commemorate her goodness and kindness to the poor, a slained glass window has been erected in Rushen parish church, the subject of which is very appropriately The Raising of Dorcas."