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Nightingale of yesteryear Joan Fromant, as she was then, met Alavi Macan Markar for the first time in 1939 when he came to Cambridge to read for a degree in Economics. The following year when she was just 20 the world changed. On September 3, 1940 came the breaking news that Britain had declared war on Germany. "We thought that we were doomed as Hitler had already taken over most of the Scandinavian countries, so we were quite alone, it seemed," she recalled. Since she was in the first age group to be called up to either join the forces or help with war related work, she joined Pye Radio, to help produce 50 radios a day to be used in tanks. Mrs. Macan Markar also joined the Volunteer Detachment of the British Red Cross, where she had to do nursing when British troops in France were brought back to London. "We even learnt how to extinguish fire bombs," she said. Life in wartine Britain was not easy. During the entire duration of the war they were each given 26 clothing coupons per year, she recalls. On rare occasions, there would be an announcement of a sale of shoes. Immediately a queue about a mile long would form but, unfortunately only the first 100 would be lucky. Only people living in the countryside could rear and therefore indulge in eating chicken, said Mrs. Macan Markar. All other food was rationed. "Although it sounds like we led quite a dreary existence, we lived quite happily," she smiles. As Alavi had been a cadet when he was a student at Royal College, Colombo, he had a knowledge of weapons and army training and was hence appointed to teach at the Volunteer Aid Detachment of the British Red Cross.This detachment consisted mainly of soldiers over and under age to join the National Forces, who were meant to protect each little town by fighting the enemy, until reinforcements were sent. "Alavi was supposed to give them some training as some of them hadn't even touched a rifle in their lives," she said. Having moved in with her cousin in Epping, she recalls how they had been sitting, reading the paper in the garden when the Germans had bombed right up the River Thames the first time. They had seen the whole of London in flames. From this day on, Germany had bombed England every day for several months. She also recalls the German POW camps run by the American allies, and provided with American rations. "Many POW's would trade chocolates for cigarettes with the English children outside the camp, as chocolate wasn't freely available.” Joan Fromant married Alavi Macan Markar in 1941 and though both their families initially disapproved, they soon came around. In 1945, Sir Mohamed Macan Markar (Alavi’s father) booked their passage to Ceylon.With only two weeks to prepare for their departure, the young couple boarded the 'City of Exeter', which was to be their first passenger ship to Ceylon. "It was a very slow and tedious journey, because we were being escorted by a convoy of destroyers to protect the passengers from Japanese submarines,” added Mrs.Macan Markar.They finally arrived in the island by ferry in June, three months after their departure from England. Then, taking a train down to the Maradana station, they were met by many of Alavi's brothers and brothers-in-law. "I was a bit nervous to meet my in-laws for the first time”, but, taken to her father-in-law's residence, (where she lives still), she was greeted by the women of her extended family who welcomed her warmly. Gradually feeling quite comfortable amidst the Macan Markars, she was soon renamed Farida, after the wife of King Farouk of Egypt. Even with the passing away of her husband six years ago, Mrs. Macan Markar was content to stay on here as she is quite accustomed to the local way of life. Having raised two sons and two daughters, who are currently living abroad, she's also the proud grandmother of five grandchildren and two great-grand children. |
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