Parkhill House Dyce

Parkhill House in Dyce Aberdeenshire was the home of Florence (Dolly) Crombie, nee Showell.

Dolly was the younger sister of Hannah Pitt Downing by some 19 years, born in 1874.  She married James Edward Crombie on 4 Sep 1895 in Enville, Staffordshire. The Crombie family are most famous for the Crombie coat.

Parkhill House Dyce, Aberdeenshire

Dolly’s niece, Mary Downing was a visitor on a number of occasions to Parkhill House. Indeed she is shown to be resident there at the time of the 1901 census. Another guest at that instance was Dolly Crombie’s brother Harry Showell (later father to Hugh Showell).

The attached postcard is signed “with love from Aunt Dolly Crombie”. Mary was almost certainly a bridesmaid at her Aunt’s wedding.

Another group of photos depicts a Fishing Party, probably from about 1898. Here the group are fishing beside a lake. Dolly Crombie’s elderly father Walter Showell is identified amongst the guests as well as her husband ‘Uncle James’.