A 104-year-old woman residing in an Edinburgh care home has been emotionally reunited with a traditional Korean outfit she wore almost a century ago, now a cherished exhibit at the National Museum of Scotland.
Mary Davidson Smith, who was born in Korea, embarked on a remarkable journey across the globe before settling in Edinburgh to raise her two sons. Her distinguished career included service in the Royal Navy, during which she was posted to Washington DC, where she met her husband, Charles Wynard Davidson Smith, a British Army officer.
Upon their move to Edinburgh, Ms Smith generously donated the traditional Korean garment, crafted for her by her nurse during her early childhood, to the National Museum of Scotland. It has since been a prominent feature in the museum’s Patterns of Life gallery.
Staff at Care UK’s Murrayside home in Corstorphine learned of Ms Smith’s heartfelt wish to reconnect with the garment. They promptly arranged a special trip to the museum, where officials provided a private tour of the gallery, culminating in her reunion with the significant outfit.
Reflecting on the experience, 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." She was warmly welcomed by Dr Friederike Voigt, the principal curator overseeing the west, south, and south-east Asia collections.
Dr Voigt commented: "It was wonderful to have the opportunity to welcome Mary to the museum and reunite her with her outfit. Comprising a hat, bag and a wraparound jacket – known as a chimageogori – it’s a charming example of traditional Korean dress, or hanbok. We are grateful to Mary for her generous donation."
Ms Smith’s poignant experience was facilitated through Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to articulate their dreams, enabling them to revisit past hobbies or embrace new experiences.
Suzanne Welsh, the 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. It was such a wonderful day surprising Mary with a visit to the National Museum of Scotland, where she was able to see the outfit in person.
“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. It was a very special day filled with pride. A huge thank you to the museum team, especially Friederike, for helping to arrange the visit and bring such meaningful memories back to life."
