In 2004 the Hutton Rudby History Society acquired the scrap books of Miss Winifred Rachel Blair (1890-1951). 

The three books convey a vivid picture of life in Hutton Rudby in the early 20th century and as the cuttings contain many local names are likely to be of interest to people whose family lived in the area at the time. 

Winifred Blair's mother's parents were George Young Blair (c1824-1894) and Margaret Borrie (c1836-1888). 

George Young Blair's engineering company, Blair & Co, made marine engines in Stockton. 

He married Margaret Borrie in 1862 at St Hilda's, Middlesbrough.  She too was from a Scottish family - one of the cuttings in Miss Blair's collection dates from 1840 and relates to Peter Borrie & Co of the Tay Foundry, Dundee, the firm that built the Forfarshire (whose crew were rescued by Grace Darling in 1838).  Margaret Borrie had a brother named Peter, and two nephews Albert and Walter Borrie. 

After her death George Young Blair married Miss Marian Bower, who was born c1855 and died in 1943, having outlived much of the family. 

Winifred's parents were Mary Young Blair (known in the family as "Minnie") (c1867-1935) and Percy Alexander Field Sadler (1866-1906). 

Percy Sadler was the eldest son of Sir Samuel Sadler (1842-1911), industrialist, mayor of Middlesbrough and Member of Parliament.  Winifred's scrap books include cuttings relating to various members of her father's family, including:  Sir Samuel's half brother Stanley Aubrey Sadler and his brother Alfred Edwin Sadler of the Ulverston works (c1857-1922); her uncles Gerard Gloag Sadler (killed in the First World War), Hereward Sadler (Lt Col 6th Dragoon Guards); Cecil James Sadler; and Basil Sadler of Lanchester and his daughter Margaret. 

Percy Sadler became the head of Blair & Co and took the name Blair after the death of his young brother-in-law, Peter Borrie Blair, who died of typhoid in 1891.  He was George Young Blair's only son and Percy and Mary's change of surname must have been intended to perpetuate the name.  Unfortunately Percy and Mary had only one son themselves and he was killed in the First World War. 

On her mother's side, Winifred's aunts were Florence Jean Blair (c1869-1917) and Margaret Amy Blair (c1870-1907). 

Florence Blair never married; the scrap books contain her obituary by Major Fairfax-Blakeborough. 

Margaret Amy (known to the family as Amy) in 1899 married Smollett Clerk Thomson, sub-agent at the British Linen Company's Bank at Leith.  They had two children, Monica Margaret Amy Thomson and Alastair Blair Smollett Thomson.  Amy died eight years after her marriage and her husband died in 1915 at the age of 53.  As a consequence it seems that their Hutton Rudby aunts were of importance in their upbringing.  Alastair became a barrister and married in 1927 Beatrice Walton of Yarm. 

Winifred Blair grew up at Linden Grove, at the edge of the village (now called Linden Grange).  She was the eldest of five.

Margaret Florence died in 1901 aged 9 and the only brother, named George Young Blair after their grandfather, died in 1915. 

Marian Elspeth Blair (known to her family as Elspeth or "Timmie") died in 1934 aged 35.  She was married to Maurice H Jones, whose parents lived at The Hollies, Stokesley.  She and Maurice lived Harrogate and had one son, Dan.

Katharine Mary Blair married Felix Temperley Roche in 1918 and had three children: George Campbell Adair Roche, who was killed in the Second World War; Daphne, who married Lady Dorman's son Basil Webster; and Susan, who became a nun.  Felix Temperley Roche died in South Africa; Katharine died in 1964 at the age of 67. 

Winifred herself never married.  The cuttings show her love of theatre (amateur and professional), music, Shakespeare, the Lake District, rugby and cricket, as well as her many voluntary and charitable works.  She died aged 60 in 1951.