General News
4 August, 2026
Alexander McCall Smith with Val Dwyer
Alexander McCall Smith is world famous for his ‘No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,’ films, books and audios — also The ‘44 Scotland Street,’ series, which provides an entertaining commentary on a small corner of modern life in Edinburgh, where contrary to conceived wisdom the sun nearly always shines.
He was born in Zimbabwe and educated there and in Scotland. He is the author of over 80 books and his work has been translated in to 42 languages. For many years he was Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh University.
After my trip to Scotland in 2017, a friend bought me Alexander’s book ‘A Time of Love and Tartan’.
On reading it I realized many of the tales in my memoirs were similar to Alexander’s, so I sent him two copies and received an appreciative and kind answer from his personal assistant, Lesley.
Lesley and I continued our correspondence over the next few months and when I was planning my 2018 trip with my grandson Kristian and his son Connor, I wrote to ask her if it was appropriate for us to call at their publishing house address nearby to our accommodation.
She said she worked from Alexander’s home and that he would be away in Botswana.
When we were in Edinburgh, I got an email from her saying she and Alexander had looked at his diary and they would be happy to see us for half an hour — so he was home from Botswana and unexpectedly, we were to meet him.
Two of my U3A friends and I had heard Alexander speak in Ballarat several years ago. I never forgot his personal philosophies of the importance of kindness, thank-fulness and good manners. These shine through in all his novels.
Arriving at Alexander’s home, we buzzed at the security gate and Lesley welcomed us at the front door where she graciously invited us in and Connor started to crawl up the carpeted staircase. We all followed and she said to Connor, “Which room do you think we are going to?” as Connor accidently, correctly chose Alexander’s study/writing room.
He came forward to meet us addressing Connor, asking him how old he was. After introductions we all sat down and Lesley made us a cup of African tea.
Alexander gave Connor a copy of his children’s book, ‘Hari and His Electric Feet.’ We gave them a selection of Aussie gifts.
I related how I had ordered his audiobook ‘A Time of Love and Tartan’ from the local library, borrowed and re borrowed it until they told me I couldn’t have it again. I said to Bec at the library, “The best way is to ‘lose’ it, then to pay for the loss, then I will own it.”
“Yes,” said Bec, “but it will cost you $120.” I returned the audio. Now in 2026 I have my own copy. I listen to the ’44 Scotland Street,’ series every day.
I told Alexander that I loved his audio books as the Scottish accents don’t mean the same on the written page. I commented that audio book narrators were amazing. They never stumbled or stuttered over words and he described how it takes a lot of work and people input to gain such perfection, especially when the readers have to change to the opposite sex or children’s voices. He asked Lesley to find us some audios, which she did, Scottish ones and African ones.
Alexander suggested that Connor might like to go downstairs to play with his grandson’s pedal car, so Lesley took Connor and Kristian down to the kitchen.
The pedal car was an antique toy. He also played with a train set.
Alexander and I had a few minutes alone. He said he had enjoyed my memoirs, but hadn’t read the whole book. He commented that I had a very interesting life and asked if I still lived on the hobby farm.
He commented on Chapter Eleven — ‘Annulment’. I told him that I was raised as a Catholic, but not practicing anymore, I now consider myself an enlightened Catholic.
He asked me if I had read ‘A Fortunate Life.’ I had of course. He was impressed that the author Albert Facey had overcome so very many difficulties but considered that he had a fortunate life.
Alexander said the first Australian town he ever visited was Cairns, which he loved.
He thought Australians were very friendly recalling how he had gone in to a pub in Cairns and had been heartily greeted by the bar tender, whom he never forgot.
Kristian came back, leaving Connor with Lesley. He and Alexander had a good interchange.
Before our holiday Kristian had never heard of Alexander. I gave him ‘A Time of Love and Tartan’ to read on our travels. He absolutely loved it and was ecstatic when I told him we were going to meet him.
Kristian told Alexander he really enjoyed the six-year-old hero Bertie, of ‘44 Scotland Street,’ and his outrageous mother Irene, who took over Bertie’s Steiner School production, deciding that the children should perform ‘Waiting for Godot,’ by Samuel Beckett.
I asked, “What is Bertie’s future? Is he going to grow up?” Alexander said he wasn’t sure yet and I said, “He might stay forever young, like Oor Wullie.” (Our William — a comic strip character from my childhood days in Scotland and still published weekly in the Sunday papers to this day. Oor Wullie features on the walls of the gaming area dunnies, at our local Highland Society.)
A.M.S’s study/writing room had two walls of books floor to ceiling, one was all windows and the fourth featured magnificent paintings. I just wanted to stare and stare but couldn’t do so of course.
We knew it was such a privilege to be there and wouldn’t think of asking if we could take photos. I had seen A.M.S. in this room, in one of the emails he sends to his readers, when he was describing how it was lovely to be home after his world travelling, being in his own space surrounded by his own things.
A.M.S. then took us into another room lined floor to ceiling with books and told Kristian and me to choose anything we wanted.
I chose, ‘The Quiet Side of Passion’ an Isabel Dalhousie novel and Kristian chose, ‘The Revolving Door of Life.’ There were piles of books on every surface. He picked one up saying, “I am keen for you to read this,” as he handed it to me, — ‘Chance Developments’ — ‘Unexffpected Love Stories.’ I thought, “Oh yeh…. Some sort of lovey, dovey thing”.
Kristian and I both read it before the end of that day and I realized why A.M.S had said, “I am keen for you to read this”.
The first of the five short love stories, ‘Sister Flora’s First Day of Freedom,’ was about a Glasgow nun who had ‘Leapt over The Wall,’ leaving her convent in Glasgow, going to Edinburgh, having afternoon tea at Jenners, where she intended to buy socks and find a husband.
Kristian hadn’t heard of that controversial book, ‘I Leap Over the Wall,’ written by Monica Baldwin who entered a convent in 1914 and left during the Second World War, when it was unheard of for a nun to leave the convent and write a book about the inside story.
‘Chance Developments,’ is available at the Maryborough Library.
The first page of ‘Sister Flora’s First Day of Freedom’ states, “They did their best to be generous to Sister Flora when she left the convent, but the dresses they gave her left something to be desired. There was a small suitcase, a sponge bag of toiletries and an envelope containing fifteen pounds”.
I love Alexander’s W.H. Auden quote in his Author’s Note, ‘If equal affection cannot be, then let the more loving one be me’.
Alexander’s love story, ‘Sister Flora’s First Day of Freedom,’ — going to Jenners to buy a pair of socks and find a husband, has a lovely ending.
I digress, we are still in A.M.S’s book room. He fossicked in a cupboard and found me more audios, so I now had seven.
He then signed several copies of ‘Feel Glorious’ a limited edition booklet of his poetry, for some of my friends.
We were aware that Lesley had allotted us half an hour and it was three quarters when we left. I knew that A.M.S’s time is precious as he writes 5000 words a day while home in Edinburgh.
Alexander and Lesley bade us farewell and we said we would find him next time he visits Australia. Kristian said later that visit was one of the most important events in his life and that, “We were in the presence of a great man.”
After reading ‘Sister Flora’s First Day of Freedom,’ Kristian insisted that we go to ‘Jenners’ for afternoon tea — and to buy a pair of socks. I had previously (the week before) pointed out ‘Jenners’ opposite Sir Walter Scott’s Monument in Princes Street, telling him that it was the oldest independent department store in Edinburgh, founded in 1838 by Charles Jenner.
I said I already had 97 pairs of socks, but I wanted some knickers. After enjoying the food, history and atmosphere of the ‘tea shop’ we found the lingerie department and Kristian and Connor waited outside for me. I wasn’t very long, “I’m not paying $26 — $40 (the equivalent in £’s) for a pair of knickers you can shoot peas through.” Kristian had never heard that expression and thought it hilarious. He has been keeping a record of ‘Nana’s Sayings.’
After meeting A.M.S. and Lesley, Kristian, Connor and I visited Scotland Street, a short bus ride from the city centre.
We approached from the bottom end and there it was, No 43. We knew there would be no 44. We took photos of 43 and the Scotland Street sign, then meandered up the middle of the cobblestoned road, snapping different views and angles.
A friendly cyclist called out in broad Scots, “Are you looking for 44?”
I called out, “We know it doesn’t exist,” and we all had a good laugh, then I added, “We’ve just been to meet Alexander in his home.”
He called back, “You’re lucky,” not dismounting, riding uphill, wobbling on the cobblestoned road.
Dear Val,
Many thanks to you, Kristian and Connor for coming to visit us on Monday morning. It was a real pleasure to meet you all, and Sandy very much enjoyed his conversation with you. We will certainly let you know if he is likely to be in your area during his next Australian tour. In the meantime I hope that the rest of your visit to Scotland goes well and that you have a smooth journey back to Australia.
Connor is a lovely well behaved little boy, who is a credit to you all.
With very best wishes,
Lesley.
Amazingly, on his next tour to Australia, Alexander had a stop over in Castlemaine. We were so happy to see him again. We were given free tickets to attend and sat with his wife Elizabeth.
To quote Kristian, “Things happen when you’re with Nana.”