One day in 1961, a young Scottish nurse arrived in the Himalayas with a suitcase.

Her name was Alison Clark, and she had travelled all the way from Glasgow to start a new job in the Lucia King nursery. Over the next 10 years, Alison became a core staff member at Dr Graham’s Homes. She cared for dozens of babies and infants who were destitute or had lost their parents – including a young Lolly Raphael, a close friend of our charity (you can read more about Lolly’s story here).

Sadly, Alison passed away in 2024. But, after her death, her family discovered a box of slides that she had taken in Kalimpong many years ago, during her decade of work at the Homes. The photographs, which Alison’s family have kindly allowed us to reproduce below, provide a fascinating glimpse into life at DGH and the kindergarten in the 1960s.

“Alison’s motivation for going to India was, first and foremost, her Christian faith,” explains her younger brother, Ian. “The Homes enabled her to fulfil a long-held dream of working with children and improving their lives by preparing them for their graduation from nursery to primary school.

“I think Alison would like her time at the homes to be remembered for her hard work and dedication to her “tinies” and the young Indian girls she helped to become qualified nursery nurses.”

You can read the full story of Alison’s journey to Dr Graham’s Homes, and her time with the young children, in this article in our Stories section: Alison’s Story