The Venerable Margaret Sinclair 1900-25
The only modern Scottish woman to be considered for Sainthood
She was born the third of six children to Andrew Sinclair, a dustman with Edinburgh Corporation, and his wife Elizabeth. The family lived in a three-roomed third floor flat with a shared toilet at 13 Blackfriars Street. This street was a slum containing every social problem, but the Sinclairs were a respectable, hard working, devout Catholic family struggling to make ends meet.
Margaret was baptised and confirmed in St Patrick’s Catholic Church in the Cowgate and attended St Anne’s Catholic School. She was always laughing and full of fun and was well known for being very kind to all the local children. Margaret comforted and encouraged their mother, when their poverty got her down, and taught her brothers to help in the house without being asked, and to do as they were told without being asked twice! She always helped her mother at home and did the jobs that were the most difficult, or that no one else wanted to do.
Margaret left school aged fourteen and worked as a French Polisher at the Waverley Cabinet Works. She worked hard and efficiently, and was highly valued by her employers, while liked and respected by her colleagues, because she had the sweetest nature and showed great consideration for everyone. She was an active Trade Union member and helped campaign for equal pay for women doing the same work as men. Unfortunately this campaign was unsuccessful.
Margaret always went to Mass and Holy Communion in St Patrick’s Church before she went to school and to work, and spent a lot of time in prayer. After a year of serious consideration, Margaret entered the Convent of the Poor Clares in London on 21st July 1923. The Poor Clares live a very simple life in considerable poverty and are vegetarians. She received the habit on 11th February 1924 with the name Sister Mary Francis of the Five Wounds. She made her first vows on 14th February 1925 but soon afterwards was diagnosed as having Tuberculosis of the throat.
She died on 24th November 1925 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. In 2003 she was reburied in a beautiful shrine in St Patrick’s Church, Edinburgh.
In 1930 the process for her canonization started. In 1978 she was declared Venerable, because she had lived a life declared to be heroic in virtue. The Pope will finally declare her a saint when it can be proved that she has performed a miracle.
Morag Liebert
Sources:
Forbes F. A. Margaret Sinclair in Religion Sister Mary Francis of the Five Wounds. London: Sands & Co., 1927
Barry D. E. “The Kind Girl.” Margaret Sinclair. Catholic Truth Society of Scotland 1957
O’Brien F. The Cheerful Giver: Margaret Sinclair. Slough: St Paul Publications, 1989
Johnston F. Margaret Sinclair. Pamphlet published by The Franciscan Friary, 5 South Gray's Close, 40 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TQ, 1990
Brave J. Margaret Sinclair. London: Catholic Truth Society, 2001
