Norah Beatrice, inherited the philanthropic interests of her Protestant Irish parents. After a year at Westfield College (near her parents' house in Hampstead) she trained in social work under Octavia Hill, the founder of the Charity Organisation Society and pioneer of new principles of social policy aimed at helping the poor to become independent. Norah's special interest was in housing management run on the lines laid down by Miss Hill, and still widely followed. Her work (voluntary, of course) was mainly in Southwark and largely took the form of case work - getting to know and to understand the difficulties her tenants were facing and advising them how to overcome them so that they could avoid getting into arrears with their rent. She was for a time a resident at the University Women's Settlement there until her marriage in 1908. She resumed her housing management work when the family moved to Edgbaston, and the children were older. Norah was also a great reader - mostly of biographies and novels but also of books on other cultures. India, Japan and Africa were special interests. Above all, she was a devoted and loyal wife and mother. Family life she cherished above all else.

Reprinted from: Lidderdale, Halliday Adair, The Descendants of John Lidderdale 1783-1845, 1988 unpublished manuscript.

Invitation to golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. F.G. Adair Roberts (courtesy of Natalie Pitman, England)