The correspondence and memorabilia of Lady Daisy Isabella Couchman

Daisy Isabella McMahon, was born on 15th January 1875 in Waterford, Ireland, the eldest daughter of Lt Col Donat Edmond McMahon and Isabella (Bella) McMahon. She had three brothers and three sisters.

The family moved around various locations in Scotland and England, eventually settling in Bedford where Daisy went to school. It was here that both her parents died and are buried.

She spent some time in Edinburgh, where she was offered an appointment as governess to the chidren of an Indian Maharaja. So, in 1901, Isabella set sail for India to take up this appointment. In the course of the outward voyage, she was swept off her feet by Francis Dundas Couchman, a rising star in the engineering profession with Indian Railways. Within three days of their meeting, she accepted his proposal of marriage.

The appointment with the maharaja was not a success. A set of Daisy's letters relating her experiences are held by the British Library in London. She quit the appointment after six months and was married to Francis Couchman in Rajkot, Gujarat on 2nd January 1902.

They had two children, Doris and Verity. The latter was badly injured at a very young age when her pony slipped and fell on her, causing a stroke. Francis was knighted in 1918.

Daisy was an avid letter writer. This website details the experiences of Daisy and members of her extended family, as revealed by her correspondence up to her death in 1966. It reveals the highights and tragedies of colonial life in the first half of the 20th century.

Please note that this website and its content are copyright - © Bob Hindley 2020. All rights reserved.