In the midst of a Dundee winter, an unexpected arrival was born miles from the homeland her parents were forced to flee.
Hoai-Linh Clark’s parents were among many Vietnamese “boat people” who found a new life in Scotland after a gruelling sea voyage to escape the post-war Communist regime in the early 1980s.
As her 32nd birthday approaches, Hoai-Linh, nicknamed Tina, has been investigating the strange circumstances of her birth and discovered the first picture taken of her was snapped by The Courier.
Setting off from Vietnam on June 21, 1981, her refugee parents, Hoa Thi Pham and Toan Van Vu, were rescued from a small wooden boat three days out in the South China Sea. The family had no water.
There were 158 people on the 36ft-long boat and during their time at sea one man drowned and an old woman died.
Thankfully for the rest, a British ship found them and after a brief stop at a Singapore refugee camp, where Tina was conceived, they arrived in Montrose in October 1981.
Tina’s mother and father were housed in Charleton House, a country manor in Montrose, along with 250 other Vietnamese.
Finally they had beds to sleep on, donated clothes to wear and the Vietnamese families took it in turns to cook for everyone.
There were also English classes run there and volunteers would take the families out to watch football or to the beach.
On January 20 1982 the day Tina was born her mother, Hoa, was taken to get coats and warm clothes.
Tina said: “When they left Vietnam, they weren’t prepared for the Scottish winter.
“She was so excited about getting a coat, which she longed for having come from a hot country where she had never seen snow before or experienced the cold weather that Scotland had to offer.
“She was also due to move into a new house having spent months in a refugee camp. When her waters broke, she wasn’t aware of the imminent birth because I wasn’t due for another month and in her poor upbringing, education was a privilege given only to the eldest son.
“She continued her day, determined to get her new coat and move into her new home despite being in the later stages of labour.
“In the car on the way to her new house, my mother experienced labour pains and communicated this to the Dundee helpers mostly by miming.”
The volunteer who drove Hoa to Ninewells Hospital became Tina’s godfather. After contacting the Courier, an article came to light along with what Tina believes is the first photograph taken of her.
We reported she was the second “boat baby” to be born in Dundee, with three being born at the Montrose estate.
Tina said: “After featuring in the newspaper article, there was an influx of visitors and donations of baby clothing, which my mother was so grateful for.”
The family moved into a large, new house in Ormiston Crescent, Dundee, which they shared with two younger aunties and another family of three.
“My mum remembers how lovely the people of Dundee were helping us get settled. There were a lot of volunteers and translators. They liked Dundee and found the people very welcoming,” said Tina.
The family stayed for two years before moving to London, where they still live, to find new work.
Hoa now owns a beauty salon and Tina is a financial analyst and lives in Bristol with her husband and children.