Sylvia Joy Fitzgerald was born in Dharim-sala, India in 1921. Her father was a British tea plantation owner and her mother was from Melbourne. Sylvia had an Indian nanny until the age of nine, who taught her Hindi. After this she went to boarding school in Switzerland and finished schooling in England.
Her entire family moved to England in 1937, and she joined the British Navy as a WRAN. She transported troops and did office work stationed in Scotland during WWII. After the war she worked for the British spy agency, MI5 for 13 years.
In 1962, Sylvia’s mother wanted to back to her homeland, so they boarded the Himalaya where they met John Alva. Sylvia and John married in 1963.
Sylvia and John had no children. Sylvia performed opera in both England and Melbourne and almost became an opera singer. She was also interested in art and did a number of drawings and watercolours. Sylvia and John were spiritualists, interested in holistic healing and the teachings of Rumi. Later in life, Sylvia volunteered for Meals-on-Wheels, enjoying cooking for people and serving her community and was an avid recipe collector.
Sylvia had many stories about life in Pakistan, including Leopards attacking tea planters and wounds being tended by using petticoats for bandages.
Sylvia Alva