The Scottish War Memorials Project

[jamiemcginlay]

Houston - Renfrew District
UKNIWM Ref no. 44697

The Houston war memorial is a grey granite celtic cross with wheel-head and boss. There are celtic designs carved into the upper face and sides of the cross, and a simple cross cut into the back. The cross stands on a tapering pedestal which ascends in three steps. The names of the WWI dead are carved in relief on the face of the shaft. The names of the WWII dead are carved on the face of the pedestal. The monument stands at the top end of the village on Carochan Road.
Judging by a number of letters which appeared in newspapers after the Great War regarding the siting of war memorials the roadside shrines which were a feature of northern Fance and Belgium seem to have left a lasting impression on many returning soldiers who felt that the sense of peace and sanctuary often found in such locations was the ideal for such monuments. Renfrewshire which has a countryside resembling a tapestry criss-crossed with minor roads, with fields surrounded by hedgerows and interspersed by woods, has a number of fine memorials which encapsulate this ideal with memorials such as this one at Houston, and at Kilmacolm, discovered among trees by the wayside.







WWI ROLL OF HONOUR:
Andrew Robert
Barr Archie Lochhead
Barr Matthew
Boyd William
Bradley Thomas
Bryce Alexander
Buchanan Willie Hunter
Campbell James
Dooley Daniel
Ferrier Alexander
Fraser James
Gillan William
Kidd John
Lewis William
McCorkindale Dugald
McIntyre Donald
Watson Alexander S.A.
Webster Harry M.M.
Whyte John Scott M.C.
Wilson Hugh
Wilson William


WWII ROLL OF HONOUR:
Barrie James Wood
Carey Thomas
Ferguson William
Harvey Hugh
Imrie Peter
Johnston Thomas
Meechan Daniel
Webb Henry Trevor

[alexmaclennan]

This is what I recorded for UKNIWM


The memorial is a celtic cross with wheel which is on a 3 tiered base. The WW1 names and dedication are carved onto the bottom of the shaft of the cross. Above this is intricate carved celtic knotwork panels with a central boss in the cross. The WW2 names and dedication are carved onto one of the base tiers. Approximate height of the whole memorial is 3 to 4m. There is a simple, knotted cross incised on the back/north face of the cross. The memorial is built in a round enclosure reached from the road by two steps and surrounded by a low stone wall. There are open fields beyond. The memorial lies at the top of a hill within the village close to a hotel and village school. The memorial faces south, down the hill. The memorial lies on the B789 also known as Barochan Road/Main Street, within the village.

WW1 Names of the fallen are generally arranged alphabetically by surname. Forename, middle initial, surname and decorations given. Rank, regiment or unit, place and date of death not given.

IN MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO FELL IN THE WAR
1914 – 1919
ROBERT ANDREW
ARCHIE LOCHHEAD BARR
MATTHEW BARR
ALEXANDER BRYCE
WILLIE HUNTER BUCHANAN
WILLIAM BOYD
THOMAS BRADLEY
JAMES CAMPBELL
DANIEL DOOLEY
ALEXANDER FERRIER
JAMES FRASER
WILLIAM GILLAN
JOHN KIDD
WILLIAM LEWIS
DONALD McINTYRE
DUGALD McCORKINDALE
ALEXANDER S.A. WATSON
JOHN SCOTT WHYTE M.C.
HUGH WILSON
WILLIAM WILSON
HARRY WEBSTER M.M.


WW2 Names of the fallen NOT arranged alphabetically by surname. Forename, middle initial, surname given. No decorations given. Rank, regiment or unit, place and date of death not given.

1939 – 1945
WILLIAM FERGUSON
HUGH HARVEY
HENRY TREVOR WEBB
DANIEL MEECHAN
PETER IMRIE
THOMAS CAREY
JAMES WOOD BARRIE
THOMAS JOHNSTON


alex
_________________
alex maclennan

[DelBoy]

[Adam Brown]

We've had information from a relative of William Lewis, who is listed on this memorial, that he may have been either a Marine Engineer or an Electrical Engineer and that he may have died in March 1915 while on active service aboard a ship that went down with all hands in the North Sea.

There are two men with the name William Lewis who died in 1915 whilst serving in the Mercantile Marine but neither fits in with the information the relative has.

His family details were:

Born on 17th September 1887 at Houston, Renfrewshire.

His parents were William Lewis, a doctor b. 1849, died July 1891 and Annie Johnston Lewis b. 1850, died 1926.

Can anyone help verify if this is the correct William Lewis and what ship he was on?

Adam