The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

DerekR · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:25 am Post subject:

Only one word - Superb!

The parish of Tweedsmuir was created from Drumelzier parish in 1643. The first minister was Alexander Trotter, who ministered without a church for the first four years of his office, received no stipend during his time there and died in 1661, after having been in “not only a dying condition, but likely to be smothered in a ruinous house”.
A few years later, during the “Killing Times” John Hunter, a covenanter was “cruelly murdered at Core Head by Col James Douglas and his party for his adherence to the word of God & Scotland’s covenanted work of Reformation 1685”. His gravestone can still be found in the present churchyard, as also can a memorial to over thirty men who died during the construction of the Talla Reservoir between 1895-1905.
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:50 am Post subject:

What a beautiful church memorial. It would be interesting to know more background to the memorial since so much work has been done on it.

It looks like the scrolls on the doors of the roll of honour say "Their name liveth for evermore" on the left and the old Covenater slogan "For God, For King and For Country" on the right.

Only one Tom Welsh is commemorated on this memorial but there atre two Tom Welsh memorials in the church. The KOSB Tom Welsh is listed but the South African Forces Tom Welsh isn't. Does that mean the SAF Tom Welsh had family connections to Tweedsmuir but was not a parishioner so is not commemorated? He was born in Edinburgh.

Adam

IanA · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 949

Correct about the scrolls Adam. (The one on the right actually says "For God, For King, For Country" - no "and").

It looks to have been professionally designed and expertly made. Very crisp and confident carving. The small kirk history which is available says nothing more than the obvious. It would be good to find out more!

The second Tom Welsh must have been a cousin - I rather hoped SDGW might have given us that extra bit of info as it so often does.

DerekR · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:09 am Post subject:

Interestingly (and as usual - very frustratingly), the name of John Law Wilson does not appear on the Tweedsmuir panel at the Peebles War Memorial.

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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.

ADP · Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 467 Location: Edinburgh

From The Scotsman 21-Sep-1920.

WAR MEMORIALS

TWEEDSMUIR:— A beautiful memorial shrine of carved oak from a tree planted by Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford, and modelled from Melrose Abbey, was unveiled and dedicated within the porch of Tweedsmuir Church on Sunday by Lord Glenconner, Lord-Lieutenant of Peeblesshire, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland, Dr Thomas Martin. Amongst those present were Sir Donald Maclean, M.P.; Sir Henry Ballantyne, Lady Milligan of Polmood, Mrs Jean Lang, Major and Mrs Holtby, Dr W. H. Wesh, Bridge of Allan. The church was crowded. The memorial contains the names of fifteen men belonging to the parish who gave their lives to the war, and twenty-five men who returned to their homes.

ADP

Mike Morley · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 4:40 pm Post subject:

Name: BOOTH, PATRICK DICK
Initials: PD
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery, 26th Bty
Awards: DSO, MC, Mentioned in Despatches
Date of Death: 2/12/1917
Age: 31
Additional Information: Son of Jessie C. Booth, of Aligarh, Liberton, Midlothian, and the late Patrick Booth.
Panel Reference: Panel 1
Memorial: Cambrai Memorial, Louveral

Also named on Peebles War Memorial.

Mike Morley · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:34 pm Post subject:

Name: BROWN, ALEXANDER COSENS
Initials: AC
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Service Number: 7733
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots, 1st/8th Bn
Date of Death: 22/5/1916
Age: 26
Grave Reference: I E 10
Cemetery: Maroeuil British Cemetery

Also named on Peebles War Memorial.

In his book, "Life and Times in the Upper Tweed Valley", Andrew Lorimer, who spent much of his life in the area, recalls Alec Brown, "Alec was killed in the Great War. He had been the postman and delivered over the hills from Tweed to Fruid, Menzion and Talla by foot. I have a very early memory of him running and winning the hill race in 1911."

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

WMR 80820

Mike Morley · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:34 pm Post subject:

Name: GOODFELLOW, J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Service Number: 335228
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots, 1st/8th Bn
Date of Death: 19/5/1917
Grave Reference: I K 18
Cemetery: St Nicolas British Cemetery

Also named on Peebles War Memorial.