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Balmaclellan Crimean War
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
Posts: 4991
Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:43 pm    Post subject: Balmaclellan Crimean War Reply with quote

WMR 44345
OS Map Ref NX 65160 79131

Location is behind Balmaclellan Parish Church.

This memorial cannot be seen from the road or on approaching the church. It is at the opposite end of the church to the entrance. As you approach the church door, there is a path to your right, follow it to the end and the memorial is in front of you.

(edit) This has now been identified as the only civic Crimean memorial in Scotland and is therefore Scotland's oldest civic memorial.

















Last edited by spoons on Mon Dec 10, 2018 11:17 am; edited 3 times in total
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spoons

Well spotted. A civic Crimean War memorial, I didn't think such a thing existed!

Thanks for posting this

Adam
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't answer in any historical context. However it is an amazing post and I was much intrigued and interested in it.
I think this, deservedly, needs to be researched and answers posted here.
Great stuff.
Mark
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spoons



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One observation, it is red sandstone and yet in remarkably good condition for over 150 years in the open air - I attribute this to two things, firstly it is nowhere near a road so no salt and secondly no signs of cleaning!
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The carvings around the top of the memorial are interesting.

One is obviously a cannon, another one looks like it is a rifle (for the Rifle Brigade casualty), and another looks like a crossed sabre and musket. I can't figure out what the last one is though.

Adam
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adam Brown wrote:
I can't figure out what the last one is though.

Adam


Is it piles of cannon balls and a ramrod?
If someone actually knows the answer and this is complete nonsense I'll take my leave of the forum for a while Wink
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Or musket balls Rolling Eyes
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spoons



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adam Brown wrote:
The carvings around the top of the memorial are interesting.

One is obviously a cannon, another one looks like it is a rifle (for the Rifle Brigade casualty), and another looks like a crossed sabre and musket. I can't figure out what the last one is though.

Adam

The UKNIWM description reads.........
"RED SANDSTONE PILLAR WITH INSCRIPTION ON THE SIDES OF IT

CANNON CARVED AT THE TOP OF SIDE ONE, RIFLE CARVED AT THE TOP OF SIDE TWO, CROSSED SWORD AND SCABBARD CARVED AT THE TOP OF SIDE THREE AND CANNON BALLS AND A LIGHTER STICK CARVED AT THE TOP OF SIDE FOUR."

So, undoubtedly cannon balls, but perhaps some kind of grape shot rather than round shot?
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spoons wrote:
So, undoubtedly cannon balls, but perhaps some kind of grape shot rather than round shot?

Pheww!.. saved Very Happy
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spoons



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Transcription:

(there is some irregular capitalization here but I have transcribed it as I could make it out)

Side One (cannon carved at top):
ERECTED/ By the inhabitants/ of Balmaclellan/ IN MEMORY OF/ the valour and devotedness of/ Five Soldiers/ Natives of the Parish/ During the war/ With Russia

Side Two (rifle carved at top):
Lance Corporal James McMichael 46 Reg/ served before Sebastopol/ and died in the trenches/ on the night of 19 Novr 1854/ aged 20/
Lance Corporal/ Joseph Gordon/ Royal Sappers and miner/ after Gallant conduct/ in the Crimea died/ in hospital at Scutari/ 22 Feby 1854 aged 27

Side Three (crossed sword and scabbard carved at top):
Thomas McRobert/ fusilier Guards/ was wounded at Alma/ served before Sebastopol/ & died 21 Augt 1855/ aged 22/
James Gibson/ 42 Highlanders/ fought at Alma Balaklava/ and before Sebastopol/ and died in Hospital at Balaklava 8 May/ 1855 aged 33

Side Four (cannon balls and a lighter stick carved at top):
William Barr/ Rifle Brigade fought/ at Alma, Inkermaun &/ before Sebastopol/ and being one of a/ storming party of/ volunteers gallantly/ fell in the assault/ on the Redan 18 June/ 1855 aged 28

There is a further Crimean family grave dedication on a prominent grave beside the church door. This man is not listed on the Crimean memorial so it leads me to suppose that it is more of a common grave memorial (there being no family gravestones available) and that others commemorated elsewhere were not listed.

Transcription of this grave:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF/ LIEUTENANT JOHN HENRY UPTON SPALDING RN/ ELDEST SON OF JOHN EDEN SPALDING ESQrr OF HOLM & SHIRMERS/ BORN 19TH APRIL 1834 WHO WAS KILLED BY A CANNOBALL IN THE TRENCHES BEFORE SEBASTOPOL 21ST JANUARY 1855/ “MAY HE REST IN HOPE AND RISE IN GLORY THROUGH THE MEDIATION OF JESUS CHRIST OUR BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR”/ “THEY THAT SEEK ME EARLY SHALL FIND ME, PROVERBS v 8:17



Last edited by spoons on Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That now means Balmaclellan had a total of six Crimean war dead.

I don't know the total number of war dead for the UK for the Crimean War but that strikes me as being particularly unlucky for a small town to suffer so many losses. It lost as many in the Crimean War as in WW2.

Adam
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spoons



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adam Brown wrote:
That now means Balmaclellan had a total of six Crimean war dead.

Adam


At least! - if I am right about my supposition, then the 5 were those not listed elsewhere - I found one but there may be others.

\Paul
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spoons



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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lt Upton is not listed on the memorial but on the grave outside the church (picture already posted) and I have just realised that he has a large stained glass window memorial in St Margaret's Episcopal church, New Galloway, posted here http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=1711

I have researched all the Crimean war memorials on UKNIWM as best I can and they all appear to be to individuals or regiments with the exception of a small number in England and this one alone in Scotland. Therefore, as far as I can see, this is the earliest civic memorial in Scotland and deserves to be more widely recognised as such, certainly I will do a bit to publicise this locally (it is only about 4 miles from my house).

\Paul
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spoons wrote:
This is the earliest civic memorial in Scotland and deserves to be more widely recognised as such


I hope now that it is on this forum it will be more widely recognised. It is a very significant Scottish memorial.

Regards

Adam
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spoons



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This memorial (including photos) featured in Adam Brown's article in the December 2008 issue of The Scottish Genealogist - The Quarterly Journal of the Scottish Genealogy Society.

Updated info including photos sent to UKNIWM today.

\Paul
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