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St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh - Survey

 
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spoons



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

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:19 pm    Post subject: St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh - Survey Reply with quote

At the request of UKNIWM I have just conducted a full survey of the war memorials inside the cathedral (6 hours on site). I have probably got the same again to do (at least) in further work and then more again to post those that are not yet posted - please bear with me, but at least they are now collected. If you have any specific requests, I will bump them up the priority list. There is already a request for UKNIWM 8767 which I will do first.

When my report is finished, I will post it on the forum of course, meanwhile look out for requests to help me identify some of the Regimental Colours that have been separated from their plaques!

\Paul
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spoons



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

PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have today sent the following preliminary report of my survey to UKNIWM.

"I have performed the on-site part of the survey you requested of all the war memorials in St Giles cathedral Edinburgh.

I spent 6 hours on site last Wednesday and Thursday and have probably a further 10 hours or more further work to do in research as time allows in order to complete a detailed report.

There are several major issues that I can make you aware of now.

1. All memorials to individuals (including a large stained glass window) were omitted from the list originally provided by the Cathedral, and I will add these in a way that retains the original numbering used. Included in this are 5 memorials to individuals in an area of the cathedral (old organ loft) which is not accessible to the public and I am grateful to Danny Watson, the church officer, for the access I was granted.

2. One recent memorial has to be added (Korea)

3. One memorial was omitted from the orginal list - please confirm that a ships bell should be listed - I think that it should, by analogy with colours and white ensign

4. There was a significant error in the description of memorials numbered 44 to 49 on the original plan and, once I have clarified the exact position, I am afraid that it will mean some changes to your records in this area if the whole thing is to make sense.

5. All of the laid up colours (over 30 memorials) have explanatory plaques by their original location. Sometime prior to 1997 (as part of a refurbishment) all of the colours were removed (I have a document showing the 1997 storage locations) but the plaques were left in place. Thirteen of the colours have now been re-hung in one corner of the cathedral but are unmarked and no longer connected with their explanatory plaques - their exact identity is not known by museum staff on duty. I have not been able identify the current position of the remaining colours, thoughts/comments/rumours from those I asked varied from 'still in store', 'in Edinburgh castle' and 'taken back by regimental museums'. In fact it may be a combination of all three. I will attempt, through my own efforts and those of colleagues, to identify the thirteen remaining but I will not pursue further the location of the colours that have been removed. I understand that the current minister of the cathedral has been in place for over 30 years, he is not an ex military man and is not especially in favour of the military connection so I feel it wise for me not to approach him directly about assisting with identification and location of colours. Once I have completed the final report, you may wish to consider an approach from the museum to the minister (for the national record) to help identify any of the existing 13 that I am unsuccessful with and for the current location of those no longer there.

I photographed all of the memorials as part of the survey and will be providing updates for your records in due course. Meanwhile, if there are any specific questions, please let me know and I will try and answer them immediately."

\Paul
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David McNay
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
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Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland

PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can you tell us more about the five memorials in the organ loft?
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spoons



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

PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

5 memorials to individuals, all unlisted by UKNIWM I think - I hope to post them in the next week or so

1. Maj Gen Dick, died in battle 1846

2. Lt Aytoun, died in battle 1860

3. Lt Sprot, died in battle 1849

4. Lt Thomson, died of a fall from his horse when on parade 1871

5. Capt Burt, 1846

\Paul
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