The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:49 am Post subject:

I've just tried to find something about this on the BBC Scotland News website but there is nothing there today in the Edinburgh section.

After watching the item last night I can't say I was impressed at all by the Council representative.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:55 am Post subject:

Goodness me I go away for a few minutes to look at the BBC site and Derek sneaks in another post with virtually the same message.

You can see why matters have got to this stage with a Council attitude like that. As I've said before the Council have got used to throwing their weight around over the trams and now it look like they are not going to give in to this without a fight.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject:

According to today's Edinburgh Evening News the memorial will be returning to the Haymarket. The exact location has still to be decided.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/latestnews/Hearts-war-memorial-will-make.4540534.jp

I like this comment from the end of the article

"This was only in an official's report and it is an official's recommendation that will not get the backing of politicians."

Adam

Jack Alexander · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Scotland

The matter is far from over.

A new body has now been formed to defend the clocktower ... suitably titled 'The Friends of the Heart of Midlothian War Memorial.'

On Saturday we will be leafleting at Tynecastle. In the mean time we await our opportunity to petition the full Council meeting in October. So far, it's quite clear that the elected representatives had no idea what their own officials were proposing to do.

Our website was created in record time: it includes a succinct declaration of our aims.

www.heartofmidlothianwarmemorial.com

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:20 am Post subject:

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:57 am Post subject:

Latest update as reported in today's Evening News

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/latestnews/Hearts-war-memorial-to-return.4569083.jp

By ANDREW PICKEN and BARRY ANDERSON
THE Hearts war memorial will return to Haymarket within a metre of its current location, city leaders pledged today.

The monument will be put into storage later this year to allow tram works at Haymarket junction but fears that it will not return to its historic home have been quashed.

As the Evening News previously revealed, a temporary stone will be laid in nearby Atholl Crescent to act as a memorial until 2011, when the clock will be returned to a spot near its current location.

The news was today welcomed by Hearts and by monument campaigners, who revealed they have applied to Historic Scotland to have the memorial upgraded from its C-listed status.

A report by tram firm TIE, which recommended moving the monument permanently to Atholl Crescent, last week led senior SNP councillors to say the memorial was definitely staying at Haymarket. However, the city's transport leader Phil Wheeler then told the News a decision had not been taken.

City leader Jenny Dawe and deputy leader Steve Cardownie have now issued a statement confirming the memorial will be "permanently sited at Haymarket following completion of the tram works".
Jack Alexander, of the Friends of the Heart of Midlothian War Memorial campaign, gave the news a cautious welcome.

He said: "The clarification is good news but we will carry on with our campaign, we need to get the Historic Scotland listing improved, it is something which probably should have been done 30 years ago.

"We're not terribly happy with the two-year absence. The only people who want to have a two-year consultation are the officials who propose moving it to Atholl Crescent."

There doesn't appear to be a need for the consultation period in that the settled will of the people of Edinburgh is that they would like the memorial back at Haymarket.

"This whole business of Atholl Crescent as a temporary site is something they've decided and presented to everybody. The football club didn't ask for that, neither did supporters. Atholl Crescent is by no means certain. It may well be that, during the course of the two-year period, there could be another site for the war memorial.

Haymarket junction is 200 yards wide. It shouldn't be difficult, unless you have an agenda to remove it altogether."

The memorial was built by the Gorgie club in 1922 to remember the team's footballers who had signed up to fight in the First World War.

Although this year's annual memorial service will go ahead as normal, the 86-year-old monument will have to be relocated from Haymarket junction to accommodate the tram line.

Councillor Cardownie said: "It was important to allay the fears of both Hearts supporters and the wider public.

"The memorial was always to return to Haymarket, the best place to be seen to remind people of the sacrifice of these brave men, particularly on Remembrance Sunday.

"It will return to Haymarket, and to a stone's throw away from where it is currently located."

Hearts were the first team to enlist in the Great War when the whole side joined up. In total, 30 players served in the Army, and they were followed by other Scottish teams, including Hibs.

A Hearts spokesman said: "The Heart of Midlothian Football Club war memorial is every bit as important as Tynecastle Stadium itself.

"There is one home and one home only for the war memorial and there should be an immediate reinstatement of the memorial to Haymarket on conclusion of the tram works."

spoons · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject:

Wednesday 12th November, BBC1, 10:45

The supreme sacrifice - the story of how the players of heart of midlothian joined up and fought in the first world war

I have set my recorder

\Paul

David McNay · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:39 pm Post subject:

This is a repeat of a programme shown last year, so if you don't happen to catch it let me know.

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

Latest update from today's Edinburgh Evening News

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/latestnews/Hearts-war-memorial-to-return.4787988.jp

Hearts war memorial to return to Haymarket a year earlier than expected

THE Hearts war memorial will return to Haymarket one year earlier than expected, it was revealed today.

City leaders have decided that a spot just in front of Ryries pub is a suitable new location for the war memorial.

The 86-year-old monument will be put into storage next year to allow tram works at Haymarket junction, but will now be back by autumn 2010 ahead of the tram line being finished the following year.

It is still expected that a temporary memorial will be erected in Coates Crescent but council chiefs are also looking at holding a one-off remembrance service on Grosvenor Street, which is just off Haymarket, next year.

Holding a service prior to the removal of the clock and a rededication when it returns to Haymarket is also being considered.

The final design of the space around the clock's new resting place will be put open to consultation with Hearts fans and local groups.

The move follows months of concern that the Hearts clock would not return to its historic home.

City leader Jenny Dawe said: "This is a very important memorial for a great many people, and it will be safely removed and protected during its time in temporary storage.

"We look forward to seeing it back in its original home in autumn 2010."

The memorial was built by the Gorgie club in 1922 to remember the footballers who had signed up to fight in the First World War.

In October, the Evening News revealed that city leaders had spent £10,000 on hiring architects to investigate permanently moving the clock to nearby Atholl Crescent.

Suggestions that the memorial might be moved prompted an angry response from Hearts fans and councillors, and the plans were subsequently abandoned.

Councillor Ricky Henderson, who was part of an earlier campaign to stop the monument being moved, said: "I welcome the fact the clock will be returning within the year and is being moved towards Ryries, a spot which nearly everyone agrees is the right place.

"There does need to be sufficient space around the monument, though.

"I know that has been a concern in the past with all the buses and general traffic rushing past as people are trying to pay their respects.

"This is a great opportunity to try and address that.

"I would also say that it is a pity that we have had to go through all of this rigmarole, and waste £10,000 of taxpayers money, to reach this conclusion when it could have been resolved with a few people speaking to each other."

A report on the final location for the Hearts war memorial will be discussed by councillors at the full city council meeting next Thursday

dhubthaigh · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:47 pm Post subject:

I was reading about the new Hearts Memorial on the SMRG blog and had a look here. Is there any word on the memorial or is the continuing saga about the trams delaying its return ? For me I think another memorial wouldn't be justified but if that's what they want fair play.

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject:

I think the original memorial is still at Haymarket. It's not near me but I'll try and have a look at the weekend.

There is already a 16th Bn memorial, and a Hearts memorial, but this new memorial seems to be specifically for Hearts players in the 16th Bn Royal Scots.

Thanks

Adam

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

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:26 pm Post subject:

ADP

I thought they had relocated it within the area after the tram works stalled.

I have a feeling if it is there it is opposite the Gladstone memorial. I will be going out to Corstorphine on Sunday so I'll try and come back through town via Haymarket.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:46 pm Post subject:

I have passed by Haymarket and the West End I couldn't find the memorial so it probably is in storage.

Adam

spoons · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:19 pm Post subject:

I had a good walk around the area on Monday and you are right, definately not there.

\Paul