The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject: From today's BBC website

An article about attendance at local remembrance services on today's BBC website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7681940.stm

Interestingly it quotes Neil Griffiths, the RBL Scotland spokesman, as saying there are 30,000 war memorials in the country. I wonder where that number came from? The UKNIWM reckons there are about 50,000 in the UK and if we take one tenth as a Scottish figure that comes in at 5,000.

Adam

spoons · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:

Well 30,000 seems to high to me but there are certainly over 400 in Dumfries and Galloway which is fairly sparsely populated so perhaps 5,000 is too low.

\Paul

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject:

Paul

My own reckoning puts the number about 5,500- 6,000 but no where near 30,000.

I also decided to see what the media are doing for remembrance this year and the BBC has these pages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/

See also

http://www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/season/events.shtml

And..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/edinburghandeastscotland/content/articles/2008/10/14/remembrance90_feature.shtml

The last one gives these details for what’s happening in Edinburgh and Lothians this Saturday. Unfortunately all take place on a Saturday morning so I won’t be able to attend any of them

Local events in the region:

Saturday 8 November, 1030 - 1230
Leith Library Community Room
28-30 Ferry Road
Edinburgh

Saturday 8 November, 1000 - 1300
Carmondean Library
Carmondean Centre, Deans
Livingston

Saturday 8 November, 0930 - 1230
Penicuik Library
Carlops Road, Penicuik
War memorials in Midlothian leaflet and database launch talks by local historians:
1000 Joyce Clark ‘How Long do We Remember?’
1100 John Duncan ‘Newbattle and the Great War’
1200 George Ross ‘War Memorials and Remembrance’

A Midlothian database launch? Does anyone know about this?

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject:

Just had a look at Midlothian Council's own website

http://www.midlothian.gov.uk//Article.aspx?TopicId=0&ArticleId=22526

1918-2008 Ninety Years of Remembrance

PENICUIK LIBRARY

Saturday 8 November 2008 9.30am - 12.30pm

The 90th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, which ended the First World War in November 1918, will be commemorated on Saturday 8th November 2008 in Penicuik Library.

To help bring memories alive you are asked to search through your attics and cupboards and bring along any artefacts, photographs or other items from the First World War you find. John Burnett, a social history expert from the National Museums of Scotland will be able to give you his expert help and advice on how items were used or identify places and items in photos. The BBC has built an online 'Wall of Remembrance' website, which will act as a permanent memorial and record of the First World War. Items brought along will be scanned and put onto the Wall.

The Penicuik Library event is part of the BBC's 'Ninety Years of Remembrance' campaign. This will feature a series of television and radio programmes about different aspects of the First World War and a national campaign to encourage greater awareness of the War. The BBC campaign is supported by the Royal British Legion.

Penicuik Library will have the following:

Talks about the First World War by local experts:

10am Joyce Clark, Mercat Tours, 'How Long do We Remember?'
11am John Duncan, First World War researcher, 'Newbattle and the First World War'
12pm George Ross, the Royal British Legion, 'War Memorials and Remembrance'

A display of photographs and other items about Midlothian and the First World War from the Local Studies collection.

Penicuik Historical Society and the Recording Angels memorial group will be on hand to offer advice and information.

The launch of a free guide to the war memorials in Midlothian.

Free access to the WW1 related parts of the Ancestry.co.uk website, the UK's leading internet source of family history, which includes military records from the First World War. This will be an ideal opportunity for local people to find out their family connections with the War.

A display of books about the First World War will be available for loan.

The Penicuik event will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Anybody with an interest in the First World War is welcome to attend and refreshments will be available.

Cllr Derek Milligan, Leader of Midlothian Council said: "This event is an excellent way for the local community to mark the 90th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice. The Great War should never be forgotten so it is important to hold events such as these to share information and experiences with people of all generations. I would encourage members of the public with interesting World War 1 memorabilia to come along with their special items so that they can be examined and discussed."

Anyone wanting further information on the event should contact Local Studies Officer Ken Bogle on 0131 271 3976.

spoons · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 3:34 pm Post subject:

I think your 5500 to 6000 sounds about right but difficult to tell as in many areas we have barely scratched the surface with memorials inside churches, schools and village halls. Dissapointingly, Dumfries and Galloway seem to have nothing specific on remembrance this year, just the usual remembrance day parades.

I would really love to see the free guide to war memorials in Midlothian but unfortunately I cannot make it to Edinburgh this weekend.

\Paul

john duncan · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 26

Hi folks, I can only speak for this event but there about 50 pople in my talk and about 20 or so looking at the various exhibitions, I don't know how this would extrapolate across Scotland, but it was a worthwhile experience , very enjoyable and made me feel like a wee bit of history.

John