The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

spoons

In discussions with Gladys Cuttle today, she told me she had seen a document (not sure where) from the Church of Scotland asking all parishes to keep a Roll of Honour for all men serving at the front in WW1.

In her research of parishes local to her, she has found a few Rolls of Honour but significantly she has found evidence in the press and in other documents of Rolls of Honour which cannot be found.

These include:

Dunscore (now found in private hands)
Keir Church (now found in private hands and due to be put back in public)
Virginhall Church (now found in private hands and due to be put back in public)
Keir Parish still missing
Penpont still missing
Tynron still missing

Several others come to mind:
Southwick - found recently
Lockerbie - not in church last time I visited but will hopefully return
Dalbeattie school - believed lost
Castle Douglas school - lost in 1960s

Based on this evidence I think many other churches may have had Rolls of Honour which are no longer on display and which may now be lost.

\Paul

David McNay · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:57 pm Post subject:

I have seen reports that Dunbeth Church in Coatbridge at one time had a roll of honour of all from the congregation that served. Nobody in living memory now can remember it though.

Adam Brown · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:51 pm Post subject:

We have a few Church of Scotland rolls on here. They were for the then CoS and they were for men serving. They are all the same. I'll see if I can find one to show it.

I am not surprised by this Paul, i have long suspected that we have lost many rolls from churches, halls, and businesses but I am convinced that many more are in private hands.

Adam

Merseman · Joined: 07 Aug 2013 Posts: 339 Location: Duns, Berwickshire

There is a standard Church of Scotland design roll - which seems to be from the early war period, given it is titled 'European War 1914'.

Duns:

Coldingham:

However out of over 30 Church of Scotland parish churches in Berwickshire, these are the only ones I have found of this design. There are plenty others clearly dating from after the war (often the common design from Edinburgh or London printers e.g. Banks & Co) or homemade. Meanwhile in Edrom we find a contemporary roll being kept, but not of the Church of Scotland type!!
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewforum.php?f=53

My own speculation would be that many of them were thrown-out when the parish war memorial, congregational plaque or church roll of honour arrived on the scene; many others are currently gathering dust in cupboards and in lofts; and some will have ended-up in private hands.

In the case of the Berwickshire examples I've given, those at Duns are now high-up in the less-used porch - although clearly they must once have been displayed apart as they are both the same; that at Coldingham wasn't on display when I visited; while at Edrom one hangs in the vestry, and the other was recently found rolled-up in a cupboard...