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BLAIRGOWRIE HIGH SCHOOL (Former) WW1 [Fountain]

 
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dhubthaigh
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Blairgowrie, Perthshire

PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:49 pm    Post subject: BLAIRGOWRIE HIGH SCHOOL (Former) WW1 [Fountain] Reply with quote

The (former) Blairgowrie High School Memorial Fountain. The school has from the 1950's been the Hill Primary School when the High School relocated to a new, bigger, campus. This building will no longer function as a school from 2008 as a new shared campus with St Stephens RC is to be built. Moves are afoot for a community buy-out to prevent further housing development.




Last edited by dhubthaigh on Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:26 pm; edited 3 times in total
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dhubthaigh
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Blairgowrie, Perthshire

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BLAIRGOWRIE ADVERTISER: 06.10.1921

BLAIRGOWRIE HIGH SCHOOL WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILED BY MRS MACPHERSON


The handsome monument in the form of a drinking fountain in the High School playground to the memory of the 110 former pupils of the school who fell in the war, was unveiled on Thursday afternoon. The monument is a polished Aberdeen grey granite obelisk, about 12 feet high, rising from a granite octagon base. There are two basins with four drinking cups. On the south panel is inscribed, in raised letters - “1914-1919. To the memory of the old boys who fell in the Great War”. The monument was designed and executed by Mr George Fleming, sculptor, Blairgowrie.

Unfortunately the weather was showery, and completely broke down immediately after the ceremony, which was attended by a large gathering. Rev. R. Stewart, Chairman of the School management Committee, presided, and was accompanied to the platform - around which were arranged all the pupils of the school with their teachers - by Mr and Mrs W. C. Macpherson of Blairgowrie; Mrs Clerk Rattray of Craig hall; Rev. W. D. Fyfe, a member of the S.M. Committee; Mr A. D. Millar, H.M. Chief Inspector for Perthshire; Rev. A. Wylie Smith, Bendochy; Mr R. Robb, M.A., Rector, and Mrs Robb; &c. Apologies for absence were intimated from Sir George and Lady Kinloch and Mr and Mrs L. Falconer.

The Chairman, after “O God, our help in ages past” had been sung, said that in many of the larger and more important schools of the country, memorials had been erected to former pupils who fell in the Great War, and it was altogether fitting that a school so important as Blairgowrie should not fail in paying honour to its heroic dead. The enthusiasm and fine patriotism displayed by the young manhood of the country, and the way in which they flocked to the Colours of the King at the outbreak of war, would always be looked upon as one of the crowning glories of the country. And with truth be it said that the young people of Blairgowrie did not lag behind. Though living far away from battles and battlefields and engaged in peaceful callings, our young men, the moment our country was faced with danger, went forth willing to peril or to part with life itself in order to defend us and ours. The monument to be unveiled had been erected by the teachers and scholars in memory of former pupils who fell, and who a few years ago were engaged in the playground in the sports and pastimes of school life, all unconscious of the great catastrophes which was soon to overwhelm them, for they gave a great gift to their country. Each and all of them could say truthfully

All that we had we gave,
All that was ours to give,
Freely surrendered all,
That you in peace might live

We, indeed, owed them a great debt, which we could never repay. But we could hold their names and work in honoured remembrance, and this monument would serve not only to keep alive their memory to after time, but would also serve as an inspiration to successive generations of young people who would assemble within these wall to play a noble and worthy part in the battle of life. He then called on Mrs Macpherson to unveil the monument, remarking that no one more fitting could have been chosen for this honourable duty than herself. The Blairgowrie House family had always taken a very great interest in all that concerned Blairgowrie and its welfare. Mr Macpherson’s father was Chairman of the Blairgowrie School Board when the present school was opened, and he himself was a leading member of the last Board before its work was taken over by the Education Authority. His brother, Major McPherson, fell on the field of battle, while his son, also Major McPherson, proved himself a brave and skilful officer.

Mrs Macpherson in performing her part on the programme, said:- “To the memory of the brave lads, former pupils of this school, who fell in the Great War, I unveil this beautiful memorial.

On behalf of the school, one of the younger pupils - Lily Denham, George Street - then stepped forward with a handsome wreath, which was deposited at the foot of the memorial. Two other wreaths were afterwards placed there by relatives.

The Chairman read the names of the fallen, which are to be inscribed on a scroll and hung in the hall of the school, as under:-

ALEX. ROLLO ADAM, J. MCG. ALEXANDER, JAMES S. ALLISON, JAMES L. ANDERSON, WILLIAM AYLING, ALEX. GORDON S. BAIN, JOHN BARLAS, JOSEPH BELL, WALTER J. BENNETT, JOHN L. BLACK, BALFOUR BRIDIE, ROBERT A. BURNESS, ALEX. S. CAMERON, JOHN CAMERON, JOHN CHRISTIE, GEORGE P. CLARK, DAVID R. CRAIGIE, DAVID CROCKART, HAROLD CROZIER, PETER R. DAIR, JAMES DICK, JOHN D. DICKSON, ROBERT DICKSON, DAVID DOEG, DAVID DOIG, WILLIAM DOIG, GRAHAM DONALD, JOHN S. DONALDSON, JOHN DUFF, ROBERT EWING, JAMES B. FALCONER, DAVID F. FARQUHARSON, GEORGE FERGUSON, ALEXANDER FYFFE, JOHN FYFFE, ROBERT S. GELLATLY, THOMAS GELLATLY, CHARLES T. GRANT, HUGH GRANT, JAMES GRANT, JOHN GRANT, WILLIAM S. GRANT, GEORGE GUNN, WILLIAM HENDERSON, J.A. KIRKHAM JOHNSTON, ALEXANDER KEITH, GEORGE KIDD, ROBERT LAING, WILLIAM LAUDER, DAVID M. LOW, JOHN K. MCKENZIE, JOHN D. MCGREGOR, DOUGLAS MCINTOSH, PETER SHAW MCLAGAN, ALEXANDER MCLAREN, HARRY W.D. MCLEOD, JOHN MCNAB, JOHN MCQUATTIE, WILLIAM H. MCQUATTIE, DAVID MARSHALL, WILLIAM MARTIN, JAMES MILLAR, GEORGE N. MILNE, DAVID MITCHELL, PATRICK J. MITCHELL, JAMES MOON, HARRY H. MORRISON, ALEX. S. MURDOCH, ALEX. M. NICOLL, WILLIAM PATERSON, ALEXANDER PETRIE, DAVID PETRIE, JAMES PETRIE, JAMES RAMSAY, ADAM A. REID, ARTHUR S. REID, JAMES REID, ARTHUR D. RICHARDSON, JAMES RICHARDSON, PETER RICHARDSON, DAVID ROBB, ALEXANDER ROBERTSON, DOUGLAS H. ROBERTSON, DUNCAN ROBERTSON, GEORGE ROBERTSON, GEORGE ROBERTSON, JOHN ROBERTSON, STEWART ROBERTSON, WILLIAM ROBERTSON, PETER RUSSELL, JAMES SEATON, ROBERT SEATON, TOM SEATON, ROBERT SHAW, JOSEPH SHEPHERD, ALEXANDER SMITH, DANIEL G. SMITH, JOHN SMITH, THOMAS L. SMITH, THOMAS M. SMITH, COLIN SMYTHE, JAMES A.S. SPALDING, ALFRED STEWART, DAVID STEWART, DONALD STEWART, JAMES STEWART, NEIL STEWART, PETER STEWART, WILLIAM STEWART, JOHN TAIT, DAVID WADDELL, JAMES WALLACE, ALEX. AYTOUN YOUNG.

The Chairman added - “You will all admit it is a very good record, a glorious galaxy of brave young men”.

The Recitation, “In Praise of famous men”, the last line of which is “Their name liveth for ever more”, was very effectively given by Miss Chrissie Paterson, one of the senior pupils, who was loudly applauded; and this was followed by the “Last Post”, sounded by Mr Harry Ogilvie, and prayer, offered by Rev. Mr Fyfe.

Addressing the scholars, Mr McPherson said he thought it was the wish of the givers of that fountain that it should be specially commended to their care, and he did commend it to their care and asked them to look upon it, in the first place, as a tribute of the school and of the friends of the school to the “old boys” who had gone in and out of the school doors, just as the pupils did today, preparing themselves for their life’s work and full of high and eager hopes of what the world would bring them, and who when the call of war came, cheerfully gave their strength and their courage and their lives. And so, in the first place, when the scholars passed that fountain and the memorial in the Wellmeadow their first thoughts might rightly be of affection and gratitude and reverence for those men. In the second place, he was sure that the thought would come to them:- “I resolve that I, too, will live my life worthily, and pray God for courage and help to enable me to do so”. It seemed to him that was the two-fold message that came to them like the trumpet notes Mr Ogilvie had just sounded, and that was the appeal that came from the thousands of war memorials that had been erected all through our country in the churches and in the schools, in the market places and at the cross-roads, and in the busy streets of the great cities. Just as our churches and our cathedrals stood as witnesses of our great faith, so did those memorials stand as witnesses of our gratitude to the men who gave their lives for us. But not only that, they also stood as witnesses of the hopes and aspirations that we had that we should be enabled to live worthy lives too. In every time in passing that fountain and in passing the soldier who rested on his arms in the Wellmeadow, if only for one instant, or even unconsciously, the thought came to them that one would gird up one’s loins and do what one could in life, to be brave and gentle, to do the best one could in one’s own vocation - was that no a help and dedication themselves? That was, he thought, the two-fold appeal to them. He had one more word to say. It was this. If any light thought came to one, or any light word was said to one, as to what we had gained by the war - we knew what we had lost in the brave lives and in the burdens which had come after - answer in one word, liberty. We preserved a strong liberty for our country and for Western Europe; and when we appraised famous men then we got strength. We took strength ourselves to quit ourselves like men. (Applause)

Mr A. D. Millar said he was very grateful to Mr Robb for giving him the opportunity of being present at that very beautiful and very touching ceremony. But he was not to make a speech. He thought that would be a rather unpardonable assumption on his part to add anything to the appropriate and dignified and eloquent words in which Mr Macpherson and Mr Stewart had voiced the feelings that were all in their hearts. If the would allow him, he would like to read to them a little poem, entitled “For the Fallen”, which expressed very beautifully the thoughts that were in their hearts. This having been done, Psalm xivi, “God is our Refuge and our Strength” was sung by the company, and thereafter Mr Robb expressed the thanks of the teachers and scholars to all who had taken part in the service.

The Chairman then pronounced the Benediction, and the proceedings were closed with the National Anthem.

The singing was conducted by Mr J. D. Dobson, M.A., with Miss Selina Stewart at the piano.


Last edited by dhubthaigh on Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dhubthaigh
Our first ever 1000-poster


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 5071
Location: Blairgowrie, Perthshire

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please see this thread also;

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=404
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spoons



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

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From The Scotsman, Monday 10th October 1921.

"BLAIRGOWRIE - A monumentatl drinking fountain of grey polished granite, erected in the playground of Blairgowrie High School to the memory of the 108 former pupils who fell in the war, was unveiled by Mrs Macpherson, Blairgowrie."

\Paul
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dhubthaigh
Our first ever 1000-poster


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 5071
Location: Blairgowrie, Perthshire

PostPosted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The memorials new 'home' at Blairgowrie Campus;


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stuartn



Joined: 13 Dec 2016
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 4:59 pm    Post subject: WMR (ex UKNIWM) report Reply with quote

WMR 82299
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