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Wishaw High School, WW1

 
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David McNay
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 11425
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:51 pm    Post subject: Wishaw High School, WW1 Reply with quote

Wishaw High School closed in 1992, and the building itself was demolished in December 1998. It is now occupied by a housing estate, although some of the boundary wall survives.

The location of the memorial was unknown until last week when I met Sandra Reid at a talk I gave at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum in Stirling. Sandra is a former Wishaw HS pupil, and she located the memorial in Lanarkshire Archives - she states the location is Motherwell - I am unsure which building this is but I will make enquiries.

The photos below date from 2005 when Sandra and another school friend located the memorial. The quality of the photographs is not great - the memorial was lying flat, and one of them was propping it up when the photos were taken.

My thanks to Sandra for the photographs and information.

The memorial tablet for Wishaw High School was unveiled by the Reverend J A F Dean on 24th June 1920. It originally occupied a prominent position at one end of the Assembly Hall.

It was described by the Wishaw Press as "massive" (it is six feet long and 3 feet wide) and had been designed by John Telford, Principal Teacher of Art. It was carved out of oak by Jon Crawford and Company (Glasgow), Woodcarves and Craftsmen.

The pediment features, in low relief, two carved figures representing Art and Literature, and they are surrounded by symbols of these two spheres of creative activity. The sit on either side of the school badge.

The school motto is "Qui Non Proficit Deficit" and this is also carved on the memorial.

Prior to the unveiling, the Reverend Dean said:

"If these boys were here tonight, they would wonder at our gathering; they would say: "We have done nothing worth speaking about. It was our simple duty, and we could not have done otherwise. I sing but as the linnet sings, I sing becuase I must."

However, we must pay respect to the training and environment that made their noble decision inevitable. Decisions have their genesis in the years that precede them. The occasion, it is said, produces the man; but the occasion only produces the man who has been prepared for the occasion."


WHSWarMemorial by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

Left hand side of the name panel:

WHSWarMemorialLHSnames by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

Right hand side. Sad to see some rather unpleasant graffiti.

WHSWarmemorialRHSnames by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr

Closeup of the school badge:

WHSBadgeonWarMemorial by Scottish Military Research Group, on Flickr


Last edited by David McNay on Mon Jul 03, 2017 10:11 pm; edited 2 times in total
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David McNay
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 11425
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland

PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The names:

James Boyes
Archibald Campbell
Nisbet Cunningham
John Douglas
Alexander Fisher
Samuel H Forrest
James Forsyth
James Gibson
George Gilchrist
James Girdwood
John Henderson
John Hunter - former dux
John Hyslop
William Kenmure
Gilbert Kennedy
Robert Lindsay
William Martin
David Morton
James McAlpin - first dux of the High School
James Nettleship
Robert Nimmo
Arthur Rogers
Thomas Ross
Richard Scott
George Simpson
Thomas Small
Allan Steele
James Steele
Thomas Strain
Richard T Tart

Additional information on the names, as well as the details of the unveiling given above, were taken from the book "Wishaw High School" by A. McMahon.

The book also mentions that a Roll of Honour was started in April 1915, listing all former pupils and members of staff serving in the armer forces. By the end of the war, it contained more than two hundred names. I am unaware if that Roll has survived.

Four members of staff served in WW1 -

John Telford - Royal Scots Fusiliers
John Gerrard - Royal Artillery
James Lawrie - Highland Light Infantry
Mr McRoberts (no first name given) - Royal Flying Corps
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David McNay
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 11425
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland

PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am unaware if there was a memorial for the Second World War.

I know there was a memorial edition of the school magazine, which I believe forum member "delboy" has a copy of.

I will post a scan of a page from it, listing those who were killed, in the "Rolls of Honour" section for Lanarkshire.
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Tom Donaldson



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Location: Wishaw

PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:47 am    Post subject: Wishaw High School World War 2 Memorial Reply with quote

When the school was demolished the memorial above together with 4 bronze panels in memory of the fallen of WW2 were found by our previous minister and session clerk in the boiler house of Clyde Valley High School.
I believe the WW1 Memorial was secured in the Heritage Centre at Motherwell. The WW2 panels were rescued and are now displayed in the chancel of Wishaw Old Parish Church. The panels list the names of the dead together with the branch of the forces in which they served.
I hope to be able to post a photo selection of the panels. However vistors are always welcome to view the memorial at any time.

Tom Donaldson
Session Clerk
Wisahw Old Parish Church
110 Main Street,
Wishaw ML2 7LU
Tel 01698 376080
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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 7312
Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2015 6:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Second World War memorial is now on the forum

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=9132&highlight=

What a strange situation that the First World War memorial is separated from the Second World War memorial and is in storage whilst the WW2 one is on display.

Adam
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David McNay
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 11425
Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This memorial should now be on display within Wishaw Old Parish Church, "reunited" with the Second World War memorial.

I will need to visit to obtain new photographs.
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stuartn



Joined: 13 Dec 2016
Posts: 2551

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's good news,

The WMR record has been updated accordingly.
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