The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:34 pm Post subject: Dr Guthrie's School, Liberton

Dr Guthrie's School Colonial Wars Memorial
Location: Gardens of Nursing home (Former school), Lasswade Road, Liberton
OS Ref: NT 276 694

The former Dr Guthrie's School is now a large nursing home. I suppose for that reason they have tried to hide the Colonial Wars Memorial Cross amongst bushes.

At some point the cross has been turned round so the inscription now faces the wall rather than the school.

Believe it or not these photos were taken at 10 am not 10 pm. Edinburgh had a bit of a pea-souper that day!

The Memorial

The South Wing of the former school from the memorial

The back 'front' of the cross

It was really dificult to get a shot of the inscription through the shrubbery. I'll provide a transcription

I don't know if there were other memorials to the First and Second World Wars within the school. Given the state of this one I wouldn't hold out much hope for their survival to the present day.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

The transcription.

Sacred to the Memory of the Boys
Educated in Dr Guthrie's Industrial Scools
Who fell
In India, Egypt, The Soudan, and South Africa
Fighting for their Queen, King and Country

"They fell with their faces to the veldt
and their feet to the foe
Leaving in battle no blot on their name
Looking proudly to heaven from their death-bed of fame"

"The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger"

Erected with money collected for the purpose
William Henderson, Superintendant. October 19??

There are two quotes. The first is based on the last three lines of Glasgow poet Thomas Campbell's "Lochiel's Warning"

"Lochiel. — Down, soothless insulter! I trust not the tale:
Though my perishing ranks should be strewed in their gore,
Like ocean-weeds heaped on the surf-beaten shore,
Lochiel, untainted by flight or by chains,
While the kindling of life in his bosom remains,
Shall victor exult, or in death be laid low,
With his back to the field, and his feet to the foe!
And leaving in battle no blot on his name,
Look proudly to heaven from the death-bed of fame."

The second is from the end of the Robert Burns poem "The Soldier's Return"

"For gold the merchant ploughs the main.
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodgers prize,
The sodgers wealth his honour;
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger"

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:47 pm Post subject:

From Historic Scotland

Dr Guthrie's School was originally founded in Ramsay Lane, Castlehill, Edinburgh, in 1847 and having greatly expanded moved to this purpose built building in 1887. Dr Thomas Guthrie, preacher and philanthropist, founded the Ragged School movement, providing food, clothing and education for poor children. The school was supported by Government grant and public subscription. Guthrie died in 1873, but the movement continued; this boys school opened in 1887, and the girls school at Gilmerton in 1904. The school became an Approved School, then a List D school, but is now a nursing home and has undergone alterations to the interior.

SouthsideChaz · Joined: 18 Dec 2016 Posts: 50 Location: Edinburgh

I live on the grounds of the former school

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Chaz