Wednesday 31 October 2012

Andrew Clark and family

Sometimes the modern looking stones can prove just as hard to read as the older ones. And for them I am left to decipher them by myself as Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions restricts itself to pre 1855 inscriptions. Sometimes she seems to incorporate newer ones too but not this one. Here is the text to the best of my knowledge:

Erected by
Andrew Clark
in loving memory of
Barbara Lockin
his wife who died 3 (or 5) March 1907
aged 55 (or 6) years
the above Andrew Clark
died at Glenochar Elvanfoot
24th Decr 1916 (?) aged 71 years
also their children
John & William
who both died in infancy
also of
Barbara
their beloved daughter who died 12 Nov
1912 aged 32 years

Monday 29 October 2012

Thomas Bertram and Mary Moffat

This is a very small and unusual cross shaped stone. The inscription reads:

In loving memory of
Thomas Bertram
shepherd at Cairnmuir
who died at Lanark
18th April 1913 (?)
aged 78 years
and his wife
Mary Moffat
who died at Cairnmuir
18th Augt 1878 (or 3?)
aged 37 years.

Saturday 27 October 2012

William Mill and family

As it was a lovely sunny although very cold day I spend part of the morning in the graveyard trying to catch up with more gravestones for this blog. There are still quite a few left to document! The above one which is situated towards the right and near the side wall is one of the older stones and the end of the engraving has become virtually unreadable. But fortunately Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions pre 1855 came to the rescue once again. This is the text:

Here lyes
Janet Mill daughter to
William Mill in Colly Burn
who died Sept 21 1784 aged
12 years. Also Elisabeth
who died Nov 7 1786 aged
16. Also Cristian Neil
his spouse who died 1
April 1791 aged 55 years
Also the above Willia....(the M seems to be missing)
Mill who .............

And the rest apparently said : died in Edinburgh Dec. 12 1811 aged 87.

I was particularly interested in the Colly Burn as this refers to the house that is our nearest neighbour and that is now known as Coalyburn. And this name of course refers to the mine workings that were here in the past and which still get inspected regularly by the British Coal Board which is responsible for them. The house that is there now is a modern one build no more than around 20 years or so ago, but there must have been an older residence there at some time. William Mill more than likely worked in the mine.

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Ebenezer Kay and Helen Simpson

This stone reads:

In loving memory of
Ebenezer Kay
who died at 
Kittleyknowe, Carlops
19th April 1912, aged 66 years
also his wife
Helen Simpson
who died at Brunston Mill, Joppa
8th August 1923, aged 83 years.

Monday 15 October 2012

Thomas Collins and family

This gravestone can be found very close to the entrance to West Linton Graveyard from the Main Street on the right. Here is the text:

Erected
in loving remembrance of
Thomas Collins
who died May 9th 1874 aged 73 years
also Mary Dechman, his wife
who died Aug. 31st 1897, at Wellington
aged 91(?) years
and their family
Mary who died in infancy
James who died April 5th 1850 aged 19 years
buried in Peebles churchyard
Thomas who died April 7th 1868
aged 19 years
Helen (Nurse Ellen)
who died September 24th 1888
aged 55 years
Margaret Collins or Currie
died at Edinburgh 1916
aged 77 years
Janet Collins or Somerville

the text then continues on the base of the pedestal and says:
died at Peebles 3rd Oct. 1933 aged 88 years.

I'm assuming that the  alternative last names of the 2 daughters mentioned at the bottom are their married names.

Wednesday 3 October 2012

James Duniplace Smith and family

Yet again it's been awhile, due to the weather, my Mother's visit, the church being wrapped in scaffolding for the foreseeable future and today filming for a future television programme. I don't know what it is called but it will be broadcast some time next year and as part of it is being shot in the graveyard I'll keep a close eye out and will let you know!

But here is another stone for the moment. The words read:

In loving memory of
James Duniplace Smith
who died 2nd Feb 1813
aged 71 years
and his wife
Christina Anderson
who died 28th Jan 1938 (or 3?)
aged 89 years
also James Campbell
his eldest son who died 22nd Aug
1882, aged 5 years and 8 months
also William Duniplace
his third son who died 25th March
1936 aged 50 years
also Jane Anderson
his elder daughter, who died
19th Dec. 1967, aged 89 years.