James Leslie and family

This is one of the newer stones in the graveyard but that doesn't mean it's easy to read. This is what I made of it:

In

loving memory of

James Leslie

died 14th Dec. 1931

aged 76 years

and his wife

Annie Milne Rennie (could also read Pennie)

died 13th Nov. 193(or 5)1

aged 72

also their son

James

died 18th Feb. 1901

aged 6 years.

Robert Ballantine and family

Another relatively modern stone and the text reads:

In

loving memory of

Robert Ballantine

died 10th Feb 1919

aged 62 years

and his wife

Margaret morton

died 24th Dec. 1940

aged 83 ytears

also his son

George

died 21st may 1913

aged 25 years

and their son

Robert Linton

died at Harrow, England

7th Jan 1957 aged 67 years

and his wife Elizabeth Dawson

died 20th Jan 1964 aged 69

John Porteous and family

This is one of the larger grave monuments in the graveyard. Here is the text:

In

loving remembrance of

Anne Gray

wife of

John Porteous

Townhead West Linton

who died 29th Jan'y 1876

aged 54 years

deeply regretted

also the above

John Porteous

who died at Norwich U.S.A.

21st Nov'r 1902 aged 78 years

also

Christine Porteous

thier daughter who died

at New York 30th May 1901(?)

aged 45 years

interred in Yantic Cemetary

Norwich Conn. USA

And on the pedestal:

Lead kindly light

Archibald Alexander and family

Again this stone with it's splendid urn at the top is not shown at it's best due to the scaffolding and like the previous one it is also filled to the brim with inscriptions. And the men in this family all seemed to die very young. Could this be due to some inherited disease? Guess we will never know.
Here is the text:

In memory of

Archibald Alexander

who died Dec. 23 1861 aged 67(?)

James

his eldest son who died April 20, 1865, aged 35 (?)

William

his second son, who died Jan 23, 1870, aged 35

Archibald, son of the above W'm Alexander

who died in 1868, aged 6 (?) weeks

lying with his mother in the necropolis in Glasgow

Eliz'th Brown, wife of John Alexander

who died July 12 1872, aged 28 (?) 

Archibald

his fourth son who died Oct 14 1885 aged 43

Bessie his daughter who died Nov (?) 18 (?) 1877

aged 14 months

Janet Snaipe

wife of Archibald Alexander senior

who died Nov 13 1894, aged 85 (?)

Helen White

wife of John Alexander

who died March 15 1908 aged 75

John Alexander

born 19th Oct. 1830, died 7th Feb. 1927 (?)

And on the pedestal:

Jesus said

I am the resurrection and the life etc.

John XI 25, 26

James Veitch and family

This obelisk tells a tragic tale of children dying young. Their father erected this monument for them and in the course of tiime his name too was added as were those of other family members. In fact there is so much text that every space has been used, right to the very bottom.

As you can see the church is wrapped in scaffolding at the moment which does nothing for the picture. If I remember I might photograph this one again when it has been removed.

Here is the text:

In memory of

Mary Veith

died 1st June 1866 (?)

aged 12 years

Lizzie

died 10th May 1887

aged 9 years

both interred at Leslie

also Jeanie

who died at Carlops

30th Nov. 1871

aged 9 years

their father

James Veitch

died 23rd August 1879

aged 56 years

James Brydon

Veitch

died 12th Mary 1908

in his 40th year

David Alexander

Veitch

died 12th Nov'r 1916

aged 45 years

Mary Alexander

wife of the above

James Veitch

died 23rd May 1921

aged 88 years

Margaret Alexander

daughter of the above

James Veitch died 8th

Oct. 1943 aged 67 years

Elizabeth Veitch

died 28th March 1939 (?)

aged 86 years.

erected by their father

James Veitch

Robert Alexander and Margaret Jessie

It's not the photograph but the gravestone that's leaning over. It's located in the far corner of the graveyard near the church building and it reads:

In

loving memory of

Robert Alexander

died at West Linton

12th January 1932

and his wife

Margaret Jessie

died in Edinburgh

12th October 1958

Adam Redpath and family

The text reads:

In loving memory of

Adam Redpath

who died at Carpet 6th Nov'r 1913

aged 86 years

and

Jane Mauchline

his wife who died 21st May 1914

aged 82 years

also

Alexander Sandilands

their son-in-law who died 14th Feb'r

1918 aged 54 years

and

Alicia Redpath

his wife who died 14th July 1954

aged 91 years.

On the pedestal it syas:  till the day dawns

James Weir and Catherine Core

Another stone which though relatively recent is difficult to read specially in sunny conditions. Here is the text:

In loving memory 

of

James Weir Core

Linton Cottage Farm

who died at Royal Infirmary

Edinburgh

8th June 1915

also

Catherine Core

his sister

who died 24th July 1920

aged 70 years.

Harriet McDougall and William Paterson

This stone which tells a tragic tale of a young wife dead at 26 is set against the wall that separates the graveyard from the Main Street, West Linton. It's to your left when you are entering through the gate on the Main street. The text reads:

In

memory

of Harriet McDougall

wife of William Paterson

who died 7th March 1869

aged 26 years

and

William Paterson

who died 17th March 1917

aged 75 years

Barbara Robertson

A very weathered stone which had some elaborate engraving at the top which can now hardly be seen. The text reads:

In loving memory of

my mother

Barbara Robertson

widow of Thomas Mowbray

who died 18th Feb. 1929

aged 74 years.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

William Paterson and famiy

This is a much more modern gravestone in the graveyard and by the time the last person was buried there it was well into the 20th Century.

Here is the full text:

Erected by

William Peterson

farmer Felton

in loving memory of

Christina, his daughter

who died 12th Feb. 1909

aged 16 months

Also Jessie, his daughter

who died 16th Nov. 1912

aged 7 months

Also Marion Neilson, his wife

who died at East Kinleith, Currie

29th Dec. 1926 aged 57 years

The above

William Paterson

who died at Kirkton, Blackford

3rd Feb. 1950, aged 83 years.

Also Marion Semple

eldest daughter of above

who died in Canada, Aug. 1952

aged 51 years

Also their son James

who died 18th July 1988

aged 84 years.

Rob Gilbert and family

Every gravestone tell a tragic tale of course, but this one is particularly poignant as it refers to a tragedy at sea. Here is the text:

Erected by

Rob Gilbert

In loving Memory of

his daughter Jeanie

who was drowned by the sinking

of the SS Drummond Castle

on 16th June 1896, aged 46 years

the above

Robert Gilbert

died at Hallmyre Cottages 5th Jan'y

1905, aged 80 years

also

Margaret Steele

his wife who died 7th Nov. 1912

aged 86 years.

From accounts elsewhere it appears that this tragedy happened on the 16th  June although it would have taken some time before Jeanie's parents were informed of the sinking of the SS Drummond Castle. The mail packet and passenger vessel  (built in 1881 in Govan, Glasgow) was on it's way from Cape Town to London when it got into difficulties, hit rocks near the coast of Brittany, France, and sank within the space of 4 minutes. Only 3 people out of  142 passengers and 101 crew were saved. It struck me as specially sad that Jeanie was apparently on her way back home when she so sadly perished. Where she had been and why are pieces of the puzzle that I'll probably never find out about.

Subsequently a book was written by Henri Queffelec called "Les iles de la misericorde" in which these tragic events were described in depth. Apparently the ship was sounding it's horn when it went down but because it disappeared so quickly under the waves French fishing boats coming to its rescue were at first unable to find the exact position.The French fishermen did rescue the 3 survivors as well as bringing back to shore many bodies of the drowned. Silver medals were struck with the approval of Queen Victoria as award for the Breton fishermen and other inhabitants of Brest, Ushant, and Molene who helped in rescuing the survivors  and in the recovery and burial of those lost. A total of 282 medals were struck. 

The wreck was re-discovered in the 30s by Italian divers and then again in 1979 when several objects were brought to the surface and they can now be seen in the museum in Molene. You can see a video and pictures of the wreck here. One simple gravestone but it has led me to research this sad event that I was completely unaware off. One of the reasons why I wanted to know more is that for more than 20 years John was in the Merchant Navy and for the last 2 years that he went away to sea back in the early eighties I sailed with him. Such tragedies still happen and they register on my radar when they do! In 1996 the people of Moshene and Ushant, a poor region of France, commemorated the centenary of this disaster as amongst the many shipwrecks along that coastline this had left the deepest mark, and graves of the victims abound in graveyards along the coast. So one graveyard in West Linton led me to another one in France pictures of which can be seen on the video mentioned above.

Since writing this post and doing some more research I've now bought a print about the disaster on Ebay as well as the book Les iles de la misericorde on Amazon! Somehow the story of the SS Drummond Castle has gripped me.

Marion Ritchie and the Renwick family

The bottom of this gravestone can no longer be deciphered and I'm indebted once again to Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions-pre 1855 for the details of the last person mentioned. Here is the full text from the top:

Erected

by

John and Archibald Renwick

in memory of

Marion Ritchie, their Mother

who died 13th January 1845

aged 62 years

also

William Renwick their brother

who died 1826 aged 6

also

Thomas Renwick

died 1863 aged 85.

I strongly suspect Thomas Renwick was their father and the husband of Marion although I don't know for sure as moss has covered the actual inscription at the bottom.

Peter Finlayson and family

Behind this beautifully carved stone lies a family tragedy of two children who died very young, one while fighting in the First World War. Here is the text:

Erected by Peter Finlayson

in loving memory

of

Helen Agnes

his daughter who died 8th Nov.

1912 aged 23 years

also Peter his son

who was killed in France 18th Nov

1916 aged 22 years

also the above

Peter Finlayson

who died 1st Feb 1934

aged 82 years

also his wife

Catherine Mitchell

who died 4th April 1939

aged 82 years

also Archibald his son

husband of Isabella Whitecross

who died 30th March 1940

aged 61 years.

George Morris

This is a very small gravestone. I kneeled down to take the photograph so it's a bit deceptive.You can see it better size-wise on the banner above. But it's no higher than about 1M. It looks sad and forgotten somehow. Here is the inscription:

In memory of

George Morris

who died

25th Oct. 1896

aged 75.

Fallen Over

As you can see it's no longer possible to read the description on this stone but I've used the little map in Sheila's A Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions to deduce who it belonged to. I'm not 100% certain though!

According to that information this gravestone belongs to James Moffat, who died 5th December 1862, aged 92 as well as to his wife Jane Lindsay, who died 24th June 1851, aged 70. Also their children Alexander, died 19th March 1849, aged 27, James, who died 21th February 1879, aged 64 and Jane, died 1st March 1910, aged 94.

John ? and Isobel Grieve

Yet again it has been some time since I posted here and part of the reason is that the dull, grey and wet weather we're having this summer is making it very hard to read the engravings on the old stones. A bit of sunshine can be very illuminating but sadly that has been mainly absent. However here is one of the older stones in the graveyard and it is adorned with a very funny looking face or skull with above it the words Memento Mori.

Whatever text there was in addition to that has now been lost so I'm depending on Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Engravings for further information and even in her time there was not that much more. This is what she tells us it said:

Here lyes John.............(March) 1720 aged (62) and his wife Isobel Grieve died 7th February....aged (65).

John Fairbairn and family

Sorry I have been absent for a bit, life sort of got in the way and I had rather a lot of other things going on. But here is a relatively modern stone in the graveyard. The text reads:

Erected

in memory of

John Fairbairn

who did at Carpet 16th April 1876

aged 83 years

also his son

George

who died at Cowden Burn 28th March 1885

aged 37 years

and his wife

Helen Laidlaw

who died at Peebles 17th April 1894

aged 85 years

also their daughter

Mary

widow of William Laidlaw

who died at Peebles 14th May 1921

aged 80 years

Jesus said

I am the Resurrection and the life

he that believeth in my though he were

dead yet shall he live.

Janet Todd and Thomas Watson + family

This gravestone clearly demonstrates how families used the same plot going down the years. The inscription reads:

Erected

by Janet Todd

in memory of her husband

Thomas Watson

who died 18th June 1855 aged 70 years

also

Ann Watson her daughter

who died 28th Dec 1853 aged 46 years

also John Todd her brother

who died 23rd January 1857 aged 73 years

also the above

Janet Todd who died 9th April 1870 aged 85 years

and

Janet Watson her daughter

who died 29th November 1870 aged 53 years

and

Jane Watson her daughter 

who died 6th May 1893 aged 79 years

also Christina Watson, her daughter wife of

David Harkness, died 17th March 1899 aged 75 years

also Janet Callan her granddaughter

died 13th July 1908 aged 84 years.

Archibald Wilson

This is without doubt one of the most interesting gravestones in West Linton Graveyard. It portrays a man dressed in wonderful costume and cloak. The writing must once have been on the other side of the stone

as seen above but it has now entirely disappeared. In Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions - pre 1850, it merely stated that it belongs to Archibald Wilson and as can still be seen, just underneath the crossbones, it dates back to 1705. I think the costume was contemporary to that time. Also note the splendid skull and spirals at the top and the very ornately carved pillars and garland. Whoever he might have been Archibald Wilson must have been very well-to-do. This gravestone required an expert mason who no doubt charged a pretty penny.

I'm almost sure he was the Archibald Wilson who was born in 1651 and had a wife called Margaret Hope (born in 1655) who are mentioned in archives here . The gravestone also get a mention on the ancient monuments Scotland site under West Linton. Can we see his face above? Sadly it has received a few dents over time but his wig still looks very impressive. This became my blip for today.

 The details of the carving are beautiful such as the shoe buckle above

and his fabulous costume down to the last button. He seems quite at peace with his folded hands. I wish I knew more about him but sadly this is not to be. However his amazing gravestone means that he won't be forgotten!

Alexander Denham

One of the older gravestones in the graveyard is adorned with lovely carving. Featuring a beautiful winged soul on the front where the inscription is. It says:

Here lyes the body of Alexander Denham tennant

in Combhouse who died June 22 175?, aged 66 years

and also Alexander Denham his son

who died October 6th 1760

aged 26 years

At the very bottom of the stone, almost overcome with lichen and moss some words can still be deciphered. I think they say: Mind sonstime runs death path.

Under that there is a Latin description of which very few words can still be read and from Googling that I have deduced the following. The Latin probably reads: via lethi semel est omnibus calcare?? The translation might well be: One night awaits all and must travel death path once.

And there might have been more on this side but if so it has disappeared forever. But don't you just love that cheeky face caught between the skull and the crossbones. Just who is this meant to be?

John Smellie (I think!)

As you can see it's not longer possible to read the information on this gravestone as it has fallen over long ago. But it's situated right next to the Hunter grave monument (posted earlier) and that led me back to Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions and from that I am fairly sure that this stone belongs to John Smellie, tenant Soutmains, who died on the 27th October 1880 aged 69 as well as to his wife Margaret Brown who died 18th June 1843 aged 72. However at least one of these dates is almost surely wrong as otherwise Margaret must have married a veritable toybox with a 40 year age difference. This seems to be highly unlikely! Not impossible, I grant you, but sadly unless this stone gets back on its feet we'll never know.

Alexander F. Farquharson

Back iin action after several days being unable to blog because of a bug to do with using Internet Explorer as my browser. But the good news is that since yesterday we're finally on Broadband, even though it is by no means as fast as you would find in urban localities. However it's at least 7 times as fast my my dial-up so I'm definitely not complaining.

This is a relatively modern stone and with misleading information in Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions who insists the dates of Alexander and his wife are in the 1800s rather than the 1900s. The date of the death of the son alone should have informed her that the parents couldn't possible have died before they could have had a son!
Here is the inscriptions:

Erected to the memory of

Alexander F. Farquharson

who died at Lonely Bield

24th June 1908 aged 69 years

and Margaret Rodger his wife

who died 28th March 1925 (or8)

aged 87

also Andrew their son

who died 2nd January 1912

aged 45 years

Thomas Stodart and family

This stone too is located in the wall dividing the graveyard from the Main Street in West Linton. The text says:

Erected

to the memory of

Thomas Stodart

tenant of Whitfield who died

at Kilcreggan 20th Jan 1879 aged 77

Robina Ker Aitchison his wife

who died 4th Sep 1880 aged 72

George Stodart eldest son of

T. Stodart Whitfield

who died the 11th June 1846

aged 15 years

Mary Aitchison

eldest daughter of T. Stodart

died on the 28th October 1851

aged 22

And at the bottom:

Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

William Hunter and family

What with one thing or another it has been quite some time since I spend time in the graveyard to continue my work of photographing and documenting all the gravestones. Since I was last there the surrounding walls have become a riot of colour which makes the graveyard look even lovelier.

This stone is set against the wall dividing the graveyard from the Main Street and the inscription reads as follows:

In loving memory

of

William Hunter

farmer Tarfhaugh

who died 25th june 1894

aged 84 years

and

Janet Smellie

his wife who died 3rd Dec'r 1879

aged 71 years

Also Walter, their son

farmer Noblehall who died 12th Oct

1919 aged 75 years

also Margaret Tweeddale

wife of the above Walter, died

at Auchrannie 26th July 1939

aged 80 years

also Margaret their daughter

who died 7th September 1920

aged 74 years

also Mary Tweeddale

daughter of the above Walter

who died 26th February 1969

aged 78

also William son of the above Walter

who died 4th January 1973

aged 90 years.

This last is written on the pedastal, as the stone was full.

Here is a detailed picture of the lovely flower cascade right next to this stone. It also became my blip for today.

The Laing family

Some of the gravestones in the graveyard are quite sober, no decoration at all, only the inscriptions. When I first started to document the stones it was the imagery on them that attractedf me but over time I have come to appreciate the text just as much. This stone is no longer readable towards the bottom but the text from the top that can still be read says:

Erected

to the memory of

Robert Laing let Gard

ner of Spittelhaugh who

died December 26th 1810 aged

65 years          also

Elizabeth Laing who died

14th December 1788 aged 11 months also

George Laing who died 14th April 1804

aged 23 years. Also four grand child

ren who died in their infancy

also.......

The gravestone is located very close to the Spittlehaugh mausoleum building in the graveyard, and perhaps the stone was paid for by his employers there.

There is also text on the reverse of the stone which can be seen above. It says as best as I can decipher it:

In memory of

George Laing, born 1858, died 1905

George Laing his father died 1893

Jess Tait his mother died 1901

John Laing his grandfather died 1855

Helen Ranken Cairns his aunt died 1891

Charles Ranken Laing his uncle died 1892

and their relatives.



I'm guessing here but surmise that the grandfather was a son of the Robert Laing mentioned on the other side of the stone. And there must be some relationship with  some of the people mentioned within the Spilttlehaugh enclosure (see a previous post here). Am I being very romantic in imagining the great something grandson of the gardener eventually married a great something granddaughter of the landowner?

The Lawson family

This gravestone has lost its top which is laying behind it on the ground  (see below)and the words Erected in memory of can just be seen. It tells a tale of tragic loss of many children, which explains the inscription on the pedestal. Here comes the text:

Thomas Lawson who died

at Waterside 31st January 1852 aged 66 years

and

Mary Ritchie his wife who died at

Boghowse 24th March 1872 aged 60  years

Also

Marion, Helen and Jane

who died in the prime of life. Also

George and John Lawson

who died in youth. Also

Helen granddaughter who died in infancy.

Archibald Lawson died at Edinburgh

18th March 1879 aged 52 years

and Charlotte Dunlop his wife

who died 27th June 1917 aged 80 years

also the children of Archibald

and Charlotte Lawson. Thomas Ritchie who

died at Kirkhill 12th May 1868 aged 6 months

Alexander Dunlop who died at Edinburgh

12 September 1870 aged 3 years

and Mary Ritchie who died at Edinburgh

6th July 1875 aged 6 years

Charles Archibald died 25th February 1877 aged 2 years

Marion Thomson died 5th November 1922

Finally on the bottom there is the following verse:

Suffer little children to come unto me

and forbid them not

for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

John Gray and family

It has been some time since I went to the graveyard to document some more graves and I took Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions - pre 1855, by Sheila A Scott with me to find some of the gravestones she mentions and that I hadn't seen yet myself. I found several today and for the one above I'm also indebted to the book for the full text as it's been eroded by wind and weather and some parts were very difficult to decifer. Here is the inscription:

Sacred

to the memory

of John Gray late overseer

Whim who died April 1794 Aged

50 years. And of Jean White

his wife who died April 1819 Aged

67 years. And of Ann Gray their

daughter who died September 1821

Aged 28 years. And of Rachel

and Jean who died in infancy.

Also  William died Brimmershall estate St Mary's

Jamaica on 16th November 18?? aged 40

being absent 20 years from Scotland.

A blessed eternity we hope

with God in heaven to spend

where congregations never break up

and Sabbath never ends

Erected

as a tribute of gratitude to

his parents by John Gray overseer

Barrock Lodge county Cumberland

Apparently there was more text that has now disappeared below ground and according the Sheila A Scott's book it said: John Tweedie their grandson, died 4th March 1830 aged 14.

Mary and Robert Porteous

Another sad example of children dying while still in their infancy can be read on this stone set into the outside wall of one of the mausolea in the graveyard. The text reads:

Erected

in memory of

Mary and Robert

Porteous who died

in West Linton

Mary aged 3 years

and Robert one.

Be ye also ready

1861

John Hogg Todd and family

This relatively modern stone located close to the side wall of the graveyard tells a sad tale. Here is the full text:

In loving memory of

John Hogg Todd

shepherd Hareshaw

who died 1st March 1812

aged 59 years

and

Rachael Cowan

his wife

who died 4th March 1895

aged 36 years

Robert

their son died 10th Sep 1887

aged 10 months

Walter Brydon and Margaret Henderson

Here is another of the more recent gravestones in the graveyard. The text reads as follows;

In

loving memory

of

Walter Brydon

son-in-law of

Arch'd Henderson

who died 30th Nov 1925

aged 59 years

also

Marg't C. Henderson

wife of the above

Walter Brydon

who died 2nd March 1944

aged 73 years.

William White and Mary Falconer

A relatively recent stone and one referring to a cottage (Deepsykehead) not far from us, in the same lane. You can see how it is positioned in the graveyard relative to the church just visible on the left.

The text reads:

In

loving memory of

William White

who died at Deepsykehead

26th Jan'y 1912

aged 67 years

also

Mary Falconer

his wife who died at

Rachan Cottages, Broughton

25th Feb 1922, aged 76 years



John Kirk and Agnes Dickson

This stone is very weathered although the text remains clear. It reads as follows:

Erected

by

John Kirk

in memory of

his dearly beloved wife

Agnes Dickson

who died at Deanfoot

on the 24th April 1892

aged 62 years

Also the above

John Kirk

who died 12th Nov 1910

aged 77 years.

Not lost but gone before.



William Alexander of Leith and family

There are only 2 plaques set into the wall separating West Linton Graveyard from neighbouring houses and this is the second one. The text is very difficult (and in some places impossible) to read so I'm indebted to Sheila A. Scott's book Peeblesshire Monumental Inscriptions - pre 1850 for the full information to be found on this one.

It says:

Erected by

William Alexander Leith

in memory of Jean Dickson his mother

died Carlops 25th March 1810, aged 35 years

Also Elizabeth his daughter

died at Leith 2nd February 1839 aged 3 years

William Alexander merchant there

died 2nd March 1851 aged 48

1840

James Sanderson and family

Another impressive obelisk in the graveyard which has the following text;

In memory of

James Sanderson

Blyth Bank

born 12th August 1793

died 14th May 1868

Also of

William his son

born 9th January 1835

died 22nd July 1835

Mary Sanderson

wife of Wm Shanks

died 12th Feb 1868

aged 27

buried in Paisly

cenetary

Grace Sanderson

wife of

John Gibson died

1st August 1869 aged 39

buried in Pittenmain

Margaret Sanderson

wife of

Frederick Heggie

died 11th July aged 36

buried at Kirkcaldy

Also

Mary Wyper wife of

James Sanderson who

died at Trinity 16th August

1886 aged 87 years

It looks like somehow the year of death for Margaret SAnderson was overlooked in the engraving. Probably an oversight by the stonemason who did the work.

The Alexander family

Located very close to the wall of the church is this impressive grave monument that serves to commemorate many members of the Alexander family. The text is divided into two colums.

At the top it says:

In memory of

And then on the left hand side the text reads:

Agnes Mitchell

wife of

Robert Alexander

died 25th April 1878

aged 60 (?) years

the above

Robert Alexander

butcher West Linton

died 27th Nov. 1882

aged 66 years

Eliza

their daughter

died 17th January 1916

aged 72 years

Robert

thier son

died 7th May 1917

aged 69 years

On the right-hand side the text says:

Christine Lawson

wife of

John Alexander

died 9th Sept 1866

aged 22 years

interred in Dalry Cemetary

Edinburgh

the above

John Alexander

joiner West Linton

died 4th May 1893

aged 65 years

Mary Ritchie

their daughter

died 10th April 1920

aged 50 years

Agnes Mitchell

their daughter

died 30th January 1937