The new cemetery in Tillicoutry is located on the eastern edge of the town, at the foot of the rugged Ochil Hills. It was opened as a replacement for the nearby churchyard. The cemetery contains many ornate headstones typical of late and post-Victorian cemeteries. Among these headstones is Alexander Faulds’s resting place.
In previous posts on this page, it has been mentioned that while every life lost in a pandemic is a tragedy, the loss of a child has a distinct rawness. Alexander passed away from influenza on October 28, 1918, at 15 Bellfield Avenue, Dundee, aged only ten. The family headstone, which is in excellent condition, is a neo-Grecian grey granite pillar adorned with what appears to be a shrouded urn. “It commemorates multiple family members. Alexander’s details are on the north-facing panel.
Alexander John Faulds Jr was born on August 30th, 1908, on Galloway Terrace in Kirkintilloch, East Dumbartonshire, to ironmonger clerk Alexander Sr and Jane (née Alexander). His obituary, published in the Dundee Courier on October 29th, described him as their elder son known to his family as ‘Jack’.
Although he was neither born nor died in Tullicoutry, his most direct connection to the town (his eventual resting place) was through his paternal grandparents. His grandfather, also named Alexander, who resided in Tullicoutry, was buried in the family grave just a year before his grandson.
I couldn’t find Alexander Jr.’s whereabouts in the 1911 Census. There are several listings for Alexander Faulds, but each contradicts the information I already have. It’s possible that the enumerators recorded his details incorrectly or that the family lived outside Scotland in 1911.
Sources: Ancestry, British Newspaper Archive, Find a Grave, ScotlandsPeople
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