Author Archives: ryvoan83

Remembering Margaret Clark and Jean McKinlay McAree

The Stirling Old Town Cemetery has been a burial site for centuries. Soldiers, clergymen, even slavers rest here, overshadowed by the muscular tower of the Church of the Holy Rude, it’s walls peppered with dimples from cannon balls from the many conflicts it has survived. Spanish flu victims also rest in this cemetery. Margaret ClarkContinue reading “Remembering Margaret Clark and Jean McKinlay McAree”

Remembering Peter McArthur

This morning I attended the Remembrance Sunday service at Comrie War Memorial. Erected in 1921, the memorial sits in a quite garden at the head of Dalginross, the main southern thoroughfare through Comrie. Private Peter McArthur is commemorated on the war memorial. He lies in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, Boulogne Sur Mer, France. Besides theContinue reading “Remembering Peter McArthur”

Remembering Flora McDonald Fender

Yesterday I visited Monzie Parish Church, which was open to the public as part of Perth and Kinross’ Doors Open Day. Flora McDonald Fender is interred in the churchyard along with her parents and niece. Her brother Thomas Junior who fell in France in December 1915 is commemorated in the church. I made another videoContinue reading “Remembering Flora McDonald Fender”

Remembering Christina Goldie (nee Neilson)

Christina succumbed the Spanish influenza and pneumonia on the the 6th of March 1919 in Stirling Royal Infirmary aged 29 years. Her widower David was present when she died and registered her death. She is interred in Stirling Ballengeich Cemetery in a familial layer with her father Andrew who predeceased her (also dying young agedContinue reading “Remembering Christina Goldie (nee Neilson)”

Remembering Helen Morrison Nicholson – Old Town Cemetery, Stirling

Helen (nee Wylie) lies in Old Town Cemetery, very close to the tower of the Church of the Holy Rude. Her grave is among the first you encounter should you enter the cemetery next to the church’s main entrance, and former Cowan Hospital. She shared her resting place with, what I believe to be herContinue reading “Remembering Helen Morrison Nicholson – Old Town Cemetery, Stirling”

Broken Columns available in Dunblane Library

This evening I handed a copy of my book ‘Broken Columns – The Spanish flu dead of rural South Perthshire 1918-1919 into Dunblane Library. Though the geographical scope of the book is within the boundaries of Perth and Kinross, in 1918, Dunblane was officially part of Perthshire. John Laidlaw who lies in Ford Road Cemetery,Continue reading “Broken Columns available in Dunblane Library”

Remembering Mary Wilson and Janet Marshall Dennistoun – Camelon

Mary Wilson Dennistoun (nee McIntyre) lies in Camelon Cemetery, Falkirk. The headstone was erected by her daughter. Mary succumbed to complications from influenza on the 3rd of November 1918 aged 33. Her death occurred during the second and most lethal wave of Spanish flu. She died at Laurel Bank in the nearby town of Bonnybridge.Continue reading “Remembering Mary Wilson and Janet Marshall Dennistoun – Camelon”