The Spanish influenza devastated the east coast of the USA during its outbreak. Cities like New York and Philadelphia suffered significantly, with entire households succumbing to the virus. Mortuaries overflowed with unburied dead, and church bells tolled continuously for the deceased. The situations in Corona, located in the New York borough of Queens, and BlackfordContinue reading “Remembering Jane McPheat”
Author Archives: ryvoan83
Remembering Euphemia Jack
Euphemia Jack passed away from influenza and acute pneumonia at Kirkcaldy Hospital one hundred and six years ago today, on October 28, at the age of 63. The day before her death, she had buried three of her daughters who had succumbed to the same illness. It is likely that she contracted the Spanish fluContinue reading “Remembering Euphemia Jack”
Remembering the Jack Sisters
Since I commenced my search for the Spanish flu dead, all too often, I have encountered instances where multiple members of one family succumbed to Spanish flu. The Jack Sisters of Dysart are my most recent. The railway line between Perth and Edinburgh passes Dysart Cemetery. I never noticed this until I paid for myContinue reading “Remembering the Jack Sisters”
Remembering Mary McKechnie
The Lecropt Kirk is a beautiful neo-Gothic church located on the edge of Bridge of Allan. From the churchyard, visitors can enjoy stunning views across the Forth Valley towards Abbey Craig, the Wallace Monument, Stirling City, and the Campsie Fells. Mary McKechnie is laid to rest in a family plot in the churchyard. She tragicallyContinue reading “Remembering Mary McKechnie”
Remembering William Nairn
Diseases travel with people, and the Spanish flu is no exception. As hundreds of people packed onto ships to cross oceans, the vessels became incubators for the influenza virus. The USS Leviathan, the world’s largest ship at the time, departed from Hoboken, New Jersey, on September 29th, heading for Brest, Brittany. The voyage’s purpose wasContinue reading “Remembering William Nairn”
Remembering William Kemp
The Larbert Parish Churchyard is impressive, standing in the shadow of the neo-gothic splendour of Larbert Old Parish Church. The remains of numerous local industrial magnates rest within the Churchyard, their graves marked by grand monuments. Established in the mid-18th century, the nearby Carron Ironworks was at the forefront of heavy industry and industrialisation inContinue reading “Remembering William Kemp”
Remembering Andrew McDonald
On October 12th, The Strathearn Herald highlighted a concerning surge of influenza cases in the village of Comrie. Andrew McDonald appears to be the only fatality. He rests in Comrie’s South Crieff Road Cemetery on the village’s eastern edge. A plain headstone marks his grave. Though still legible, it has partially subsided into the ground.Continue reading “Remembering Andrew McDonald”
Remembering James Nicoll
St. Andrews Eastern Cemetery is located next to the Cathedral Cemetery. The Cathedral ruins and the Tower of St. Rule overlook the cemetery. This is where James Nicoll was laid to rest after passing away on December 1, 1918, following a five-day battle with influenza at the age of twenty-three. James was born on JulyContinue reading “Remembering James Nicoll”
Remembering William Henderson
The story of William Henderson is one of the saddest I have encountered. William rests with his parents in Bennochy Cemetery, Kirkcaldy. A short walk from the railway station, Bennochy Cemetery is on a gentle slope and boasts an impressive collection of elaborate headstones. William’s headstone is located within the eastern perimeter wall and isContinue reading “Remembering William Henderson”
Remembering Dr. John Boyd Michie
While I cannot confirm John’s fate as a victim of the Spanish flu, his story is incredibly compelling and deserves to be shared. Alva Cemetery is nestled on a picturesque hillside at the eastern periphery of the town, offering serene views of the surrounding landscape. While Dr. John Michie’s final resting place is not withinContinue reading “Remembering Dr. John Boyd Michie”
Broken Columns 