Daniel’s death registration lists “pneumonia” as the cause of death. However, due to his age and the period, I have included him in the count of Spanish flu deaths. He is laid to rest in Tillicoultry Cemetery, in a plot that we would later share with his parents, brother, sister-in-law, and niece. Their headstone isContinue reading “Remembering Daniel Ferguson”
Author Archives: ryvoan83
Remembering Alexander Laird
I visited Lochgelly Cemetery on a rainy June afternoon. Situated between the B981 and the railway line, the cemetery is outside the town amid farmland. It is the final resting place of Alexander Laird. Alexander passed away at 25 David Street, Lochgelly, on December 19th, 1918, at the age of twenty-six, due to heart failureContinue reading “Remembering Alexander Laird”
Remembering William Johnston
Dysart is an eastern suburb of Kirkcaldy. The municipal cemetery is on a hillside, offering spectacular views of the Firth of Forth towards Edinburgh, East Lothian, the Berwick Law, and the Bass Rock. Every so often, the peace is disrupted by the sound of trains headed to Edinburgh along the nearby East Coast Railway Line.Continue reading “Remembering William Johnston”
Remembering Alexander Faulds
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 postsContinue reading “Remembering Alexander Faulds”
Remembering Robert Haggart
The Haggart brothers, Robert and John, are over 3800 miles apart, one in Canada and the other in Scotland. Both fell victim to the Spanish influenza within just over three months of each other. The widespread impact of the Spanish flu led to numerous losses within families, demonstrating that distance and geography were largely immaterial.Continue reading “Remembering Robert Haggart”
Remembering John Wood Haggart
Vicarsford Cemetery is located a short distance from the Tay Road Bridge in the parish of Forgan, an attractive area in North-East Fife. The cemetery was established in 1894 to replace the nearby Forgan Kirkyard and serve as the new burial ground for Forgan, Wormit, Newport, and other nearby communities. It is situated on aContinue reading “Remembering John Wood Haggart”
Remembering John Walker
ABLE Seaman John Walker RNVR is buried in Abbotshall Churchyard in Kirkcaldy. He passed away from pneumonia following influenza in Ramsgate on November 12, 1918, at the age of thirty-one. His grave is distinguished by an official CWGC headstone. John was born on May 5th, 1887, in Kirkcaldy to linoleum printer John Sr. and MargaretContinue reading “Remembering John Walker”
Remembering John and Charles Smith
Opened in 1901, Grandsable Cemetery overlooks the BP Refinery at Grangemouth, one of Scotland’s few remaining heavy industrial sites. Juxtaposed against the ornate Edwardian headstones, the landscape is electrifying. The memorial for Janet Smith and her sons may seem unremarkable at first glance, but it holds a profound significance that is easy to overlook. ThomasContinue reading “Remembering John and Charles Smith”
Remembering Matthew McKenzie
Every life lost in a pandemic is a tragedy, regardless of the victim’s age. However, the death of a young person is a particularly devastating loss. The Spanish flu pandemic is infamous for causing fatal illness in young people, and unfortunately, fifteen-year-old Matthew McKenzie was one of the victims. Matthew’s grave is situated in PolmontContinue reading “Remembering Matthew McKenzie”
Remembering James Cowan
I recently purchased the book, ‘They Shall Grow Not Old, ‘ by The Men of Falkirk Parish Church and Erskine Church, Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice in the First World War. Produced in 2014 by researchers for Falkirk Trinity Church of Scotland, this book catalogues the war dead from the congregations of the churches acknowledged in the title.Continue reading “Remembering James Cowan”
