Elsrickle (Hope Cottage Memorial)

ELSRICKLE WAR MEMORIAL 2 - Taken by HOWARD FRANKS 15 May 2013

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ELSRICKLE WAR MEMORIAL 2 - Taken by HOWARD FRANKS 15 May 2013

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Reference WMO/162756

Address:

Hope Cottage

A721

Elsrickle

ML12 6QZ

Scotland

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Status: On original site

Type: Freestanding

Location: External

Setting: Roadside

Description: Other cross

Materials:

Stone Stone (any)

Lettering: Incised

Conflicts:

First World War (1914-1918)
Second World War (1939-1945)

About the memorial: Latin Cross on roughly hewn plinth surrounded by wrought iron fencing. This long poem tells the story of this memorial as against memorial WMO/152476. Elsrickle The Twa Monuments There’s a wee auld fashioned village that lies aff the beaten track And I want tae tell a story that ma memory brings me back; For in that wee auld village is a sicht that’s quite unique. For you’ll find a War Memorial at each end o’the street. In that wee auld fashioned village were twa puirhoose bairns brocht up. Twa laddies wha gied their labour for a bed and bite and sup. But when they grew to manhood the Great War it broke oot And wae a wheen o’ others they donned the khaki cloot. Frae oot that awfu carnage, were some that ne’er came back to the auld fashioned village, that lies aff the beaten track. No in the quite kirkyard their last Resting place was found. But far frae bonny Scotland they lie in foreign ground. In memory o’ thae gallant lads a Monument was raised On which their noble sacrifice commended was and praised. Their names were also written there but sad it was tae see nae mention o’ the puirhoose bairns – Surely it couldnae be. For they along wi’ ithers, had laid their young lives doon. And just the same as others deserved fair Honour’s croon. No muckle wealth nor gear had they, but whit they had they gied. Their very life’s bluid they poured oot And for their country died. The minister’s attention was drawn tae the fact but he just dismissed the matter and quite refused tae act. But in that wee auld village wis a man that couldnae staun to see in ony measure man’s inhumanity tae man. An’ sae tae richt the wrang that his kindly hert felt sair. A monument for their ain twa sels he had erected there, Richt at the ither end o’ the street, the tapmaist and forebye It stauns tae tell the story tae every passerby. The words engraved upon the stane are plain and clearly tell That it’s for “Twa Gallant Heroes” who in the Great War fell. And underneath their honoured names, without display or fuss, The vital fact it simply states “They also died for us”. Oh, may we, like that honest man, gie honour whaur it’s due. Esteeming character and truth – be pockets t’m or fu’. Far aften in the humble cot true riches they abound When in the mansions o’ the rich they scarcely can be found. And let us think o’Anither Yin who gied Himself for us And ask ourselves the question “Whit dis it mean tae us?” Sure it cannae be that we, wi cauld herts can despise The Love Divine that bore our sins, in Cavalry’s sacrifice, But may we like that honest man with every word and act Let oor lives be a memorial to that great and glorious fact.

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Comments:

The Twa Monuments 

There’s a wee auld fashioned village 
that lies aff the beaten track 
And I want tae tell a story that ma 
memory brings me back; 
For in that wee auld village is a sicht 
that’s quite unique. 
For you’ll find a War Memorial at each 
end o’the street. 

In that wee auld fashioned village were 
twa puirhoose bairns brocht up. 
Twa laddies wha gied their labour for a 
bed and bite and sup. 
But when they grew to manhood the 
Great War it broke oot 
And wae a wheen o’ others they donned 
the khaki cloot. 

Frae oot that awfu carnage, were some 
that ne’er came back 
to the auld fashioned village, that 
lies aff the beaten track. 
No in the quite kirkyard their last 
Resting place was found. 
But far frae bonny Scotland they lie 
in foreign ground. 

In memory o’ thae gallant lads a 
Monument was raised 
On which their noble sacrifice commended 
was and praised. 
Their names were also written there 
but sad it was tae see 
nae mention o’ the puirhoose bairns – 
Surely it couldnae be. 

For they along wi’ ithers, had laid their 
young lives doon. 
And just the same as others deserved 
fair Honour’s croon. 
No muckle wealth nor gear had they, 
but whit they had they gied. 
Their very life’s bluid they poured oot 
And for their country died. 

The minister’s attention was drawn tae 
the fact 
but he just dismissed the matter and 
quite refused tae act. 
But in that wee auld village wis a man that 
couldnae staun 
to see in ony measure man’s 
inhumanity tae man. 

An’ sae tae richt the wrang that his 
kindly hert felt sair. 
A monument for their ain twa sels he 
had erected there, 
Richt at the ither end o’ the street, the 

tapmaist and forebye 
It stauns tae tell the story tae every 
passerby. 

The words engraved upon the stane are 
plain and clearly tell 
That it’s for “Twa Gallant Heroes” who 
in the Great War fell. 
And underneath their honoured names, 
without display or fuss, 
The vital fact it simply states 
“They also died for us”. 

Oh, may we, like that honest man, gie 
honour whaur it’s due. 
Esteeming character and truth – be pockets t’m or fu’. 
Far aften in the humble cot true riches 
they abound 
When in the mansions o’ the rich they 
scarcely can be found. 

And let us think o’Anither Yin who 
gied Himself for us 
And ask ourselves the question “Whit dis it mean tae us?” 
Sure it cannae be that we, wi cauld herts can despise 
The Love Divine that bore our sins, in 
Cavalry’s sacrifice, 
But may we like that honest man with every word and act 
Let oor lives be a memorial to that great and glorious fact. 





The man behind the wee war memorial in Elsrickle


James Bishop was good Christian man who worked his own market garden, “Oxengate”, in the centre of the village. On occasion, I believe he employed some “puirhoose bairns” to help in the busier times.


It was James Bishop, after the erection of the larger memorial outside the old kirk in Elsrickle who “couldnae staun 
to see in ony measure man’s inhumanity tae man.”


He approached the minister and, I believe, some of the Elders at the time, to have all those who left from the village for The Great War and never returned, to be honoured on the new monument.


The minister would not have these “in-comers” and “puirhoose bairns” on “his” monument.


In anger, James Bishop was heard to call the minister, “Nothing but a stentin’ post in hell” , a wonderful analogy for the leader of the local Kirk! (A Stenting Post is the strainer in a wire fence – the big posts that hold all the smaller posts (stobs) tight and secure)


From that day, James Bishop and his family never returned to The Kirk, but travelled the few miles to Walston Kirk by horse and cart every Sunday, rain, hail or shine. My father (Hugh Frame, deceased) remembered some miserable trips in the cart as a young boy being dragged along to Walston Kirk!


James found the money and used the little plot of land "Richt at the ither end o’ the street, the tapmaist and forebye" to erect the small monument with just the two names. It was he who decided on the the vital fact, “They also died for us”.


Some years later, James Bishop (grand son of James Bishop) was approached about another name of a fallen hero who was not recorded on any other monument (Sergeant Peter Clark R.A.S.C.).  Following consultation with my father they gladly gave their blessing to have the 3rd name added as he had "also died for us".


James Bishop was my great grandfather. His grand son, James Bishop (deceased), was a police officer who served with Salford City and Greater Manchester Police Forces retiring as a Detective Chief Inspector and has a family of 11 surviving children. 



His Great Grandson, James Bishop Frame (my brother), was also a police officer who served with Lothian and Borders Police and the Police Service of Scotland and retired as a Superintendent in 2018. 



Hugh Frame

New South Wales, Australia

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Inscription:

On the cross-IN/GRATEFUL MEMORY OF On the plinth-TWO GALLANT HEROES/WHO SACRIFICED/THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/1914-1919/[names]/1939-1945/[name]/"THEY ALSO DIED FOR US"

Names:

WW1-Pte Wm. Smith Canadians/ Pte D. Hardie H.L.I./ WW2-Sergt Peter Clark/R.A.S.C.

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