Blairgowrie and Rattray WW2

The gateway early in 2008 before the refurbishment/replacement described in the text - Taken by Mark Duffy 01 May 2008

Report this image
The gateway after the work described in the text - Taken by Mark Duffy 05 Nov 2008

Report this image
Plaque 1-dates - Taken by Mark Duffy 05 Nov 2008

Report this image
Plaque 2- the new one in 2008 relating the history - Taken by Mark Duffy 05 Nov 2008

Report this image

Submit a new image

Reference WMO/288310

Address:

Davie Park

Ashgrove Road

Rattray

PH10 7RE

Scotland

Open large map

Edit memorial name, location & address

Status: On original site

Type: Freestanding

Location: External

Setting: Within a garden/park/churchyard/enclosure/Marketplace

Description: Park

Materials:

Flora and Fauna Grass
Metal Metal (any)
Metal Bronze
Stone Stone (any)

Lettering: Raised

Conflicts:

Second World War (1939-1945)

About the memorial: Enlargement and improvement to the park through the purchase of four acres. The whole ground was levelled and provision made for cricket, football and hockey grounds as well as putting. A gated entrance was also built. Names of the dead were placed on the memorial in the Wellmeadow. The entrance is now formed of two gate posts supporting the wrought iron ornamental gate with low wall to the side. These are placed either side of the entrance. A metal safety rail running the width of the entrance is placed by the roadside. Dedicatory plaques placed on the left and right hand gate posts. The original semi-circular gateway was formed of two taller walls supporting the wrought iron gates with a gate post placed at the end of the park side of each wall. Two dedicatory plaques were placed on the entrance. In 2008 the war memorial gateway was in need of some refurbishment but during the scheme to enhance the park as part of a regeneration initiative the gateway was partly demolished even though this was not within the bounds of the planning permission for the overall scheme. Public protest resulted and the gateway was rebuilt in a new style. A new plaque giving details about the memorial was made and one of the original plaques was recovered and placed on the new gateway.

Edit memorial details

Report a concern with this memorial

Report a duplicate memorial record

Report an inappropriate record

Submit a condition update

Report this condition update

View more details

Grants to support the repair and conservation of war memorials are available from the charity War Memorials Trust if it has raised funds. Support is focused on war memorials in Very bad or Poor condition or where there is a serious Concern.

Before applying for a grant you should read the advice available on War Memorials Trust`s website. The What we can and cannot fund helpsheet explains what types of work the charity can fund.

If you believe your project is eligible for a grant you should complete the Pre-application enquiry form. You will need to be registered and logged in to complete this.

The Pre-application enquiry form is a series of questions to see if your project is eligible. If it is, you will need to provide further details and submit current colour photographs of the war memorial in either a png, gif, jpg or jpeg format.

You can save your Pre-application enquiry form as you go along. Once submitted War Memorials Trust will respond.

Please be aware that a summary of your enquiry, without your contact details, will appear on this page once submitted. This ensures others are aware that an enquiry has been made and can read the response to avoid duplicate enquiries. Information provided by you to us will be used for the purpose of managing the grant enquiry, for further details please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

pre-application

As a charity, War Memorials Trust relies on voluntary donations and every contribution, no matter how large or small, makes a really big difference to our work. Your donation will help protect and conserve war memorials for future generations so please support War Memorials Trust’s work.

donate here

Submit a new comment

Comments:

Blairgowrie Advertiser 19 November 1950- WAR MEMORIAL GATEWAY AT DAVIE PARK ______ Blairgowrie and Rattray Commemoration of the Fallen Dedication Service The dedication of an imposing Memorial Gateway at the Davie Park on Sunday marked the completion of Blairgowrie & Rattray’s War Memorial Scheme - the enlargement and improvement of the park. The gateway, in the middle of the Ashgrove Road side of the park, is a very substantial stone structure, its formal design being in keeping with its commemorative purpose. Semi-circular in shape, it is built of grey lime-sandstone from Camperdown Quarry. Incorporated in it are two handsome ornamental gates, generously gifted by Mrs M’Lintock, Firgrove, Rosemount. The gateway, on which there are two plaques bearing the dates 1939-45, was designed by Mr J. Russell Baxter, A.R.I.B.A., of Messrs Johnston & Baxter, architects, Blairgowrie, Dundee and Arbroath, who very kindly gave his services gratuitously. Mr Charles Farquharson, Rattray, was the contractor. The circular space on the Ashgrove Road side of the gateway is paved and on the park side there will be planted flowers and shrubs. The War Memorial and Welcome Home Committee was formed in the autumn of 1944, its chairman until 1946, being Treasurer (then provost) MacDonald. Provost Ogilvy was chairman of the committee, from the end of 1946 until his death last month. Provost Ogilvy had been, from early in 1945, convenor of the memorial sub-committee, and, as such, the carrying out of the Davie Park extension and improvement was under his supervision. It will be recalled that the park was enlarged by the purchase of four acres on the east side from Miss Thom, the whole ground was levelled, and ample provision was made for cricket, football and hockey, besides putting. The planting of many trees and shrubs has beautified the park. The improved park and its gateway commemorate the 71 men and women of the town and district who made the supreme sacrifice in the last war, and their names are engraved on plaques attached the the 1914-18 War Memorial in the Wellmeadow. These plaques were unveiled in June 1948 by Major-General D.N. Wimberley, former commander of the 51st Division. The company at the gateway dedication included friends and relatives of the fallen, members of the War memorial Committee and Town Council and representatives of ex-service organisations. Mrs M’Lintock and Mr J. Russell Baxter who were present had been specially invited by the committee. The dedication service was conducted by Rev. E.G.S. Traill, M.C., Rattray and Rev. James Leithead, St. Mary’s. Rev. Mr Traill said:- “WE ARE GATHERED IN THE SIGHT OF GOD TO SET APART TO HIS GLORY THIS MEMORIAL GATEWAY WHICH SHOWED FORTH THE SACRIFICE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO, IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR KING AND COUNTRY AND IN DEFENCE OF HUMAN FREEDOM, WERE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH”. After prayer, Rev. Mr Traill asked Treasurer MacDonald, the first chairman of the War Memorial Committee, to hand over the gateway to Provost Gilmour, representing the Town Council. Treasurer MacDonald said:- “IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME TO PERFORM THE LAST ACT OF AN UNDERTAKING, BEGUN IN SEPTEMBER 1944, TO INAUGURATE A MEMORIAL TO THE FALLEN IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THIS PORTAL WILL BE A MAGNET THAT WILL DRAW ALL EYES TO IT, AND WILL REMIND THOSE WHO’S ATTENTION IT ATTRACTS OF WHAT IS OWED TO THOSE IN WHOSE MEMORY IT IS ERECTED. WE ARE, BY ARRANGEMENT, HANDING OVER TO THE TOWN COUNCIL, THE FUTURE CUSTODIANS OF THE WAR MEMORIAL, THIS IMPOSING STRUCTURE AND ASK THEM TO ACCEPT THE PERPETUAL GUARDIANSHIP OF THIS MONUMENT. AS LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE NOW EMPOWERED BY ACT TO INCUR EXPENDITURE ON THE MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND PROTECTION OF WAR MEMORIALS, THERE NEED BE NO MISGIVING ON THE PART ON ANYONE THAT THERE IS ANY DANGER OF THE MEMORIALS OF BOTH WORLD WARS FALLING INTO A STATE OF DILAPIDATION FOR LACK OF THE MEANS TO PRESERVE THEM. IT WILL BE A CHARGE ON THE TOWN COUNCIL IN THE DAYS TO COME TO MAINTAIN THESE SACRED SUBJECTS AND IN THEIR EFFORTS TO DO SO, I WOULD SOLICIT FOR THEM THE MORAL AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT THEY DESERVE TO RECEIVE FROM THE CITIZENS OF THIS BURGH. LONG MAY THIS MEMORIAL CONTINUE TO SERVE, DOWN THROUGH THE AVENUES OF TIME, THE NOBLE PURPOSE TO WHICH IT IS NOW TO BE DEDICATED, AND MAY THE MEMORY OF THOSE IT COMMEMORATES NEVER FADE. IN MEMORY OF OUR HONOURED DEAD AND ON BEHALF OF THE WAR MEMORIAL COMMITTEE, I NOW ASK PROVOST GILMOUR, AS REPRESENTING THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE BURGH OF BLAIRGOWRIE & RATTRAY, TO RECEIVE THIS MEMORIAL FOR ITS SAFE KEEPING IN TIME TO COME, AND I DO SO WELL SATISFIED THAT THIS TRUST COULD NOT BE COMMITTED TO MORE HONOURABLE KEEPING”. Provost Gilmour said:- “SAY NOT- THE STRUGGLE NAUGHT AVAILETH, THE LABOUR AND THE WOUNDS ARE VAIN. FOR THESE MEN AND WOMEN DIED IN DEFENCE OF THE LIBERTY OF THIS, OUR NATIVE LAND, AND FREEDOM SHOULD NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH. THEREFORE, IN THE NAME OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF BLAIRGOWRIE AND RATTRAY, AND IN ALL RESPECT AND REVERENCE, I ACCEPT THE CUSTODY OF THIS GATEWAY, TO BE KEPT AND MAINTAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL AS A TRIBUTE TO, AND IN MEMORY OF, THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE“. The gateway was then dedicated by Rev. Mr Traill who said:- “TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF HIS SERVANTS WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR CHRISTIAN FREEDOM”. Rev. Mr Leithead read several appropriate sentences from Scripture and offered prayer. The ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ were sounded by Mr A. Dishington and the lament ‘Flowers of the Forest’ was played by Piper George Nisbet. The benediction was pronounced by Rev. Mr Leithead.

Submitted by:

Submitted date:

Submit a new link

Report this link

Edit information

Inscription:

Plaque one: 1939 - 1945; Plaque two: A MEMORIAL GATEWAY WAS DEDICATED IN 1950/ IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE 71 MEN AND WOMEN FROM/ BLAIRGOWIE & RATTRAY WHO GAVE THIER LIVES IN/ THE DEFENCE OF FREEDOM IN 1939 - 1945/ THIS ENTRANCE WAS RECONSTRUCTED AND/ REDEDICATED TO THEIR MEMORY IN 2008

Names:

[None]

Suggest information

Listing grade:

Information Required

Listing URL:

Information Required

Unique listing reference number:

Information Required

Conservation area:

Information Required

Local list / Historic environment record:

Information Required

Claim Custodianship

Custodian name:

Information Required

Custodian website:

Information Required