Is this 1953? Can anyone please identify people there?
It's clearly a dedication service at the Battle Cairn ...
... but can anyone identify people in this photograph, please?
We think it was 1953 when many mortal remains from the battlefield were reburied close by the Cairn. Was that also the date of the original creation of the cairn? It had been proposed as long ago as 1931 by the East Lothian Antiquarians at around the time the fabled 'Gardiner' Thorntree on Lord Wemyss' land was finally felled. [The Trust has a portion of that tree, graciously donated by Gordon Veitch, which is regularly displayed.]
Who is the Minister? Who the Police Chief? Who the Army Officer? And of course who the countless Panners and supportive visitors there too? It was raining it seems ...
["Yes, the Minister was Rev Pike (or Pyke?) of the Prestonpans Episcopal Church and the policeman was probably Willie Merilees who I think was Chief Constable at that time" ... writes Doug Boyd in answer to this enquiry.]
click to enlarge photograph
Published Date: August 7th 2011
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