REMOVAL OF THE HIGHLAND MARY

MEMORIAL.

IN

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N the last issue of the Chronicle, we laid before our readers a full report of the development of the proposal to remove the Monument and remains of Highland Mary from the West Churchyard of Greenock, and also of the discussion which took place at the Annual Meeting of the Federation in connection with the three alternatives offered by Messrs Harland & Wolff to meet the views of the Federation. The alternatives were (1) to remove the remains and the Monument to such a place of sepulture as might be selected by the Executive of the Federation; (2) to leave the remains interred as at present, and to reverse the existing Monument so as to face the street; (3) to remove the existing Monument, and to place and maintain a mural tablet in lieu thereof, the remains not being disturbed. After full discussion of these proposals, the finding of the Federation was that the whole matter be remitted to the Executive along with representatives of the Greenock Burns Club, with full powers to deal with it in the interests of the Federation." Thereafter, acting on instructions, the President and Secretary of the Federation interviewed Mr Kempster, Managing Director in Greenock for Messrs Harland & Wolff, and laid before him the prevailing opinion of the Federation that the remains should not be disturbed, and the Monument interfered with only so far as was necessary to suit the altered circumstances. Mr Kempster received them with the utmost courtesy, and expressed the earnest desire of his firm to meet the wishes of the Federation, even to the extent of bearing the expense of another Monument on any site selected by the Federation, should the alternatives offered be considered out of unison with the sentiment which actuated the opposition to the scheme.

In the meantime the Provisional Order was being rapidly passed through Parliament, and no other course was open to the Federation but to oppose it. The Bill was accordingly blocked by the Hon. A. Shaw, M.P. for the Kilmarnock Division of Ayrshire, who was in communication with the President of the Federation, and the result was that an understanding was come to that Messrs Harland & Wolff would faithfully carry out any of the alternatives chosen by the Federation, and of their own free will supply funds for the erection of a Memorial elsewhere if desired.

In terms of the remit made to them, the Executive then met, and advised the representatives of the Greenock Club that they would visit Greenock and finally determine which of the alternatives should be accepted. After careful examination of the proposed alterations on the Monument if left in situ, and the sites offered in the new burying-ground of the West Parish and the Greenock Cemetery, they adjourned to the Burns Club rooms, when it was decided by a majority to accept the site offered by the Corporation in the Greenock Cemetery, it being strongly urged in support of this course that to leave the Monument and grave isolated amid such incongruous, squalid surroundings was a most undesirable solution of the question. Powers were accordingly conferred on the Greenock Burns Club to superintend the removal operations under the direction of Mr M Whannel, Architect, Glasgow, which work was successfully accomplished by the beginning of November.

To Mr Shaw, the able and popular member for the Kilmarnock Division of Ayrshire, the utmost credit is due for his plucky blocking of the Bill, which only indirectly affected his constituents in the Burns country he represents.

Mary

REBURIAL OF THE ASHES.

In chill November weather the ashes of Burns's Highland were re-interred in Greenock Cemetery on Saturday, 13th

November, 1920. The ceremony was necessarily attended with all the trappings of woe, but it was not an occasion of mourning. Circumstances provided an opportunity to honour the dust of the Highland girl who inspired some of the most beautiful songs of the Poet, and lovers of Burns, not only in Greenock but throughout the West of Scotland, availed themselves of the opportunity with fitting reverence. Interest in the reburial, however, was not confined to Burns Club members, as was evidenced by the large number of the general public who assembled at the grave-side. Such a gathering as that which came to pay homage to the ashes of a simple peasant girl dead more than 130 years ago could not readily be conceived in any connection other than that of Scotsmen in relation to Burns.

While the company were assembling in Greenock Cemetery there was a brief thunderstorm with vivid flashes of lightning and heavy showers of rain and hail, but the proceedings were carried out during a dry interval, Earlier in the week the remains had been exhumed from their resting place in the Old West Kirk buryingground, which is required in connection with Messrs Harland & Wolff's shipyard extension, and placed in an oak coffin, which was conveyed to the cemetery house. Here assembled the representatives of the Burns Federation and members of the Greenock and other Burns Clubs. From the house the coffin was borne by relays of prominent Burnsians, others falling in behind, and the procession proceeded at a slow pace up the steep ascent to the site of the new grave in the high part of the cemetery adjoining the James Watt memorial cairn. On the coffin, which bore the simple inscription: "Mary Campbell (Highland Mary), Re-interred 13th November, 1920," were placed three beautiful wreaths. One was from Greenock (the Mother) Burns Club. It was of white heather and laurel, tied with a ribbon of Campbell tartan. The others were from Greenock St. John's Club (of laurel, pink roses, lilies, and ferns) and from Messrs Harland & Wolff (of palm, white roses, and heather).

The scene at the grave was a striking one. Facing the tomb a large canvas shelter had been erected for the accommodation of the members of the Burns Clubs and those specially interested. Around the other three sides of the grave, which had been roped off, were assembled the general public, many being ladies. The monument which was erected in the Old West burying-ground by admirers of the Poet in 1842 was in position. On it is carved the couplet :

"O Mary, dear departed shade,

Where is thy place of blissful rest?"

In front is the little original headstone bearing the words: This burying-place belongs to Peter M'Pherson, ship carpenter

in Greenock, and his spouse, Mary Campbell, and their children, 1787."

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On the arrival of the procession the coffin was placed over the laurel-lined grave, and the Burns Club members grouped themselves alongside and behind the officiating minister, the Rev. W. J. Nichol Service, West Kirk, Greenock, who occupied a central position in the canvas pavilion immediately opposite the burial place. There followed an impressive service, in which a special choir under Mr Percy Harmon assisted. It was opened with the singing of verses 13-18 of Psalm 103 to the tune of "Coleshill," and the recitation of Sentences and Collect." The coffin was then reverently lowered into the grave. The pall-bearers were Messrs D. M‘Naught, President of the Burns Federation; Hugh M'Lean, President of Greenock Burns Club; J. B. Morison, Greenock; Thomas Amos, Secretary of the Burns Federation; Dr W. A. Milne, Greenock; James A. Morrison, Greenock; George B. Grieve, Secretary of Greenock Burns Club; and Duncan M'Callum, Greenock. Lessons from the Old and New Testaments were read by Mr D. M'Naught and Mr Hugh M‘Lean, and a prayer :-" O Thou unknown, Almighty Cause "-written by the Poet "in the prospect of death," was sung to the tune Spohr."

The Rev. Mr Service afterwards offered up prayer. In the course of the petition he said :-" We bless Thee this day, as we stand by our departed sister's grave, for the love which she called orth in the heart of our Poet, which inspired his sweetest and his saddest song, and which drew his soul near to the place of blissful rest. Help us to cherish the hope that long ago they were re-united in the fellowship of soul with soul in that place where love is perfect and immortal; where there is no more parting or weeping or pain for ever. O Thou who givest liberally and upbraidest not, we praise Thee for food and raiment and for all things necessary for the sustenance of life; and we thank Thee no less for the sweet voices that have sounded in this world and made us, in the midst of toil and trouble, sing in heart along the road of life, giving us kind and gracious thoughts of our fellows, and drawing us to all that is fair and beautiful. We praise Thee that their music lingers with us still when the singers are gone from the sight of our eyes and the hearing of our ears. Make us, we pray Thee, attentive to them, that even here we may know the joy and the peace of the heart at one with Thee."

The service concluded with the singing of part of Paraphrase 66 to the tune St. Asaph," and with the Benediction. Then the

grave was filled in with earth taken from the grave in the Old West burying-ground-" dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

The Burns Federation were represented at the service by Messrs D. M'Naught, T. Amos, J. Jeffrey Hunter, Andrew M'Callum, P. Sulley, A. Mackenzie, W. Douglas, H. M'Coll, J. Carmichael, T. Killin, and ex-Provost Wilson, Pollokshaws. Among others present were Sheriff Welsh, Colonel D. F. D. Neill, the Rev. James M'Kechnie, Councillor Hillhouse Carmichael, Messrs Arch. Macphail, Charles L. Brodie, Grierson Macara, A. Foulds, James Campbell, G. Dunlop, W. Morrison, H. D. Scutter, and J. M. Pollock.