FAMILY GRAVES AND KIRKYARDS
THE OLD KIRK OF GLENBUCHAT
The Old Kirkyard in the morning sun
No one who visits Glenbuchat should fail to visit the old parish kirk at Kirkton, a perfect example of the traditional country church of some 200 years ago, now taken over by Aberdeen Council for preservation as an ancient monument. Is walls are plastered and so is the coved ceiling. Between the pews, the floor is cobbled and the alleys are laid in Correen stone. The pews are arranged on three sides of the pulpit, which is midway along the south wall. With its Laird's Loft and its pews of unvarnished woodwork, it has been described as "a model of primitive but comely decency". There is still an annual service held here and the Society of the Friends of the Old Kirk at Glenbuchat have a website with further information.
It is here in the kirkyard in the shade of the old trees that many of my ancestors lie - namely:
James Reid late farmer at Rinmore and Hellen Reid his wife and their sons Harry, Archibald and Gordon. (c1757-1843)
Peter Reid (brother of James) daughter in law Isobel Crawford, son Adam and his 2nd wife Mary Chree their children Helen, Jane, Peter and Charles George. (c1760-1889)
Archibald Reid and wife Elspet Toshach, son William and his wife Anna. (c1720-1840)
Jane Gauld Grant (wife of Gordon Reid) and her daughter Mary Jane Reid (c1851-1894)
John Reid (James's brother) and his wife Charlotte Lindsay, and their son Rev. William Reid and his wife Elizabeth Mary Scott and their daughter Mary Forsyth. ( 1755-1844)
Major General Alexander John Forsyth Reid KCB and his wife Alexandra Catherine Dyce Stewart son of William Reid and Elizabeth Mary Scott. (c1846-1913)
KILDRUMMY KIRK
Kildrummy Kirk
The present Kildrummy Church, called St Bride, lies at the foot of a hillock on which is set the old church of Kildrummy. There is very little remaining of the old church, mainly one wall into which is carved a wonderful old Reid memorial to Alexander, Ihone and James Reid, it is dated 1563.
Alexander Reid, Ihone Reid, James Reid, New Mill. (c1500-1563)
Gordon Reid farmer at Tollafraike his wife Jane MacDonald and children Robert, Harry, James, Hellen and William. (c1773-1862)
Gordon Reid (son of Gordon above) and his wife Elizabeth Gordon and their eldest daughter Helen.(c1817-1895)
Margaret Tough (grandmother of Elizabeth Nicol) and husband Alexander Tough, daughter Mary and son James (c1798-1852)
TOWIE KIRK
Towie Kirk
Peter Reid (son of Peter Reid of Rinmore) his wife Isabella McDonald, sons Peter and James and daughter
Isabella and her son John Stephen. (c1835-1959).
Nathanael Reid his wife Agnes Cragie, sons Alexander and Gordon and daughter Jane 'who in the interests of education mortified a sum of money as a prize fund for the pupils of Ardler School' (c1740-1871).
Rachel Glennie and her husband William Dawson and their son-in-law James Reid (Peter's brother from Rinmore) (c1765-1862)
James Nicol, brother of Elizabeth Nicol (c1881-1957)
ALFORD CEMETERY
Alford Cemetery
Gordon
Alexander Reid (farmer of Rinmore and Shannoch) his sons James
Reid
(murdered in Australia) William Reid and daughter-in-law
Elizabeth Nicol and granddaughter Williamina. (c1842-1960)
Ellen Ann Reid (daughter of William Reid of Shannoch) (1919-1953)
James Grant Reid (son of William Reid of Shannoch) (1908-1987)
Gordon Alexander Reid (son of William Reid of Shannoch) and his wife Kate Cocker (1905-1996)
John Grant Reid (son of William Reid of Shannoch) (1912-2004)
FULL DETAILS OF GRAVES
BELOW
inside the Old Kirk
the Old Kirk in the evening sunshine
John Reid, Charlotte Lindsay, Rev. William Reid, wife
Elizabeth Scott and their daughter Mary Forsyth Reid
JOHN REID
(son
of William and Anna and brother of James)
his wife CHARLOTTE,
their son WILLIAM and his wife ELIZABETH
and daughter MARY
John died on 5th October 1844 and is buried in the churchyard of the Old Kirk of Glenbuchat. It is worth mentioning the inscriptions here for both parts of this family. They are inscribed on white marble tablets set into stone and are upright. As of May 2005 the left hand one in memory of Alexander John Forsyth Reid had the top third broken off and laid beside it. The first tablet reads -
In memory of Charlotte Lindsay who died on the 29th
September 1836 aged 63. And her
husband John Reid farmer in Miltown of Glenbucket who died the 8th
October 1844 aged 87. This
mausoleum is erected to express the veneration and filial piety of their son The
Reverend William Reid Minister of Auchindor.
Here also is interred the remains of the Rev. Wm Reid Minister of
the United Parishes of Auchindoir and Kearn for the period of 46 years
who died the 2nd January 1882 aged 78.
And of his daughter Mary Forsyth Reid who died the 27th
September 1883 aged 39. And
of his wife Elizabeth Mary Scott who died 9th November 1890
aged 76.
Alexander Reid and Alexandra Dyce
ALEXANDER JOHN FORSYTH REID
(son of WILLIAM and grandson of
JOHN (above)
The second tablet is inscribed:
In memory of Alexander John Forsyth Reid KCB, MA, LLD Major General Indian Army and Hon. Colonel 29th Punjabis son of the Reverend William Reid MA Minister of Auchindoir and Kearn born at Auchindoir 1846 died at Aboyne 4th September 1913 also of his wife Alexandra Catherine Dyce eldest daughter of Sir David Stewart of Banchory Devenick and Leggart born in Aberdeen 22nd July 1863 died at Aboyne 4th October 1928.
grave of James, Hellen and their sons Harry, Archibald
and Gordon
I am leaning on the grave of my great grandmother Jane
Grant
The fallen grave on the left is probably that of my great great
grandparents Peter and Jean
JAMES AND HELLEN REID
James Hellen, Harry, Archibald and Gordon are buried in the Old Kirk of
Glenbuchat they share the same grave under a flat stone inscribed thus:
“By
James Reid farmer Rinmore and wife Helen Reid – second son Archibald
Reid died March 1792 at 7 months. Gordon Reid died 1st May
1823 at 23 years. Said
James Reid died 1836…. Wife Helen Reid d … aged 80 (?).
Son Gordon Reid farmer Rinmore died 1823 at Rinmore.
Harry Reid died aged 30”.
The gravestone has been very difficult to decipher, we have had to scrape away years of growth, dampen the stone and try our best!
________________________________________________________
PETER AND JEAN REID
(son of James and Hellen)
I
have yet to find Peter and Jean’s grave, but I believe it to be the
fallen gravestone adjacent to that of James and Hellen in the Old Kirk
of Glenbuchat.
_______________________________________________________
PETER REID
(brother of
James Reid)
Peter and some of his family are buried in the same grave in the Old Kirk of Glenbuchat next to that of his brother James and sister-in-law Helen. It is inscribed on a flat stone thus:
Peter Reid sometime farmer Baltimore died 10th August 1808 aged 48. His daughter-in-law Isobel Crawford died 1st July 1844 aged 26. Son Adam Reid merchant Baltimore died 23rd April 1886 aged 85. His wife Mary Chree died 3rd August 1889 aged 60. His daughters Helen Reid died 25th June 1868 aged 2, Jane Reid died 18th May 1892 aged 40, second son Peter Reid died Guatemala Central America December 1897 aged 34, Charles George Reid died Denmill
The top left of the grave can just be seen
right on the photo (left)
JANE GRANT
(wife of Gordon Reid)
Jane
Grant and her daughter Mary Jane are buried in the Old Kirk of
Glenbuchat in the same grave topped by a tall four-sided pink granite
edifice, this is situated above the flat stone inscribed to James and
Helen Reid and is inscribed thus:
Gordon Reid in memory of his beloved wife Jane G Grant died 3rd Jan 1888 aged 37 years And their daughter Mary Jane died 23rd June 1894 aged 20 years
TOWIE KIRKYARD
Peter and Isabella Reid
PETER and ISABELLA REID (from Rinmore)
Peter and Isabella are buried in the churchyard at Towie in a tall four sided granite faced edifice flanked by two well clipped yew trees, the inscription reads thus:
“In loving memory of Peter Reid farmer Rinmore died Woodlands, Cluny 17th November 1917 aged 82. His wife Isabella McDonald died Rinmore 12th July 1904 aged 71. Their youngest son Peter, died Adelaide S.A. 18th February 1902 aged 29. Their eldest son James died Aberdeen 1st June 1941 aged 81” Underneath there is a one-line inscription ‘Till the day done’.
Behind this stone on a small badly worn shield is the grave of their daughter Isabella – it is inscribed thus:
“In loving memory of Isabella Reid widow of Alex Webster died Leatherhead Surrey 25th December 1958 aged 92. Her son John Stephen BSc died Aberdeen 2nd September 1959 aged 63”
James Reid, Rachel Glennie and William Dawson
JAMES REID
(Peter from Rinmore's brother and uncle of the above)
To the memory of Rachel Glennie spouse to William Dawson farmer in Green Style of Kildrummie died 24th November 1823 aged 68. Said William Dawson died Rinmore 23rd June 1836 aged 71. James Reid their son in law later farmer in Newtown of Rinmore died 30th October 1862 aged 67.
This is at the top end of the table at the table is inscribed 1824
________________________________________________________
JAMES NICOL AND MARY JAMIESON
(brother
of Elizabeth Nicol)
In affectionate remembrance of Mary Jamieson beloved wife of James Nicol died Glenkindie Arms Hotel 11th January 1950 aged 56. Above named James Nicol died 26th August 1957 aged 76.
KILDRUMMY KIRKYARD
Alexander and Ihone Reid
This ancient inscription is set into the wall of the old ruined kirk and is now unfortunately open to the elements, it is inscribed thus:
MIL9VHA0 SEISTRE ALEXANDER REID IN THE CVLTS AND IHONE REID OF something indiscernible beginning SATH-ER) AND JAMES REID OF NEW MILL something else indiscernible beginning L ANE HONOURABLE MAN
There is a shield in the centre with three stags heads and another shield top left with I and R either side, top right is a man, or more probably an angel as I think wings can be seen.
In front of this are two more Reid graves -
Gordon Reid, Jane MacDonald and their children
GORDON REID AND JANE MACDONALD
(from Tollafraike in Glenkindie)
This is an upright stone inscribed thus:
Gordon Reid farmer Tollafraick, Strathdon died 1848 at 74 years wife Jane MacDonald died 1862 at 75 years. Children Robert Reid died 1824 aged 1 year, Harry Reid died 1836 aged 22 years, James Reid died 1838 aged 18 years, Hellen Reid died 1838 aged 13 years, William Reid died 1839 aged 12 years.
How awful, nearly all the children dying so young within such a short space of time, I believe they all died of T.B.
Behind this grave is -
Gordon Reid, Elizabeth Gordon and their daughter Helen
GORDON
REID, his wife ELIZABETH
GORDON and
their daughter HELEN
(Gordon
is the son
of Gordon from Tollafraike above)
This is an upright stone inscribed thus:
In loving memory of Gordon Reid late farmer Chapelton Kildrummy who died 14 Jan 1864 aged 66 years also Helen his daughter who died 8 April 1892 aged 49 years And his wife Elizabeth Gordon who died 28 Feb 1895 aged 75
Margaret and Alexander Tough
MARGARET TOUGH
(grandmother
of Elizabeth Nicol)
This is a small upright stone inscribed thus:
Margaret Tough husband Alexander Tough ... died 18th May 1849 aged 52 years. Daughter Mary Tough died 28th June 1850 aged 23 years, son James Tough died 18th May 1852 aged 14 years ............
(can't read any more of this one)
ALFORD CEMETERY
Gordon, Williamina and William Reid, Elizabeth Nicol
GORDON REID, WILLIAMINA REID, WILLIAM REID, ELIZABETH NICOL
Erected by Gordon Reid and family in loving memory of his son James who died in Australia 21st Dec 1910 aged 35 years also his granddaughter Williamina who died at Shannoch 12th July 1909 aged 3 years also the said Gordon Reid who died at Shannoch Alford 10th Jan 1923 aged 81 years also Elizabeth Nicol who died at Shannoch 20th March 1958 aged 78 years dearly beloved wife of William Reid also the said William Reid of Shannoch who died 20th August 1960 aged 88 years.
Gordon Reid and Kate Cocker
GORDON REID AND KATE COCKER
Treasured memories of Kate Cocker who died 1st Jan 1995 aged 79 years Beloved wife of Gordon A Reid who died 15th Jan 1996 aged 90 years Late of Shannoch Alford dearly loved parents and grandparents
James Reid
JAMES GRANT REID
In memory of our uncle James Grant Reid 5 Hamewith Cottages Alford died on 13td March 1987 aged 79 years Son of the late Mr and Mrs William Reid Shannoch Farm
John Reid
JOHN GRANT REID
In loving memory of John Grant Reid who died on 19th February 2004 aged 92 years a loving father and grandfather beloved husband of Melba McLeod
Ellen Ann Reid (Smith)
ELLEN ANN REID
Erected by John Smith, Eastfield in loving memory of his wife Helen (sic) Ann Reid who died 12th February 1953 aged 34 years Also the above John Smith who died 12th November 1965 aged 51 years
NB. This is an error on the grave, as she was born Ellen Ann Reid, not Helen (not sure why her husband John Smith decided to do this)!
Isabella Nicol and George Hogg
ISABELLA NICOL and GEORGE HOGG
(Isabella
is the sister of Elizabeth Nicol)
In loving memory of my dear husband George Hogg who died 6th November 1954 aged 77 years Also his wife Isabella Nicol who died 2nd May 1964 aged 87 Till We Meet Again
ABERDEEN CEMETERY
Margaret Reid (Milne) Bessie Reid
MARGARET REID
(Milne)
(daughter
of Gordon) and
BESSIE REID
(daughter of William and
granddaughter of Gordon)
In loving and affectionate remembrance of Margaret Milne who died 31st October 1968 aged 84 years In loving memory of Bessie niece of Margaret Milne and a dear sister and aunt passed away on 24th July 1996 aged 87 years sadly missed by all the family Sleep on dear Bessie and take your rest they miss you most who loved you best
I am indebted to the Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society for their wonderful little booklets on the kirkyards. Also to the Scottish Genealogy Society for their Upper Donside Monumental Inscription booklet.