Cairn to Haining son Ronald
Memorial plaque in The Haining, Selkirk to Ronald Pringle-Pattison, 2nd lieut. Gordon Highlanders who fell at The Somme 1916.
A WEE Paper reader wrote to us this week revealing more of The Haining’s history.
John Stephen told about a small cairn – in memory of a young man who lost his life during the First World War – found behind one of the estate’s former cottage.
Mr Stephen, of Montrose Place, Selkirk, said: “I took milk into relatives of the (Haining estate owners) Pringle-Pattisons when they stayed at Burn Cottage (at Hartwoodburn). A cairn of stones was to be seen, no more than two-and-a-half feet high, built under the trees at the back of the house.”
The plaque said: “To the dear memory of Ronald, 2nd Lieut Gordon Highlanders, who fell on the Somme 6th Sept 1916 aged 19 years. Interred in Delville Wood cemetery.”
But it was years later, some time after Burn Cottage had been sold, that Mr Stephen found out who Ronald was.
“I happened to be up at the Haining House area. There I saw the Soldier’s Plaque embodied into a substantial square structure build on the top of the banking some yards to the left of the house.”
And on it he read that Ronald was John Ronald Seth Pringle-Pattison, the son of philosopher Professor Andrew Seth – who later added Pringle-Pattison to his name – who was bequeathed The Haining by Anne Pringle-Pattison.
Mr Stephen reported that Ronald’s name is also found on the town’s war memorial in the 1914-18 section.
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Weather for Selkirk
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 3 C to 12 C
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