The Scottish War Graves Project

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

More details to follow

1 WW1 CWGC grave

scotsman50 · Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Posts: 859 Location: Lothians

This cemetery is situated on the corner of Greendykes Road and Niddrie House Drive.

There is a sign saying it is owned by Edinburgh Council but the gates are closed and padlocked.

Looking from a location opposite the entrance gate there is no visible sign of a CWGC stone in the central area as described on the CWGC site, but the cemetery does seem to be well maintained.

Name, etc. of person interred here is below photos.

Name Skirving, Thomas Maylin
Initials TM
Rank Lance Serjeant
Regiment Lothians and Border Horse
Age 25
Date of Death 20/11/1917
Service No 120215

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

I can't find it on the CWGC list of Cemeteries unless it's known to them by a different name?

Or it might be case that I'm just not seeing it?

The stone might not be in the style of a 'traditional' one - it could be one of any shape or form erected by the family.

Anne

scotsman50 · Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Posts: 859 Location: Lothians

This cemetery was listed on our site and all I did was go to the CWGC site and enter "Niddrie". This search brings up Niddrie Marischal Burial ground and 1 CWGC stone.

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Oh, sorry! I misunderstood what you said - I thought you had found it within the list of cemeteries on the CWGC site and I was being a bit dim and couldn't see it!

I did as you did, just entered 'Niddrie' and up it came! Strange that it's not included in the list of cemeteries though.

I have no idea why the details aren't available - possibly because it was a private burial ground?

Anne Confused

scotsman50 · Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Posts: 859 Location: Lothians

At some point the City of Edinburgh Council have taken over the maintenance of this cemetery.

Below is quoted what appears in Location Information on the CWGC site -

NIDDRIE MARISCHALL BURIAL GROUND is a very old privately owned graveyard in the policies of Niddrie House, Liberton, on the road from Craigmillar to Musselburgh.

About the middle of the burial ground, there is one 1914-1918 War grave.

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

I've sent an e-mail to Iain Anderson, CWGC's Regional Supervisor to ask if he can shed any light on the situation and asking if he can tell me who is buried there, so if and when he gets back to me, I'll post an update.

Anne

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Mystery solved! Iain replied this morning.

SKIRVING, T M (SKIRVING, Thomas Mylne)

Rank: Lance Serjeant
Service No: 120215
Date of Death: 20/11/1917
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: Lothians and Border Horse
Grave Reference: Buried in centre of burial ground.
Cemetery: NIDDRIE MARISCHALL BURIAL GROUND

The stone is the white (marble) one in the centre of the ground which has three square blocks and is in your photo (between the squarish block and the fallen pink granite one)

The complete inscription reads:

"In loving memory of Thomas Mylne Skirving, Tenant of Niddrie Mains, died 16th August 1905 aged 55 years
His son Sergt. Thomas Mylne, L & B, Horse, who died of fever while home on leave from foreign service 20th November 1917 aged 25
Marion Forrest Hunter wife of the aboveThomas Mylne Skirving who died 6th January 1928"

Mortonhall crematorium hold keys to the gate which allows access.

Anne

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Iain Anderson, CWGC Regional Supervisor has very kindly allowed me to reproduce his photos of T. M. Skirving's stone.

scotsman50 · Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Posts: 859 Location: Lothians

I'm sorry, but I don't see where there is any mystery here.

The CWGC site lists the cemetery, the location of where a stone should be and gives name, rank, service number, regiment and date of death - all of which were entered on my first message about this burial ground.

Maybe, as you said earlier, you have not read what I sent properly.

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

It looks as though Lance Sergeant (1465 & 120215) Thomas Mylne Skirving, 1/1st Lothian and Borders Horse Yeomanry served in Salonika with either "A" or "D" Squadrons.
Disease, including various fevers, was widespread - causing more casualties than action.
His death was registered at Linlithgow, West Lothian.

Keptie · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 54 Location: Letham Forfar angus

Did the Military family - WAUCHOPE not own the house and lands around this location at one time and not in the not so long ago past . ( Major General A G wauchope being one of the family ?

pat w anderson

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Pat - the Wikipedia entry for Niddrie has:
The Wauchope family owned the majority of the area up to the 1930s. The family home Niddrie Marischal House was immediately west of the present day Jack Kane Centre sports complex in Hunters Hall Park. The Wauchopes eventually donated their lands to the city.

scotsman50 · Joined: 24 Jan 2013 Posts: 859 Location: Lothians

A small correction to what Ken has added about the Wauchope Estate.
The Estate was sold to the then Edinburgh Corporation in 1944 for £8,000.
I have added a link below for the Wauchope Family and one for the Wauchope Mausoleum.

http://users.commspeed.net/~rmccomb/wauchop1.html

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/192/planning-listed_buildings_and_conservation_areas/1038/the_wauchope_mausoleum

The mausoleum link details conservation plans that the City of Edinburgh Council prepared in 2010. There is a very small mention of the Niddrie Marischall burial ground in these plans.

LibertonChaz · Joined: 25 Apr 2020 Posts: 4 Location: Liberton, Edinburgh

Hi
Any idea who owns the burial ground