Basic Site Details Name: | Glenelg war memorial | Town, district or village: | Glenelg | City or county: | Inverness-shire | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | Sculptor: Louis Deuchars. Commission obtained via Lady Scott and proved problematic; Lorimer financed Deuchars, leading to a dispute at the RSA.
Information from Dr Boreham:
'the memorial was first proposed by Lady Scott of Eilannreach in December 1916 when war was still being waged. She wrote to Sir Robert Lorimer, explaining why she had selected the site on a promontory because, ‘… so many of the young men have gone, their wives & mothers see them go and they are killed. There is nothing left but a desolate memory. If there was a monument, it would appeal to those poor lonely souls who never leave their homes and they might gather round it, and see their sons’ names, and feel that there was still a link between them and those they had lost. Also the happiest days of my son & my son-in-law were spent at Glenelg and I should like their names also on the monument.’
Lady Scott lost her son, Captain George Henry Hall Scott and son-in-law Captain Roland Stuart Hebeler, both of the 7th Battalion the Queen’s (West Surrey) Regiment. Captain Hebeler died of wounds on 16 September 1915 & Captain Scott was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. Both are buried in France. The name at the top of the list on the memorial is Major Valentine Fleming, DSO, MP, father of Ian Fleming, author of the Bond books.
Lorimer asked Louis Reid Deuchars, my grandfather, to prepare a small clay model. Lady Scott was charmed by it and Deuchars proceeded to work on the full-size group. It represents Peace (a Cameron Highlander – because it’s Cameron country) and Victory (winged figure) coming to the aid of Stricken Humanity represented by the kneeling female. At the back are other symbols – dusty coronet & broken drum, representing transient glory and a dove of peace, poised for flight. It was unveiled on 23 September 1920 by Sir John Banner.
The bronze group was cast by Alexander Parlanti of Parson’s Green Lane, Fulham (manager - J. F. Carruthers-Bell).The pedestal of Covesea Stone from a quarry east of Hopeman, Moray and the platform at the base of Applecross stone, were built by L. McLean & Son, Cawdor Road, Inverness. Lady Scott specified the wording for the bronze name-plate, cast by Charles Henshaw of Edinburgh, from a full-size model.
| Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | War memorial | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1920 | | | |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | (Sir) Robert Stodart Lorimer | | | 1920 | | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Boreham, Louise | 1998 | Sculptors V Architects in the Royal Scottish Academy | vIX | Architectural Heritage, 1998., vIX, pp84-95 | | | Savage, Peter | 1980 | Lorimer and the Edinburgh Craft Designers | | Edinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing, 1980 (also paperback ed, London & Edinburgh: Steve Savage, 2005) | p177 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 7236 | | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Lorimer and Matthew Collection | | LOR G/60 |
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