245 February 2015 - Gryffe Advertizer

www.advertizer.co.uk february 2015
Memorial - Bridge of Weir and
the First World War
100 years ago this month – February 1915
Frederic Train Barr, 9th H.L.I. And Thomas Brown Lawrie, 2nd
Scottish Rifles
Since the two fatalities in the second month of the war,
Bridge of Weir had been spared further losses, but by
February 1915 the war on the Western Front was rekindling
and by the month’s end two more telegrams had been received by grieving
families.
Frederic Train Barr was born in Glasgow in 1899, the son of James Barr, the
founder of the Chartered Surveying practice, and Mary Train. He attended
Glasgow Academy and the family moved to Rockcliff, Bridge of Weir, where
he met his sweetheart Anna Brown, of Cruachan, Bonar Crescent. Fred was
a marine engineer with Fairfields when war broke out. He volunteered almost
immediately, joining the 9th HLI (Glasgow Highlanders), and was in France
by November. In February 1915 the battalion was holding the front line just
east of Bethune in the Pas-de-Calais when German shells scored a hit on their
advanced billets. Fred was killed by falling masonry. He was 26. His executrix
was his girlfriend Anna, who, like many women who lost their intended lifepartners
in the war, was never to marry. We will hear more of the Barr family.
Thomas Brown Lawrie was born in 1885 in Kingsbarns, Fife
the son of David Lawrie, a journeyman mason from England,
and Jane Brown from Crail. Sometime after 1911 Thomas
was working as a mason with John Cumming in Kilmacolm
and had found lodgings in Gryffe View, Bridge of Weir.
Like Fred Barr, he volunteered in September 1914, joining
the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and after training in
Nigg, he arrived in France in late December 1914. Thomas
was hospitalised on 9th February 1915 after being struck
by a sniper’s bullet while building up trench sandbags in
the front line near Estaires, about ten miles north of Bethune. The wounds
led to complications and his war had lasted only two months when he died of
pneumonia in Boulogne Hospital on 28th February 1915. He was 29.
Read more about Fred and Tom’s life and untimely death at http://www.
bridgeofweirmemorial.co.uk/index.html
Gordon Masterton
Gryffe Valley Rotary
Toy Library - No sooner had the major WOW project been
fully funded (hopefully the special boat for wheelchair users
will be delivered to Castle Semple early in 2015) than Gryffe
Valley had identified another challenging project to stock
a library with specialist toys for use by disabled children.
The club hopes to raise at least £10,000 over the next few
months for expensive toys and play resources, like sensory story books, aimed
at meeting developmental, therapeutic and cognitive needs.
This years Gryffe Valley 10K Run will be held on Sunday 26th April over the
same Houston/Bridge of Weir course as last year. It will in aid of the new Toy
Library project – hopefully a good turnout and strong support will help to kickstart
the fundraising for this challenging but immensely worthwhile project.
Open Meeting - On 11th March, Gryffe Valley will be holding a special Open
Meeting when Amanda McMillan OBE, the Managing Director of Glasgow Airport,
will be talking about her career, the future of the airport and the support given
to local good causes through the Flightpath Fund. All individuals, companies
and organisations who are interested in hearing Amanda and learning a bit
about Rotary, are invited to attend. If you’re interested, please contact Mike
Farley (01505 613314), or visit the Gryffe Valley website or facebook page for
more details on this, and indeed on all other stories.
Burns Supper - The annual Gryffe Valley Burns Supper was
again a great success! After a traditional River Inn menu,
the audience of almost 200 were royally entertained by
a succession of top level performances. Len Murray, an
internationally renowned speaker on Burns, amused and
captivated his audience with an overview of the remarkable
and unique status of Burns’ life and work, and his role in
preserving the Scots language. In his Toast to the Lassies,Wylie Woodburn had
somewhat scurrilous stories of the male view of the fair sex and he correctly
anticipated a robust response from Baroness Goldie of Bishopton (aka
Annabelle). Indeed Annabelle had some scurrilous tales of her own, including
some poetic verses on well known political figures!
Jim Ferguson’s remarkable performance of Tam O’ Shanter
is almost an institution at this event, and beautiful renditions
of some well known Burns’ songs by Sheila Hall and John
Shirreffs rounded off an outstanding evening which
raised over £3000 for Gryffe Valley projects in the local
community.
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