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Kirriemuir (Kirrie) - Kirriemarians of Note

Kirrie has many native sons and daughters - by birth and adoption - who contributed to their country and to the world.  These are a few of them:

      WW I Roll of Honour       Charles "Chay" Melvin       Richard Henry Burton       Sir James Matthew Barrie       Violet Jacob       Sir Charles Lyell       James McPherson       Sir Hugh Munro of Lindertis       Bon Scott

WW I Roll of Honour

The Kirriemuir Roll of Honour 1914-1918 perpetuates the memory of men who died while serving with other units, but who are known to have originally enlisted as Territorials with the 5th (Angus & Dundee) Battalion earlier in the war.

See also Grave Location for Holders of the Victoria Cross in Scotland - Angus.  [NOTE: this may not be complete.]

Charles "Chay" Melvin, Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross

Chay Melvin (Right) and Two Other VCs - Date Unknown

For some years after World War I Charles Melvin was custodian of the Camera Obscura in the Barrie Pavilion on the Hill.  For what deed of valor was he awarded the V.C.  He avoided that one subject other than saying that he thought that "the 'ither lads were ahent him" (behind him).  In World War I he was serving in Mesopotamia.  The Turks attacked the trenches and Melvin charged into them with bayonet, bringing back fourteen prisoners single-handed.  He had been recommended for the V.C.  on two previous occasions.  See details of his heroism.  The regiment sent a party to be pall-bearers at Charles Melvin's funeral - the Last Post and all that.  It his wife's, Susan's, wish that the medal, which is the highest honor to be bestowed, would go to the regiment.  It is now in the Black Watch Museum in Perth together with his photograph.  Kirrie was proud of its V.C.  and a picture of Charles Melvin graced the Hall in Reform Street School.  Photographs of him and his grave in Kirriemuir may be found at Find a Grave - Charles Melvin.

• Name - Charles Melvin
• Rank - Private
• Force - 2nd Bn.  The Black Watch [Royal Highlanders], British Army
• Age - Thirty-one
• Campaign - World War I
• VC Won - 21 April 1917.  Istabulat, Mesopotamia
• London Gazette - 26 November 1917
• Birth - 02 May 1885, Montrose, Scotland
• Death - 17 July 1941, Kirriemuir
• Interred - Kirriemuir Cemetery
• Location of VC - Black Watch Museum, Perth, Scotland
• Nationality - Scotland

Richard Henry Burton, British recipient of the Victoria Cross, buried in Kirriemuir

Richard Henry Burton served as a Corporal in The 1st Battlion of The Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment.  He was awarded his Medal for service at Monte Ceco, Italy, on October 8, 1944.  His photographs may be found at Find a Grave - Richard Henry Burton.

Sir James Matthew Barrie

According to a short biography "James Barrie was born on May 9, 1860 in Kirriemuir.  His father was a handloom weaver, and he had three brothers and seven sisters.  ...  He often listened to his mother's tales of her childhood, until he imagined himself in them.  Opposite his home was a wash house, where he would make up plays with his friends and act in them.  After going to school in Kirriemuir and Forfar.  ...  James put his own plays with a friend.  He was determined to be a writer, but the family wanted him to go to Edinburgh University to get a degree.  ...  He wrote articles for an Edinburgh newspaper.  ...  In 1885, he moved to London and worked articles for newspapers.  ...  He had Auld Licht Idylls published in 1888 and people liked the humour in it.  Many successful novels and plays followed.  ...  He died on June 19th, 1937 and was buried at Kirriemuir, next to his parents, sister and brother David.  Rampant Scotland also has another biography of Sir J. M. Barrie as does the Literary Encyclopedia.  See also: Barrie's Birthplace for Schools [pdf file]; and ANON: the J.  M.  Barrie Society; Books and Writers and, a list of his writings.

Many of Barrie's works may now be found in the public domain on Project Gutenberg.  "Project Gutenberg is the oldest producer of free electronic books (eBooks or etexts) on the Internet.  Our collection of more than 12.000 eBooks was produced by hundreds of volunteers.  Most of the Project Gutenberg eBooks are older literary works that are in the public domain in the United States.  All may be freely downloaded and read, and redistributed for non-commercial use."

Barrie's grave may be found in Kirriemuir.

Violet Jacob

Violet Jacob, Poet and Author, Scottish Songstress, poet, author, and Scottish songstress was born Violet Kennedy-Erskine at Dun, near Montrose (Angus), the daughter of the 18th Laird.  In 1894, she married Major Arthur Jacob and went with him to India.   ... Violet returned to live in Kirriemuir, Angus.  She died in 1946.  Her birthplace, the House of Dun, is a fine Adam mansion house under the care of the National Trust for Scotland.  The house and grounds are open to the public and are well worth a visit.

Sir Charles Lyell

Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875) was an eminent scientist.  Born at Kinnordy House, near Kirriemuir on 14th November 1797, Sir Charles Lyell is perhaps the most significant figure ever born in Angus.  Within his chosen subject of geology he was hugely influential and his encouragement of Charles Darwin helped lay the groundwork for evolutionary biology.  (See also People of Angus for other personages of note from Angus, Scotland.)

James McPherson

Who was James McPherson of Kirriemuir.  Angus Archives holds many famous compositions which were originally written on the backs of envelopes and advertisements and sent to McPherson.

Sir Hugh Munro of Lindertis

Sir Hugh Munro of Lindertis thouigh an Englishman by birth, was the man who first charted and lent his name to Scotland's highest peaks and remains a national icon to those who strive to climb all of Scotland's highest summits.  He was co-founder of the Scottish Mountaineering Club and the first to measure and categorise all of Scotland's 284 peaks over 3,000 feet, now named Munros in his honour.  He was also a war hero, traveller, political activist and adventurer.

Bon Scott

Bon Scott was a member of the band AC/DC.  "Bon Scott was born on July 9, 1946 in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland where he lived for six years.  ...  his father, Charles, known to friends and relations as Chick, played drums in the Kirriemuir Pipe Band and performed with the local light-opera company.  In 1952, the Scott family relocated to Australia.  ...  He was the man who brought AC/DC into sharp focus.  ...  He could make every single fan in an audience of thousands feel like he was performing just for them, whilst also having the ability to make the local pub seem like an arena.  He enjoyed life and loved nothing better than giving pleasure to others.  Bon died in South London sometime on February 19, 1980.  He was pronounced dead on arrival at Kings College Hospital.  Bon Scott lies in the Fremantle Cemetery's Memorial Garden in Australia."

One of the highlights of the day-long (6 May 2006) tribute to Kirrie-born Bon Scott, who went on to front the legendary Australian rock band AC/DC, was the unveiling of a Caithness stone slab in Cumberland Close.  See Kirriemuir - Bon Scott Memorial Plaque See the article Bon Scott Honoured at Kirriemuir Museum:  AC/DC fans across the globe will be delighted to know that at last the man born Roland (Bon) Belford Scott on the 9th July 1946 in Kirriemuir has been honoured. The Kirreimuir Museum is in search of early pictures and photographs of Bon Scott's early childhood in Kirriemuir.  If any fan of Bon Scott or AC/DC has relavant information or pictures the museum would be delighted to hear from you.

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