Anyone familiar with my website may have
seen that I photograph War Memorials and display them on one of the pages. My latest “acquisition” is the memorial at
Howgate, a small village about 1½ miles from Penicuik in Midlothian. And, as I haven’t blogged for a while I thought I’d combine my
photographic habit with my regular blogging about the centenary of the Great
War.
Thus, I chose the first name on the
Howgate memorial: William James Falside
was the third child, and eldest son, of the Rev. John Tully Falside and his
wife Elizabeth (nee Semple). Born in
Eskdalemuir, in Dumfriesshire, in 1883 I found him in the 1891 census at the
Davington Manse in the village, and again in 1901 in Govan, this time studying
at Glasgow University.
Thereafter I followed his life through
various newspapers. The Dundee Courier
(20 September 1911), reports: “Dalkeith
United Free Presbytery last evening unanimously agree to moderate in a call to
the Rev. Wm J Falside to become minister of Howgate U.F. Church, Midlothian, to
fill the vacancy caused by the departure of the Rev. John G Taylor to Glasgow
some months ago. Mr Falside’s ordination
was fixed for 20th October.
He is a native of Langholm, Dumfriesshire, and was for two years
assistant at St Paul’s Church, Dundee, and for the last three months assisted
in Moncrieff Church, Alloa. The Howgate
call was signed by 129 members and 13 adherents.”
A few weeks later, on 4 November 1911, the
Alloa Advertiser tells us: “As mentioned
in these columns last week, the Rev. W J Falside, son of the late Rev. J T
Falside, Eskdalemuir, and Mrs Falside, Livingstone Place, Lockerbie, was on
Friday, October 20th, inducted to the pastoral charge of Howgate
United Free Church (in the Presbytery of Dalkeith), the vacancy having occurred
through the translation of the Rev. J G Taylor to Lyon Street U.F. Church,
Glasgow. After hearing a number of
candidates, Howgate congregation address to Mr Falside a unanimous and
singularly harmonious call, which was duly sustained by the Presbytery.”
The next significant entry, in respect
of this blog, was in the pages of the Scotsman on 8 December 1915: To Dalkeith U F Presbytery the Rev. William
J Falside, M.A., Howgate, made application for leave to enlist, and this the
Presbytery granted. The Rev. Robert T
Jack agreed to undertake the duties at Howgate during his absence.”
Sadly that absence was to be
permanent. I found five reports of his
death; the Scotsman, on 14 October 1918, represents them all: “MIDLOTHIAN MINISTER DIES ON SERVICE. News reached Penicuik yesterday of the death
of the Rev. W J Falside in Italy on 6th inst. He was a son of the late Rev. John T Falside,
Eskdalemuir, and passed through Glasgow University with distinction. He acted as assistant at Dundee and Alloa,
and in October 1911 was ordained minister of the U.F. Church, Howgate,
Penicuik. In January 1916 he enlisted as
a private in the RAMC, and saw service in East and West Africa. In the beginning of this year he received his
commission as a chaplain, and as such served for eight months in Ireland. He preached in Howgate Church three weeks ago
before proceeding abroad to take up duty, and on the way he became ill with
pneumonia. Two brothers were killed on
service with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers.”
William was 35 years old when he died in
the Faenza Military Hospital, in the Ravenna area of Italy. He is buried in the Faenza Communal Cemetery.
We will remember them.
Sources: The British Newspaper Archives online (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk); Photograph from "www.findagrave.com"