Will H Ogilvie
Memorial stone at Holefield unveiled
The Ex-Kelso Laddies Club have been working for some time to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Borders Poet, Will H Ogilvie. This culminated during Civic Week at two ceremonies.
.On Friday 19 July, a Memorial Stone was unveiled at a site opposite Holefield Farmhouse, birthplace of the poet on 21st August 1869. At the start of the ceremony, a grey horse (in honour of Ogilvie’s favourite horse in Australia, Loyal Heart) followed by Kelso Pipe Band led a parade of the Laddie, Right and Left-Hand Men, Mrs Jeffries, granddaughter of the poet, Bussers and Ex-laddies from Holefield to the site.
During the 40 minute ceremony there were recitations from Irene Chisholm, David Grant and George Halliday and songs from Jim Chisholm and Kathy Hopkirk. These covered different aspects of Ogilvie’s life and work. There was a specially composed bagpipe salute by Pipe Major Alan Veitch. Alasdair Hutton, a keen Ogilvie enthusiast, gave a very knowledgeable address, which covered Ogilvie’s life both in the Borders and in Australia – both areas well known to Mr Hutton.
During the 40 minute ceremony there were recitations from Irene Chisholm, David Grant and George Halliday and songs from Jim Chisholm and Kathy Hopkirk. These covered different aspects of Ogilvie’s life and work. There was a specially composed bagpipe salute by Pipe Major Alan Veitch. Alasdair Hutton, a keen Ogilvie enthusiast, gave a very knowledgeable address, which covered Ogilvie’s life both in the Borders and in Australia – both areas well known to Mr Hutton.
In front of a healthy crowd of dignitaries, invited guests and interested onlookers, the Kelso Laddie, Mark Henderson and the poet’s granddaughter, Rosemary Jeffries performed the unveiling.
The Bussers unveiled the information Boards on either side of the site. One gives a biography of Ogilvie while on the other is a copy of one of Ogilvie’s most famous poems The Land We Love illustrated by Jimmy Fleming.
The Bussers unveiled the information Boards on either side of the site. One gives a biography of Ogilvie while on the other is a copy of one of Ogilvie’s most famous poems The Land We Love illustrated by Jimmy Fleming.
The Bussers laid posies of flowers on the stone including Eucalyptus leaves, heather, Scottish Bluebells and flowers in the national colours of Scotland and Australia.
At the end of the ceremony the Pipe Band led the dignitaries back to Holefield and a short Reception was held for the guests. Though rain threatened throughout the evening, the Ceremony took place in pleasant weather.
Next evening, as the riders were returning from the Yetholm ride, they paused at the top of the town while the Laddie unveiled the sign which named the road from the Sainsbury’s roundabout to the town boundary, the Will H Ogilvie Way.
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The Ex-Kelso Laddies would like to express their thanks to the many individuals, companies and organisations who helped them with this project. In particular, they would like to thank the Walker family, Holefield for their wholehearted support for the project and to Charity Begins at home, Fallago Environment Fund and Kelso Common Good Fund for their financial support. Civic Weeks are all about celebrating our community and its history. By this commemoration, the Ex-Kelso Laddies are not only honouring a famous son of the district and helping to keep his memory and work alive but also they are paying tribute, in the area where he was born, to the man who has given us the anthem for all Civic Weeks;- There's a spell in this Land of the Marches, In this Border that gave us our birth, In this spot where the Heaven's wide arch is Spread blue o'er the best of the earth! 'Tis the shrine where our hearts keep returning Wherever our feet may be led; All our love on that altar lies burning, All our song-wreaths around it are spread! |
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