Army Pensioner/Suspicous Death

[DavidWW]

The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - The Regiment That Sprang From The Blood Of Martyrs

Having just read your most recent posts in reply to my queries both in this forum and the Africa forum, I must say, David, you're a star!

Ah ken

Firstly, thanks so much for your efforts in finding 'wee Peter' in the 1881 census. Although I have a copy of that census extract, your message brought home to me how I have overlooked significant clues in my genealogical research.

Understood.

I knew that Peter's pa (Peter Yule senior) was in the 1st Royal Lanarkshire Militia and stationed at Hamilton Barracks but, being unfamiliar with Scottish regiments, I had absolutely no idea that they were associated with the Scottish Rifles (Cameronians). As I'm a descendant of Covenanters, many other of my forebears similarly served in the Cameronians. It should have been obvious.

As you very probably already know, the 26th of Foot, originally known as The Cameronian Regiment, derived from the armed members of the congregations of the Covenanters who protected the conventicles, religious services, many of which were held on remote hillsides in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, - in the "Killing Times", - at the risk of their lives, as, if the conventicle was discovered and attacked by Dragoons, - their lives were at risk, as there was a sentence of death by Act of Parliament for taking part in such a service.

For those not familiar with the situation, armed sentries were posted around the area of the proposed conventicle, and this outdoor service would not proceed before the officer in charge of the sentries confirmed that it was safe to proceed.

The 26th of Foot, The Cameronian Regiment, was then raised in 1689 from these armed sentries.

The British Army regiment, The Scottish Rifles (The Cameronians) were disbanded in the 1960s after being offered the chance of amalgamation with another regiment, the regiment's response being that they couldn't see that their regimental traditions would be maintained in such an amalgamation, so that they preferred to be disbanded.

On the 14th May 1968, at Douglas in Lanarkshire, at a properly convened conventicle, adjoining the place of the original raising of the regiment at Castle Dangerous on 19th April 1689, the regiment was disbanded, with the quite famous statement from the Colonel of The Cameronians, Lieutenant-Colonel L.P.G. Dow, to Lieutenant-General Sir Derek Lang, General Officer Commanding, Scotland, "We have to go now, Sir. It is time for us to go."

A few years ago I was priviledged to be present at the special conventicle of the Cameronians Association held at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, in order to commemmorate the Covenanters imprisoned there. The Cameronians Association hold an annual conventicle in Douglas at the place of the raising of the regiment.

I'll certainly follow the link you provided to pursue further research on that regiment. It's interesting that you say the Cameronians served in India and not South Africa because I can recall my father talking about his great uncle who was in India. I'd completely forgotten about that until you mentioned it. Again, it's an oral history clue stupidly overlooked. So, I did, in fact, leap to a wrong conclusion that Peter Yule had served in the Boer War because I failed to find him in the 1891 and 1901 census extracts.

There you go !!

Thanks too, David, for your post re William Paterson, my great uncle, in the Africa forum. How can one procure a copy of the Family History publication you cited?

Needless to say, your help is most appreciated, David.

My pleasure !!

David

Reference: "The Lowland Regiments - Lion Rampant", W. Pratt Paul,
Impulse Publications Ltd., Aberdeen, 1972.

[Rodeo]

Yes, I did indeed know about the disbanding of the Cameronians in 1968 in refusal of amalgamation but not the circumstances, that you describe, in which they disbanded -- at a conventicle in Douglas. Lieutenant-Colonel L.P.G. Dow's quote, which you cite, is extremely poignant and apposite given the reason for the disbanding of that regiment.

My great uncle, Lieutenant-Colonel Gavin Paterson (the Hamilton architect) commanded the 6th Battalion of the Cameronians and his son, Captain Lennox Dundas Paterson (also an architect) was in the same battalion his father previously commanded. Among my Covenanter ancestors is Gavin Paterson of Nethershields, who was pursued by Lord Glassford and imprisoned in Edinburgh Tolbooth. I have a copy of the Privy Council documents from the NAS relating to the process against him for treason in participating in the 1679 rebellion. There is an account of this in The Statistcal Accounts of Scotland (Glassford) taken from the Glassford kirk sessions (and the heavy fine also levied against him 'for his wife's refusal to hear the curate').

Given your interest in Covenanters, would you happen to have a copy of the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland 1661-1689?

Thanks again, David.

Cheers,

Rodeo

[DavidWW]

........snipped....................Given your interest in Covenanters, would you happen to have a copy of the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland 1661-1689?

Rodeo

'Fraid not.

David