Hello All,
I am hoping that someone may be in the vicinity of Berriedale and be able to help me out with an odd query.
I have discovered that there is a memorial dedicated to my 4 x great grandfather, John Nicoll, near where he lived in Borgie, Berriedale. The details are below, and I have attached a couple of maps of the area marking the location of the memorial.
Monument to John Nicoll: (near Borgie, Berriedale)
Clais Crochaire, Latheron (National Grid Reference (NGR): ND 12240 23090)
Construction materials: Stone - Used for walls;
This is a very small walled enclosure around 6 feet square. It has a monument, inscribed; "Erected by His Grace The Duke of Portland KG. 1928. In Memory of John Nicoll a native of Berriedale who died in 1865 and whose remains are interred in Berriedale Churchyard. He lived in Berriedale from 1812 to 1865". The enclosure is walled and fenced. Researched by R. Gumm, compiled by J. Dowling, 15/12/03.
I am in Australia, and what I was hoping was that a local Rootschatter might be able to see if the memorial still exists and take some photos for me?
I visited the area in 2006-2007 and located his grave in the Berriedale New Cemetery, but at that time I was not aware of the memorial's existence.
I am of course curious as to why there is a memorial to him? He was a merchant and an integral part of the community, but I wonder why he was singled out in this way, and why the memorial was constructed in 1928 so long after his death in 1865?
I have included below a newspaper article below about John Nicoll from 1880.
Rambling Recollections of Berriedale, Badbea, & Neighbourhood – Part E, written by Alexander Gunn aka 'A Native of Badbea' and printed in the 'Northern Ensign' on 29 January 1880
Local Celebrities - John Nicoll
“John Nicol was well known and much respected in the village. He was the only merchant in the place. He was a shoemaker, and supplied the district the shoes, and was the means of abolishing the local manufacture of "brogues." He also supplied the district with everything required for the households of the inhabitants, from a needle to an anchor. His amiable wife was also much esteemed, and considering the population, they made a fair thing of it, and their removal by the hand of death was universally regretted.”
Two of his six children were still alive in 1928, but both were living in Dundee. I do have in my possession a leaflet entitled 'The Nicoll's of Berriedale - A Family Souvenir' published in August 1927, and in it the author (whom remains nameless) mentions that John Nicoll's 2 surviving sons had visited the area recently. There is also a mention in the leaflet about an article in the 'John o'Groat Journal' by Alexander Nicoll (John's son) written I 'think' around 1922 about this visit.
This visit may have stirred up remaining sentiment I suppose, but if so, why did they wait until 1928 to erect the monument? I wonder if there is a newspaper article about the erection of the monument that might shed some light on it? Is there anywhere that I can check articles from this time online? The British Newspaper Archive only has the 'John o'Groat Journal' up until 1911, and they do not have the 'Northern Ensign' at all. I would dearly love to be able to read any articles that may exist in relation to the Nicoll's in either the 'John o'Groat Journal' or 'Northern Ensign'.
Any thoughts or assistance greatly appreciated
Jenny