Bairds are just one of many cemetery secrets
After some years of gentle if persistent persuasion from my wife and daughters I finally got a smart phone and I must say it is indeed very smart! It has completely transformed the walks I take around Stirling; it’s easier to photograph things and incredibly easy to research them (which of course means they were right all along, don’t tell them though).
Anyway, the monument pictured is in the Old Town Cemetery, it’s a classic early 19th century obelisk and commemorates members of the Baird family, two of whom were in the military - Lieutenant Colonel James Baird and Major Patrick Baird.
A quick internet search on my new phone revealed that these two were brothers and that both had fought with Wellington against Napoleon, which is pretty cool in itself. However, they were also nephews of the more famous Colonel Sir David Baird, who was born near
Haddington.
Now David Baird was a very great man, a heroic military leader who fought in India, Egypt and Portugal against Napoleon and his allies. He was celebrated through the 19th century as one of those people who made the British Empire. He features in a very famous painting by David Wilkie regarding the discovery of Tipu Sultan’s body, now revered as a leader of India’s resistance to British rule, and is even in the Sharpe novels.
Famously, he was severely wounded in India and held for four years in chains with a festering bullet that was not removed from him until he was released. Upon hearing that he was in chains his mum famously said:“God help the chiel chained to our Davie.”
What other secrets lie in our brilliant cemeteries? Why not take your own phone for a wander and find out?