Publication Info
Publication Details
Introduction
The Reference Number for The Kirkyard of Banchory Devenick is AA100; and it is, indeed, the one hundredth booklet of monumental inscriptions (MIs) published by the Aberdeen & NE Scotland Family History Society. They all make a grand show when on display with the Society’s other publications at members’ meetings. Some 20 or so books have been the results of individuals who have had an interest in a specific graveyard. And then there was the enthusiasm of members of the Society’s Moray Branch which has resulted in another 15 books. But the name which predominates on the covers of over 60 is Sheila M. Spiers. Sheila is the Society’s MI Co-ordinator and has supervised the work in this area from the early 1980s and the publication of the first such collection of MIs: King Edward. She was Gaffer No 1 in the early Graveyard Gang; the late Margaret Brown was Gaffer No 2; Jean Cowper (as she was then) joined as Gaffer No 3; and the late Jim Shirer came in as Gaffer No 4. (It should be said that there were only 4 members in that early Gang!) Although the number of helpers has increased “in the field” as members have “taken on” to check the draft of their local graveyard and there is now assistance with plotting the layout of stones (graph paper has given way to surveying with a laser rangefinder, and mapping with GIS software), Sheila is still the guiding hand behind this ongoing work. Anyone not involved with the Gangs or the annual Graveyard Outing can have little idea of just how much effort has to be made to produce those white covered books: plotting, cleaning (carefully!), transcribing (accurately), revisiting a site (sometimes more than once) for rereading with different angles of light, typing and rechecking what might not read sensibly. The work already achieved in published books and which is still ongoing with new sites and working on the drafts from the early days which are in the Society Library represents countless hours and hundreds of miles travelling around the North East. Thank you, Sheila, for your commitment and efforts over nearly 30 years. And while the above photo was taken some years ago, your enjoyment is evident then – and we hope it is still with you today.
Acknowledgements
My thanks go to Margaret Brown and Jean & Jim Shirer for their very hard work cleaning and reading some of these stones, which meant standing or kneeling at quite perilous angles. My thanks also to Fiona Thomson for checking and updating the inscriptions and to Edna Cromarty for checking the typescript. I made at least 3 attempts to make a plan that was readable and legible. I have never seen such a chaotic churchyard, so I am very grateful to Gavin Bell and his magic machine* for finally being able to make a decent and comprehensible plan. Sheila Spiers
Comments
Banchory-Devenick Old Kirkyard, naming 1659 individuals between 1730 and 2010
