It was always envisaged that this project should include the War Memorial complex but, with the passage of time, its centenary, falling in 2025, is almost upon us. Being aware that Fife Cultural Trust have their own celebratory plans it was decided to feature the War Memorial in isolation.

 

Memorials, showing the names of the fallen, only came into vogue after the Boer War of 1899-1902. Previously, memorials were more celebrations of campaigns rather than for commemoration purposes. It was the fact that it was both volunteers and regular soldiers who died in the conflict which led to the change.

 

There are over 100,000 war memorials in Britain and it is estimated that two thirds were erected following the Great War. There were several reasons behind this clamour for memorials – firstly, and most importantly, was the sheer scale of the casualties. Secondly, once again it was volunteers and conscripts who died alongside the regular forces. Thirdly, the repatriation of bodies was banned. It was normally wealthy families who could afford to do this but it was considered unhygienic and unsanitary – hence the ban. Initially, the ban was to last until the end of fighting but it was never rescinded. In fact, one of the most significant changes to stem from the war was the 'equality of treatment of the fallen' – every rank was treated in the same manner. Officers and men were buried in individual graves utilising war cemeteries close to where they died. Previously, communal graves were used for soldiers with the officers having an individual grave or, if close enough to do so, their body repatriated. 

 

The major issue for those mourning was that there was no focal point for grieving. It was this which led to cities, parishes, churches and factories, all trying to raise monuments or memorials as somewhere to both commemorate and mourn. A grave in a foreign field was simply not enough!  The idea of memorials for the |Great War fallen did not wait until the end of the conflict.

 

Surprisingly, in January 1918, 10 months before the war ended, it was agreed that part of Edinburgh Castle would be given over to a Scottish National War Memorial. In Kirkcaldy, the M.P., Henry Dalziel had set the ball rolling by donating £500 towards a memorial to Kirkcaldy's fallen. The town suffered heavy and significant casualties and, in November 1918, the Fifeshire Advertiser produced a “Roll of Honour” over several editions – the initial list contained 172 names including that of Robert Dunsire V.C. As well as being a detailed list of those who had made the supreme sacrifice the intention was that, in time, their names would be added to the town's war memorial.

 

The main narrative follows the efforts to produce a lasting memorial with the initial favoured ideas being a substantial sea wall with a 'Statue of Liberty' as its centrepiece. This monument would carry the names of the fallen heroes. An alternative was the Whytehouse and its grounds being purchased and transformed into an institute, offering something for the living as well as being a memorial to the dead. It would have a reading room, a billiard room, a library and an activities room. Externally, it was hoped to have tennis courts and a bowling green. These were both eventually discounted with cost being a major factor.  However, the Whytehouse project was vigorously opposed as it was felt the Y.M.C.A., who proposed the scheme, were simply trying to get new premises. They had approached the Town Council with the suggestion that they carry out the project in a collaboration. At the entrance to the 'institute' an arch would be formed carrying the names of all those who had died. Initially the Council were sympathetic to the idea but soon altered their stance as a furore broke out over the proposal.  There was a depth of feeling that the management and ownership of the town's memorial should be invested solely in the hands of the Town Council. While many thought it was a good idea in itself it could not possibly be part of the town's remembrance and that it should be pursued, if at all, as a separate issue. The idea of leisure and fun being incorporated into remembrance was anathema to many.

 

The idea of a partial sea wall with a monument as its centrepiece was said to be the favoured option of the demobbed and demobilised servicemen but the potential costs were prohibitive. The long awaited sea wall did however arrive in the not too distant future.

 

The main article follows the search for an alternative site with four being seriously considered. A site in the Beveridge Park was favoured along with two sites which were extremely close to each other. One was opposite the Raith Gates with another opposite Falloden Crescent. The fourth option was a corner of the grounds of Balsusney House – opposite the Adam Smith Halls. Balsusney House stood on the site of what is now the museum and its park is now the Gardens of Remembrance. The owner, Charles Maxton, a linen manufacturer, had just died and his Trustees were asking what was considered an extortionate sum to purchase the whole site. With the death of Charles Maxton the purchase of the house and grounds became the favoured option, but the asking price of £8,000 equalled the total subscriptions gathered at that stage. At that price, there would be insufficient funds to build the memorial itself. However, after some reductions to the asking price, Provost Kilgour was able to negotiate the purchase of Balsusney House and grounds at a cost of £4,500. The town's subscription list still stood at around £8,000 at that point. While this would allow a significant memorial to be produced – little would be left to fund the proposed conversion of Balsusney House into a Museum and Art Gallery. Instead, it looked likely that the house would end up being let to the Ministry of Pensions who had expressed an interest in acquiring it. It was almost agreed to give a 5 year lease at £100 per annum when salvation appeared!

 

Enter John Nairn offering, at his own expense, to demolish Balsusney House and create the sought after museum and art gallery. If this was not enough, in 1926, he offered to add a library which was opened in 1928. Both were willingly accepted by the Town Council. Nairn had already donated £2,000 towards the public subscription total. John Nairn was the head of the linoleum manufacturers Michael Nairn & Co and he had lost his only son, Ian Couper Nairn, in the last months of the struggle. A quiet retiring man he did not even attend the opening ceremony and his offer of a library was conditional on there being no elaborate opening ceremony. Sadly, John Nairn passed away before the library was completed. After his death his home, Forth Park, was bequeathed to Kirkcaldy as a maternity hospital.

 

The main account follows the construction and the preparations for the unveiling ceremony covering all the issues along the way. The opening ceremony for both the Memorial and the Art Gallery took place on Saturday the 27th June 1925. It is estimated that between 25,000 and 30,000 attended to watch the unveiling carried out by Admiral, the Lord Wester Wemyss. Wester Wemyss had been the most senior British representative present at the signing of the Armistice in 1918. It was he who determined that the fighting should cease at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month. This decision apparently infuriated the Prime Minister, Lloyd George, who had hoped to be able to announce the ceasefire in the House of Commons at 2.30pm. Without doubt the decision to have the fighting end earlier saved many lives. Another question to ponder on is where the memorial would have eventually been situated had Charles Maxton not died on the 19th April 1920. His Will is also mentioned – a document that took 21 years before the majority of it came into effect – although it was planned that way!

 

Whilst 7 years had passed from the end of the conflict before the unveiling took place, the Memorial Gardens remain an iconic part of Kirkcaldy. The full story augmented with plans, photographs and articles, is reached from the icon on this page. The question as to why John Nairn's name is not attached to the building is also posed. Readers will have to consider why, despite his munificent gifts, his name is never mentioned. Strange that under the same local authority, 12 miles away, we have The Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries!  The team trust that readers will find the full article to be interesting, informative and thought provoking.