Historic documents and postcards found during Stirling station renovation work

During work to renew the roof at Stirling station, a historic collection of old documents and postcards have been discovered.

All the slate roofs and all roof sections at Stirling station are being inspected and repaired. During an inspection of the crawl space of the roof of the building, workers discovered a bundle of old papers and postcards, some of them dating back to World War One.

The postcards and papers will eventually be put on display, but as they are in a fragile condition, they must first be preserved properly.

Amongst the finds were some official Caledonian Railway postcards. These had been sent to people in the Stirling area to inform them that goods which had been sent by train were awaiting their collection.

Some of the postcards dated back to 1912 and several were dated April 1916. They had been sent to troops stationed in the barracks at Cambusbarron, requesting that they collect kit bags and parcels from the station.

During World War One, a number of regimental barracks were located in the Cambusbarron area with their training camps and ranges for live shooting practice.

Network Rail has since contacted the regimental museums for the Gordon Highlanders, Cameron Highlanders, and the Black Watch, to try to trace the named soldiers, find out where they were stationed during the war, and whether they returned home.

Stirling Station Postcard — Credit: Network Rail

Information from the Cameron Highlanders museum showed that the 8th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders left for France in July 1915, landing at Boulogne and taking over a sector in the line at Loos on 6th August.

The 8th Seaforth’s first major battle was an attack at Loos on 25th September, in which the battalion suffered a high number of casualties and lost 718 of the 776 men who started the day.

The Regimental Museum was able to identify and trace Captain & Quartermaster Arthur James MacDonald of the 8th Battalion of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders, who was wounded on 28th October 1918, possibly at the Battle of Cambrai. As this was only a short time before the Armistice, the museum believes that it is likely he survived the war and possibly returned home. The museum would like to hear from anyone who has any information on Captain & Quartermaster MacDonald.

Little is known about other soldiers named on the postcards found at Stirling railway station, and the museum would like to know more about the soldier’s stories and their regiments:

2nd Lt. J M or H Campbell 11th Gordon Highlanders;
Private W Reddiford B Company 11th Gordon Highlanders;
Private George Rankine 6th Black Watch;
Officer Commanding A Company, 11th Gordon Highlanders.

Helen Agnew, Network Rail project manager for the Stirling Station roof works, said, “It’s been incredible to see these postcards, many of which are more than one hundred years old and to find out about some of the items that were sent on the railway.

“Finding these items in the roof of the station has already offered a fantastic insight into the past but to be able to trace any family members of those who served would be incredible.”

Ernie Pope, Coordinator for The Highlander’s Museum, who was instrumental in the research into Captain MacDonald said “I believe the importance of remembrance is that every one of us, in this country, will have a distant relative who either, took part in the Great War, or was impacted by it.

“We should never forget the suffering, loss and sacrifice made by so many during one of the darkest periods of world history. Let us all hope and pray we never see it’s like again.”

Stirling station is grade A listed. In early February this year, Network Rail and a team of contractors began work to inspect and repair the non-glazed sections of the station roof. Included in the work is the refurbishment of all the slate roofs, flat roofs, roof-lights, stone chimneys, parapets, and all guttering and drainpipes, on both the main station building and buildings on platforms 3 and 6. Included in the work is the inspection of the original timbers; if any rot is found the timber will be replaced.