St Ronan's Calendar 2013

Robert Smail's Printing Works released the latest incarnation of that traditional marketing tool - their calendar.  For something over 130 years Smail's has produced a calendar which was originally sent free of charge to existing and potential customers.  As a showcase for what the business was capable of it was always an elaborate affair.  Originally an entirely letterpress effort it became much more ornate when Smail's had the capacity to produce litho prints.  The 2013 Calender is based on the one produced for 1913 which had an ornate litho frame incorporating St Ronan cleiking the De'il with letter press dates, postage rates etc.


St Ronan's Calender for 2013 went on sale yesterday and costs £2.75.  It can be bought in the shop during normal opening  hours or by mail order - email smails@nts.org.uk for more information.

Future Events

The more observant among you will have noticed a new page in the list on the right hand side of the screen.  Called Forthcoming Events this will give brief details of forthcoming events at Smail's.  To learn more contact the Printing Works via the email address on the page.

Olympic Torch

The Olympic Torch relay came through Innerleithen today and there was a fantastic buzz in the town. The whole school came up to the High Street and we got a mention of the BBC Live Feed (see screen grab below). 

The Times - Sat 9 June 2012

There was a long article, with a rather nice  engraving of the Institute in 1892  devoted to the St Bride Foundation in Saturday's Times.

'via Blog this'

From the Archive

The Borders Family History society meets the staff of the Heritage Hub in Hawick three or four times a year.  At our last meeting we discussed a project about World War 1 that they are working on with local schools.  The particular focus is on the role of the King's Own Scottish Borders in Gallipoli.  One of the tools they are using are the Rolls of Honour which many communities produced after the war.  These not list not only the those who died but include the names of all who served in the armed forces during the conflict.  I thought I recalled seeing one for Innerleithen  in Robert Smail's Printing Works and and the next time I was in their I had a look for it.

I found several copies of this rather colourful document which appears to be unfinished as the paper has not been cropped back to the edge of the printed sheet.  It is likely that Smail's bought in the coloured blanks (Duncan Campbell & Son, Glasgow are named at the bottom) and then overprinted the names of the men form Innerleithen - there are no woman on this version of the Roll of Honour.  I'll need to go to the Guard Books to try and establish when this was printed.

205 men are named - in most cases both forename and surname are given, most have an address although not all are in Innerleithen and in all cases the unit they served in is named. Whilst there are 51 different units listed, the majority (57%) served with the Royal Scots, 48% with the 8th Battalion.

There's another Roll of Honour in Innerleithen Memorial Hall.  This is of polished brass on a wooden backing.  This lists 478 men and 14 woman  and gives surname and initial, rank for all the men and some woman, the initials of the unit they served in and the medals they were awarded.  The units are simply initials so a certain amount of interpretation is required.  36% of the men served in the Royal Scots  and over 60 different units are represented.  The most unlikely is probably the Somerset Light Infantry. Not surprisingly perhaps 10 of the 14 women nurses of one sort or another.

56 names on the printed roll aren't on the one in the Memorial Hall.  There are possible matches for about half of them but the unit is different.  Overall there's information about more than 500 men and 14 women who served in the forces during World war 1.  At some point it would be interesting to compare the names on these Rolls of Honour, the War Memorial and some of the other memorial in the town.