The Restoration of Rangers Graves Project. Remembering the 66.

[The Moonlighter 387]

When the Restoration of Rangers Graves Project was established three years ago it wasn't only set up to restore the final resting places of those men from our glorious history but anyone within the Rangers family that we could assist.

 

Since 2014 we've restored 21 plots of those who formed and built our Club and we have many more to attend to over the coming weeks and months.

Last week we were contacted by a fellow supporter Chris Beglin who had been to pay his respects at both of the Markinch memorials which commemorate the lives of the five boys from the town who lost their lives at Ibrox on the 2nd January 1971.

 

He brought to our attention that the bench which was placed in their memory at Thornton Parish Church was suffering badly from exposure to the weather. Chris informed us that he was a joiner and that he'd like to strip the bench back and have a friend re-varnish it.

 

After consultation with the Markinch Memorial Committee and Thornton Parish Church this work will be carried out over the coming weeks and if needed on an annual basis.

 

Earlier this week around the time of the anniversary i got into dialogue with Ian Milne and Colin Shearer who are both in contact with many of the families and have intimate knowledge of many of the resting places.

 

Additionally the Club will let us contact any of the families who lost loved ones who's details are currently unknown.

 

We are now pleased to announce this morning that the project to restore, and in some cases mark,all of the resting places of those who lost their lives at the Ibrox Disasters has begun.

 

Ian Milne who is the piper who played his lament at not only at Ibrox on Monday evening but at every grave site of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives has been in contact with the son of George Findlay who is buried in an unmarked grave at Riddrie in Glasgow.

 

The placing of a new stone here will start the project.

 

Not forgotten will be the two lads George Nelson and Tommy Thomson who both perished at the accident at Ibrox in 1961.

 

We at the Restoration Project have a dedicated team who apply the due love, care and attention to detail at every site that we've worked on and it will be an honour to help the families bereaved by restoring the sites of our fellow supporters.

 

This project will run in tandem with our current Restorations.

 

What's been important in the process is the relationship that we have with a stone mason and many of the councils that we've dealt with over the years.

 

This is a huge project but one which will be seen through to the end. No-one will be forgotten.

 

We're aiming for completion around the 50th Anniversary of the Ibrox Disaster in 2021.

 

This all of course will require funding.

 

We have over the years received many donations for which we are grateful and will appeal to our fellow supporters again as we highlight each individual plot and circumstance.

 

We will remember them.

[Little General 80]

Well done Moonlighter and the team.

 

link here for any donations

 

http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

[The Moonlighter 387]

https://rangers.co.uk/news/club/rangers-graves-remembers-66/

[The Moonlighter 387]

We'd like to thank Alex McGhee for donating this signed jersey to the Restoration Project and for also generously paying for the top to be framed which will be done next week.

 

Thank you.

[The Moonlighter 387]

Over the weekend we've had £100 of donations.

 

Thanks again.

 

A link for project donations is here on our website.

 

http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/th...rangers-graves

[Bearman 9]

Over the weekend we've had £100 of donations.

 

Thanks again.

 

A link for project donations is here on our website.

 

http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/th...rangers-graves

 

The link has a "404 Page Not Found" error Moonlighter.

[Little General 80]

The link has a "404 Page Not Found" error Moonlighter.

 

http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

[The Moonlighter 387]

http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

 

Thanks for correcting that error.

 

Much appreciated.

[The Moonlighter 387]

Update.

 

We were contacted last week by fellow supporter Chris Beglin who'd been to pay his respects at the memorial bench that was placed at Thornton Parish Church for the 5 Markinch boys who never returned home.

 

He brought to our attention that the bench has been suffering from weather damage.

 

 

Today we got permission from the Markinch Memorial Committee and Thornton Church to remove the bench and carry out the necessary work on it to bring it back up to scratch.

 

Chris who is a joiner and his friend who is a painter will tend to the bench over the coming weeks and an update will be posted.

[The Moonlighter 387]

Update:

 

Yesterday morning Chris and Steve uplifted the Markinch bench from Thornton Parish Church.

 

Over the coming weeks the bench will be allowed to dry and then the necessary restoration work carried out.

 

A further update will be posted.