James and Robert Prentice father and son were gravediggers and sextons for nearly seventy years. James died in 1874 aged 84 and Robert 1900 aged 74 they are buried along with members of their families.
In those early days, before the Parish Council took over the graveyards, the gravediggers were employed without wages, their remuneration being the fees paid for interments, usually from 2/6 to 3/- for a young person and 5/6 for an adult. During the time of the Resurrectionists, or the Burk and Hare scare, graves were sometimes constructed as safes. The coffin was built in with bricks, and a large stone laid on the top and covered over with earth. At that time the Prentices were armed with guns, and kept a sharp vigil during the night.
During the Cholera epidemic in Motherwell many people died suddenly. Sometimes a person who seemed to be all right in the morning would be dead and buried before nightfall. Indeed it is said that many were buried before they were dead, as long years after when some of the graves were opened the bodies were faced downwards in the coffins. In some graveyards bodies remain in a good state of preservation for a long time, as in South Dalziel Churchyard Motherwell, where the soil is very moist, whereas in the Manse Graveyard the life of a corpse is less than five years, only the bones remaining owing to the dry and sandy nature of the soil
In some of the headstones the only inscription is the intimation that This is the intended burial ground of and his wife and family. but no date is given. There are some interesting inscriptions on the tombstones. Here is one: This stone is erected to the memory of two honest servants and affectionate friends. Margaret Innes and Christian Gray, who after long and faithful service died at Dalziel House, and according to their mutual wishes, were buried in the same grave. 1800-(2).
Near the mausoleum is a tombstone, which is said to mark the site of the pulpit in the Old St. Patricks Church. It is that of the Rev James Clason, who was a prominent figure and took a leading part in the Disruption.
Dalziel Parish
1798
1836
Or draw their frailties from their dread abode,
There they alike in trembling repose
The bosom of their Father and their God.
1942-2001
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There are 202 graves in this graveyard.
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Several people might be buried in each lair.
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The owners and lair numbers are:
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1. John Sommerville
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2. Jane Sommerville
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3. Robert Barron
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4. William Kerr
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5. Robert Lindsay
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6. James Smith
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7. Alexander Falconner
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8. Catherine Kay
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9. Robertson
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10. James Browlie
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11. Mrs. James King
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12. Archibald King
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13. William King
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14. Hugh Prentice
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15. Archibald Prentice
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16. John Forrest
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17. Archibald Faulds
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18. William Torrance
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19. John Bett
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20. Thomas Thomson
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21. Unknown
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22. Unknown
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23. Robina McIntyre
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24. John Ralston
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25. David Stevenston
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26. John Lawson
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27. William Miller
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28. James Ralston
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29. William Ross
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30. John Horn Junior
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31. John Horn Senior
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32. Robert Nielson
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33. James Muirhead
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34. James Bell
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35. John Hinshaw
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36. John Horn
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37. Alexander Horn
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38. James Bell
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39. David Easson
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40. David Ross
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41. Daniel Falconner
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42. Arthur Lowe
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43. John Prentice
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44. James Smellie
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45. William Smellie
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46. Robert Smellie
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47. Alexander Allan
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48. James Howieson
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49. Robert Brown
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50. John Loudon
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51. William Loudon
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52. Robert Brownlie
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53. Mrs. Forrest
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54. James Stewart
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55. Unknown
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56. Archibald Fergusson
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57. Robert Hendry
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58. George Rose or Robert Ruddoch
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59. John Draffin
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60. David Prentice
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61. James Lightbody
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62. Archibald Telford
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63. James Currie
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64. Thomas Wardrope
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65. William King
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66. John Loudon Purdon
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67. Unknown
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68. William Gilfillan
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69. Alexander Kirkland
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70. James Kirkland
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71. William Smellie
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72. William Smellie
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73. Gavin Hamilton
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74. Mary Smellie
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75. John Gourlay
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76. William Baillie
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77. Samuel Baillie
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78. William Russell
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79. William Weir
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80. Walter Gourlay
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81. William Gourlay
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82. Hugh Glassford
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83. James King
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84. William King
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85. John and William Rose
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86. John Lightbody
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87. John Boyce
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88. George Brownlie
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89. Lord H. (Hamilton?) of Dalziel
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90. James Hendry
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91. John Sutty
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92. Robert Prentice
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93. James Smith
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94. Richard Draffan
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95. Marion King
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96. Archibald Brownlie
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97. John Walker
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98. James Eadie
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99. William Eadie
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100 William King
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101 James King
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102 Alexander Ru....
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103 James Bain
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104 - King
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105 Unknown
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106 John King
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107 George Kirkland
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108 John Williamson
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109 Dan Baillie
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110 James Purdie
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111 William Wilson
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112 Jeannie Hastie
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113 William Horn
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114 John Horn
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115 Unknown
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116 Unknown (Scotts)
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117 James King
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118 Alexander King
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119 Alexander King
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120 King
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121 William Hamilton
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122 Unknown
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123 Rev. J. Classon
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124 James Patterson
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125 Thomas King
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126 Unknown
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127 Adam Galloway
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128 Alexander King
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129 William Cassels
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130 Adam Dickson
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131 James Rennie
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132 William King
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133 Thomas Gracie
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134 John Hamilton
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135 King
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136 Joseph Roswell (?)
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137 James King
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138 William Muir
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139 Thomas Prentice
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140 Archibald Prentice
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141 Joseph Prentice
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142 James Calder
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143 John Prentice
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144 John Prentice
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145 John Prentice
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146 Daniel Stevenson
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147 Janet Falconner
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148 James Purdie
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149 Walter Purdie
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150 Andrew Reid
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151 Unknown
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152 William Brown
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153 William Prentice
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154 Nisbett
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155 William McKenzie
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156 John Ferguson
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157 Unknown
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158 James Paterson
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159 Alexander Nielson
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160 James Wilson
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161 Archibald Ferguson
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162 James Miller
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163 John Baillie
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164 James Baillie
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165 James Falconer
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166 Margaret Falconer
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167 William Nielson
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168 Charles Forrest
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169 James Bell Watt
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170 John Marshall
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171 John Marshall
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172 Unknown
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173 John Sym
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174 William Cullen
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175 Alexander Sym
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176 John Sym
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177 James Black
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178 John Ralston
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179 John Ralston
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180 Alexander Hendry
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181 Unknown
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182 Unknown
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183 Thomas Lindsay
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184 Alexander Johnstone (Lindsay)
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185 Alexander Johnstone
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186 Charles Forrest
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187 Andrew Mitchell
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188 Unknown
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189 Andrew Scott
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190 James Davidson
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191 Margaret Young
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192 Alexander Yuill Junior
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193 Alexander Yuill Senior
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194 David Christie
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195 Thomas King
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196 McKay
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197 William Anderson
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198 Hendry Fergusson
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199 John Fergusson
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200 David Fergusson
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201 Mathers
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202 John Barrie
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now in South Dalziel Church Motherwell
leading to graveyard
round from the graveyard
2001
year 2001
just outside the cemetry walls
in its own ground
