Damaged gravestone of former Coquet Valley teacher restored

Andrew Blythe was a teacher at Windyhaugh School in the hamlet of Barrowburn for almost 50 years.

Born the son of a gypsy in 1851, he came from very impoverished circumstances and, at the age of four he had an arm amputated after a shooting accident.

Although much loved and respected by the community there, he left all his money to his home village of Yetholm in the Scottish Borders when he died in 1933.

Unmarried, he was session clerk in the village kirk.

His most notable benefactions were the William Wilson stained-glass windows in the kirk yard, some of the finest 20th century windows in the Borders, as well as the clock chimes that still ring out over the village.

Unfortunately his gravestone – perhaps the one indulgence he allowed himself – was recently pushed over.

Jayne Gray organised a GoFundMe campaign to repair the stone, which had broken into several pieces.

It raised £560 and the work, which included cleaning the stone, was completed by Thomas Brown and Sons of Melrose.

Jayne said: “It seemed so wrong that a much-liked man who gave so much to the community should be dishonoured.

"I am very grateful to all friends and family members who have contributed to this campaign to restore his gravestone.”

A group of family members and well-wishers gathered last Tuesday to ‘unveil’ the magnificently restored stone.

Rev Colin Johnstone, minister of Cheviot churches said: “It is heart-warming to see people from all over southern Scotland and the north of England gathered here to pay respects to Andrew. The stone has been so well restored that hopefully it will stand for at least another 200 years.”

Andrew Blythe was born to Mary Blythe, a niece of Charles Blythe, king of the Yetholm gypsies. Both his grandparents, mother and siblings were on Yetholm's poor roll.

In his late teens he sought work as a teacher of shepherds' children in the upper Coquet valley. Successful at this, he was eventually appointed teacher when a new school was built at Windyhaugh in 1879. The school closed in 1978.