A Perthshire explorer, who famously introduced the monkey puzzle tree to Britain, will be honoured at a ceremony in London after a successful campaign to spruce up his badly neglected grave.
Botanist and surgeon Archibald Menzies is not as well known as other Scottish plant hunters, such as David Douglas, despite making huge contributions to UK gardens, the timber industry and Perthshire’s claim to fame as “big tree country.”
Historian and writer Fran Gillespie believes this was because Menzies shunned publicity and did not publish his work – and also because he died peacefully in bed at the age of 88 and was not, memorably, gored to death by a wild animal, as was Douglas.
Thanks to Ms Gillespie, Menzies is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Shocked to discover his grave in London’s Kensal Green was nothing more than some broken stones in an overgrown plot, she embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign to restore the site.
Menzies, who was born in Weem in 1754, will be celebrated at a re-dedication ceremony in All Souls Cemetery on August 6.
Ms Gillespie, from Fortingall, had a long-standing interest in Menzies and had written about his work. In 2016, she decided to go to London and pay her respects at his grave.
“His grave lies in the oldest part of the cemetery, now overgrown with wild vegetation,” she said.
“I was staggered to find that there was nothing on his grave plot except weeds, and a few broken fragments of stone. There was no marker, nothing to show where he was buried.”
Fran decided to take action. She contacted the Clan Menzies Society which said it was willing to make a donation.
The Archibald Menzies Memorial Appeal was set up. “I estimated that we would need about £6,000 to have the grave restored and provide for its maintenance for a number of years,” Fran said.
“Fundraising to restore the grave of someone who has been dead for over 150 years is not easy, but members of overseas branches of the Clan Menzies Society were very generous.
Donations flooded in from near and far, including £1,000 from Atholl Estates where many of the trees discovered by Menzies are grown.
A further £1,000 was made with a fund-raising concert in Castle Menzies.
The new grave was made with natural stone from the Bolfracks Estate where Menzies was born. “I liked the idea of Archibald having a headstone sourced from his birthplace,” Fran said.
Members of Clan Menzies, including piper Frank Menzies Hearn and former president Rory Menzies, will be involved in the re-dedication ceremony.
