One of the most memory provoking stops we made at Beamish was at the 1940s farm.

Farm Terrace:-

Just along the way is this pillbox made from a boiler and which was actually used by the Home Guard near Durham:-

The Art Deco style “sunburst” gate on the terrace is mirrored at the back entrance:-

Across the road from the farmhouse there was a barn which had been converted into an eatery called British Kitchen. The menu had wartime “delicacies” such as Woolton Pie, which we passed on. I had a Black Market Bacon Stottie as I recall and the good lady a vegetarian pasty. See sample menu (not exactly the one we chose from) here.

Inside the farmhouse there was an Art Deco rug:-

The farmhouse’s interior reminded me of visiting older people’s houses when I was young.

A 1930s mirror:-

And chairs:-

Horse at 1940s Farm, complete with “land girl” (and modern visitors):-

Outhouse with “Do Your Bit” slogan on old machine inside it:-

Another outhouse, with chimney:-

Car with blackout headlamps – and haywain behind:-

A luxuriating pig (destined for the Black Market Bacon?):-

Innerleithen’s cemetery is on the left hand side of the road as you go into the town from the direction of Traquair. I found twelve Commonwealth War Graves, eight for World War 2, four for the Great War.

J MCI Melrose, Royal Signals, 21/3/1944, aged 21:-

W Craig, Ordinary Seaman, RN, HMS Ganges, 14/8/1945, aged 18:-

Private J Strachan, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 13/6/1945, aged 18:-

Corporal G K Brunton, The Royal Scots, 18/2/1944, aged 32:-

Lance Corporal R T Smith, The Royal Scots, 13/6/1941, aged 23:-

Sergeant G Russell, RAF, 6/5/1942, aged 32:-

Trooper R Crosbie, 1st Lothians & Border Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps, 28/12/1940, aged 21:-

Lieutenant R Campbell, 1st Peebles-shire Home Guard, 20/8/1944, aged 55. It’s unusual to see a War Grave for someone who was in the Home Guard:-

Private J Aitchison, 14th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, 15/10/1916, aged 40:-

Sergeant W J Bell, Royal Scots, 27/1/1917, aged 37. (And his wife, Isobel Hislop, died 22/5/1981, aged 87. 64 years after her husband.) I note that, as is the Scottish custom, Sergeant Bell’s wife reverted to her maiden name in death:-

Sapper G Blake, Royal Engineeers, 2/5/1918, aged 46:-

Lance Serjeant Edward Oliver, Royal Scots, 24/2/1916, aged 23:-