The Carnegie Roll of Honour is a large , beautifully handcrafted illuminated book with over 7000 entries dating back to 1886.The heroes fund began in 1908, set up by Andrew Carnegie, aimed to recognise civilian heroism and give financial assistance and support, if necessary, to people who have been injured or to the dependants of people who have been killed in saving or attempting to save another human life. Inspired by William Hunter, whom Carnegie contributed money towards a monument in Hunter’s honour. Hunter was 17 years old when he lost his life trying to rescue a boy from drowning in Townhill loch, Dunfermline.
Leather bound front cover of volume one.
There are three completed Hero Fund volumes, a fourth is still being added to. These are kept at the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace museum in Dunfermline. Originally, Andrew Samuel, Craftmaster of Dunfermline Craft School, was the appointed calligrapher for the trust fund and until 1920 had the job of inscribing each name into the book. From 1908 to 1920, an average of 100 people had their names inscribed into the book for their heroic deeds. It was later agreed that John Burt, also a craftsmaster at Dunfermline Craft School, would be employed to help bring the entries up to date, as by 1920 there was a backlog of 1000 names to be inscribed into the book.
Due to the number of names to be inscribed into the books, the task of inscribing the books changed from the Dunfermline Craft school to Miss L Braxton Hicks from London in 1926, then James Shaw of Dunfermline in 1959, Tom Gourdie MBE in 1990, Sandy Turner of the Queen Anne High School in 1992, and now currently the task belongs to Annette Reed from Falkirk.
Decorated First Page of Volume One
Decorated Second Page of Volume One
We still receive enquiries every year of people with relations that are inscribed in the books, and would like to know more information about the incidents that led to their relatives being recognised in the Roll of Honour. We are always welcoming to those who want to seek out this information.
The first bound book is on display in our museum and can be accessed by families through our website.
Written by Amy Dempster while doing work experience at The Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum
