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Stone Condition: Sound, Tilted Material: Sandstone Height: 0.33 Breadth: 0.6 Depth: 0.18 Inscription Condition: Clear but worn Inscription Technique: Incised Mason: Not known Pre 1855 no. N/A ( What's this? )

Monument Inscription

B
I.D.
Died 2 Sept Aged 30
1866

Family History

Whilst this stone is found within the cluster of similar memorials contained in the north-west aspect of the kirkyard there are certain differences apparent that separate it from the others.

The shape of the stone is unusual in that it is heavily rounded, a feature which would have entailed a lot of time and work to create. Some elaborate scroll work is engraved on its face above which is a large capital B. Underneath this letter are the initials I.D. and the date of and age at death of the deceased enclosed within a scroll pattern.

Armed with this most minimal information investigations were able to shine some light onto the probable subject of this memorial.

The person herein interred appears to be a thirty years old woman called Isabella Boyes.
Isabella was the child of Alexander Drummond, a shoemaker to trade, and his wife Isabella Laurie. It appears that she was not native to the area and both she and her husband had their origins in the city of Edinburgh. On 12th November, 1859 she married a gardener called Peter Boyes and the couple came to live in the village of Busby. Perhaps indicative of the living conditions pertaining to persons of their social standing Isabella was to develop a pulmonary condition. This condition lingered in her body for eleven months before it finally overcame her resistance and she died on 2nd September 1866.

Having been laid to rest beneath this not insubstantial monument it is puzzling as to why clearer indication of the deceased’s identity should not have been appended. Perhaps cost was a limiting factor?