Today, 4 July, sees the anniversary of the date the Mary Erskine School was ‘signed’ into existence with the Merchant Company. We would usually join the FP Guild in commemorating this occasion by a visit to the graveside of Mary Erskine at Greyfriar’s Kirk. As we are not able to commemorate in the usual way, our Mary Erskine School Archivist, Dorothy Sharp, prepared the below piece to celebrate the annual anniversary of the founding of the school, prior to being furloughed. If you would like to make an enquiry or if you have items of interest to give to our archives, please contact Dorothy on dhsharp@esms.org.uk and she will reply to you when she is back at work.
Inspired by the fact that the foundation stone at Ravelston was due to be laid, Mrs Caroline Batt and Mrs Helen Louden (both FPs) undertook the search for the grave. From a record of internment an entry was found “on July 4, 1707 the internment of Mary Erskin, relic of James Hair, Droggist”. The spot was traced to the part now named the Covenanters’ Prison near the high wall. To the right lies the grave of Hugh Cunnigham, a friend and co-founder. of the school.
Here lies Mary Erskine. In a dreary corner of Greyfriars kirkyard the forgotten grave of Mary Erskine was found. 
Grave of Hugh Cunnigham
The following two photographs come from a celebration of the Centenary of the FP Guild in 1984 at the grave of Mary Erskine.
Rev David Becket (minister of Greyfriars) 
Miss McCamley (deputy Head), Mr Currie ( Master), Claire Mitchell (senior prefect) and Mandy Davidson (Deputy)
Broom, the symbol of the Merchant Company 
Herbs planted on her grave 
Commemoration “Kneeler” in Greyfriar’s Kirk 
Mary Erskine’s Grave in Greyfriars Burial Ground
2004 
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In 2014 the Edinburgh Trades Company added a plaque below the plaque for the Merchant Maiden Hospital to commemorate Mary Erskine as cofounder of the Trades Maiden Hospital.
Mrs Linda Moule with pupils at Greyfriars June 2015 
Rachel Scott FP president, Linda Moule Vice-Principal of the school and senior prefect at Greyfriars Kirk to lay wreath on Mary Erskine’s grave
ESMS Community 
Dear ESMS Community,
This is a lovely email but I think there may be a mistake because where it says âBroom, the symbol of the merchant companyâ there is a picture of some gorse. Gorse is spiky and smells like coconut but broom is smelly and the branches grow vertically.
Best wishes,
Thea Thomas
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