The Victims In Bank Row
The bomb fell during the school holidays when many children were out playing on the street in the Bank Row area. Because of the war the summer holidays in 1940 were extended from June 18th and went right on to October 1st. There were fears about collecting children together and the Bank Row bomb highlighted the danger of this. The death of 15 people which included 8 children shocked Wick. The children killed were Frederick Blackstock (5) Isobel Bruce (7) James Flett (7) Kenneth MacGregor 8) sisters Elizabeth Miller (5) and Amelia Miller (9) Donald Thomson (16) and John Wares (5). The adults killed were were Robert Mackenzie Seaforth Highlanders (30) Mrs P Mactavish (44) Mrs Isobel Mackenzie (25) (father, son, daughter and daughter-in-law) Mrs Mary Steven (44), William Smith, merchant (63) and Donald Waters ,fish curer (50).

9 October 05
Let's Do The Show Right Here - BBC Radio Show Made In Wick Last Night

The BBC Radio "Show Lets Do The Show Right Here" was at the Assembly Rooms, Wick last night recording their show with Michelle McManus of Pop Idol fame appearing in the second half.  Local Wick children and young people performed and things were kept swinging along with the host of the programme Bryan Burnett.  He interviewed Elsie Cormack and sue Jane Taylor who are helping to raise funds for the community Memorial Garden to remember the children killed at Bank Row during the war.  The radio show allows local groups to raise funds from the show and to keep all the proceeds for the particular cause.  last night Michelle McManus added her own personal donation of £250 to make a grand total of £2600 from last night towards an eventual target of £150,000.  The group are confident they will raise all the money and will continue to come up with more ideas to reach their goal.  Architect George Harper has been appointed to draw up plans.  A full house last night enjoyed the evening.
"Let's Do The Show Right Here" - BBC  The programme at Wick will go out in January

July 05
SITE FOR COMMUNITY MEMORIAL GARDEN
BANK ROW
Background and Update
On July 1 1940 the first daylight bombing on mainland Britain during the Second World War occurred in Bank Row, Pulteneytown. Hill Avenue, north side of Wick, was bombed a year later. Twenty one civilians were killed in these bombings including ten children.

Sixty five years on the surviving relatives along with members of Wick community formed the group ‘Second World War Air Raid Victims – Wick’ in January 2004. In October 2004 the group were successful in being awarded a 100% grant from Scottish Land Fund and UIE Community land Fund to enable them to buy the original bombsite on Bank Row.

After nine months of frustration over legal matters, the group became proud owners of this property. The groups are grateful to the previous owners for their cooperation over the sale and long wait.

Contractor, G M Henderson who has offered his services as an ‘in kind’ contribution, moved in with his diggers, lorries and cleared the surmountable mounds of fishing gear left abandoned since years on site. The diggers also have demolished and cleared the dangerous post war buildings and removed asbestos cement sheet roofing.

The company issued three tenders out to North Highland based companies for the development of the site. Pentarq, who are Thurso based, have been chosen to work with the group on this development. One of the architects is George Harper, who was born and brought up in Wick. He has recently returned to the North from working in London on many prestigious international architecture projects.

The nine months community consultation, July 2004 – March 2005 was an intense period for the group trying to contact and involve as many people of all ages. Wonderful artworks and oral stories have been created and collected in the visual and oral recordings of people’s war time and contemporary memories. All these important community works will be housed in an archive room within the garden.

The theme will be youth and tranquillity running through the elements within the hard and soft landscaping of this site. Ten school children were killed in the bombing and it is the intention of the relatives to remember their loved ones through the veins of the youth who will benefit from this project.

The group are now seeking funding for the two developments within the site: The garden’s total cost is £150,000; this includes involving and training young people in new skills during its development. The two original Thomas Telford buildings which the group would like to see transformed into a Youth Enterprise Centre will cost £274,516. This centre will consist of small incubation units for young people starting off in business set in the heart of town. The group have been successful in some of the funding but have some way to go before their goal is met.

Two major community fund raising events will take place this autumn: ‘Past, Present, Future Dance’ September 15 and ‘Let’s Do the Show’ for BBC Radio Scotland on October 8 both being held at the Assembly Rooms. This September event is organised through Wick Youth Club and helped funded by Highland Council Arts, Leisure and Sports Department. Young people led and choreographed by dance instructor Carol Webster and her assistant Tracey Morrison will dance through the ages from Neolithic age up to present day in a spectacular multi media performance. The October event will be a ‘War Time’ concert involving Caithness Big Band and other well known Caithness performers with the star attraction of a national celebrity.

6 May 05
Fund Raising
A fundraising evening comprising of entertainment and displays of memorabilia from the war was held at the Pulteneytown church in Argyle Square. Elsie Cormack explained how they had started and where the project stands with an expected start date of May 2006.  Elsie Cormack's two sisters were killed in the bombing of Bank Row.

Elsie Cormack 6 May 2005
Elsie Cormack is the secretary of the Community Memorial Garden group preparing to have the site of the bombing in Bank Row turned into a memorial garden.  Elsie's husband was away in Holland on 6 May 2005 at VE Day remembrance ceremonies.