How to add a memorial

Before you start

You must be registered with the site before you can add a new record - you can sign up here. Once you've signed up, you'll be sent an email with details of how to log in.

When you log in, you can go to your account page (click on 'My account') and edit your profile to add your location or change your password. Once you've started to add memorials to the map, these will also be displayed on your account page.

Collecting information

We're looking for as much information as possible about each memorial - the form used by Girlguiding Scotland during The Big Name Hunt gives you an idea of the information we're looking for: Downloaded the form here

Use the search to make sure that the memorial or woman you're about to add is not already on the website. If they are, it's possible that you can add to the information that is already there. Look out for records marked as incomplete, and add any new information you've found (see the 'Adding to existing records' section below).

Entering information

Click on the menu option 'Add to the map' and then select 'Add a memorial', or follow the links from your account page. The Memorial form is then displayed to allow you to enter all the details about the memorial. If you need help with what to enter, an explanation is provided below each field.

Please note the following points:

  • There are three mandatory fields on the Memorial form: 'Short description', 'Type of Memorial' and 'Dedicated to'. There is one mandatory field on the Woman form: 'Name'. (See the 'Naming Conventions' section below for more information)
  • Each Memorial record is linked to a Woman record. As one woman may have several memorials, you may find that there is already a record for the woman you're entering in the 'Dedicated to' field: In these cases, her name will appear in a dropdown menu as you type her name into the 'Dedicated to' field – click her name to select it. If the woman does not already have a record, one will be created automatically when you save the Memorial form – the 'Dedicated to' field will be used as the 'Name' field in the new Woman record.
  • For the 'Short description' and 'Dedicated to/Name' fields, please follow the naming conventions described below.
    The field boxes in the forms will expand to contain the information you enter.
  • Help with entering Location is given on the form. You can mark the location of the memorial directly on to the map or you can enter the Latitude and Longitude and Google Maps will position the marker once the memorial record has been saved.
  • Please only use images you have taken yourself - if you know of an image on another website, put a link in the 'Additional Information' section of the form. To add a picture, click 'Choose File', browse to the location of the picture file on your computer and click 'Open', then click the 'Upload' button. To add more than one image, click on 'Add another item' to add a new upload section to the form.

Don't forget to save the record once you've completed the form. After saving the Memorial record, you can go to the related Woman's record by clicking on her name, then click on to 'Edit this record' to add the information you have collected about her.

All new records are moderated and may not display on the map immediately - you'll be sent an email when the new record is published.

Naming Conventions

Memorials: The 'Short description' field should contain a brief but distinct description of the memorial, and where appropriate it should include the name of the woman being commemorated. This might be the name of the memorial, for example Queen Margaret's Well, or a simple description, e.g. Statue of Jean Armour.

For plaques, memorial stones etc, use the inscription to guide you - is it 'in honour of', 'commemorating' or 'in memory of' the woman? E.g. Carved stone plaque dedicated to Jane Durham

For street names, include the town: e.g. Arthur Street, Paisley. If there is more than one memorial of a similar form, you should also include the location, for example Queen Margaret's Well, Edinburgh Castle and Queen Margaret's Well, Holyrood Park.

Women: Women's names will generally take the form First-Name Last-Name, but for women who are known by more than one name or by their title, you should choose the most commonly used name (e.g. Mary, Queen of Scots rather than Mary Stuart). Other names, full names and nicknames can be entered in the 'Other names' field.

When there is more than one woman with the same name, add their years of birth and death to distinguish them. For example, there are memorials to both the 17th Century author & poet Lady Grisell Baillie (1665-1746) and her great-great-granddaughter, Lady Grisell Baillie (1822-1891).

Adding to existing records

Once you've logged on, you can add information to any of the existing records. Just click 'Edit this Memorial' or 'Edit this Woman' and make your changes.

Make a note of what you've added or changed in the 'Revision information' section of the form - this makes it easier for our moderators to check what's been added.

As with new records, any edits you make to a record will be moderated, and may not display immediately. If any changes you make aren't still aren't displayed after a day or so, please let us know!

If you have any questions about adding or editing records, please contact us.