If you stroll through the graveyard of Inch Church, near the entrance to Castle Kennedy at Stranraer, your eye will be drawn to the cemetery's most impressive monument. This is a polished granite column that obviously commemorates someone important.
That person is not one of the Earls who lived across the road but penniless Blind Johnnie. The inscription on the memorial explains that it was erected by public subscription in memory of John Alexander, afterwards known as Blind Johnnie, who died at the age of 70 on March 26, 1905.
Blind Johnnie was one of that group of people, found throughout Galloway, known as Worthies. These were people who were often disadvantaged but whom local communities valued and looked after. As the fine memorial shows, Blind Johnnie's street music was much appreciated. He played the recorder and the squeeze box – which are in the collection of the Stranraer Museum. He is said to have been able to recognise people by their greetings to him or by the smell of their clothing, which presumably did not come from fancy colognes and body fresheners.
A picture of Blind Johnnie appears in the pamphlet: Dumfries and Galloway Through the Lens 12. Dumfries and Galloway Libraries, Information and Archives with the Whithorn Photographic Group 1999. ISBN 0 946280 36 3.
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