The portraits you see before you, are of Thomas Inkster and Mary Woods. They are commemorated in two short “Cenotaph Stories” by Jim Pringle, remembering individual Portonians who were affected by WW1.

As part of the Rededication of the Grangemouth War Memorial in 2022, Carrongrange High School created the portraits as a whole-school collaborative project. Over 370  people contributed their thumb-prints to build up the portraits: every pupil and teacher took part, as well as staff from all sections of the school including support staff, physiotherapists, dinner ladies, cleaners and even the pool lifeguard.

The reason we chose to paint using thumbprints was to ensure the project could be a whole school event in which every person, within the school, could collaborate. As a result of the unique individuality we hold within our thumbprint, the portraits have taken on a journey of their own. History is part of us all and in completing these large scale paintings, our school community have become part of history. Carrongrange High School  feels honoured and privileged to have contributed to this event.