The story of the Bonar Law Cairn
A case study of the transatlantic ties of Rexton, New Brunswick
The Bonar Law Cairn located at the Bonar Law Common
(Photo credit: Wyatt Hudson) Dated: August 19, 2026
What is the cairn?
The Bonar Law Memorial Cairn is a pyramidal structure at the front of the front of the Richibucto River Museum (located on the Bonar Law Common Provincial Heritage Site). It is comprised of several different stones like granite, slag, sandstone etcetera, all cemented together with concrete. On the front of the structure it displayed a memorial plaque that discussed Bonar Law’s history in Rexton and subsequently when he became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, however due to damages to the cairn, it was removed and is preserved by the Richibucto River Historical Society and the Municipality of Five Rivers.
Story of the cairn and the unknown gentleman:
Shortly after Bonar Law’s death in 1923, the structure was originally erected on Main Street Rexton (at roughly 46.647953, -64.876323). It is unclear at this point who had paid for the cairn, whether it was the province of New Brunswick, the government of the United Kingdom, or perhaps the municipality at the time. However it was officially unveiled in 1925 with a sizable ceremony. Some photos in the Richibucto River Museum’s archives illustrate this event in detail.
Bonar Law Memorial Cairn opening ceremony
(Photo credit: Richibucto River Historical Society) Dated: 1925
However, upon investigating the images on the ceremony, many of them seem to focus on one man rather than the event itself which had both myself, and members of the Richibucto river Historical Society puzzled on who this gentleman could be. Believing he was likely an important figure given the volume of images with the focus on him, the investigation commenced.
Our initial hypothesis was that he could be a politician at the time, perhaps the premier of New Brunswick, prime minister, MLA? Unfortunately none of these guesses would match with the elected officials at the time this photo was taken. It was then, that I suggested he could have been a family member, perhaps a brother or uncle of Bonar Law. Upon further investigation, Bonar Law had only one brother still alive at the time, William Kidston Law.
William Kidston Law (Bonar Law’s brother)
(Photo credit: Richibucto River Historical Society) Dated: 1925
William was born in 1855 at the Law homestead in Rexton (then known as Kingston), New Brunswick. His middle name is attributed to his mother’s maiden name (Eliza Ann Kidston), and he likely moved to Scotland with his aunt Janet and Bonar Law in his early teens. Although not much is known during his life in the United Kingdom, he was a licensed physician from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1879. William’s presence at the ceremony was certainly a big deal, travelling from the United Kingdom to Rexton in 1925 was certainly no easy feat, and having this familial connection would have made the event more meaningful. It also highlights the personal connection that Rexton has with the United Kingdom, not only through Bonar Law himself but through William too.
What happened to the cairn?
After the historic Bonar Law house and property officially became a provincial historic site in 1977, the cairn was later moved to that property where it resides to this day under the custodianship of the provincial government. Although falling into a state of disrepair one hundred years later, we can hope that it will be properly conserved by the province, until then, its story and importance remain both here, and documented at the Richibucto river Museum.
Bonar Law Cairn at its original location on Main Street Rexton, New Brunswick.
(Photo credit: Richibucto River Historical Society) Date: unknown
Further reading:
“William Kidston Law” Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh n.d: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/physicians-database/william-kidston-law
“Dr William Kidston Law” Find A Grave n.d: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188583812/william_kidston-law