On Thursday afternoon, January 23rd 1873, George Thomson, the Senior Pupil Teacher was skating and sliding on the ice in the loch beside Rattray School. He slipped and fell heavily, breaking the ice and falling into nine feet of freezing water. George Morrison, aged twelve, bravely went to the aid of his friend but he too fell through the ice. The schoolmaster, Mr Stewart, and
a large crowd with various appliances did everything in their power to save the two boys but without success.Inside Rattray School there is today a bronze plaque commemorating the death of the two boys. At the foot of the plaque is a Latin inscription. In vita amabiles, in morte non divisi, multis multo flebiles. In life they were friends, in death they were not parted, many and great lamentations.
The loch at Rattray common was later drained.