Box and Fiddle
Year 18 No 02
October 1994
Introducing the Clubs
No 23 Banff and District
by
Two bandleaders – Mr John Morrison of The Woodlanders and Mr Lennie Taylor of the Country Folk Four, both of whom had played regularly at weddings and other functions held in the Royal Oak Hotel, Banff, where Colin’s parents, Allan and Doreen Dempster were the proprietors.
They approached Mr Dempster citing the North East Club, formed the year before, showing great enthusiasm for the formation of something similar. Mr and Mrs Dempster visited the North East Club and were so impressed that they persuaded Colin and his wife to attend the following month’s meeting. Mr Allan Dempster was really the motivator for the formation of the Club. He, along with his wife Doreen, both of whom played piano and fiddle, wanted to give the young people of the area a chance to improve their musical talent and to provide a stimulus for getting others to start playing musical instruments and keep the Scottish music alive.
Subsequent discussions between the Dempster family and John Morrison resulted in an advert being placed in the local newspapers ‘The Banffie’ and ‘The Turra Squeak’ (The Banffshire Journal and The Turriff Advertiser) requesting anyone interested in forming such a Club to come to an open meeting in The Royal Oak. The meeting, held in September 1973, chaired by John Morrison and with Colin Dempster taking notes, was attended by an encouraging number of people, and the Banff and District Accordion and Fiddle Club was formed. The first Committee elected at that meeting, as far as mamory will allow, was as follows :-
Chairman – John D. Morrison
Vice-Chairman Lennie Taylor
Secretary/Treasurer – Colin Dempster
Compere – Alastair McHardy
Committee members – Doreen Dempster, Sheila Birnie, Helen Murray and Charlie Alexander.
It was decided the monthly meetings would be held on the fourth Thursday of each month with the first official Club night held on October 26th, 1973. The guest artistes that night were George Anderson and Ian Duncan, the Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the Keith Club (i.e. the North East A&F Club) on accordions. Various people played including John, Helen, Sheila and Charlie’s daughter, Sheila.
In the following months various well-known local accordion and fiddle players were booked as guest artistes, such as Alastair Hunter (Potterton), Lawrence Marr (Ellon), Stuart Anderson (Bucksburn), Alex Green (Mill of Mennie) and Mackie and Florence Burns (Aberdeen). Two bus trips were organised, first to the Boddam Club, and the second to Keith to hear Ian Powrie, who was doing a guest spot on a home visit from Australia.
Every month there was the usual raffle with prizes bought from a fancy goods shop. During these lean years, Alastair McHardy, the compere, kept things going with the players he had available, such as Peter Angus on the mouthorgan, Sheila Birnie on accordion, and Alastair himself with a song or two. The lack of players in the first place, was put down firstly to people being afraid to make a fool of themselves, and secondly with Banff being on the coast they were restricted for players, whereas an inland town can draw people from all around.
During the first few years, competitions were organized, but they faded out over the years.
To help boost the funds some of the ladies organized coffee mornings with home-baking and sales tables and also toffee making. A Dinner Dance was held every year in the early years, with a big raffle.
Colin, the Treasurer at the time, remembers keeping the Club Funds, usually about £30, in a red cashbox under his bed, along with the Club music stand.
The accounts were audited by ‘Choutie’ Thomson, who later received the Freedom of the Club for her invaluable help throughout the years. This was minuted in the Minute Book which has since, unfortunately, been lost. ‘Choutie’ was a regular and appreciative member of the audience, as were many other locals, such as Mrs Mary Craib, who had the flower shop, and Mrs Duff, who at one time was mien host at the popular Dounemount Hotel.
The Club Now
In March, 1978, when the Royal Oak was in different ownership, attendances were going down, and after consultation the Committee decided to make a move, and enquired at the Knowes Hotel, Macduff. After discussion it was decided they would move there. The Club met there until February, 1994, when due to unforeseen circumstances the Hotel closed, and the Club was left without a meeting place. Committee member, Charlie Alexander, went around the various hotels in Banff and Macduff getting particulars, and at a Committee meeting it was decided, after a vote, to accept the Banff Springs Hotel offer as the most suitable.
The Club now meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Banff Springs Hotel and celebrate their 21st anniversary with the North East A&F Club as guests on Wednesday, October 24th 1994.
No 23 Banff and District
by
Two bandleaders – Mr John Morrison of The Woodlanders and Mr Lennie Taylor of the Country Folk Four, both of whom had played regularly at weddings and other functions held in the Royal Oak Hotel, Banff, where Colin’s parents, Allan and Doreen Dempster were the proprietors.
They approached Mr Dempster citing the North East Club, formed the year before, showing great enthusiasm for the formation of something similar. Mr and Mrs Dempster visited the North East Club and were so impressed that they persuaded Colin and his wife to attend the following month’s meeting. Mr Allan Dempster was really the motivator for the formation of the Club. He, along with his wife Doreen, both of whom played piano and fiddle, wanted to give the young people of the area a chance to improve their musical talent and to provide a stimulus for getting others to start playing musical instruments and keep the Scottish music alive.
Subsequent discussions between the Dempster family and John Morrison resulted in an advert being placed in the local newspapers ‘The Banffie’ and ‘The Turra Squeak’ (The Banffshire Journal and The Turriff Advertiser) requesting anyone interested in forming such a Club to come to an open meeting in The Royal Oak. The meeting, held in September 1973, chaired by John Morrison and with Colin Dempster taking notes, was attended by an encouraging number of people, and the Banff and District Accordion and Fiddle Club was formed. The first Committee elected at that meeting, as far as mamory will allow, was as follows :-
Chairman – John D. Morrison
Vice-Chairman Lennie Taylor
Secretary/Treasurer – Colin Dempster
Compere – Alastair McHardy
Committee members – Doreen Dempster, Sheila Birnie, Helen Murray and Charlie Alexander.
It was decided the monthly meetings would be held on the fourth Thursday of each month with the first official Club night held on October 26th, 1973. The guest artistes that night were George Anderson and Ian Duncan, the Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the Keith Club (i.e. the North East A&F Club) on accordions. Various people played including John, Helen, Sheila and Charlie’s daughter, Sheila.
In the following months various well-known local accordion and fiddle players were booked as guest artistes, such as Alastair Hunter (Potterton), Lawrence Marr (Ellon), Stuart Anderson (Bucksburn), Alex Green (Mill of Mennie) and Mackie and Florence Burns (Aberdeen). Two bus trips were organised, first to the Boddam Club, and the second to Keith to hear Ian Powrie, who was doing a guest spot on a home visit from Australia.
Every month there was the usual raffle with prizes bought from a fancy goods shop. During these lean years, Alastair McHardy, the compere, kept things going with the players he had available, such as Peter Angus on the mouthorgan, Sheila Birnie on accordion, and Alastair himself with a song or two. The lack of players in the first place, was put down firstly to people being afraid to make a fool of themselves, and secondly with Banff being on the coast they were restricted for players, whereas an inland town can draw people from all around.
During the first few years, competitions were organized, but they faded out over the years.
To help boost the funds some of the ladies organized coffee mornings with home-baking and sales tables and also toffee making. A Dinner Dance was held every year in the early years, with a big raffle.
Colin, the Treasurer at the time, remembers keeping the Club Funds, usually about £30, in a red cashbox under his bed, along with the Club music stand.
The accounts were audited by ‘Choutie’ Thomson, who later received the Freedom of the Club for her invaluable help throughout the years. This was minuted in the Minute Book which has since, unfortunately, been lost. ‘Choutie’ was a regular and appreciative member of the audience, as were many other locals, such as Mrs Mary Craib, who had the flower shop, and Mrs Duff, who at one time was mien host at the popular Dounemount Hotel.
The Club Now
In March, 1978, when the Royal Oak was in different ownership, attendances were going down, and after consultation the Committee decided to make a move, and enquired at the Knowes Hotel, Macduff. After discussion it was decided they would move there. The Club met there until February, 1994, when due to unforeseen circumstances the Hotel closed, and the Club was left without a meeting place. Committee member, Charlie Alexander, went around the various hotels in Banff and Macduff getting particulars, and at a Committee meeting it was decided, after a vote, to accept the Banff Springs Hotel offer as the most suitable.
The Club now meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Banff Springs Hotel and celebrate their 21st anniversary with the North East A&F Club as guests on Wednesday, October 24th 1994.