Box and Fiddle
Year 11 No 07
March 1988
Price 40p
8 pages
8 month subscription £4.60
Joint Editors – Tom Clark, 55 Sutherland Crescent, Dundee, DD2 2HP or Douglas Adamson, 22 Westfield Drive, Forfar, DD8 1EQ
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Cathy Andrew, 22 Lochinver Crescent, Foxbar, Paisley Tele 2824
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
My sincere thanks to those of you who have made the effort to send in feature material for inclusion in the B&F outwith Club reports. This type of material is very welcome and hopefully will be enjoyed by readers in general. I hope that writers will accept that there are times when sections of their material may require to be left out for a variety of reasons, particularly in commercial areas. So far, submissions tend to be related to personalities. While these are acceptable, other items of interest would be helpful. Please keep sending.
Tom Clark
Jimmy Rirchie
by Tom Clark
When I called at Jimmy’s home and was ushered into the front room, I immediately noted the fiddle case on the table alongside a bagpipe case with the chanter sitting on top. Various bits and pieces of music lay around including a recent composition by Jimmy. I was unaware at that stage that I was to be treated to a minor pipe recital as Jimmy demonstrated a point he was making.
Jimmy’s playing career has spanned more than 45 years to date and has included lengthy spells with MacLeod and Shand during the period when Scottish Dance Band music reached its peak. Apart from being one of the country’s finest fiddlers , Jimmy has earned a considerable reputation as a composer, and as we shall see, as a leader of fiddle playing. Add to this his ability as a piper and it becomes easy to appreciate that this man is a dedicated musician.
Jimmy hailed originally from Cranley Farm at Meiklour. At the age of 8 he started fiddle lessons under James Ogilvie of Blairgowrie, walking 10 miles every Saturday with his fiddle. Later Jimmy travelled to Dundee by bus for lessons from Harry Ogilvie (James’s son). Involvement in competition playing didn’t take long and at 11½ years of age he was Junior Fiddle Champion at Perth (with honours) out of 16 competitors. “About this time I started practicing with a button key player called Donald Ferrier. We practiced a lot and used to listen keenly to Shand records. We started playing together at local concerts.” From there Jimmy progressed to his first dance band experience with Wull Cameron of Blackwater in the Glenshee Hall.
“Then came Army service” said Jimmy “Captain Davidson was responsible for organising Scottish and Highland dancing for the officers. I was the fiddler, with a pianist from Oban called Ian Stewart.”
On leaving the army in 1947, Jimmy then became involved with the Hawthorne Scottish Dance Band. Two fiddles, three accordions, piano and drums (even Shand didn’t have a bass player in those days!) “I had a great time with the Hawthorne” said Jimmy “I stayed there for three years before joining Bobby MacLeod in 1951. This was a marvellous experience. Bobby’s interpretation of pipe music on the accordion was something entirely new and set the standard for the future.” By 1956 Jimmy felt that he was unable to continue with the travelling from Blairgowrie and decided to leave the MacLeod Band. “I was intending to retire from the business for a while, but was invited to join the Shand Band and soon found myself doing more travelling than ever before. Jimmy Shand’s sound was absolute magic and the quality of the work was top class.”
Jimmy stayed with Shand until 1962 when he decided to have a rest at home for a year. Always on the lookout for new musical experience, Jimmy headed for Manchester to try his luck in Club performances. “I took a job for security in 1963 in the Grand Hotel, doing the clubs in the evening on solo fiddle. This was a happy spell during which I met up with people like Dusty Springfield, Carl Denver and many others.” Jimmy related an amusing experience in one show where he was told he was sharing a dressing room with Carl. An artiste duly arrived in the room and introduced himself to Jimmy as Jock MacKenzie from Bellshill. “I thought I was sharing with Carl Denver” said Jimmy, “that’s right” said Jock “that’s me!”
Itchy feet for Jimmy in 1967 led him to visit his old friend George Clark at Bonar Bridge. “I intended to pay a short visit” said Jimmy “but stayed until 1973!” It was during this time that Jimmy developed his love of the pipes and came under the influence of Angus McPherson “the great old man of piping.” Angus was, of course, husband to Mrs McPherson of Inveran. Jimmy also met G.S. McLennan’s son at that time. “I’ll tell you something about one of his tunes” said Jimmy “the Little Cascade was composed after listening to a leaking rhone pipe all night and was meant to sound like the slowish ripple of the water cascading down the pipe. Today young players don’t seem to appreciate this – they play the tune far too fast!” The discussion ranged over interpretation of pipe music and it was here that Jimmy demonstrated the chanter.
At this stage I tried to move Jimmy on to the question of composition. “I enjoy composing” he replied “I always attempt to compose tunes that I think musicians will enjoy playing and listeners will want to hear again. So far it seems to have worked out well for me. “Helen Black of Inveran” was a great success, as was “Bert’s Highland Polka” and many others.”
Jimmy returned to Blairgowrie in 1973 and once again started playing with Shand and MacLeod. I was interested in Jimmy’s views on the age old controversy of the difference between East and West Coast styles, since he had had long spells with the different styles and proved that he was compatible with both. “Well I think the difference was probably more pointed in the early days of Shand and MacLeod” Jimmy replied “but the gap has closed a great deal now. All the up-and-coming youngsters have been listening carefully and I would agree now that the difference is less pronounced. Mind you, even in these early days I managed to play successfully with both styles so there must have been a lot more in common than people thought.”
For a while Jimmy moved onto teaching and met with a great deal of success. In a period of 5 year his pupils won 50 major prizes including awards at the Perth Music Festival.
What of the present? Jimmy is still very much involved, as his recent performance on the Shand recording ‘Echoes of the Glen’ indicates.
And what of today’s bands and musicians? “There are many fine young musicians on the scene today. I listen regularly, of course, to the bands on the air and am convinced that the future is in good hands”.
As I was about to leave, Jimmy started looking through some manuscripts and I finished up with original copies of ‘Helen Black of Inveran’, ‘Irene Craig Morrison’ and ‘Mr and Mrs George Smith’s Pearl Wedding’. Keep the tunes coming Jimmy.
Hopefully we will be hearing more of Jimmy for many years to come.
New Festival
By Irene Cunningham
There is to be a new Festival in 1988. It will be the first annual ‘West of Scotland Accordion, Fiddle and Dance Festival’ and will be held in the Magnum Leisure Centre, Irvine, Ayrshire on 24th September, 1988.
It is being organized by ‘Ayrshire Scottish Music Association’. This Association consists of six Committee members from the Ayrshire A&F Clubs and three members of the management staff of the Magnum Leisure Centre.
We formed the Association through our combined interest in Scottish music and since March 1986 we have been running two concerts a year in the Magnum Theatre with singers, dancers and four accordion or fiddle players from the Ayrshire Clubs. These have been very successful.
From the beginning our aim has been to hold our first Annual Festival in 1988 and now it is under way. We are liaising with organizers of the other Annual Festivals for this.
We will cater for all the usual accordion classes, both Traditional and classical. In the fiddle classes, as well as the usual classes, we are introducing a new Open Class for fiddle with a Pipe Music Section.
The dance section will be, surprisingly enough, confined to Irish Traditional Dancing. There is a great following of Irish Dancing in this, and surrounding areas.
Highland dancing will not be catered for. We feel it is pretty well covered in other summer events.
The Magnum Leisure Centre is one of the biggest complexes in Europe, and in 1987 was Scotland’s top tourist attraction.
There is a theatre, concert hall and conference rooms – these rooms being well situated for the fiddle and accordion competitions.
The dancing competitions will be held in another part of the centre. Besides that, there are cafeterias, restaurant and bar, and many other attractions under the one roof.
It will be a grand day out for spectators as well as the competitors, for after the competitions throughout the day there will be a concert in the Theatre from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in which the winning competitors will take part. Then to finish the day there will be a dance in the Concert Hall to one of Scotland’s leading dance bands.
An advert with full particulars will be in the B&F shortly.
We hope you will give us your support in this new venture.
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) –
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only 9th Mar 88 Eric Goodfellow SDB
Armadale (Masonic Arms Hotel) –
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) – 6th Mar 88 Iain MacPhail SDB
Balloch (Bell Centre, Dumbarton) – 20th Mar 88 Paddy Neary
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) –
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Clydesdale Hotel) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 8th Mar 88 Muirhead Accordion Band
Bridge of Allan (Walmer Hotel) -
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Castle Douglas (Ernespie Hotel) – 17th Mar 88 Rob Gordon SDB
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel) –
Crieff & District (Drummond Arms Hotel) –
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (venue? ) –
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 15th Mar 88 Colin Dewar Trio
Dundee (The Marquee) – 3rd Mar 88 Dennis Morrison SDB
Dunfermline (Northern Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel) 11th Mar 88 Norman McLean
East Kilbride (King’s Park Hotel, Rutherglen) – 31st Mar 88 Colin Dewar SDB
Edinburgh (Abbey Suite, Abbey Lane) –
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) –
Falkirk (Park Hotel) –
Fintry (Clachan Hotel) –
Forres (Brig Motel) – 9th Mar 88 Ewen Cameron
Fort William (McTavish’s Kitchen) – 14th Mar 88 Fiddlers 3 + 2
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Theo’s Restaurant, Galston) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Gorebridge (Rangers FC Social Club) –
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) – 18th Mar 88 Annual Dance to Willie Simpson 21st Mar 88 Tommy Ford
Islesteps (Driveway Inn) –
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) –
Kintore (Crown Hotel) –
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 10th Mar 88 Craig McCallum SDB
Livingston (Golden Circle Hotel, Bathgate)
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) -
Mauchline (The Jean Armour Restaurant) – 15th Mar 88 Iain MacPhail & Brian Griffin
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) –
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) –
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel) –
North Cumbria (Golden Fleece, Ruleholme) (prev called Gretna Club) – 16th Mar 88 Paddy Neary
North East (Seafield Hotel, Keith) – 1st Mar 88 Alan Ray
Oban (Park Hotel) –
Orkney ( venue?) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) – 17th Mar 88 Ian Holmes
Peebles (Countryside Inn) – 31st Mar 88 Malcolm McLean Band
Perth (Station Hotel) – 15th Mar 88 Simon Howie SDB
Premier NI (Camlin function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloom) – 8th Mar 88 Craig McCallum SDB
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Shetland (venue?) -
Stranraer (Railway Club) –
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (McKay’s Hotel) –
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) – 3rd Mar 88 The Garioch Blend
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 12th April Deirdre Adamson
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Armadale
2. Ayr
3. Balloch
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button Key
8. Castle Douglas
9. Crieff
10. Derwentside
11. Dingwall & District
12. Dunblane & District
13. Dundee
14. Dunoon & Cowal
15. Forres
16. Fort William
17. Galston
18. Glendale
19. Highland
20. Islesteps
21. Kelso
22. Lesmahagow
23. Livingston
24. M.A.F.I.A.
25. Mauchline
26. Montrose
27. Newtongrange
28. North Cumbria
29. North East
30. Ormiston
31. Peebles
32. Perth
33. Renfrew
34. Rothbury
35. Shetland
36. Thurso
37. Turriff
38. Tynedale
39. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1987 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
3. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
4. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Buchan A&F Club
13. Button Key A&F Club (
14. Callander A&F Club (
15. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
16. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
17. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
18. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
19. Derwentside A&F Club
20. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
21. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
22. Dundee & District A&F Club
23. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
24. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
25. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
26. Ellon A&F Club (
27. Fintry A&F Club
28. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
29. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
30. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
31. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
32. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
33. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
34. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981)
35. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
36. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
37. Kintore A&F Club
38. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
39. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
40. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – per first edition)
41. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
42. M.A.F.I.A. (early)
43. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986?)
44. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
45. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1979)
46. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
47. North Cumbria A&F Club (originally Gretna started June 1966 – had to move to a venue in the North of England and changed name – eventually changed back when they returned to the Halcrow Stadium. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
48. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
49. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
50. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978)
51. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
52. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981)
53. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
54. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
55. Rothbury Accordion Club (1987??)
56. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
57. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
58. Sutherland A&F Club (
59. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition)
60. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
61. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982)
62. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
63. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
64. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
65. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
66. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
67. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
68. Club Accord
69. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2?)
70. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
71. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
72. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
73. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
74. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
75. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
76. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
77. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
78. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
79. Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
80. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
81. Kinlochsheil A&F Club (
82. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
83. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
84. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
85. Newcastleton Accordion Club
86. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
87. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
88. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
89. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
90. Wellbank A&F Club
Advertising rates
Full Page - £92
Half Page - £46
Quarter Page - £23
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Cathy Andrew, 22 Lochinver Crescent, Foxbar, Paisley Tele 2824
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
My sincere thanks to those of you who have made the effort to send in feature material for inclusion in the B&F outwith Club reports. This type of material is very welcome and hopefully will be enjoyed by readers in general. I hope that writers will accept that there are times when sections of their material may require to be left out for a variety of reasons, particularly in commercial areas. So far, submissions tend to be related to personalities. While these are acceptable, other items of interest would be helpful. Please keep sending.
Tom Clark
Jimmy Rirchie
by Tom Clark
When I called at Jimmy’s home and was ushered into the front room, I immediately noted the fiddle case on the table alongside a bagpipe case with the chanter sitting on top. Various bits and pieces of music lay around including a recent composition by Jimmy. I was unaware at that stage that I was to be treated to a minor pipe recital as Jimmy demonstrated a point he was making.
Jimmy’s playing career has spanned more than 45 years to date and has included lengthy spells with MacLeod and Shand during the period when Scottish Dance Band music reached its peak. Apart from being one of the country’s finest fiddlers , Jimmy has earned a considerable reputation as a composer, and as we shall see, as a leader of fiddle playing. Add to this his ability as a piper and it becomes easy to appreciate that this man is a dedicated musician.
Jimmy hailed originally from Cranley Farm at Meiklour. At the age of 8 he started fiddle lessons under James Ogilvie of Blairgowrie, walking 10 miles every Saturday with his fiddle. Later Jimmy travelled to Dundee by bus for lessons from Harry Ogilvie (James’s son). Involvement in competition playing didn’t take long and at 11½ years of age he was Junior Fiddle Champion at Perth (with honours) out of 16 competitors. “About this time I started practicing with a button key player called Donald Ferrier. We practiced a lot and used to listen keenly to Shand records. We started playing together at local concerts.” From there Jimmy progressed to his first dance band experience with Wull Cameron of Blackwater in the Glenshee Hall.
“Then came Army service” said Jimmy “Captain Davidson was responsible for organising Scottish and Highland dancing for the officers. I was the fiddler, with a pianist from Oban called Ian Stewart.”
On leaving the army in 1947, Jimmy then became involved with the Hawthorne Scottish Dance Band. Two fiddles, three accordions, piano and drums (even Shand didn’t have a bass player in those days!) “I had a great time with the Hawthorne” said Jimmy “I stayed there for three years before joining Bobby MacLeod in 1951. This was a marvellous experience. Bobby’s interpretation of pipe music on the accordion was something entirely new and set the standard for the future.” By 1956 Jimmy felt that he was unable to continue with the travelling from Blairgowrie and decided to leave the MacLeod Band. “I was intending to retire from the business for a while, but was invited to join the Shand Band and soon found myself doing more travelling than ever before. Jimmy Shand’s sound was absolute magic and the quality of the work was top class.”
Jimmy stayed with Shand until 1962 when he decided to have a rest at home for a year. Always on the lookout for new musical experience, Jimmy headed for Manchester to try his luck in Club performances. “I took a job for security in 1963 in the Grand Hotel, doing the clubs in the evening on solo fiddle. This was a happy spell during which I met up with people like Dusty Springfield, Carl Denver and many others.” Jimmy related an amusing experience in one show where he was told he was sharing a dressing room with Carl. An artiste duly arrived in the room and introduced himself to Jimmy as Jock MacKenzie from Bellshill. “I thought I was sharing with Carl Denver” said Jimmy, “that’s right” said Jock “that’s me!”
Itchy feet for Jimmy in 1967 led him to visit his old friend George Clark at Bonar Bridge. “I intended to pay a short visit” said Jimmy “but stayed until 1973!” It was during this time that Jimmy developed his love of the pipes and came under the influence of Angus McPherson “the great old man of piping.” Angus was, of course, husband to Mrs McPherson of Inveran. Jimmy also met G.S. McLennan’s son at that time. “I’ll tell you something about one of his tunes” said Jimmy “the Little Cascade was composed after listening to a leaking rhone pipe all night and was meant to sound like the slowish ripple of the water cascading down the pipe. Today young players don’t seem to appreciate this – they play the tune far too fast!” The discussion ranged over interpretation of pipe music and it was here that Jimmy demonstrated the chanter.
At this stage I tried to move Jimmy on to the question of composition. “I enjoy composing” he replied “I always attempt to compose tunes that I think musicians will enjoy playing and listeners will want to hear again. So far it seems to have worked out well for me. “Helen Black of Inveran” was a great success, as was “Bert’s Highland Polka” and many others.”
Jimmy returned to Blairgowrie in 1973 and once again started playing with Shand and MacLeod. I was interested in Jimmy’s views on the age old controversy of the difference between East and West Coast styles, since he had had long spells with the different styles and proved that he was compatible with both. “Well I think the difference was probably more pointed in the early days of Shand and MacLeod” Jimmy replied “but the gap has closed a great deal now. All the up-and-coming youngsters have been listening carefully and I would agree now that the difference is less pronounced. Mind you, even in these early days I managed to play successfully with both styles so there must have been a lot more in common than people thought.”
For a while Jimmy moved onto teaching and met with a great deal of success. In a period of 5 year his pupils won 50 major prizes including awards at the Perth Music Festival.
What of the present? Jimmy is still very much involved, as his recent performance on the Shand recording ‘Echoes of the Glen’ indicates.
And what of today’s bands and musicians? “There are many fine young musicians on the scene today. I listen regularly, of course, to the bands on the air and am convinced that the future is in good hands”.
As I was about to leave, Jimmy started looking through some manuscripts and I finished up with original copies of ‘Helen Black of Inveran’, ‘Irene Craig Morrison’ and ‘Mr and Mrs George Smith’s Pearl Wedding’. Keep the tunes coming Jimmy.
Hopefully we will be hearing more of Jimmy for many years to come.
New Festival
By Irene Cunningham
There is to be a new Festival in 1988. It will be the first annual ‘West of Scotland Accordion, Fiddle and Dance Festival’ and will be held in the Magnum Leisure Centre, Irvine, Ayrshire on 24th September, 1988.
It is being organized by ‘Ayrshire Scottish Music Association’. This Association consists of six Committee members from the Ayrshire A&F Clubs and three members of the management staff of the Magnum Leisure Centre.
We formed the Association through our combined interest in Scottish music and since March 1986 we have been running two concerts a year in the Magnum Theatre with singers, dancers and four accordion or fiddle players from the Ayrshire Clubs. These have been very successful.
From the beginning our aim has been to hold our first Annual Festival in 1988 and now it is under way. We are liaising with organizers of the other Annual Festivals for this.
We will cater for all the usual accordion classes, both Traditional and classical. In the fiddle classes, as well as the usual classes, we are introducing a new Open Class for fiddle with a Pipe Music Section.
The dance section will be, surprisingly enough, confined to Irish Traditional Dancing. There is a great following of Irish Dancing in this, and surrounding areas.
Highland dancing will not be catered for. We feel it is pretty well covered in other summer events.
The Magnum Leisure Centre is one of the biggest complexes in Europe, and in 1987 was Scotland’s top tourist attraction.
There is a theatre, concert hall and conference rooms – these rooms being well situated for the fiddle and accordion competitions.
The dancing competitions will be held in another part of the centre. Besides that, there are cafeterias, restaurant and bar, and many other attractions under the one roof.
It will be a grand day out for spectators as well as the competitors, for after the competitions throughout the day there will be a concert in the Theatre from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in which the winning competitors will take part. Then to finish the day there will be a dance in the Concert Hall to one of Scotland’s leading dance bands.
An advert with full particulars will be in the B&F shortly.
We hope you will give us your support in this new venture.
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) –
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only 9th Mar 88 Eric Goodfellow SDB
Armadale (Masonic Arms Hotel) –
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) – 6th Mar 88 Iain MacPhail SDB
Balloch (Bell Centre, Dumbarton) – 20th Mar 88 Paddy Neary
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) –
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Clydesdale Hotel) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 8th Mar 88 Muirhead Accordion Band
Bridge of Allan (Walmer Hotel) -
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Castle Douglas (Ernespie Hotel) – 17th Mar 88 Rob Gordon SDB
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel) –
Crieff & District (Drummond Arms Hotel) –
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (venue? ) –
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 15th Mar 88 Colin Dewar Trio
Dundee (The Marquee) – 3rd Mar 88 Dennis Morrison SDB
Dunfermline (Northern Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel) 11th Mar 88 Norman McLean
East Kilbride (King’s Park Hotel, Rutherglen) – 31st Mar 88 Colin Dewar SDB
Edinburgh (Abbey Suite, Abbey Lane) –
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) –
Falkirk (Park Hotel) –
Fintry (Clachan Hotel) –
Forres (Brig Motel) – 9th Mar 88 Ewen Cameron
Fort William (McTavish’s Kitchen) – 14th Mar 88 Fiddlers 3 + 2
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Theo’s Restaurant, Galston) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Gorebridge (Rangers FC Social Club) –
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) – 18th Mar 88 Annual Dance to Willie Simpson 21st Mar 88 Tommy Ford
Islesteps (Driveway Inn) –
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) –
Kintore (Crown Hotel) –
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 10th Mar 88 Craig McCallum SDB
Livingston (Golden Circle Hotel, Bathgate)
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) -
Mauchline (The Jean Armour Restaurant) – 15th Mar 88 Iain MacPhail & Brian Griffin
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) –
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) –
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel) –
North Cumbria (Golden Fleece, Ruleholme) (prev called Gretna Club) – 16th Mar 88 Paddy Neary
North East (Seafield Hotel, Keith) – 1st Mar 88 Alan Ray
Oban (Park Hotel) –
Orkney ( venue?) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) – 17th Mar 88 Ian Holmes
Peebles (Countryside Inn) – 31st Mar 88 Malcolm McLean Band
Perth (Station Hotel) – 15th Mar 88 Simon Howie SDB
Premier NI (Camlin function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloom) – 8th Mar 88 Craig McCallum SDB
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Shetland (venue?) -
Stranraer (Railway Club) –
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (McKay’s Hotel) –
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) – 3rd Mar 88 The Garioch Blend
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 12th April Deirdre Adamson
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Armadale
2. Ayr
3. Balloch
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button Key
8. Castle Douglas
9. Crieff
10. Derwentside
11. Dingwall & District
12. Dunblane & District
13. Dundee
14. Dunoon & Cowal
15. Forres
16. Fort William
17. Galston
18. Glendale
19. Highland
20. Islesteps
21. Kelso
22. Lesmahagow
23. Livingston
24. M.A.F.I.A.
25. Mauchline
26. Montrose
27. Newtongrange
28. North Cumbria
29. North East
30. Ormiston
31. Peebles
32. Perth
33. Renfrew
34. Rothbury
35. Shetland
36. Thurso
37. Turriff
38. Tynedale
39. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1987 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
3. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
4. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Buchan A&F Club
13. Button Key A&F Club (
14. Callander A&F Club (
15. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
16. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
17. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
18. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
19. Derwentside A&F Club
20. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
21. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
22. Dundee & District A&F Club
23. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
24. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
25. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
26. Ellon A&F Club (
27. Fintry A&F Club
28. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
29. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
30. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
31. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
32. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
33. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
34. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981)
35. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
36. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
37. Kintore A&F Club
38. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
39. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
40. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – per first edition)
41. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
42. M.A.F.I.A. (early)
43. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986?)
44. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
45. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1979)
46. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
47. North Cumbria A&F Club (originally Gretna started June 1966 – had to move to a venue in the North of England and changed name – eventually changed back when they returned to the Halcrow Stadium. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
48. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
49. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
50. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978)
51. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
52. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981)
53. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
54. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
55. Rothbury Accordion Club (1987??)
56. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
57. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
58. Sutherland A&F Club (
59. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition)
60. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
61. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982)
62. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
63. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
64. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
65. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
66. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
67. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
68. Club Accord
69. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2?)
70. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
71. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
72. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
73. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
74. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
75. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
76. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
77. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
78. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
79. Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
80. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
81. Kinlochsheil A&F Club (
82. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
83. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
84. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
85. Newcastleton Accordion Club
86. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
87. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
88. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
89. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
90. Wellbank A&F Club
Advertising rates
Full Page - £92
Half Page - £46
Quarter Page - £23