Box and Fiddle
Year 37 No 04
December 2013
Price £2.70
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £29.70 + p&p £13.75 (UK)
Editor – Karin Ingram, Hawick
B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
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
Many of you will have been saddened by the death of Jack Alexander last month. Rather than rush into a tribute this month, we would like to ask you, our readers, for your memories of Jack and what his music meant to you. We will publish the tributes in the January issue, which of course will be printed before Christmas due to the holiday season.
Next month’s issue will also carry our Shetland report, and we’ll look forward to Celtic Connections.
Good luck to all the Nominees for the Scots Trad Music Awards, hopefully the Box and Fiddle World will have a few winners.
I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season.
Thanks you to everyone who has contributed to the B&F throughout the year and to the Jedburgh Press and Meigle Printers.
Karin Ingram
Bill Powrie’s Button-Boxes
by Bill Powrie
My uncle, Bill Powrie, died in 1980 at the age of 48, after a massive heart attack at the Mull Accordion and Fiddle Festival. I suppose for a musician, that is as good a way to go as any. It is just a pity that he was taken form us at such a young age, and I often wonder where his playing career would have taken him if he had still been with us today.
A few days later I went with my mum and Aunty Mary to his house at Shianbank Farm, just opposite Scone Aerodrome. The Shianbank Two-Step, named after his farm, was one of several compositions written by Bill. He wrote three tunes that won the Angus M. Howie Challenge Cup at the Perth and Kinross Accordion & Fiddle Club’s New Composition Competition for three years in a row (1977-79). The tunes are ‘Cherrybank Polka’, ‘Captain Robert B. Coupar’, and ‘Miss Elizabeth Duncan LRAM, LTCL’. As we were leaving, I picket up his maroon accordion case, containing his beloved Shand Morino. I figured that he would have wanted either me, or my younger brother Graham, to have it, as we were the only two who could just about knock a tune out of it. However I was told in no uncertain terms by both mum and Mary, that it now belonged to his estate and that I should put it back. As a 28-year-old I could now afford to buy it, but promised myself that one day I would make enough money to buy it back.
The years rolled by and Graham was allowed to borrow it for a while and was able to play a few tunes in C, before returning it. Three year’s before Bill’s death, I found a Swiss music teacher called Ron Wigna, in London, who sold me a Hohner Gaelic IIIS, and I started taking lessons from him in 1977. He had never played a button-box before but was giving lessons on the piano accordion to a merchant seaman, posting cassette tapes to his ship every two weeks!
Sometime around 2005 I began to make enquiries about the whereabouts of the Morino, but by then it had been sold, and the receipt for it had been lost. The only information I had was that it was sold to a man from around The Black Isle somewhere.
I then spoke to John Crawford, that well-known and respected accordion repair man, player and judge, from Freuchie. John keeps a ‘wee black book’ with the names and addresses of all his clients, and he felt sure that he had repaired that box, and would see if he could track it down for me. Unfortunately he had misplaced his black book, so for the moment he could not help me.
I phoned Bruce Lindsay and asked him if he would put out an appeal to trace the box at the Shand Morino Day at Windygates. Bruce kindly announced my request before the show, but despite the large gathering of Morino players in the hall, that day, nobody knew where it had gone.
Time wore on and I would occasionally ring John for a blether, but nothing doing. Then, out of the blue, John rang me in March 2013, “You’ll never guess what I’ve got sitting on my settee,” he said. I drew breath and waited – “You’re Uncle Bill’s box!” I could hardly believe it, but within minutes I set off from Finzean near Banchory to drive through to Freuchie to see if it was true.
On the way I kept asking the same question I had been asking myself for many years, “How will I know for certain that it is in fact Bill’s box, if I ever do find it?” The answer that I had come up with was that I would always remember the case was a dark maroon colour, and inside it Bill had a purple velvet cloth to protect it from the straps when carrying it, and I would recognize this immediately. But then I thought to myself, “It’s 33 years, that cloth will be in tatters by now, but still, the case will tell me that it is Bill’s box.”
When I arrived at John’s, I could hardly contain my excitement, and John ushered me into his living room where, as usual, the floor was covered with accordion cases. He pointed to a tan leather case and said, “There it is. That’s Bill’s box.” My jaw dropped because it was clearly not Bill’s case, as I distinctly remember that Bill’s came in a maroon case. “It belongs to Jimmy Mackay from Perth, and he’s asked me to tune it up for sale.” The Morino was now too heavy for Jimmy and he had a small 2-row that he was keeping to play. “He’s made a braw job o’ re-covering the auld case in that nice leather!” I was feeling better already! After having a wee tune on it, I drove to Perth to meet Jimmy Mackay, and we agreed the deal. To seal the provenance, Jimmy produced an envelope which he kept in the case, containing a letter from my Uncle Ian, who was living in Blairgowrie at the time, enclosing a photo of Bill playing his Morino at The Salutation Hotel in Perth, being accompanied by Pam Wilkie on piano. Here was the definitive proof that I needed, that I had managed to find my late uncle’s box after 35 years! Jimmy went on to describe how in 1996 he had placed an advert in The Dundee Courier for a Shand Morino, and he had subsequently bought it. I was now faced with a dilemma. Having struggled for years trying to play the piano box, should I keep the button-key in a case and admire it, as a family heirloom, and leave it to gather stoor in my study, or should I, once again, try to learn how to play the damn thing, having struggled along playing only in one key ©, off and on for 50 years! I was put in touch with Ian Cruickshanks at Kirriemuir by Bill Young and am now learning to play the Morino with Ian’s help, and a great deal of his patience!
I was so chuffed to have returned the Morino back into the Powrie family, that I decided to post this news on Melodeon.net, a blog for accordion / melodeon players. I received a surprising reply from Bill young from Largs, a regular contributor to the Box and Fiddle, who said that if I was Bill Powrie’s nephew, that I might just be interested in a series of photographs of a 3-row stepped-keyboard Borsini that had been submitted by Peter Dunk from the Isle of Oxney, Kent. Peter wanted to know if it might have at one time belonged to someone famous, as this would have potentially increased its value. As it was, it was a bit of a wreck! Bill Young had gone to some trouble to identify the box as having belonged to my late uncle. He dug out his copy of the book “Who’s on the Dance Music Tonight?”, and magnified the photo of the Borsini, to show up a black mark on the top left hand side, near the word ‘Castelfidardo’. This same mark was evident on Peter’s images, and Bill even went further by identifying two patches on the pearloid where the pattern matched too.
Contacting john Crawford, I mentioned this mark and, with a fantastic memory, John was able to tell me, as if had just happened yesterday, how that black mark had come about. He remembered Bill coming into Bill Wilkie’s shop in Perth to collect his box, and telling him that he had been practising up in his bedroom at Bankhead Farm, Dupplin Estate, near Forteviot, when his mother had shouted him down for a cup of tea. He had left it sitting too close to the electric fire and, when he returned, part of the grey/green pearloid had melted, leaving that black mark! My mother confirmed that it got quite cold in that stone-built farmhouse! Without that unfortunate accident, Bill Young would not have been able to identify it as Bill’s box!
I contacted Peter Dunk and he informed me that he had been planning to carry out the repairs himself, but that it had proved too big a task and he had sold it to a chap called Will Nesbitt from Nottingham. So my search continued! Back on melodeon.net I contacted Will, who plays Morris dance music, and he too had been planning to do the repairs as a ‘project’, as he had recently set himself up as an accordion repair specialist. However, faced with a long list of repairs, he too found that it was beyond his developing capability, and he was more than happy to see it returned to the Powrie family. In June 2013 I met up with Will in the motorway services at Ferrybridge, on the M62, half way between my daughter’s house in North Yorkshire and Will’s home in Nottingham, and the exchange took place over a hot latte!
List of Repairs
Here is Will’s list of what was wrong with it !
Bass plate came with mis-matched screws. An extended period where it had been left off left itn warped.
Bellows straps broken
Bellows gaskets long past their best.
Shoulder strap brackets insecure due to screws shearing the wood.
‘Monitor grille’ at the back had been badly glued on.
Treble mechanism had broken at an anchor point on the front. Had been glued back on but had broken again.
Pallet broken off.
Squeaky action.
Multiple pet spiders!
Several chips in the celluloid.
Bass reed block was split and bowing.
Reeds needed overhauling.
Grille-cloth could have done with replacing.
Missing some bellows pins.
Tremolo was unbearable.
On the way home to Finzean I called in to see john Crawford, with my heart in my mouth, suspecting that if it had been a carit would have been a write-off, and fearing that John would tell me, as Peter Dunk had already done, to keep it in its case as an artifact, but that it was beyond repair. On the contrary, John saw no insurmountable obstacles to repairing it, and set about the task. After a week, I borrowed it back before it was properly ready, to display in a Button-Box Exhibition, arranged by Jim Brown from Newtyle, in the Masonic Hall in Glamis. Here Ian Cruickshanks and a few others had a chance to play it, and by all accounts it was sounding good. John had tuned it much wider than it would have been (-24/+25), when Bill played it in the Jim Cameron Band from 1955 to 1964. He explained that it had been tuned to blend in with May Cameron’s piano-box and the fiddle. Ian Cruickshank’s first comment on hearing it was “It sounds just like a Morino!”
John completed the repairs, and I have left the box with Ian Cruickshanks, who has kindly offered to play a couple of tunes on it in a broadcast, as a tribute to Bill. Robbie Shepherd was kind enough to read out my e-mail outlining my search for the Borsini, and I was delighted to hear from Malcolm (Mac) Harcus, who had heard the broadcast. Mac had been with Bill on the very day that Bill had brought the box home to Bandhead for the first time, and they played a tune together in the open air! Thanks to Mac’s good memory , we were able to put a year on that day, which was in 1944.
On the reed blocks there are two numbers, 11 on the treble side and 12 on the bass side. This suggests that the box would have been made up in the factory, the reeds then taken out until delivery. When re-assembling the box it appears that two different sides have been put together. I am still waiting for Borsini to confirm the date of manufacture, so Mac’s date is all that I have to go on.
It is possible that it was made as a Continental accordion and concerted just prior to sale into a British Chromatic accordion (BCA). The air valve is undersized for a diatonic box, and one set of bass reeds (the larger ones) has been removed, presumably to conserve air.
According to John Crawford these larger reeds do not sound unless a long bass note is sustained, and this is not really a feature of traditional Scottish music. Added to the stepped keyboard, the lack of air presents a bit of a challenge in playing it, and only enhances my admiration for Bill’s playing ability. Jimmy Lindsay, that well-known button-box player from Amulree, was delighted when I took the Morino to let him have a tune, and I have promised to do the same with the Borsini. Jimmy has fond memories of Bill coming home to the farm in Glenalmond, with Jimmy’s father after the market. He remembers too, Bill handing him the Borsini at the Young Farmers’ dances, for him to play a tune in the interval. Jimmy was a bit hesitant due to the stepped keyboard, but was reassured by Bill that it would be ‘nae bother’. The last time Jimmy played the Borsini was when he was 17, so I am sure it will bring back many happy memories!
Borsini Timeline
1944 – The Borsini is brought home to Bankhead for the first time.
1949 – Bill plays in the original Powrie Band.
1952 – At enormous expense, my Granny Powrie airfreights out Bill’s box to Hong Kong where he is on National Service, as he is ‘hameseek’ for his beloved Borsini! Bill came second in an ‘Opportunity Knocks’ style talent show on the radio. The following day the phone rang on the RAF base, and a voice asked for LAC Powrie. It was the Chief of hong Kong Police, an old friend of Bill’s father, who had heard him play on the radio. Bill was invited for afternoon tea with the chief and was given a police motorbike, with the freedom to travel anywhere he liked! All of this, because of his Scottish family connection, his musical talent, and his beloved Borsini!
1955-64 – Returning from National Service, Jimmy Blue is in the button-box seat in the Powrie Band and Bill plays in Jim Cameron’s Band.
1972 – john Crawford repairs it in Bill Wilkie’s shop. His initials and date are still on the inside of the bellows.
1972-93 – Bill McHardy from Friockheim reckons he bought it from a chap in glencarse but cannot remember his name, nor the person to whom he sold it.
1993 – Matthew Wright buys it from an antique shop in Southampton! (How on earth did it get doon there?)
July 2009 – Due to illness, Matthew sells it to Peter Dunk. Peter says, “The stepping on the Borsini was huge by comparison with my Serenellini and this, combined with massive air leaks, caused me to put the box aside to concentrate on a few boxes I was fettling at the time.”
October 2011 – Peter sells it to Will Nesbitt from Nottingham.
June 2013 – Will sells it to me, and it is back in the Powrie Family once again.
Bill plays both boxes (not at the same time!) on The Bankhead Tapes CD (TRCD0701)
I arranged to have this CD made in 2007 by David Cunningham at Thane Multimedia in Cupar, from a reel-to-reel tape of Bill playing at the farm on Dupplin Estate, near Forteviot, where my grandfather was farm manager. Bill plays 17 solos, and 6 duets with my grandfather Will Powrie, who was known as The Angus Ploughman, who recorded 78s on the Beltona label in the 1930s, often accompanied by my Uncle Ian Powrie at 9 years old.
I will leave the last word to Ian Cruickshanks who has the Borsini on loan to do a broadcast with it as a tribute to Bill on Take the Floor.
“The first time I heard this Borsini was this summer at the Button-Box display at the Masonic Hall in Glamis, and I was amazed at how good it sounded. My late Uncle Angus told me countless times about Bill Poorie and his Borsini wi’ the stepped keyboard, as Angus danced a lot to Jim Cameron’s Band. My Grandfather, Alexander Cruickshanks, was in the bothy at The Reidie Farm just outside Kirrie with Jim Cameron round about WW1, and whenever Angus was at a dance, Jim Cameron aye asked after his faither, so Angus got to know the band members quite well.
I was delighted when the present Bill Powrie offered me a shot on the box, and to play it for a while. Naturally, I find the stepped keyboard very strange and cannot look at my fingers when I’m playing it. I do have to lift my fingers higher than normal to get across the rows, but it is surprisingly good in tone and quality, and I do wonder if the Shand Morino hadn’t come into being, whether we would all be playing one of these. This box has some lovely internal harmonics going on, and the bass is lovely as most Italian boxes are.
Personally I love these old instruments as they have a character in their sound that modern boxes don’t have (and probably never will). Furthermore, this particular box is an iconic one to me, due to the original owner and his links with Kirrie and my family before me. I only ever saw Bill Powrie a couple of times playing his Shand Morino at the Perth Club in the 70s, having already heard his recordings on Jimmy Blue’s ‘Accordion Club’ LP, and of course I’ve since greatly admired his handling of the infernal 3-row machine on the ‘Bankhead Tapes’ and retrospectively, on the Beltona records he did in his brother Ian’s band in the early 50s.”
I would like to thank Gillian Powrie (Bill’s daughter), Ian Cruickshanks and Peter Dunk for the use of their photographs.
Please contact me if you have any information on the history of the box, or recognize any faces in the RAF mess.
Ronnie Cooper
by Nicol McLaren
Ronald Cooper was born in 1934 and brought up in the family home at 16 Cheyne Crescent in Lerwick. He displayed his musical talents at an early age, being the lead choir boy in the local English Church Boys choir. In fact, he showed so much promise he was asked to go south to the Mainland to study and train to make singing his career. Ronnie declined the offer, preferring to stay at home in his native islands.
During these early years, Ronnie grew up together with his three sisters Tina, Valerie and Margaret, under the watchful eye of their mother Babsie. Babsie played piano and also turned a tune on the fiddle. Ronnie displayed a keen interest in all things musical and, from the outset, spent a lot of time listening to 78s and the music programmes on the radio. He started to play the piano around the age of 13. He later moved on to the accordion and, with his pal Lenny Lyall, who also played accordion, regularly visited Islesburgh House playing music and listening to 78s, in particular the music of Jimmy Shand, and Ronnie’s hero Bobby MacLeod.
In 1950 Ronnie joined the RAF and went to serve in England undertaking an apprenticeship to become a joiner. Whilst in the RAF he continued his musical pursuits and the development of his skills on accordion and piano. He commenced his National Service in 1952 and it was during this time he started to have problems with his eyesight, eventually having to leave the RAF in 1955 at the end of his apprenticeship.
Ronnie returned to Shetland and around this time he first met Frank Jamieson, fiddle player and composer. Ronnie and Frankie regularly played music together, eventually forming The Sapphires Dance Band. So began a lifetime of music and camaraderie.
Ronnie married his wife Iris in 1959 and they went on to have three of a family, Kenneth, Susan and Hazel. Shortly after this time Ronnie’s eyesight started to deteriorate further. There was no cure for this and eventually it left him virtually blind. His hearing, however, was particularly acute and when he met people in the street, although he couldn’t see them when they greeted him, he quickly identified who they were by their tone of voice. Ronnie’s release from this handicap was his music. With local groups The Hillbillies, The Merry Dancers and The Sapphires, Ronnie dedicated all this spare time to his music.
In 1960, Shetland had its first Hamefarin when all ex-pats and Islanders got together to celebrate their homecoming. In addition to joining The Shetland Fiddlers Society for a 5 year stint as the group’s piano accompanist, Ronnie became lead accordionist with The Hamefarers Dance Band especially formed for the celebrations. For Ronnie this was the start of many appearances with Shetland’s top musicians and with Jim Halcrow on second accordion, Willie Hunter on fiddle, ‘Peerie’ Willie Johnston on bass, Drew Robertson on drums and Eric Cooper on piano. The Hamefarers Band was to earn a worldwide reputation over the next two decades. Following the early recordings, Ronnie moved to playing piano with the band. His compositions and arrangements were their foundation stone and coupled with his sympathetic, accompaniment provided a perfect platform for the band’s unique sound. Frank and Lilian Chadwick acquired The Hayfield Hotel in 1957. Ronnie was a regular visitor and, during the early sixties, the Hayfield sitting room played host to many musical evenings. With the loss of the Queens Hotel as a place ‘for a tune’, Stanley Swanson of The Lounge provided a piano and a meeting place for musicians and followers alike. Ronnie was asked to become resident musician and encourage the musical sessions, this he was delighted to do for what was a developing musical scene. Also around this time the Cooper family gained a new next door neighbour who was none other than fiddler Willie hunter and family who had returned to Shetland following several years in London.
Shortly after The Hamefarin, local businessman Bobby Bayes set up a company to record The Hamefarers’ first EP under Thule Records. Ronnie revelled in this and with Bobby’s record company in full swing, he was also to record EPs ‘Reflections from Shetland’ with a young Alistair (Aly) Bain and ‘Shetland and the Fiddle’ with Willie Hunter. These recordings proved highly popular and more followed for Ronnie. Concerts and performances were undertaken by The Shetland Fiddlers Society with Ronnie’s adept piano accompaniment to the fore. Looking back, the Hamefarin was a milestone and a kick-start in the development of Shetland music with some outstanding players coming to prominence.
1965 was an important year for The Hayfield Hotel, playing host to none other than The Ian Powrie Dance Band and concert party. Several successful sell-out concerts were held and the ‘apres concert’ parties went on well into the small hours. All musicians tried to get as much listening as possible to what was Scotland’s top Scottish Dance Band at the time. A few were privileged to be invited to Hayfield to participate in the music sessions. Ian Powrie took a particular interest in Ronnie’s compositions and also those of Frank Jamieson, sos much so that on their next two LPs in the following years, the band recorded several of Ronnie’s and Frankie’s tunes.
From this time through to the late seventies, The Hayfield Hotel guest book reads like a ‘Who’s Who?’ of Scottish music, with visits from many top Scottish musicians. Ronnie’s compositions were to the fore, his music becoming essential material for all players of traditional Scottish music. The Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Club was established in 1978 and the local music scene grew from strength to strength. Visiting guest artistes thoroughly enjoyed the Shetland music scene, many long lasting friendships were created and Ronnie revelled in the opportunity to play with Scotland’s finest.
The Hamefarers recorded the LP, ‘A Breath of Shetland’. The subsequent trip to Mull to visit the home of Bobby MacLeod was the pinnacle of Ronnie’s musical aspirations and to be able to meet and play with his lifetime hero was paramount. Thus this musical experience together with the regular visits home and musical exchanges with the now world renowned Aly Bain, meant his music ambition was largely achieved. The Lounge was now run by Jemima and Hughie Robertson, Ronnie continued to play with many visiting and local musicians, encouraging and supporting young up-and-coming Shetland players such as Ronnie Jamieson, Davy Tulloch and latterly The Hom Bru Band.
In the late seventies Ronnie’s health started to deteriorate and in 1982 he passed away, just four months after the passing of his good friend and fellow musician Frank Jamieson. Bobby MacLeod donated the Ronald Cooper Memorial Trophy, which is played for competitively at the Perth Accordion and Fiddle Festival to this day.
This year’s Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival saw the release of a new book of composition by the late Ronnie Cooper. Some of us still have the 5 original books of Ronnie’s music published by the Shetland Times in the early 1970s, in various states of repair, but those books have become somewhat of a collector item. Such is the quality of Ronnie’s compositions that they are played universally on the scene, from the drive of the reels to the serenity of the waltzes. The new collection contains all 46 of Ronnie’s compositions, including 4 tunes printed by the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Club following his passing in 1982. The music transcription has followed the original publications with chord symbols showing the chords that Ronnie used. The original publication contained some errors, which have now been corrected. Tune descriptions are added, together with some photographs to help illustrate the music titles to the reader.
Happy Birthday Beith!
Beith Accordion & Fiddle Club 40th Anniversary
by Stuart Faulds
Beith Accordion & Fiddle Club met on 16th September in Beith Bowling Club. Our compere welcomed everyone along and got things underway. We had 13 local players who came along to give us an enjoyable night of excellent music.
On accordion we had Susan MacFadyen, Colin Chalmers, Alex Tait, John Scott, Leigh Milne, Ian Stoddart, Archie Gardiner, Guy Wiley and Alexander Young.
On fiddle we had Shona MacFadyen and Stuart Faulds.
On drums we had Jimmy Simpson and Tommy Irvine and on piano we had John Strachan and Susan MacFadyen.
It was a special night for the Club as we were celebrating our 40th Anniversary of the Club starting. Founder member Tommy Irvine joined Susan and Shona MacFadyen to play the composition ‘Willie Wilson’s Waltz’ in memory of one of the other founder members. Tommy also cut a celebratory cake, which was enjoyed by all!
Our guest artiste for the evening was The Iain MacPhail SDB with Iain on lead, Brian Griffin on second accordion, Isobelle Hodgson on piano and George Darling on drums. We were treated to a varied programme from good going reels and jigs to swingy pipe marches, all played with that MacPhail flair we have come to know over the years.
Fantastic stuff from the band and Club players.
Webwatch
by Bill Young
www.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
Note for Note – Gordon Pattullo & Gemma Donald – GPCD006
DVD Reviews
Live & Relaxed – The Brandon McPhee Band – DVDPAN115
Book Review
Accordion : A Pictorial History – Rob Howard - Independent
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
7th Dec 2013 – OB from the Scots Trad Music Awards with Tom Orr SDB and Special Guests
14th Dec 2013 – Neil Barron SDB
21st Dec 2013 – Gary Sutherland SDB
28th Dec 2013 – A Special Variety Take the Floor from Dunecht Village Hall with Iain Cathcart SDB & Guests – Darren MacLean, Gordon Pattullo & Gemma Donald and Peter Morrison
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 10th Dec 2013 – Christmas Social Buffet Dance with James Coutts SDB
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle) 11th Dec 2013 – Christmas Buffet Night Local Artistes
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 16th Dec 2013 – Dinner Dance Bon Accords
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 1st Dec 2013 – James Coutts Trio
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 15th Dec 2013 – Craig Paton SDB
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 30th Dec 2013 – Special Christmas Evening with Graeme Mitchell SDB
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 4th Dec 2013 – Christmas Ceilidh
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 8th Dec 2013 – Roddy Matthews & Friends
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) -
Britannia (Arden House Hotel) -
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 12th Dec 2013 – Christmas Party Night
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 3rd Dec 2013 – Gordon Pattullo & Gemma Donald
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) - 5th Dec 2013 – David Oswald Trio
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 17th Dec 2013 – George Meikle Trio
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 19th Dec 2013 – Dochie McCallum & Friends (Final appearance)
Coldingham (Crosslaw Caravan Park) -
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 5th Dec 2013 – Sandy Lindsat Duo
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) - 17th Dec 2013 – Local Artistes
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 4th Dec 2013 – Gordon Pattullo & Gemma Donald
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) –
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) – 10th Dec 2013 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate) 16th Dec 2013 – Club Night
Ellon (Station Hotel) –
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 15th Dec 2013 – George Rennie Trio
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 11th Dec 2013 – Roya MacLean Trio
Fort William (Railway Club, Inverlochy) -
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) – 5th Dec 2013 – Neil Hardie SDB
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 19th Dec 2013 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 4th Dec 2013 – Adin Graham SDB
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 15th Dec 2013 – Gold Brothers Trio
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 16th Dec 2013 – Marian Anderson SDB
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 11th Dec 2013 – Robert Nairn Trio
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 5th Dec 2013 – Charlei Kirkpatrick Trio
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) – 3rd Dec 2013 – Maggie Adamson Duo
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) – 11th Dec 2013 – Scott Band Trio
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) - 14th Dec 2013 – Dance to Nicol McLaren SDB
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) – 11th Dec 2013 – Gary Forrest SDB
Lauder (Black Bull Hotel) -
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 5th Dec 2013 – The Four Macs
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Maine Valley (Ballymena) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 17th Dec 2013 – Ian Muir SDB
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 4th Dec 2013 – Ian Cruickshanks Trio
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) -
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Buccleugh Bowling Club) 18th Dec 2013 – Club Night
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 3rd Dec 2013 – Lynn Christie SDB
Northern (Lylehill Suite, Templepatrick, N.I.) - 4th Dec 2013 – Missing Time & East Antrim Junior Accordion Orch
Oban (The Argyllshire Gathering) – 5th Dec 2013 – Gordon Pattullo & Gemma Donald
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 17th Dec 2013 – Billy Anderson & Albany
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 10th Dec 2013 – Sandy & Jimmy Lindsay
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) -
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) -
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 12th Dec 2013 – Club Night
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 4th Dec 2013 – Jack Delaney SDB
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 2nd Dec 2013 – Jimmy Cassidy
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 5th Dec 2013 – The Garioch Blend
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) –
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) - 14th Dec 2013 – Saturday Night Ceilidh
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 10th Dec 2013 – Brandon McPhee Trio
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Alnwick
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banchory
5. Banff
6. Beith
7. Button-Key
8. Campsie
9. Castle Douglas
10. Coalburn
11. Coldingham
12. Crieff
13. Dingwall
14. Dunblane
15. Dunfermline
16. Duns
17. Fintry
18. Forfar
19. Glendale
20. Gretna
21. Haddington
22. Highland
23. Inveraray
24. Isle of Skye
25. Islesteps
26. Kelso
27. Ladybank
28. Lanark
29. Lewis & Harris
30. Livingston
31. Lockerbie
32. Mauchline
33. Montrose
34. Newburgh
35. Newtongrange
36. Northern
37. Peebles
38. Perth
39. Renfrew
40. Seghill
41. Shetland
42. Turriff
43. Tynedale
44. Uist & Benbecula
45. West Barnes
46. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2013
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
13. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
14. Button Key A&F Club (
15. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
16. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
17. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
18. Coalburn A&F Club (
19. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 -
20. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
21. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
22. Cults A & F Club (
23. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
24. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
25. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
26. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
27. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
28. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
29. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
30. Ellon A&F Club (
31. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
32. Forfar A&F Club (
33. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
34. Fort William A&F Club (2009 -
35. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
36. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
37. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
38. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
39. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
40. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
41. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
42. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
43. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
44. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
45. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
46. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
47. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
48. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
49. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
50. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
51. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
52. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
53 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
54 Maine Valley A&F Club (
55 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
56 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
57 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
58 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
59. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
60. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
61. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
62. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
63. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
64. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
65. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
66. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
67. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
68. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
69. Selkirk A&F Club (
70. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
71 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
72 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
73 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
74 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
75 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
76 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
77 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
78 West Barnes ( - present)
79 Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
80. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
81. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
82. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
83. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
84. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
85. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
86. Buchan A&F Club
87 Callander A&F Club (
88 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
89 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
90 Club Accord
91 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
92. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
93. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
94. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
95. Derwentside A&F Club
96. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
97. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
98. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
99. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
100. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
101. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
102. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
103. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
104. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
105. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
106. Kintore A&F Club (
107. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
108. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
109. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
110. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
111. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
112. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
113. Mull A&F Club
114. Newcastleton Accordion Club
115. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
116. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
117. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
118. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
119. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
120. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
121. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
122. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
123. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
124. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
125. Tranent A&F Club
126. Vancouver
127. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
128. Wellbank A&F Club
129. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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