Box and Fiddle
Year 16 No 04
December 1992/January 1993
Introducing the Clubs
No 12 Galston
by Davy Ross
On the second Monday of October, 1969, the first meeting of the Glaston Club was held in the Black Bull Hotel, Galston. The guest artiste was Bert Shorthouse from Dunfermline and around 36 people attended plus 8 players. The original Committee was Billy Stewart, Bill Rodie and David Ross. Bill Rodie, due to working abroad, had to stand down and his place was taken by Derek Hamilton. Otherwise the same members still run the Club.
We had to move from the Black Bull after 8 years due to the Fire Regulations being enforced and restricting the numbers to 80 people, at the time we were averaging around 100, so we didn’t have a choice.
We moved to the ‘Parakeet’ in Hurlford, which had a function suite that could accommodate (at a squeeze) 200 people, and this gave us the opportunity in the mid-seventies to feature some of the big names like Dermot O’Brien and Tom Alexander. Also we could feature dance bands. We did have many enjoyable nights at the Parakeet, but due to managerial changes, we were informed that in future Mondays would be a dance night featuring local jazz musicians.
We then shifted out meeting place back to Galston to a lounge suite called ‘Wales Place’. The Club carried on in the same manner, but we didn’t feel that the atmosphere could be generated no matter how we tried or who we had as our guest. We did however give the decision to move there a fair try and although the management and the Club supporters stood by us, we had mixed feelings of the Club losing its popularity.
On being informed that the premises were ‘on the market’ we had to protect our interests, and after discussion with the Committee of the Barr Castle Social Club decided that Galston Accordion Club would be presented by the said Club. We have excellent facilities, can hold over 100 and have easy access. We don’t have a membership as such, but enjoy a regular support.
There are four Clubs in Ayrshire and we all visit each other and also have formed A.S.M.A. ‘Ayrshire Scottish Music Association’.
Over the 23 years we have been functioning, we have seen young players grow up, get married, and now their families are coming along.
We award a Shield each year to the most improved player and every year at Christmas the money drawn in at our December meeting raffle we donate to a local charity.
The general idea in our eyes of an Accordion Club is to promote the music and the instruments. We at Galston have managed to do that by having some fine guest artistes and also some enthusiastic players and supporters. We owe a big thanks to everybody who comes along and to be in a position to say that makes it all worthwhile.
No 12 Galston
by Davy Ross
On the second Monday of October, 1969, the first meeting of the Glaston Club was held in the Black Bull Hotel, Galston. The guest artiste was Bert Shorthouse from Dunfermline and around 36 people attended plus 8 players. The original Committee was Billy Stewart, Bill Rodie and David Ross. Bill Rodie, due to working abroad, had to stand down and his place was taken by Derek Hamilton. Otherwise the same members still run the Club.
We had to move from the Black Bull after 8 years due to the Fire Regulations being enforced and restricting the numbers to 80 people, at the time we were averaging around 100, so we didn’t have a choice.
We moved to the ‘Parakeet’ in Hurlford, which had a function suite that could accommodate (at a squeeze) 200 people, and this gave us the opportunity in the mid-seventies to feature some of the big names like Dermot O’Brien and Tom Alexander. Also we could feature dance bands. We did have many enjoyable nights at the Parakeet, but due to managerial changes, we were informed that in future Mondays would be a dance night featuring local jazz musicians.
We then shifted out meeting place back to Galston to a lounge suite called ‘Wales Place’. The Club carried on in the same manner, but we didn’t feel that the atmosphere could be generated no matter how we tried or who we had as our guest. We did however give the decision to move there a fair try and although the management and the Club supporters stood by us, we had mixed feelings of the Club losing its popularity.
On being informed that the premises were ‘on the market’ we had to protect our interests, and after discussion with the Committee of the Barr Castle Social Club decided that Galston Accordion Club would be presented by the said Club. We have excellent facilities, can hold over 100 and have easy access. We don’t have a membership as such, but enjoy a regular support.
There are four Clubs in Ayrshire and we all visit each other and also have formed A.S.M.A. ‘Ayrshire Scottish Music Association’.
Over the 23 years we have been functioning, we have seen young players grow up, get married, and now their families are coming along.
We award a Shield each year to the most improved player and every year at Christmas the money drawn in at our December meeting raffle we donate to a local charity.
The general idea in our eyes of an Accordion Club is to promote the music and the instruments. We at Galston have managed to do that by having some fine guest artistes and also some enthusiastic players and supporters. We owe a big thanks to everybody who comes along and to be in a position to say that makes it all worthwhile.