Box and Fiddle
Year 35 No 10
June 2012
Price £2.60
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £28.60 + p&p £11 (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 thanks for all of your votes for the BAFFI Awards – you can see the top six nominees in each category on the back page. The winners will, as usual, be announced at the Ceilidh following the Celebrity Luncheon at The Huntingtower Hotel on Sunday 24th June. As promised, this month we carry a short tribute to a stalwart of the A&F Club scene, Jim Berry, who died suddenly in April. We also have the continuation of contributions and anecdotes from friends of Lex Keith (CT – I included these in last month’s).
This month’s lead article is about Charlie Kirkpatrick – one of this year’s 3 NAAFC Honours Recipients. Next month is the turn of Jim Halcrow and in August it’s John Douglas.
Karin Ingram
Charlie Kirkpatrick – Guest of Honour
by Charlie Todd
Charlie Kirkpatrick was born in 1946 in Greenock. His father, who hailed from the Island of Iona, was a merchant seaman and sailed out of Greenock at that point. In 1948 the family returned to Iona where sadly his father was killed in an industrial accident when Charlie was only nine. The Kirkpatrick connection with the island stretches back to Charlie's great grandfather David Kirkpatrick, originally from Alexandria, who was the first non Gaelic speaking teacher at the island's Primary School serving from 1882 till 1892. According to the book ‘Iona - the living Memory of a Crofting Community 1750-1914’ by E Mairi MacArthur published by Edinburgh University Press the “parents expressed considerable satisfaction with his general teaching abilities and with the very popular music class which he began for adults as well as for scholars”. So getting on with people seems to run in the family! As for the music, it was a young cousin on Iona who had been given a present of a melodeon and who allowed Charlie to try the instrument, that sparked his interest when he realised he could play a few tunes.
After attending primary school on Iona, Charlie completed his education at Oban High School. It was while he was there that Charlie taught himself to play a two row Hohner Double Ray Black Dot button key medoleon and while at school he formed his first band, having by now purchased a three row Hohner Gaelic IV. This band included Eric Spence on accordion, Iain Morrison on piano and Donald MacLean on drums. (Eric Spence, a cousin of Gary Peterson in Shetland, now resides in the Inverness area and is a well known broadcaster. He was behind the series of Accordion Club programmes broadcast on TV a few years back. Iain Morrison still plays the accordion and resides in Dervaig, Mull while Donald MacLean still stays in Oban and is currently President of Oban Bowling Club). This band played at several school dances etc. in the Oban area.
Early in 1965 Charlie joined the City of Glasgow Police and moved to the Glasgow area to pursue his new career. During the course of his police career he served in most parts of Glasgow as well as Clydebank and in Ayrshire as an Inspector.
Not long after moving to Glasgow, Charlie met a young nurse Joanne Macdonald whose family came from Staffin on the island of Skye and who had come to Glasgow to work at the Royal Infirmary. They were married in Perth on 26 January 1968 and three children followed – Niall, Shona and Lorna – and the latest addition to the family is grand-daughter Iona born last year to Niall and his wife Linda who live on the Island of Islay.
Charlie plays a black Hohner Shand Morino which formerly belonged to Willie Wylie who was the accordion tuner/technician at McCormick's Music Shop in Bath Street, Glasgow. It was Willie who had been responsible for fitting the fourth “dummy” row of buttons to the black Shand Morino played by the legendary Will Starr and it was apparently his intention to do the same with this accordion. However Willie's death put paid to those plans and the accordion remained in the shop until it's owner, Neil McCormick, noticing it on a high shelf in Willie's workshop, contacted Charlie and acting on behalf of Willie's widow sold it to him. It dates from about 1956/7.
Charlie learned to read music via a rather tortuous path. When Andy Stewart topped the charts with 'A Scottish Soldier' Charlie bought the sheet music and knowing the tune worked out what the dots meant· His reading developed slowly from there but came on by leaps and bounds in later years when he took son Niall along for his lessons with Jimmy Blair. Dad 'waited' at the back of the classroom to take Niall home but absorbed all that 'the laddie' was being taught by Jimmy as well. Niall is now a well known accordionist in his own right having appeared as guest artist at various accordion clubs and having several broadcasts on 'Take the Floor' under his belt.
With the advent of the Accordion and Fiddle Club movement in the early 1970's, Charlie attended the MAFIA and Balloch A&F Clubs and was involved in a broadcast from the MAFIA Club when the BBC did a series of programmes from various clubs. Included in this programme was the backing band of Colin Finlayson, Neil McMillan and Ricky Franci, along with The Currie Brothers, Bob Lillie and the Kelvin Band with Jimmy Yeaman amongst others. This programme was produced by Ben Lyons with Alasdair Gillies as presenter.
Around the mid 70s Charlie formed his first Trio with Derek Hamilton from Galston on keyboard and Glasgow's Billy Grant on drums. They mainly played at weddings and ceilidhs in and around the Glasgow area. On 13 December 1981 the trio, augmented by John Carmichael on second accordion and Eoin Miller on double bass, auditioned successfully for Take the Floor and their first broadcast came out on 29th May, 1982. For the third broadcast produced by Ken Mutch, Alistair Heron joined on fiddle and played in all the broadcasts up until his death in 2010. The band's line up remained largely unchanged apart from John McCroskie taking over from Billy Grant on drums. When he in turn had to retire through ill health in 1991 Bill Buchan moved into the drummer's position until the present day. Also in 1991 Neil McMillan replaced Eoin Miller on double bass.
As an islander himself Charlie's band is particularly popular on the West Coast and he has played in most islands up and down the west coast as well as Shetland and a little further afield – Abu Dhabi. Like his near neighbour in Giffnock, John Carmichael, Charlie is also well known to us in the Association as an excellent compere and M.C and he has carried out that role on several occasions for us at our Annual Luncheons.
Having retired from Strathclyde Police in 1995, Charlie took up a position as Security Controller with a large chain of Spar convenience stores. After 'really' retiring in 2008 he now spends his time on the golf course, in his garden and of course playing music. Talking of golf, it was Charlie who suggested a Golf Day as part of the NAAFC's 40th Anniversary celebrations last year. The sad death of well-known drummer Billy Thom, himself a keen golfer and musician at Dunblane Golf Club, provided the ideal venue both to host the event and to stage a musical evening in the Clubhouse in Billy's memory.
So after a long association with one of our foremost instruments, the Shand Morino, and with our own Association, we are delighted this year to welcome Charlie Kirkpatrick, accordionist, compere and character, as one of our Guests of Honour at the Celebrity Luncheon in the Huntingtower Hotel on Sunday 24th June 2012.
Jim Berry
by David Cunningham Snr
On Friday 13th April, Scottish music and the Accordion Club scene lost one of its most loyal and enthusiastic musicians and, as anyone who has enjoyed a night at Newburgh Accordion Club will know, Jim was one of its founding members. Only a few weeks ago, he was joined by many of Scotland’s top musicians to celebrate the Club’s 40th Anniversary.
When I was approached to pen a few words about Jim I jumped at the chance, having known and admired him for well over 50 years.
I first met Jim when I was 11 or 12 in the mid-1950s at a music festival in Perth City Hall. We were both competing and, as he came off the stag down the half dozen or so steps (probably every box player in Scotland will have stood here at some time) passing the collection of anxious-faced fellow contestants, he turned to me and said, “My knees were knocking all the way through that and they weren’t even knocking in time!”
To this day, I have never forgotten this occasion of almost 60 years ago because it epitomized what Jim was all about: a man with a warm, canny, and friendly disposition which belied a sharp pawky humour often directed towards himself in a typically self-effacing manner.
In 1966, Jim married his school sweetheart, Netta, and in time along came son Graham and a daughter Lorna. The family all had music in their genes so it was only to be expected that they would entertain as a family in the local area and beyond. In the very early 80s, Jim and I discovered we had something other than box-playing in common: his son, Graham, and my son, David, met at high school. The 12-year-olds had no idea that their parents knew each other, however it wasn’t long before they were going to each other’s home for a tune and were making use of the recording equipment I had lying around. Jim’s Scottish Dance Band was very popular at Scottish Country Dances around Scotland and, as a result, he was persuaded to record a commercial album of the most popular dances. Jim approached me to record and manufacture the cassette (which was the preferred medium of the time) and, as the recording venue, he hired the function hall of Elmwood College, in Cupar, where he worked as a lecturer. The album was a great success and eventually led to the release of a further equally-popular album.
Scottish Country Dance music was Jim’s great passion; he gave unselfishly of his time to play at dance classes and functions. He had a wonderful philosophy on playing; he just loved to play whether it was to a class of little more than a single dance set; a large function in the Perth City Hall; or a BBC broadcast – he treated them all the same.
When Jim first began playing as a youngster, he was given a great deal of help and advice from the late bandleader and master of the melodeon, Jim Crawford. To get an insight into these very early years, I asked Jim Crawford’s brother, John, the well-known accordionist, adjudicator and accordion tuner/repairer, to share his memories of this time over half a century ago.
John recalls that the young Jim Berry was always dedicated to playing for Scottish Country Dancing with an eagerness to play all the ‘original’ tunes for the many hundreds of dances published by the RSCDS. As new books of dances were published, John would play through the new tunes to his brother, Jim (who didn’t read music at the time), and the young Jim Berry would listen intently and then play the tune the following week from memory. Eventually, young Jim bought a Shand Morino and proudly brought it to show his mentor. To his surprise and delight, whilst he was there, Sir Jimmy Shand, who was a close friend of Jim Crawford, arrived and, seeing the new Morino, played a few tunes just to check it out.
Jim’s life-long interest and incredible knowledge of Scottish Country Dance music was particularly evident to Scottish Country Dancers from all over the world, whether it be at a local dance class, and annual ball, or playing at St Andrews University during the RSCDS Summer School. Jim was a true ‘one-off’, his playing style evoked memories of a time when the melody created the dance rhythm without the need for a dominant rhythm section – in my mind a disappearing art.
Everyone who ever met Jim will have their own special memories. My own personal view is simply that the Scottish music scene has not only lost a great champion and a talented musician but, most of all, a man who was a loyal friend whose cheerful disposition could brighten the darkest day.
Turriff & District – 30th Anniversary – 7th April 2012
by
Turriff & District Accordion and Fiddle Club celebrated the Club’s 30th birthday in tremendous style on 7th April in The Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown.
The first Club meeting was on 1st April 1982, in The Royal Oak Hotel, Turriff, with a full house of over 150 people. The late John D. Morrison, Chairman, welcomed the audience and the guest artistes were The Buchan A&F Club. There were plenty of players off the floor including a fiddler on holiday from Canada. The Club went from strength to strength with the help of loyal supporters, conscientious Committee members and in particular the late Margaret Wilson of Bogenlea, New Blyth, who was a stalwart Chairperson and Secretary for a long number of years.
The celebratory meeing was excellent – the hall was packed with an appreciative audience, an abundance of ‘off-the-floor’ players and of course, the well-respected guest artistes Robert Lovie and Friends.
Chairman Sandy Duncan welcomed the audience, then founder member Hugh Henderson and his daughter Pat Steele. Press Secretary and long standing club member, cut the beautiful cake baked and iced by Secretary Kate Michie. Flowers were presented to Hugh, Pat and Nellie Duncan, the Chairman’s wife.
Off the floor players included pianist Risie Kellas, fiddlers Alex Whyte, Nicola Auchnie, Megan Ingram, Maisie Ingram and Jim Stables, accordionists Allan Ferguson, Kevin Cheyne, John Stewart and George Ogg and drummer Andy Cheyne.
Time for the guest artistes and it was Robert Lovie, the Aberdour Loon fae Fyvie Castle, the Finechty fiddler, Raemond Jappy and box player John Bone faeInverallochy. The Trio made an excellent start with ‘Mr Michie’ and ‘Carbies’ Canter’, getting the audience in toe-tapping mode. Raemond, accompanied by Robert on piano, played a selection of well-known tunes including ‘The Duke of Fife’s Welcome to Deeside’, ‘Miller o’ Hirn’ and ‘J. F. Dickie’s Delight.’ Another of Robert’s friends and his former music teacher Grace Taylor played a piano duet with him, and she kept him in order (as teachers do!) as they played ‘Millicent’s Favourite’, ‘De’il Among the Tailors’ and ‘Tico Tico’. Accomplished accordionist John, accompanied by Robert on piano, played a variety of Scottish and Continental tunes, including ‘The Glasgow Reel’, ‘The Flying Scotsman’ and ‘Light and Shade’.
After tea and birthday cake it was back to the entertainment with Robert reciting ‘The furrett’, an Ian Middleton poem, before Raemond skillfully played a tremendous selection of Shetland music including ‘The Auld Resting Chair’, ‘The Sandyburn Reel’ and a firm favourite ‘Leaving Lerwick Harbour’. Robert had the audience in stitches as he recited another of Ian Middleton’s poems ‘Passion Pooder’, and then continued with a favourite song ‘Caledonia’. John returned to the stage and, accompanied by Robert, he played ‘Dancing Fingers’, an own composition ‘The Gypet Wifie’ and finished with ‘Czardas’. The Trio finished their superb programme with ‘Bonnie Nancy’, ‘Itchy Fingers’ and ‘The Flowers of Edinburgh’, before the other players joined them on stage for the final stramash. It was encore after encore, nobody wanted to go home! The audience eventually left with “a spring in their step”. A great night of entertainment to celebrate the Club’s 30th.
Webwatch
by Bill Young
www.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
Silver and Gold – Alasdair Gillies – CDITV813
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
REPEATS
2nd June 12 – Iain Cathcart sDB
9th June 12 – Gary Sutherland SDB
16th June 12 – Callum MacLean SDB
23rd June 12 – Skipinnish
30th June 12 – OB from The Royal highland Show with John Carmichael SDB
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) –
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 17th June 12 – Gold Brothers Trio
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 10th June 12 – Lindsay Weir Trio
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 11th June 12 – Special Shetland Night featuring The Brian Gear Band & The James Leask Dance Band 25th June 12 – Davie Stewart Trio
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 27th June 12 – West Telferton C.B.
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) -
Britannia (Arden House Hotel) -
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 14th June 12 – Roger Dobson SDB
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) -
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) –
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) -
Coldingham (Village Hall) - 4th June 12 – Ian Cruickshanks SDB
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel)
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) -
Dingwall (National Hotel) –
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 1st June 12 – Annual Dance
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate)
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 19th June 12 – Steven Carcary Trio
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 24th June 12 – Ewan Galloway SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 13th June 12 - AGM
Fort William (Railway Club, Inverlochy) -
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) –
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) -
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 6th June 12 - Lomond Ceilidh Band
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) -
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 18th June 12 - AGM
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) -
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) –
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) –
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) - 23rd June 12 – Dance to Iain Cathcart SDB
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) –
Lauder (Black Bull Hotel) -
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 7th June 12 – Colin Donaldson Duo
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Maine Valley (Ballymena) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) -
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 10th June 12th – Brandon McPhee Trio
Newburgh (The Ship Inn) -
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Thorterdykes Roadhouse)
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) –
Northern (Lylehill Suite, Templepatrick, N.I.) - 6th June 12 – Tom Alexander
Oban (The Argyllshire Gathering) –
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) – 27th June 12 – Roya MacLean Trio
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) –
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) –
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 7th June 12 – AGM + Willie Scott
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) -
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) -
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) -
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) -
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) –
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 7th June 12 –Frank Thomson Duo
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 21st June 12 – Ewan Galloway Trio
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banff
5. Biggar
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button-key
8. Castle Douglas
9. Coalburn
10. Dingwall
11. Dunfermline
12. Duns
13. Forfar
14. Forres
15. Haddington
16. Highland
17. Inveraray
18. Isle of Skye
19. Kelso
20. Livingston
21. Lockerbie
22. Mauchline
23. Montrose
24. North East
25. Northern
26. Orkney
27. Peebles
28. Perth
29. Renfrew
30. Rothbury
31. Seghill
32. Thurso
33. Turriff
34. Tynedale
35. West Barnes
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2011
(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 Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
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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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 thanks for all of your votes for the BAFFI Awards – you can see the top six nominees in each category on the back page. The winners will, as usual, be announced at the Ceilidh following the Celebrity Luncheon at The Huntingtower Hotel on Sunday 24th June. As promised, this month we carry a short tribute to a stalwart of the A&F Club scene, Jim Berry, who died suddenly in April. We also have the continuation of contributions and anecdotes from friends of Lex Keith (CT – I included these in last month’s).
This month’s lead article is about Charlie Kirkpatrick – one of this year’s 3 NAAFC Honours Recipients. Next month is the turn of Jim Halcrow and in August it’s John Douglas.
Karin Ingram
Charlie Kirkpatrick – Guest of Honour
by Charlie Todd
Charlie Kirkpatrick was born in 1946 in Greenock. His father, who hailed from the Island of Iona, was a merchant seaman and sailed out of Greenock at that point. In 1948 the family returned to Iona where sadly his father was killed in an industrial accident when Charlie was only nine. The Kirkpatrick connection with the island stretches back to Charlie's great grandfather David Kirkpatrick, originally from Alexandria, who was the first non Gaelic speaking teacher at the island's Primary School serving from 1882 till 1892. According to the book ‘Iona - the living Memory of a Crofting Community 1750-1914’ by E Mairi MacArthur published by Edinburgh University Press the “parents expressed considerable satisfaction with his general teaching abilities and with the very popular music class which he began for adults as well as for scholars”. So getting on with people seems to run in the family! As for the music, it was a young cousin on Iona who had been given a present of a melodeon and who allowed Charlie to try the instrument, that sparked his interest when he realised he could play a few tunes.
After attending primary school on Iona, Charlie completed his education at Oban High School. It was while he was there that Charlie taught himself to play a two row Hohner Double Ray Black Dot button key medoleon and while at school he formed his first band, having by now purchased a three row Hohner Gaelic IV. This band included Eric Spence on accordion, Iain Morrison on piano and Donald MacLean on drums. (Eric Spence, a cousin of Gary Peterson in Shetland, now resides in the Inverness area and is a well known broadcaster. He was behind the series of Accordion Club programmes broadcast on TV a few years back. Iain Morrison still plays the accordion and resides in Dervaig, Mull while Donald MacLean still stays in Oban and is currently President of Oban Bowling Club). This band played at several school dances etc. in the Oban area.
Early in 1965 Charlie joined the City of Glasgow Police and moved to the Glasgow area to pursue his new career. During the course of his police career he served in most parts of Glasgow as well as Clydebank and in Ayrshire as an Inspector.
Not long after moving to Glasgow, Charlie met a young nurse Joanne Macdonald whose family came from Staffin on the island of Skye and who had come to Glasgow to work at the Royal Infirmary. They were married in Perth on 26 January 1968 and three children followed – Niall, Shona and Lorna – and the latest addition to the family is grand-daughter Iona born last year to Niall and his wife Linda who live on the Island of Islay.
Charlie plays a black Hohner Shand Morino which formerly belonged to Willie Wylie who was the accordion tuner/technician at McCormick's Music Shop in Bath Street, Glasgow. It was Willie who had been responsible for fitting the fourth “dummy” row of buttons to the black Shand Morino played by the legendary Will Starr and it was apparently his intention to do the same with this accordion. However Willie's death put paid to those plans and the accordion remained in the shop until it's owner, Neil McCormick, noticing it on a high shelf in Willie's workshop, contacted Charlie and acting on behalf of Willie's widow sold it to him. It dates from about 1956/7.
Charlie learned to read music via a rather tortuous path. When Andy Stewart topped the charts with 'A Scottish Soldier' Charlie bought the sheet music and knowing the tune worked out what the dots meant· His reading developed slowly from there but came on by leaps and bounds in later years when he took son Niall along for his lessons with Jimmy Blair. Dad 'waited' at the back of the classroom to take Niall home but absorbed all that 'the laddie' was being taught by Jimmy as well. Niall is now a well known accordionist in his own right having appeared as guest artist at various accordion clubs and having several broadcasts on 'Take the Floor' under his belt.
With the advent of the Accordion and Fiddle Club movement in the early 1970's, Charlie attended the MAFIA and Balloch A&F Clubs and was involved in a broadcast from the MAFIA Club when the BBC did a series of programmes from various clubs. Included in this programme was the backing band of Colin Finlayson, Neil McMillan and Ricky Franci, along with The Currie Brothers, Bob Lillie and the Kelvin Band with Jimmy Yeaman amongst others. This programme was produced by Ben Lyons with Alasdair Gillies as presenter.
Around the mid 70s Charlie formed his first Trio with Derek Hamilton from Galston on keyboard and Glasgow's Billy Grant on drums. They mainly played at weddings and ceilidhs in and around the Glasgow area. On 13 December 1981 the trio, augmented by John Carmichael on second accordion and Eoin Miller on double bass, auditioned successfully for Take the Floor and their first broadcast came out on 29th May, 1982. For the third broadcast produced by Ken Mutch, Alistair Heron joined on fiddle and played in all the broadcasts up until his death in 2010. The band's line up remained largely unchanged apart from John McCroskie taking over from Billy Grant on drums. When he in turn had to retire through ill health in 1991 Bill Buchan moved into the drummer's position until the present day. Also in 1991 Neil McMillan replaced Eoin Miller on double bass.
As an islander himself Charlie's band is particularly popular on the West Coast and he has played in most islands up and down the west coast as well as Shetland and a little further afield – Abu Dhabi. Like his near neighbour in Giffnock, John Carmichael, Charlie is also well known to us in the Association as an excellent compere and M.C and he has carried out that role on several occasions for us at our Annual Luncheons.
Having retired from Strathclyde Police in 1995, Charlie took up a position as Security Controller with a large chain of Spar convenience stores. After 'really' retiring in 2008 he now spends his time on the golf course, in his garden and of course playing music. Talking of golf, it was Charlie who suggested a Golf Day as part of the NAAFC's 40th Anniversary celebrations last year. The sad death of well-known drummer Billy Thom, himself a keen golfer and musician at Dunblane Golf Club, provided the ideal venue both to host the event and to stage a musical evening in the Clubhouse in Billy's memory.
So after a long association with one of our foremost instruments, the Shand Morino, and with our own Association, we are delighted this year to welcome Charlie Kirkpatrick, accordionist, compere and character, as one of our Guests of Honour at the Celebrity Luncheon in the Huntingtower Hotel on Sunday 24th June 2012.
Jim Berry
by David Cunningham Snr
On Friday 13th April, Scottish music and the Accordion Club scene lost one of its most loyal and enthusiastic musicians and, as anyone who has enjoyed a night at Newburgh Accordion Club will know, Jim was one of its founding members. Only a few weeks ago, he was joined by many of Scotland’s top musicians to celebrate the Club’s 40th Anniversary.
When I was approached to pen a few words about Jim I jumped at the chance, having known and admired him for well over 50 years.
I first met Jim when I was 11 or 12 in the mid-1950s at a music festival in Perth City Hall. We were both competing and, as he came off the stag down the half dozen or so steps (probably every box player in Scotland will have stood here at some time) passing the collection of anxious-faced fellow contestants, he turned to me and said, “My knees were knocking all the way through that and they weren’t even knocking in time!”
To this day, I have never forgotten this occasion of almost 60 years ago because it epitomized what Jim was all about: a man with a warm, canny, and friendly disposition which belied a sharp pawky humour often directed towards himself in a typically self-effacing manner.
In 1966, Jim married his school sweetheart, Netta, and in time along came son Graham and a daughter Lorna. The family all had music in their genes so it was only to be expected that they would entertain as a family in the local area and beyond. In the very early 80s, Jim and I discovered we had something other than box-playing in common: his son, Graham, and my son, David, met at high school. The 12-year-olds had no idea that their parents knew each other, however it wasn’t long before they were going to each other’s home for a tune and were making use of the recording equipment I had lying around. Jim’s Scottish Dance Band was very popular at Scottish Country Dances around Scotland and, as a result, he was persuaded to record a commercial album of the most popular dances. Jim approached me to record and manufacture the cassette (which was the preferred medium of the time) and, as the recording venue, he hired the function hall of Elmwood College, in Cupar, where he worked as a lecturer. The album was a great success and eventually led to the release of a further equally-popular album.
Scottish Country Dance music was Jim’s great passion; he gave unselfishly of his time to play at dance classes and functions. He had a wonderful philosophy on playing; he just loved to play whether it was to a class of little more than a single dance set; a large function in the Perth City Hall; or a BBC broadcast – he treated them all the same.
When Jim first began playing as a youngster, he was given a great deal of help and advice from the late bandleader and master of the melodeon, Jim Crawford. To get an insight into these very early years, I asked Jim Crawford’s brother, John, the well-known accordionist, adjudicator and accordion tuner/repairer, to share his memories of this time over half a century ago.
John recalls that the young Jim Berry was always dedicated to playing for Scottish Country Dancing with an eagerness to play all the ‘original’ tunes for the many hundreds of dances published by the RSCDS. As new books of dances were published, John would play through the new tunes to his brother, Jim (who didn’t read music at the time), and the young Jim Berry would listen intently and then play the tune the following week from memory. Eventually, young Jim bought a Shand Morino and proudly brought it to show his mentor. To his surprise and delight, whilst he was there, Sir Jimmy Shand, who was a close friend of Jim Crawford, arrived and, seeing the new Morino, played a few tunes just to check it out.
Jim’s life-long interest and incredible knowledge of Scottish Country Dance music was particularly evident to Scottish Country Dancers from all over the world, whether it be at a local dance class, and annual ball, or playing at St Andrews University during the RSCDS Summer School. Jim was a true ‘one-off’, his playing style evoked memories of a time when the melody created the dance rhythm without the need for a dominant rhythm section – in my mind a disappearing art.
Everyone who ever met Jim will have their own special memories. My own personal view is simply that the Scottish music scene has not only lost a great champion and a talented musician but, most of all, a man who was a loyal friend whose cheerful disposition could brighten the darkest day.
Turriff & District – 30th Anniversary – 7th April 2012
by
Turriff & District Accordion and Fiddle Club celebrated the Club’s 30th birthday in tremendous style on 7th April in The Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown.
The first Club meeting was on 1st April 1982, in The Royal Oak Hotel, Turriff, with a full house of over 150 people. The late John D. Morrison, Chairman, welcomed the audience and the guest artistes were The Buchan A&F Club. There were plenty of players off the floor including a fiddler on holiday from Canada. The Club went from strength to strength with the help of loyal supporters, conscientious Committee members and in particular the late Margaret Wilson of Bogenlea, New Blyth, who was a stalwart Chairperson and Secretary for a long number of years.
The celebratory meeing was excellent – the hall was packed with an appreciative audience, an abundance of ‘off-the-floor’ players and of course, the well-respected guest artistes Robert Lovie and Friends.
Chairman Sandy Duncan welcomed the audience, then founder member Hugh Henderson and his daughter Pat Steele. Press Secretary and long standing club member, cut the beautiful cake baked and iced by Secretary Kate Michie. Flowers were presented to Hugh, Pat and Nellie Duncan, the Chairman’s wife.
Off the floor players included pianist Risie Kellas, fiddlers Alex Whyte, Nicola Auchnie, Megan Ingram, Maisie Ingram and Jim Stables, accordionists Allan Ferguson, Kevin Cheyne, John Stewart and George Ogg and drummer Andy Cheyne.
Time for the guest artistes and it was Robert Lovie, the Aberdour Loon fae Fyvie Castle, the Finechty fiddler, Raemond Jappy and box player John Bone faeInverallochy. The Trio made an excellent start with ‘Mr Michie’ and ‘Carbies’ Canter’, getting the audience in toe-tapping mode. Raemond, accompanied by Robert on piano, played a selection of well-known tunes including ‘The Duke of Fife’s Welcome to Deeside’, ‘Miller o’ Hirn’ and ‘J. F. Dickie’s Delight.’ Another of Robert’s friends and his former music teacher Grace Taylor played a piano duet with him, and she kept him in order (as teachers do!) as they played ‘Millicent’s Favourite’, ‘De’il Among the Tailors’ and ‘Tico Tico’. Accomplished accordionist John, accompanied by Robert on piano, played a variety of Scottish and Continental tunes, including ‘The Glasgow Reel’, ‘The Flying Scotsman’ and ‘Light and Shade’.
After tea and birthday cake it was back to the entertainment with Robert reciting ‘The furrett’, an Ian Middleton poem, before Raemond skillfully played a tremendous selection of Shetland music including ‘The Auld Resting Chair’, ‘The Sandyburn Reel’ and a firm favourite ‘Leaving Lerwick Harbour’. Robert had the audience in stitches as he recited another of Ian Middleton’s poems ‘Passion Pooder’, and then continued with a favourite song ‘Caledonia’. John returned to the stage and, accompanied by Robert, he played ‘Dancing Fingers’, an own composition ‘The Gypet Wifie’ and finished with ‘Czardas’. The Trio finished their superb programme with ‘Bonnie Nancy’, ‘Itchy Fingers’ and ‘The Flowers of Edinburgh’, before the other players joined them on stage for the final stramash. It was encore after encore, nobody wanted to go home! The audience eventually left with “a spring in their step”. A great night of entertainment to celebrate the Club’s 30th.
Webwatch
by Bill Young
www.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
Silver and Gold – Alasdair Gillies – CDITV813
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
REPEATS
2nd June 12 – Iain Cathcart sDB
9th June 12 – Gary Sutherland SDB
16th June 12 – Callum MacLean SDB
23rd June 12 – Skipinnish
30th June 12 – OB from The Royal highland Show with John Carmichael SDB
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) –
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 17th June 12 – Gold Brothers Trio
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 10th June 12 – Lindsay Weir Trio
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 11th June 12 – Special Shetland Night featuring The Brian Gear Band & The James Leask Dance Band 25th June 12 – Davie Stewart Trio
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 27th June 12 – West Telferton C.B.
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) -
Britannia (Arden House Hotel) -
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 14th June 12 – Roger Dobson SDB
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) -
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) –
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) -
Coldingham (Village Hall) - 4th June 12 – Ian Cruickshanks SDB
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel)
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) -
Dingwall (National Hotel) –
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 1st June 12 – Annual Dance
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate)
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 19th June 12 – Steven Carcary Trio
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 24th June 12 – Ewan Galloway SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 13th June 12 - AGM
Fort William (Railway Club, Inverlochy) -
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) –
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) -
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 6th June 12 - Lomond Ceilidh Band
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) -
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) -
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 18th June 12 - AGM
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) -
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) –
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) –
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) - 23rd June 12 – Dance to Iain Cathcart SDB
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) –
Lauder (Black Bull Hotel) -
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 7th June 12 – Colin Donaldson Duo
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Maine Valley (Ballymena) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) -
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 10th June 12th – Brandon McPhee Trio
Newburgh (The Ship Inn) -
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Thorterdykes Roadhouse)
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) –
Northern (Lylehill Suite, Templepatrick, N.I.) - 6th June 12 – Tom Alexander
Oban (The Argyllshire Gathering) –
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) – 27th June 12 – Roya MacLean Trio
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) –
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) –
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 7th June 12 – AGM + Willie Scott
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) -
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) -
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) -
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) -
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) –
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 7th June 12 –Frank Thomson Duo
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 21st June 12 – Ewan Galloway Trio
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Annan
3. Arbroath
4. Banff
5. Biggar
6. Blairgowrie
7. Button-key
8. Castle Douglas
9. Coalburn
10. Dingwall
11. Dunfermline
12. Duns
13. Forfar
14. Forres
15. Haddington
16. Highland
17. Inveraray
18. Isle of Skye
19. Kelso
20. Livingston
21. Lockerbie
22. Mauchline
23. Montrose
24. North East
25. Northern
26. Orkney
27. Peebles
28. Perth
29. Renfrew
30. Rothbury
31. Seghill
32. Thurso
33. Turriff
34. Tynedale
35. West Barnes
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2011
(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 Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
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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