Box and Fiddle
Year 15 No 02
October 1991
Price 50p
12 pages
8 month subscription £6.00
Editor – Interim Editor – Doug Adamson, 22 Westfield Drive, Forfar, Angus, DD8 1EQ
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Margaret Smith, Smeaton Farm Cottage, Dalkeith, Midlothian.
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
As I mentioned last month I am ‘escaping’ on holiday and leaving this issue in the capable hands of Jeanette.
With many of the Clubs not meeting before copy date, there are quite a few reports still from the back end of last season. However, by next issue we should be more up to date.
I would like to thank the clubs which are making the effort to sell more papers and are consequently ordering more.
Unfortunately, with falling numbers at certain Clubs, a few are understandably having to take less. Sadly, one Club which has supported the ‘B&F’ well over the years and which last season took 25 papers, has decided to take none at all. (Bastards)
Depending on when the first of the month falls, it is possible that Clubs meeting at the start of the month may not receive their papers in time. ALL papers are posted on the Friday prior to the end of the month and it is inconceivable that Clubs meeting in the second half of the month do not get their papers in time. In the unlikely event of this happening, I would hope that the club concerned would contact me.
Regarding Club reports, it is my intention to print ALL Club reports received. As I and my predecessor, Tom, have mentioned on many occasions, this is not always possible and I would hope that Club scribes would appreciate this, keep sending in reports and not complain if occasionally they are not printed. No report is deliberately left out, it is a matter of space.
Once again, I have put together a paper with a bit of variety – hope you enjoy it.
Doug Adamson
Pianos – Grand and Otherwise
by Joan Blue
“You play the piano” Aye, YOU know what you’re doing – you don’t have to carry your instrument with you – it’s all right for YOU” – just some of the many remarks the pianist with the band had to content with in days gone by. Nowadays, of course, the pianist also carries an instrument. To those of you who think nostalgically of the days when the dance band had a different sound – no electric piano – have you ever wondered why the electronic wonder has become necessary?
I was playing in the hall at Amulree, in the Sma’ Glen in Perthshire. The first waltz wasn’t too bad. Omm-pah-pah - nice gentle touch. It wasn’t too out of key either. Now for the Gay Gordons – nice solid left hand – good chord at the end – oops, the pedal fell off! Shortly afterwards, the solid wooden front, which the pedal, oddly enough, had been supporting, landed with a clatter on my shins! Did you know pianists sometimes suffered from bruised legs?
Kirkcaldy, Fife – the five-piece band got all the gear into the hall, ready for a good night. No piano! I spent the night making bass fiddle noises through the microphone.
Wooler, Northumberland – no piano! I went up to the pub to get a wee dram for the boys to cheer them up as they weren’t to be blessed with my vamping skills. When I returned some time later, lo and behold, a piano was on stage awaiting my return! Jimmy Blue had refused to play until they got one , so committee members had “rustled” one from the hotel up the street. Funny – we never did get asked back to Wooler.
There was another occasion in Northumberland – a marquee dance at Whittingham. A huge marquee, a stage for the band, flowers, balloons, people – and a piano! But what a piano – hardly any of the notes played, and if they did, they played out of tune! After complaining, I was taken by lorry round various houses in Whittingham, trying out pianos, until we got one which suited; it was lifted on to the lorry, back to the marquee, and we were in business once again!
I have even played at a concert where I started off on piano, and as I played each note it stuck down – I called to my choir “keep singing!” and dashed over to an old harmonium which was at the side of the stage, and pedalling furiously, and with much hilarity I may add, we got through the rest of the night.
Another night, while playing with the Bill Wilkie Orchestra in Abernethy, the piano was placed over the extension built to the front of the stage. In the middle of giving “My Hero” from the “Chocolate Soldier” big licks for the soprano, I noticed that the extension was separating from the main stage! I hastily moved myself and piano stool to the safe side!
However, the night the decision was made to buy an electric piano was at Chapelton. Jean, who runs the dances there, welcomed us at the door – minutes later, having discovered the state of the piano, the bandleader roared for her presence, refusing to play if this was the only instrument available. Again, I went touring – this time round the houses of Chapelton, trying funny wee organs, some with buttons for basses, cinema organs, ranky-tank pianos, and finally we got one which was in tune – with itself! Jean was so relieved that we had got a decent piano and were prepared to play, that I never did have the nerve to tell her that I had to play a half-tone up all night. In fact she wrote a very funny poem recalling the occasion, and presented it to us when Jimmy was honoured by the Association :-
It’s almost twenty years ago that I booked Jimmy’s band,
To come and play in Chapelton Hall and it turned out really grand,
The following year we held another, in that same wee village Hall,
But I must admit that is one night that I don’t like to recall.
On my arrival Joan met me at the door and wouldn’t let me through,
She said “Jean, I widna go in the noo, the air is really blue”,
Now Joan was right, as Jimmy was mad, and this to me did say –
“Your **** piano’s oot o’ tune, and another I’ll need tae hae.”
So Sam like a flash went roon’ the village, he had no time to tarry,
Luckily he got one at a house nearby, so it wasn’t too far to carry,
Six strong men volunteered to bring it to the Hall,
And after the band got all tuned up a great time was had by all.
Since then we’ve had lots and lots of smashing Jimmy Blue Dances,
‘Cause Jimmy bought Joan her electric piano – he wasn’t taking any more chances.
There was also the night when the electric piano was superfluous. This was at Carluke Highlanders, during the “Winter of Discontent” which was, I think 1978/79. During this winter of strikes, power was being turned off for four hours at a time, on a rota, throughout the country and we arrived at the Hall to find it was its turn to be without power. We carried in the electric piano and set up the mikes so that we were “in business” when the power came back on. We then all got ready to play without amplification – luckily there was a good acoustic piano on stage. Angus Fitchet suddenly jumped up and put a mike head inside the piano – “That’ll give Joan a wee hand” he said, completely forgetting that there was no power available! Still, his intentions were good.
And talking about pianos, Tony Bennett was booked to sing in Dublin. He asked for a grand piano to be placed on stage for his own accompanist. When he arrived at the theatre, there was no grand piano – only an old white-painted upright decorated with lurid flowers. When he asked where the grand piano was, the stage hand pointed to the old upright and said “Shure now – is that not the grandest piano ye iver saw in your life?”
I’ve played for 5 hours a semi-tone up, likewise a semi-tone down – even a whole tone up or down – but it is when you have to play in the cracks that you realise that the time has come for modern technology – and electric pianos, which are getting better and better are here to stay! But, goodness, they are heavy to carry around!! Maybe I should have stuck in at the flute! Aye, flautists know what they are doing! It’s all right for THEM!
Tommy Harper
by M. Critchlow
Seven or eight years ago, Tommy Harper was with Jimmy Clinkscale when Jimmy was setting up his first Roadshow at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, Northumberland. After everything was organized, Tom and Syl, his wife, invited Jimmy out to Swarland for a meal and a chat.
When the meal was over, the three reminisced over the great accordionists they had heard in the past. Tom commented on Jimmy’s article in the ‘B&F’, January 1983 issue, about Max Houliston starting off the first Accordion Club in the Borders area.
Jimmy was surprised when Tom pointed to a photograph of his band, taken in 1949. The band was a spin-off from the Accordion Club they had started in 1945 in Shiney Row, Houghton-le-Spring, Co. Durham. After listening to Tom and Syl relating past events in their area, Jimmy suggested they should get it down on paper and send it to the ‘B&F’.
Well, seven years later, and prompted by your recent comment that copy is scarce, he has finally taken the plunge and made an effort.
Tom’s interest in the accordion started back in 1941 when an uncle brought a 48 bass Casali to their house for a musical evening. Syl had already been learning the accordion under the tuition of Andrew Robinson, a local music teacher, at that time while Tom had been learning the piano for about six months. That night he tried the box and was instantly converted.
His father was persuaded to buy him a 120 bass Ficcosecco and every spare moment was spent in practice.
Norman Hutchison, a workmate of Tom Harper Snr, and a brilliant accordionist who had broadcast locally for a number of years, was approached about the possibility of giving some tuition. The request was politely refused and a counter proposal suggested. If a number of youngsters got together, he would visit once a week, and so the Shiney Row Club was formed.
The enclosed photograph, taken in 1949, shows the original members of the Club who later formed the band under the name of ‘The Accordionaires’.
The Club differed from the modern trend in that every member played an accordion. The parents, realizing the value of such an activity, formed a Parents Committee to provide guidance.
Initially, the Club had no venue to practice in, so a rota of the parents houses was set up. Being in the mining community, you can imagine the problems that arose when the next door neighbour was on night-shift – as you know 10 – 15 accordions in a house can make a fair sound. Word soon got around about the Club’s progress and they were offered the use of the local Miner’s Welfare Hall, free of charge, for their rehearsals. They never did find out if it was because they were proficient or whether the night-shift workers got fed up with the noise.
Incidentally, it was in this hall that the group played for the local dancing club, then run by the present Chairman of the Rothbury Accordion Club, Mr Alf Bailey.
The Club had regular bookings in the area for concert work and the Accordionaires group had plenty of work at dances and clubs etc.
“I suppose everyone has a homourous tale to relate” Tom recalls ; “One of the funniest experiences we had was in a Sunderland High Street ice cream parlour. We were playing a concert at Seaham Harbour and had to change trains in Sunderland, having to wait 2 hours for the connecting train to the Harbour, the Club members decided to adjourn to the upstarts restaurant of Notarianni Brothers in the High Street. As there were few customers we decided to have a rehearsal. As if by magic the place filled up. We were going great guns and the restaurant was doing a roaring trade. Not for long however. Up came Gino, the owner, very apologetic, telling us to stop playing immediately as the police were downstairs wanting to see his music licence . The place emptied as quickly as is had filled”.
During the years following the war, cinemas were not allowed to show films on a Sunday, all the entertainment had to be live. Tom and Syl used to appear in concerts in Sunderland at the Ritz Theatre and at the Queen’s Theatre in Newcastle.
Incidentally, the accordion Syl is playing in the photograph is a ‘Cantulia’, and was carried all the way back from Germany at the end of the war by her father. He was given it, as a present for his daughter, by an accordionist who played in an army dance band.
Transport to the local gigs was non-existent and the group had to find their way there on bikes. Waterproof covers were made to slip over the instruments, leaving the straps outside. The accordions were than carried like haversacks on their backs.
Any free time they had was spent going the rounds of the local ‘Empires’, listening to the top accordionists of the day – Emilio, Martin Lukins, Gwenda Wilkins, Kramer and Wolmer, Albert Delroy, Enso Toppano, Primo Scala and George Scott-Wood. They would always end up behind the stage chatting to the artistes. In fact, when Primo Scala heard them play a duet, he suggested they join the band for the remainder of the tour. Unfortunately, other commitments, and a liking for home comforts prevented this.
Tom’s hero of the day, though, was Archie Duncan. He still treasures a copy of the ‘Accordion Review’ showing Archie’s picture when he won the Scottish Open Festival Championship in 1948.
Syl no longer plays the accordion. For the past 20 years she has entertained her audiences with the voice. Accompanied by Tom, her voice has been admired by audiences at home and abroad.
For the last 14 years they have both been resident musicians for the Alnwick Music Festival. During this time, as one would expect, they have made many friends with musicians from European, Scandinavian and North American countries. Through these various friendships they have had numerous requests for their music to be heard abroad. They have played many times in Northern Germany over the last 10 years and are playing in Norway for 10 days at the Whitsun Jaerdagen. Sundesval in Sweden is organizing a visit for them in 1992.
Their regular attendances in the past to the many Accordion clubs in the area have had to be curtailed due to other commitments. However, they still retain a keen interest in the Alnwick Club and perform there regularly.
“It is over 5 years since Tom retired from the local High School to concentrate on his music,” Syl revealed. “We have had many requests for tapes, but we haven’t got around to it.
“On reflection, seeing that we have been entertainiong audiences for over 50 years, this might be as good a time as any.”
A close friend of Paddy Neary, Tom’s one regret is that Paddy wasn’t around when Tom was learning the accordion. The technique, the stage presence and enthusiasm Paddy imparts to his music is tremendous inspiration to all young accordionists.
Tom is staggered at the standard of the youngsters of today, demonstrating their tremendous skills at competitions all over the area.
“I have just listened to a tape recording of the Bill Sharp Accordion Orchestra,” Tom enthuses, “it was recorded live in the Volunteer Hall, Galashiels. The orchestra is backed by Jim Johnstone and his Band, and I’m sure that Jim would agree with me that the future of the accordion is in very good hands”.
“Eh’m Glad It’ll Be Another Forty Years….”
Saturday, 9th June, 1951, and the wedding reception at Perth’s York House was in full swing when round about 5 pm the impatient young groom decided it was time to abscond with his new bride, thereby missing out on all the high jinks and dancing which were to take place later in the evening to the music of some of the biggest names on the Scottish scene (see photograph in the March, 1991, issue of the ‘B&F’)
However, all was not lost, because 40 years later almost to the hour, on Sunday, 9th June, 1991, a happy gathering at the Moorfield Hotel, near Blairgowrie, replete from a scrumptious buffet supper, saw the same couple take the floor to the strains of the ‘Wedding’ and ‘Anniversary’ waltzes played by three members of the original ’51 band, viz. Messrs Fitchet, Shand and Wilkie. There cannot be many who can boast that the same musicians performed at both their wedding and Ruby celebrations. But Ian and Leila (nee Mailer) Powrie are among this select few. The presence of these three illustrious players, who incidentally were supported by Joan Blue on piano – certainly added poignancy to the occasion.
It really was, a very well organized, very relaxed, happy occasion, in ideal surroundings with a liberal sprinkling of humour – how could it be otherwise, with Angus Fitchet and Ian around. At one point when group photos (none of which came out by the way) were being taken there was a clearly audible – “Eh canna be bathered wi’ the climbin’ up and doon, eh’m glad it’ll be another 40 years afore yer next een,” and following a great rendering of two Fitchet compositions by Bobby Crowe, Angus and Joan - “Dinna clap too loud, this is a very old building.” And from Ian – “There’s coffee down there for you folks, I’m afraid I canna drink it neat!”
Not surprisingly three tunes were penned specially for the occasion, the abovementioned couple by Angus, ‘Leila Powrie’s Strathspey’ and ‘Ian’s Reel’, both excellent tunes in the key of A and a perfect matching pair (very appropriately) and a good 6/8 march, composed and played by Ian Holmes – I think the title was ‘Ian and Leila’s Ruby Wedding.’ To backtrack a wee bit, Ian and Leila welcomed their guests – at least two over from Australia, with a song to the tune of ‘I’m Sandy MacKay, I’m Andy MacKay’ etc, see below.
Family friend, Norrie Robertson, thanked the hosts on behalf of the guests ‘officially’ congratulating them and proposing the toast.
In between various turns, including ‘The Buchan Bobby’ by Robbie shepherd, there was dancing to Morag Robertson (5 row) and Frank Henery on guitar.
All too soon it was time to go, 6 or 7 hours had gone in a flash, everyone had enjoyed the evening immensely, so immensely that a gang of us trying to help someone find their car keys were all looking in the wrong car, and that included the gentlemen who had mislaid his keys!
“We’re happy to be with you,
Our friends from o’er the way,
It is our hope that you will stay,
And celebrate our day.
I’m Leila Powrie, I’m Ian Powrie
A happy pair we are
For forty years we’ve had laughter and tears
And bairns upon our knee,
Whatever the weather,
We’re aye still the gather,
I think we must be cemented,
Our hiccups are passed,
We’ve made it at last,
So drink up and let’s have a spree,
Leila and Ian, here’s to the next forty.”
Introducing the Clubs
No 2 Dingwall
The idea of an Accordion and Fiddle Club in Dingwall came from two Scottish music enthusiasts, Bill MacDonald, Dingwall and Neil MacDonald, Strathpeffer, as they made the tedious journey round the Beauly firth to and from the Highland Club at Inverness in the days before Kessock Bridge opened.
They decided to put an advert in the local newspaper to discover the interest in forming a Club in Dingwall. A meeting was arranged for March, 1979, and as a result the first Committee was formed. Mike Shaw was the first Chairman, Donald MacKillop, Vice Chairman, Vivian Samet, Secretary, George MacIntosh, Treasurer and the Committee members were John Pirie, Calum MacLean, Bill MacDonald and Neil MacDonald. In the excitement, Neil and Bill were nearly omitted from the Committee. Fortunately, this was noticed in time and both are still on the Committee 12 years later.
Frank Thomson, of Jack Sinclair’s Band, who was Bank Manager at Alness was invited to join because of his administrative and musical experience.
Three musical evenings were arranged for the summer months in the Ross County Social Club, the aim being to raise money for guest artistes.
Hamish Polson of the Strathpeffer Band offered the loan of P.A. equipment. It was decided to ask Ali MacGregor and the Tain Scottish Dance Band to launch proceedings and for them it was the first of many occasions when they supported the Club.
The loan of a piano was negotiated with Mr Terry Kennedy of the Strathpeffer Hotel, on condition that it was returned to the hotel when required. This turned out to be a weighty undertaking for the men of the Committee as on numerous occasions the piano had to be loaded on to a trailer borrowed from the Auction Rooms, attached to a Landrover, transported to the venue and back. By September, 1979, the first priority was the purchase of a piano for £100 to be housed in the Ross County Club.
This solved the problem temporarily but there were still occasions when the piano had to be transported around Dingwall’s one-way system because of the alternative venues.
The Club held its first official musical evening on 12th September, 1979, with guest artiste Bobby MacLeod, an evening enjoyed by all.
In October, Graeme Mitchell was guest and later in the month there was a dance with John Ellis and his band. Eventually musical evenings settled down to the first Wednesday of each month and remain so.
By this time Mike Shaw was putting in a tremendous amount of work as Chairman, Secretary and organizer of guest artistes. His wife, Jenny, often accommodated guests and bands.
The major problem in the early days was the venue. Although ideal in many way, the Ross County Social Club being a private Club, required all entrants to be members and as such had to pay to join the Social Club, in addition to the Accordion and Fiddle Club or else be signed in.
By 1983, the problem had never been solved satisfactorily and it was felt that many prospective members were put off by the situation, so a move to the National Hotel was suggested. At this point, the National Hotel was state owned and the Club had to pay £25 for the hall and pay for the sausage rolls ordered, even if not consumed. Thus the Committee could have been munching sausage rolls at the end of the evening rather than waste them. Both items were obviously a drain on profits, but fortunately the hotel was soon sold. When the new owner was approached, he dropped the room charge and suggested stovies be sold.
Without the accommodation and sausage roll problem, Committee meetings were a lot smoother. George Hogg became the second Chairman and with his experience on Committees elsewhere, meetings became shorter and more productive in the mid-80’s.
The present Chairman is Jock Stephen, well known as a drummer and always kept busy on Club evenings. He leads a Committee which works well together. Everyone has a specific job to do and they work as a team.
The compere is Jack Sutherland, who does an excellent job and Pat Gillanders is a very efficient Treasurer, keeping the books in order.
One of the Club’s aims has always been to encourage youngsters. Roslyn MacDonald will be remembered for her fine playing of pipe marches. Jamie Pirie traveled to Dundee for lessons and the Club benefited greatly from his lively playing.
Melanie Christie and Lindsay Weir played at the Club when 7 years old. Both went on to compete, Melanie winning the Junior Pipe Section at Perth and Lindsay the Senior Pipe Section at Musselburgh.
The Club was fortunate to have keen young fiddlers also. Jamie’s sister Fiona and cousin Carol Pirie played from an early age and became very talented fiddlers.
Brothers David and Mark MacDougal came along with their parents. David has just qualified as a doctor, while Mark has made his name by winning competitions at Newtongrange, Musselburgh, Perth and Oban, and now plays a variety of instruments.
Hugh Morrison from Tain came along with his button box and made a great impact. He has since made a tape and plays regularly with Ali MacGregor and the Tain SDB. Melanie, Lindsay, Mark and Hugh have been invited to be guest artistes at the Dingwall Club this season with their own bands and have done guest spots elsewhere.
The Club has made a contribution to charitable causes regularly, one of them being concerts to raise money for the ‘Friends of Seaforth’, a support group for local handicapped people.
The 10th Anniversary celebrations in September, 1989, were two-fold. Part 1 was a Buffet Dance with one of the early guest artistes Graeme Mitchell and his Band. Part 2 was a musical evening with Jim Johnstone and proceeds of this went to the local branch of ‘Hearstart’. A donation was also made to the Mod, to be held in Dingwall this month. Club members as a group provided music in the streets during the summer months at the request of the Leisure services.
George Hogg suggested that as a Club we should be encouraging some of the more reticent members to come forward to play singly or in groups. With this in mind, a fiddle and accordion workshop was held in September, 1990, with tuition by Florence Burns and Alasdair Hunter, Aberdeen. A total of 38 players attended. As a follow up, monthly accordion tuition with Alasdair Hunter started in April this year and 14 people are enjoying individual tuition. In this venture, the Club has been supported by a grant from the District Council and from the H.I.D.B. Hi-Light Year of the Arts enterprise.
Dances feature in the Club programme due to the upsurge of interest in Scottish dancing in the immediate area. Four dances are held in September, November, February and April. With the enthusiasm and energy of members Alan and Leila MacIsaac, Jimmy and Nellie Milroy, Charlie and Sandra MacPherson and their ever increasing circle of dancing friends, the dances are very lively and many new dances have been introduced.
For some years now, Hamish MacDougal has been responsible for engaging guest artistes. With his knowledge of young players and bands, he has brought many of them north for the first time and their talent has been appreciated by Dingwall audiences.
Thus, from Bill and Neil MacDonald’s idea, a flourishing Club has developed. It was fulfilled it’s aim of fostering and encouraging interest in accordion and fiddle music through musical evenings and has gone further by reaching out to the community. It has not been afraid to develop new ideas and therefore looks forward to the future with confidence.
Your Letters
I wonder if I might solicit through your pages any information which your readers might be willing to offer on the brothers Peter and Daniel Wyper. Both were first-rate melodeon players who recorded extensively, first on cylinders which were issued under their own ‘Empress’ label, then from 1907 onwards for the Columbia company. Following Peter’s death in 1920, Daniel continued to record, his final session being for Imperial in 1926. For many years Peter had a music supply shop in Cadzow Street, Hamilton and both held the title ‘Melodeon Champions of Scotland’ in their day.
In connection with this research I would dearly like to discover specific details in the following areas.
a) How widespread was their influence, either in person or through their records?
b) Daniel was still taking pupils as late as 1942 – are any of these still playing or can your readers supply any specific names?
c) Does anyone possess photographs, either of the brothers themselves or of the shop?
d) Daniel Wyper and Harry Lauder were great friends and played together on the same music hall bills : can anyone supply details of the ‘Empress’ cylinders? I need title and issue number. e) Two 78 rpm discs on the Beltona label (numbers 220 and 1091) were issued anonymously and may be by one of the brothers. Can anyone confirm this?
f) On Daniel Wyper’s final Imperial session there is a gap in the matrix numbering (4501-4506) which may be further recordings by Wyper.
One of Daniel’s pupils was James Brown of hillside, who also recorded extensively, mainly for Zonophone. Can anyone supply details of this man, or indeed of any other melodeon player during the pre-1930 period?
I would particularly like to contact any living relatives.
Amongst those who recorded were George ‘Pamby’ Dick of Edinburgh (also known as Leo Mallett), Peter Leatham, Fred Cameron of Elgin, A. J. Scott and Jack Williams. Others who either held the Championship or challenged for it included
James Sinclair of Kirkintilloch,
Thomas Hall of Blantyre,
Joseph Lang of Burnbank,
And Mr Payne of Cowdenbeith.
There must have been many others whose names have gone unrecorded thus far.
Thank you for your assistance. Any correspondence will be gratefully acknowledged. Please contact me at 2 Beech Road, Eynsham, Witney, OX8 1LJ Tele 0865 880754
Keith Chandler
Take the Floor
5th Oct 91 – Ian Muir and the Craigellachie Band
12th Oct 91 – Jimmy Shand Jnr
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) –
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 6th October 1991 – Craigowl Band
Armadale (Masonic Lodge) –
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) –
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Hall) – 20th October 1991 – Gordon Pattullo
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Knowes Hotel, Macduff) –
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) – 21st October 1991 – Bill Black SDB
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 13th October 1991 – John Douglas Trio
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 8th October 1991 – James & Mairi Coutts
Bridge of Allan (Walmer Hotel) -
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Hotel) – 15th October 1991 – John Laidlaw Trio
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 17th October 1991 – Blackthorne SDB
Crieff & District (Drummond Arms Hotel)
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 2nd October 1991 – Melenie Christie Trio
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 15th October 1991 – Dick Black Band
Dundee (Tay Centre Hotel) – 3rd October 1991 – Club Night
Dunfermline (Northern Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
East Kilbride (Sweepers, Cambuslang) – 31st October 1991 – Craig McCallum SDB
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) –
Ettrick & Yarrow (The Gordon Arms) -
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 27th October 1991 – Ian Muir Trio
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 27th October 1991 – Da Fustra Band
Forres (Park Hotel) – 9th October 1991 – The Wick Fiddles
Fort William (Alexandra Hotel) –
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) –
Isle of Skye -
Islesteps (Mabie House Hotel) –
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) – 30th October 1991 – Neil MacEachern SDB
Kinlochshiel (Strathcarron Hotel) - 14th October 1991 – Deirdre Adamson
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 2nd October 1991 – Alistair Downie Trio
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 10th October 1991 – Michael Philips SDB
Livingston (Golden Circle Hotel, Bathgate) 15th October 1991 – James Coutts Trio
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) -
Mauchline (The Jean Armour Restaurant) 15th October 1991 – Jimmy Lindsay (Glenalmond)
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 2nd October 1991 - Glencraig SDB
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 28th October 1991 – Glencraig SDB
North Cumbria (Golden Fleece, Ruleholme) (prev called Gretna Club) –
North East (Seafield Hotel, Keith) – 1st October 1991 - Alistair Downie Trio
26th Oct 1991 – Shetland Fiddlers in concert
Oban (Highlander Restaurant) –
Orkney ( venue?) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) – 17th October 1991 – Bobby Crowe
Peebles (Green Tree Hotel) – 31st October 1991 – Deirdre Adamson
Perth (Station Hotel) – 15th October Accordion contracts with Daniel MacPhee and the Jim Cleland Quartet
26th Oct 1991 – After the Festival Dance with the Craigowl SDB
Premier NI (Camlin function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 8th October 1991 – Jimmy Yeaman & the Kelvin Ceilidh Band
Rothbury (Jubilee Hall) -
Shetland (venue?) -
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (McKay’s Hotel) –
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 8th October 1991 – Rob Gordon SDB
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
Wooler ( ) -
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Arbroath
3. Biggar
4. Blairgowrie
5. Button-Key
6. Dingwall
7. Dunblane
8. Dundee
9. East Kilbride
10. Forfar
11. Forres
12. Gretna
13. Highland
14. Kintore
15. Lesmahagow
16. Montrose
17. Newtongrange
18. North East
19. Ormiston
20. Peebles
21. Perth
22. Renfrew
23. Rothbury
24. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1990 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
3. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
4. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990
13. Button Key A&F Club (
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
15. Coalburn A&F Club
16. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
17. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
18. Derwentside A&F Club
19. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
20. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
21. Dundee & District A&F Club
22. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
23. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
24. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
25. Ellon A&F Club (
26. Etterick & Yarrow (Jan 1989 -
27. Fintry A&F Club
28. Forfar A&F Club
29. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
30. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
31. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
32. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
33. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
34. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
35. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981)
36. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
37. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
38. Kintore A&F Club
39. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
40. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
41. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – per first edition)
42. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
43. M.A.F.I.A. (early)
44. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986?)
45. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
46. Mull A&F Club
47. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1979)
48. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
49. North Cumbria A&F Club (originally Gretna started June 1966 – had to move to a venue in the North of England and changed name – eventually changed back when they returned to the Halcrow Stadium. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
50. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
51. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
52. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978)
53. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
54. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981)
55. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
56. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
57. Rothbury Accordion Club (1987??)
58. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
59. Sutherland A&F Club (
60. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition)
61. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
62. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982)
63. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
64. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
65. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
66. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
67. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
68. Buchan A&F Club
69. Callander A&F Club (
70. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
71. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
72. Club Accord
73. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2?)
74. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
75. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
76. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
77. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
78. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
79. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
80. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
81. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
82. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
83. Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
84. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
85. Kinlochsheil A&F Club (
86. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
87. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
88. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
89. Newcastleton Accordion Club
90. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
91. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
92. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
93. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
94. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
95. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
96. Wellbank A&F Club
Advertising rates
Full Page - £92
Half Page - £46
Quarter Page - £23
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Margaret Smith, Smeaton Farm Cottage, Dalkeith, Midlothian.
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
As I mentioned last month I am ‘escaping’ on holiday and leaving this issue in the capable hands of Jeanette.
With many of the Clubs not meeting before copy date, there are quite a few reports still from the back end of last season. However, by next issue we should be more up to date.
I would like to thank the clubs which are making the effort to sell more papers and are consequently ordering more.
Unfortunately, with falling numbers at certain Clubs, a few are understandably having to take less. Sadly, one Club which has supported the ‘B&F’ well over the years and which last season took 25 papers, has decided to take none at all. (Bastards)
Depending on when the first of the month falls, it is possible that Clubs meeting at the start of the month may not receive their papers in time. ALL papers are posted on the Friday prior to the end of the month and it is inconceivable that Clubs meeting in the second half of the month do not get their papers in time. In the unlikely event of this happening, I would hope that the club concerned would contact me.
Regarding Club reports, it is my intention to print ALL Club reports received. As I and my predecessor, Tom, have mentioned on many occasions, this is not always possible and I would hope that Club scribes would appreciate this, keep sending in reports and not complain if occasionally they are not printed. No report is deliberately left out, it is a matter of space.
Once again, I have put together a paper with a bit of variety – hope you enjoy it.
Doug Adamson
Pianos – Grand and Otherwise
by Joan Blue
“You play the piano” Aye, YOU know what you’re doing – you don’t have to carry your instrument with you – it’s all right for YOU” – just some of the many remarks the pianist with the band had to content with in days gone by. Nowadays, of course, the pianist also carries an instrument. To those of you who think nostalgically of the days when the dance band had a different sound – no electric piano – have you ever wondered why the electronic wonder has become necessary?
I was playing in the hall at Amulree, in the Sma’ Glen in Perthshire. The first waltz wasn’t too bad. Omm-pah-pah - nice gentle touch. It wasn’t too out of key either. Now for the Gay Gordons – nice solid left hand – good chord at the end – oops, the pedal fell off! Shortly afterwards, the solid wooden front, which the pedal, oddly enough, had been supporting, landed with a clatter on my shins! Did you know pianists sometimes suffered from bruised legs?
Kirkcaldy, Fife – the five-piece band got all the gear into the hall, ready for a good night. No piano! I spent the night making bass fiddle noises through the microphone.
Wooler, Northumberland – no piano! I went up to the pub to get a wee dram for the boys to cheer them up as they weren’t to be blessed with my vamping skills. When I returned some time later, lo and behold, a piano was on stage awaiting my return! Jimmy Blue had refused to play until they got one , so committee members had “rustled” one from the hotel up the street. Funny – we never did get asked back to Wooler.
There was another occasion in Northumberland – a marquee dance at Whittingham. A huge marquee, a stage for the band, flowers, balloons, people – and a piano! But what a piano – hardly any of the notes played, and if they did, they played out of tune! After complaining, I was taken by lorry round various houses in Whittingham, trying out pianos, until we got one which suited; it was lifted on to the lorry, back to the marquee, and we were in business once again!
I have even played at a concert where I started off on piano, and as I played each note it stuck down – I called to my choir “keep singing!” and dashed over to an old harmonium which was at the side of the stage, and pedalling furiously, and with much hilarity I may add, we got through the rest of the night.
Another night, while playing with the Bill Wilkie Orchestra in Abernethy, the piano was placed over the extension built to the front of the stage. In the middle of giving “My Hero” from the “Chocolate Soldier” big licks for the soprano, I noticed that the extension was separating from the main stage! I hastily moved myself and piano stool to the safe side!
However, the night the decision was made to buy an electric piano was at Chapelton. Jean, who runs the dances there, welcomed us at the door – minutes later, having discovered the state of the piano, the bandleader roared for her presence, refusing to play if this was the only instrument available. Again, I went touring – this time round the houses of Chapelton, trying funny wee organs, some with buttons for basses, cinema organs, ranky-tank pianos, and finally we got one which was in tune – with itself! Jean was so relieved that we had got a decent piano and were prepared to play, that I never did have the nerve to tell her that I had to play a half-tone up all night. In fact she wrote a very funny poem recalling the occasion, and presented it to us when Jimmy was honoured by the Association :-
It’s almost twenty years ago that I booked Jimmy’s band,
To come and play in Chapelton Hall and it turned out really grand,
The following year we held another, in that same wee village Hall,
But I must admit that is one night that I don’t like to recall.
On my arrival Joan met me at the door and wouldn’t let me through,
She said “Jean, I widna go in the noo, the air is really blue”,
Now Joan was right, as Jimmy was mad, and this to me did say –
“Your **** piano’s oot o’ tune, and another I’ll need tae hae.”
So Sam like a flash went roon’ the village, he had no time to tarry,
Luckily he got one at a house nearby, so it wasn’t too far to carry,
Six strong men volunteered to bring it to the Hall,
And after the band got all tuned up a great time was had by all.
Since then we’ve had lots and lots of smashing Jimmy Blue Dances,
‘Cause Jimmy bought Joan her electric piano – he wasn’t taking any more chances.
There was also the night when the electric piano was superfluous. This was at Carluke Highlanders, during the “Winter of Discontent” which was, I think 1978/79. During this winter of strikes, power was being turned off for four hours at a time, on a rota, throughout the country and we arrived at the Hall to find it was its turn to be without power. We carried in the electric piano and set up the mikes so that we were “in business” when the power came back on. We then all got ready to play without amplification – luckily there was a good acoustic piano on stage. Angus Fitchet suddenly jumped up and put a mike head inside the piano – “That’ll give Joan a wee hand” he said, completely forgetting that there was no power available! Still, his intentions were good.
And talking about pianos, Tony Bennett was booked to sing in Dublin. He asked for a grand piano to be placed on stage for his own accompanist. When he arrived at the theatre, there was no grand piano – only an old white-painted upright decorated with lurid flowers. When he asked where the grand piano was, the stage hand pointed to the old upright and said “Shure now – is that not the grandest piano ye iver saw in your life?”
I’ve played for 5 hours a semi-tone up, likewise a semi-tone down – even a whole tone up or down – but it is when you have to play in the cracks that you realise that the time has come for modern technology – and electric pianos, which are getting better and better are here to stay! But, goodness, they are heavy to carry around!! Maybe I should have stuck in at the flute! Aye, flautists know what they are doing! It’s all right for THEM!
Tommy Harper
by M. Critchlow
Seven or eight years ago, Tommy Harper was with Jimmy Clinkscale when Jimmy was setting up his first Roadshow at the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, Northumberland. After everything was organized, Tom and Syl, his wife, invited Jimmy out to Swarland for a meal and a chat.
When the meal was over, the three reminisced over the great accordionists they had heard in the past. Tom commented on Jimmy’s article in the ‘B&F’, January 1983 issue, about Max Houliston starting off the first Accordion Club in the Borders area.
Jimmy was surprised when Tom pointed to a photograph of his band, taken in 1949. The band was a spin-off from the Accordion Club they had started in 1945 in Shiney Row, Houghton-le-Spring, Co. Durham. After listening to Tom and Syl relating past events in their area, Jimmy suggested they should get it down on paper and send it to the ‘B&F’.
Well, seven years later, and prompted by your recent comment that copy is scarce, he has finally taken the plunge and made an effort.
Tom’s interest in the accordion started back in 1941 when an uncle brought a 48 bass Casali to their house for a musical evening. Syl had already been learning the accordion under the tuition of Andrew Robinson, a local music teacher, at that time while Tom had been learning the piano for about six months. That night he tried the box and was instantly converted.
His father was persuaded to buy him a 120 bass Ficcosecco and every spare moment was spent in practice.
Norman Hutchison, a workmate of Tom Harper Snr, and a brilliant accordionist who had broadcast locally for a number of years, was approached about the possibility of giving some tuition. The request was politely refused and a counter proposal suggested. If a number of youngsters got together, he would visit once a week, and so the Shiney Row Club was formed.
The enclosed photograph, taken in 1949, shows the original members of the Club who later formed the band under the name of ‘The Accordionaires’.
The Club differed from the modern trend in that every member played an accordion. The parents, realizing the value of such an activity, formed a Parents Committee to provide guidance.
Initially, the Club had no venue to practice in, so a rota of the parents houses was set up. Being in the mining community, you can imagine the problems that arose when the next door neighbour was on night-shift – as you know 10 – 15 accordions in a house can make a fair sound. Word soon got around about the Club’s progress and they were offered the use of the local Miner’s Welfare Hall, free of charge, for their rehearsals. They never did find out if it was because they were proficient or whether the night-shift workers got fed up with the noise.
Incidentally, it was in this hall that the group played for the local dancing club, then run by the present Chairman of the Rothbury Accordion Club, Mr Alf Bailey.
The Club had regular bookings in the area for concert work and the Accordionaires group had plenty of work at dances and clubs etc.
“I suppose everyone has a homourous tale to relate” Tom recalls ; “One of the funniest experiences we had was in a Sunderland High Street ice cream parlour. We were playing a concert at Seaham Harbour and had to change trains in Sunderland, having to wait 2 hours for the connecting train to the Harbour, the Club members decided to adjourn to the upstarts restaurant of Notarianni Brothers in the High Street. As there were few customers we decided to have a rehearsal. As if by magic the place filled up. We were going great guns and the restaurant was doing a roaring trade. Not for long however. Up came Gino, the owner, very apologetic, telling us to stop playing immediately as the police were downstairs wanting to see his music licence . The place emptied as quickly as is had filled”.
During the years following the war, cinemas were not allowed to show films on a Sunday, all the entertainment had to be live. Tom and Syl used to appear in concerts in Sunderland at the Ritz Theatre and at the Queen’s Theatre in Newcastle.
Incidentally, the accordion Syl is playing in the photograph is a ‘Cantulia’, and was carried all the way back from Germany at the end of the war by her father. He was given it, as a present for his daughter, by an accordionist who played in an army dance band.
Transport to the local gigs was non-existent and the group had to find their way there on bikes. Waterproof covers were made to slip over the instruments, leaving the straps outside. The accordions were than carried like haversacks on their backs.
Any free time they had was spent going the rounds of the local ‘Empires’, listening to the top accordionists of the day – Emilio, Martin Lukins, Gwenda Wilkins, Kramer and Wolmer, Albert Delroy, Enso Toppano, Primo Scala and George Scott-Wood. They would always end up behind the stage chatting to the artistes. In fact, when Primo Scala heard them play a duet, he suggested they join the band for the remainder of the tour. Unfortunately, other commitments, and a liking for home comforts prevented this.
Tom’s hero of the day, though, was Archie Duncan. He still treasures a copy of the ‘Accordion Review’ showing Archie’s picture when he won the Scottish Open Festival Championship in 1948.
Syl no longer plays the accordion. For the past 20 years she has entertained her audiences with the voice. Accompanied by Tom, her voice has been admired by audiences at home and abroad.
For the last 14 years they have both been resident musicians for the Alnwick Music Festival. During this time, as one would expect, they have made many friends with musicians from European, Scandinavian and North American countries. Through these various friendships they have had numerous requests for their music to be heard abroad. They have played many times in Northern Germany over the last 10 years and are playing in Norway for 10 days at the Whitsun Jaerdagen. Sundesval in Sweden is organizing a visit for them in 1992.
Their regular attendances in the past to the many Accordion clubs in the area have had to be curtailed due to other commitments. However, they still retain a keen interest in the Alnwick Club and perform there regularly.
“It is over 5 years since Tom retired from the local High School to concentrate on his music,” Syl revealed. “We have had many requests for tapes, but we haven’t got around to it.
“On reflection, seeing that we have been entertainiong audiences for over 50 years, this might be as good a time as any.”
A close friend of Paddy Neary, Tom’s one regret is that Paddy wasn’t around when Tom was learning the accordion. The technique, the stage presence and enthusiasm Paddy imparts to his music is tremendous inspiration to all young accordionists.
Tom is staggered at the standard of the youngsters of today, demonstrating their tremendous skills at competitions all over the area.
“I have just listened to a tape recording of the Bill Sharp Accordion Orchestra,” Tom enthuses, “it was recorded live in the Volunteer Hall, Galashiels. The orchestra is backed by Jim Johnstone and his Band, and I’m sure that Jim would agree with me that the future of the accordion is in very good hands”.
“Eh’m Glad It’ll Be Another Forty Years….”
Saturday, 9th June, 1951, and the wedding reception at Perth’s York House was in full swing when round about 5 pm the impatient young groom decided it was time to abscond with his new bride, thereby missing out on all the high jinks and dancing which were to take place later in the evening to the music of some of the biggest names on the Scottish scene (see photograph in the March, 1991, issue of the ‘B&F’)
However, all was not lost, because 40 years later almost to the hour, on Sunday, 9th June, 1991, a happy gathering at the Moorfield Hotel, near Blairgowrie, replete from a scrumptious buffet supper, saw the same couple take the floor to the strains of the ‘Wedding’ and ‘Anniversary’ waltzes played by three members of the original ’51 band, viz. Messrs Fitchet, Shand and Wilkie. There cannot be many who can boast that the same musicians performed at both their wedding and Ruby celebrations. But Ian and Leila (nee Mailer) Powrie are among this select few. The presence of these three illustrious players, who incidentally were supported by Joan Blue on piano – certainly added poignancy to the occasion.
It really was, a very well organized, very relaxed, happy occasion, in ideal surroundings with a liberal sprinkling of humour – how could it be otherwise, with Angus Fitchet and Ian around. At one point when group photos (none of which came out by the way) were being taken there was a clearly audible – “Eh canna be bathered wi’ the climbin’ up and doon, eh’m glad it’ll be another 40 years afore yer next een,” and following a great rendering of two Fitchet compositions by Bobby Crowe, Angus and Joan - “Dinna clap too loud, this is a very old building.” And from Ian – “There’s coffee down there for you folks, I’m afraid I canna drink it neat!”
Not surprisingly three tunes were penned specially for the occasion, the abovementioned couple by Angus, ‘Leila Powrie’s Strathspey’ and ‘Ian’s Reel’, both excellent tunes in the key of A and a perfect matching pair (very appropriately) and a good 6/8 march, composed and played by Ian Holmes – I think the title was ‘Ian and Leila’s Ruby Wedding.’ To backtrack a wee bit, Ian and Leila welcomed their guests – at least two over from Australia, with a song to the tune of ‘I’m Sandy MacKay, I’m Andy MacKay’ etc, see below.
Family friend, Norrie Robertson, thanked the hosts on behalf of the guests ‘officially’ congratulating them and proposing the toast.
In between various turns, including ‘The Buchan Bobby’ by Robbie shepherd, there was dancing to Morag Robertson (5 row) and Frank Henery on guitar.
All too soon it was time to go, 6 or 7 hours had gone in a flash, everyone had enjoyed the evening immensely, so immensely that a gang of us trying to help someone find their car keys were all looking in the wrong car, and that included the gentlemen who had mislaid his keys!
“We’re happy to be with you,
Our friends from o’er the way,
It is our hope that you will stay,
And celebrate our day.
I’m Leila Powrie, I’m Ian Powrie
A happy pair we are
For forty years we’ve had laughter and tears
And bairns upon our knee,
Whatever the weather,
We’re aye still the gather,
I think we must be cemented,
Our hiccups are passed,
We’ve made it at last,
So drink up and let’s have a spree,
Leila and Ian, here’s to the next forty.”
Introducing the Clubs
No 2 Dingwall
The idea of an Accordion and Fiddle Club in Dingwall came from two Scottish music enthusiasts, Bill MacDonald, Dingwall and Neil MacDonald, Strathpeffer, as they made the tedious journey round the Beauly firth to and from the Highland Club at Inverness in the days before Kessock Bridge opened.
They decided to put an advert in the local newspaper to discover the interest in forming a Club in Dingwall. A meeting was arranged for March, 1979, and as a result the first Committee was formed. Mike Shaw was the first Chairman, Donald MacKillop, Vice Chairman, Vivian Samet, Secretary, George MacIntosh, Treasurer and the Committee members were John Pirie, Calum MacLean, Bill MacDonald and Neil MacDonald. In the excitement, Neil and Bill were nearly omitted from the Committee. Fortunately, this was noticed in time and both are still on the Committee 12 years later.
Frank Thomson, of Jack Sinclair’s Band, who was Bank Manager at Alness was invited to join because of his administrative and musical experience.
Three musical evenings were arranged for the summer months in the Ross County Social Club, the aim being to raise money for guest artistes.
Hamish Polson of the Strathpeffer Band offered the loan of P.A. equipment. It was decided to ask Ali MacGregor and the Tain Scottish Dance Band to launch proceedings and for them it was the first of many occasions when they supported the Club.
The loan of a piano was negotiated with Mr Terry Kennedy of the Strathpeffer Hotel, on condition that it was returned to the hotel when required. This turned out to be a weighty undertaking for the men of the Committee as on numerous occasions the piano had to be loaded on to a trailer borrowed from the Auction Rooms, attached to a Landrover, transported to the venue and back. By September, 1979, the first priority was the purchase of a piano for £100 to be housed in the Ross County Club.
This solved the problem temporarily but there were still occasions when the piano had to be transported around Dingwall’s one-way system because of the alternative venues.
The Club held its first official musical evening on 12th September, 1979, with guest artiste Bobby MacLeod, an evening enjoyed by all.
In October, Graeme Mitchell was guest and later in the month there was a dance with John Ellis and his band. Eventually musical evenings settled down to the first Wednesday of each month and remain so.
By this time Mike Shaw was putting in a tremendous amount of work as Chairman, Secretary and organizer of guest artistes. His wife, Jenny, often accommodated guests and bands.
The major problem in the early days was the venue. Although ideal in many way, the Ross County Social Club being a private Club, required all entrants to be members and as such had to pay to join the Social Club, in addition to the Accordion and Fiddle Club or else be signed in.
By 1983, the problem had never been solved satisfactorily and it was felt that many prospective members were put off by the situation, so a move to the National Hotel was suggested. At this point, the National Hotel was state owned and the Club had to pay £25 for the hall and pay for the sausage rolls ordered, even if not consumed. Thus the Committee could have been munching sausage rolls at the end of the evening rather than waste them. Both items were obviously a drain on profits, but fortunately the hotel was soon sold. When the new owner was approached, he dropped the room charge and suggested stovies be sold.
Without the accommodation and sausage roll problem, Committee meetings were a lot smoother. George Hogg became the second Chairman and with his experience on Committees elsewhere, meetings became shorter and more productive in the mid-80’s.
The present Chairman is Jock Stephen, well known as a drummer and always kept busy on Club evenings. He leads a Committee which works well together. Everyone has a specific job to do and they work as a team.
The compere is Jack Sutherland, who does an excellent job and Pat Gillanders is a very efficient Treasurer, keeping the books in order.
One of the Club’s aims has always been to encourage youngsters. Roslyn MacDonald will be remembered for her fine playing of pipe marches. Jamie Pirie traveled to Dundee for lessons and the Club benefited greatly from his lively playing.
Melanie Christie and Lindsay Weir played at the Club when 7 years old. Both went on to compete, Melanie winning the Junior Pipe Section at Perth and Lindsay the Senior Pipe Section at Musselburgh.
The Club was fortunate to have keen young fiddlers also. Jamie’s sister Fiona and cousin Carol Pirie played from an early age and became very talented fiddlers.
Brothers David and Mark MacDougal came along with their parents. David has just qualified as a doctor, while Mark has made his name by winning competitions at Newtongrange, Musselburgh, Perth and Oban, and now plays a variety of instruments.
Hugh Morrison from Tain came along with his button box and made a great impact. He has since made a tape and plays regularly with Ali MacGregor and the Tain SDB. Melanie, Lindsay, Mark and Hugh have been invited to be guest artistes at the Dingwall Club this season with their own bands and have done guest spots elsewhere.
The Club has made a contribution to charitable causes regularly, one of them being concerts to raise money for the ‘Friends of Seaforth’, a support group for local handicapped people.
The 10th Anniversary celebrations in September, 1989, were two-fold. Part 1 was a Buffet Dance with one of the early guest artistes Graeme Mitchell and his Band. Part 2 was a musical evening with Jim Johnstone and proceeds of this went to the local branch of ‘Hearstart’. A donation was also made to the Mod, to be held in Dingwall this month. Club members as a group provided music in the streets during the summer months at the request of the Leisure services.
George Hogg suggested that as a Club we should be encouraging some of the more reticent members to come forward to play singly or in groups. With this in mind, a fiddle and accordion workshop was held in September, 1990, with tuition by Florence Burns and Alasdair Hunter, Aberdeen. A total of 38 players attended. As a follow up, monthly accordion tuition with Alasdair Hunter started in April this year and 14 people are enjoying individual tuition. In this venture, the Club has been supported by a grant from the District Council and from the H.I.D.B. Hi-Light Year of the Arts enterprise.
Dances feature in the Club programme due to the upsurge of interest in Scottish dancing in the immediate area. Four dances are held in September, November, February and April. With the enthusiasm and energy of members Alan and Leila MacIsaac, Jimmy and Nellie Milroy, Charlie and Sandra MacPherson and their ever increasing circle of dancing friends, the dances are very lively and many new dances have been introduced.
For some years now, Hamish MacDougal has been responsible for engaging guest artistes. With his knowledge of young players and bands, he has brought many of them north for the first time and their talent has been appreciated by Dingwall audiences.
Thus, from Bill and Neil MacDonald’s idea, a flourishing Club has developed. It was fulfilled it’s aim of fostering and encouraging interest in accordion and fiddle music through musical evenings and has gone further by reaching out to the community. It has not been afraid to develop new ideas and therefore looks forward to the future with confidence.
Your Letters
I wonder if I might solicit through your pages any information which your readers might be willing to offer on the brothers Peter and Daniel Wyper. Both were first-rate melodeon players who recorded extensively, first on cylinders which were issued under their own ‘Empress’ label, then from 1907 onwards for the Columbia company. Following Peter’s death in 1920, Daniel continued to record, his final session being for Imperial in 1926. For many years Peter had a music supply shop in Cadzow Street, Hamilton and both held the title ‘Melodeon Champions of Scotland’ in their day.
In connection with this research I would dearly like to discover specific details in the following areas.
a) How widespread was their influence, either in person or through their records?
b) Daniel was still taking pupils as late as 1942 – are any of these still playing or can your readers supply any specific names?
c) Does anyone possess photographs, either of the brothers themselves or of the shop?
d) Daniel Wyper and Harry Lauder were great friends and played together on the same music hall bills : can anyone supply details of the ‘Empress’ cylinders? I need title and issue number. e) Two 78 rpm discs on the Beltona label (numbers 220 and 1091) were issued anonymously and may be by one of the brothers. Can anyone confirm this?
f) On Daniel Wyper’s final Imperial session there is a gap in the matrix numbering (4501-4506) which may be further recordings by Wyper.
One of Daniel’s pupils was James Brown of hillside, who also recorded extensively, mainly for Zonophone. Can anyone supply details of this man, or indeed of any other melodeon player during the pre-1930 period?
I would particularly like to contact any living relatives.
Amongst those who recorded were George ‘Pamby’ Dick of Edinburgh (also known as Leo Mallett), Peter Leatham, Fred Cameron of Elgin, A. J. Scott and Jack Williams. Others who either held the Championship or challenged for it included
James Sinclair of Kirkintilloch,
Thomas Hall of Blantyre,
Joseph Lang of Burnbank,
And Mr Payne of Cowdenbeith.
There must have been many others whose names have gone unrecorded thus far.
Thank you for your assistance. Any correspondence will be gratefully acknowledged. Please contact me at 2 Beech Road, Eynsham, Witney, OX8 1LJ Tele 0865 880754
Keith Chandler
Take the Floor
5th Oct 91 – Ian Muir and the Craigellachie Band
12th Oct 91 – Jimmy Shand Jnr
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) –
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) - 6th October 1991 – Craigowl Band
Armadale (Masonic Lodge) –
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) –
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Hall) – 20th October 1991 – Gordon Pattullo
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Knowes Hotel, Macduff) –
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) – 21st October 1991 – Bill Black SDB
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 13th October 1991 – John Douglas Trio
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 8th October 1991 – James & Mairi Coutts
Bridge of Allan (Walmer Hotel) -
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Hotel) – 15th October 1991 – John Laidlaw Trio
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 17th October 1991 – Blackthorne SDB
Crieff & District (Drummond Arms Hotel)
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 2nd October 1991 – Melenie Christie Trio
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 15th October 1991 – Dick Black Band
Dundee (Tay Centre Hotel) – 3rd October 1991 – Club Night
Dunfermline (Northern Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
East Kilbride (Sweepers, Cambuslang) – 31st October 1991 – Craig McCallum SDB
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) –
Ettrick & Yarrow (The Gordon Arms) -
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 27th October 1991 – Ian Muir Trio
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 27th October 1991 – Da Fustra Band
Forres (Park Hotel) – 9th October 1991 – The Wick Fiddles
Fort William (Alexandra Hotel) –
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Barr Castle Social Club) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) –
Isle of Skye -
Islesteps (Mabie House Hotel) –
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) – 30th October 1991 – Neil MacEachern SDB
Kinlochshiel (Strathcarron Hotel) - 14th October 1991 – Deirdre Adamson
Kintore (Crown Hotel) – 2nd October 1991 – Alistair Downie Trio
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 10th October 1991 – Michael Philips SDB
Livingston (Golden Circle Hotel, Bathgate) 15th October 1991 – James Coutts Trio
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) -
Mauchline (The Jean Armour Restaurant) 15th October 1991 – Jimmy Lindsay (Glenalmond)
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 2nd October 1991 - Glencraig SDB
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 28th October 1991 – Glencraig SDB
North Cumbria (Golden Fleece, Ruleholme) (prev called Gretna Club) –
North East (Seafield Hotel, Keith) – 1st October 1991 - Alistair Downie Trio
26th Oct 1991 – Shetland Fiddlers in concert
Oban (Highlander Restaurant) –
Orkney ( venue?) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) – 17th October 1991 – Bobby Crowe
Peebles (Green Tree Hotel) – 31st October 1991 – Deirdre Adamson
Perth (Station Hotel) – 15th October Accordion contracts with Daniel MacPhee and the Jim Cleland Quartet
26th Oct 1991 – After the Festival Dance with the Craigowl SDB
Premier NI (Camlin function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 8th October 1991 – Jimmy Yeaman & the Kelvin Ceilidh Band
Rothbury (Jubilee Hall) -
Shetland (venue?) -
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (McKay’s Hotel) –
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 8th October 1991 – Rob Gordon SDB
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
Wooler ( ) -
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Arbroath
3. Biggar
4. Blairgowrie
5. Button-Key
6. Dingwall
7. Dunblane
8. Dundee
9. East Kilbride
10. Forfar
11. Forres
12. Gretna
13. Highland
14. Kintore
15. Lesmahagow
16. Montrose
17. Newtongrange
18. North East
19. Ormiston
20. Peebles
21. Perth
22. Renfrew
23. Rothbury
24. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1990 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
3. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
4. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990
13. Button Key A&F Club (
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
15. Coalburn A&F Club
16. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
17. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
18. Derwentside A&F Club
19. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
20. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
21. Dundee & District A&F Club
22. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
23. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
24. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
25. Ellon A&F Club (
26. Etterick & Yarrow (Jan 1989 -
27. Fintry A&F Club
28. Forfar A&F Club
29. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
30. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
31. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
32. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
33. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
34. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
35. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981)
36. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
37. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
38. Kintore A&F Club
39. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
40. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
41. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – per first edition)
42. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
43. M.A.F.I.A. (early)
44. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986?)
45. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
46. Mull A&F Club
47. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1979)
48. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
49. North Cumbria A&F Club (originally Gretna started June 1966 – had to move to a venue in the North of England and changed name – eventually changed back when they returned to the Halcrow Stadium. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
50. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
51. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
52. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978)
53. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
54. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981)
55. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
56. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
57. Rothbury Accordion Club (1987??)
58. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
59. Sutherland A&F Club (
60. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition)
61. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
62. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982)
63. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
64. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
65. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
66. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
67. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
68. Buchan A&F Club
69. Callander A&F Club (
70. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
71. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
72. Club Accord
73. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2?)
74. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
75. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
76. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
77. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
78. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
79. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
80. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
81. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
82. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
83. Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
84. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
85. Kinlochsheil A&F Club (
86. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
87. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
88. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
89. Newcastleton Accordion Club
90. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
91. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
92. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
93. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
94. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
95. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
96. Wellbank A&F Club
Advertising rates
Full Page - £92
Half Page - £46
Quarter Page - £23