Box and Fiddle
Year 40 No 02
October 2016
Price £2.70
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £32.40 + p&p £15.75 (UK)
Editor – Pia Walker, Cupar
B&F Treasurer – Willie Johnstone, Inverurie
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time-consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
My neighbour recently asked me, “Are you ever at home?”………….. ……..……….
Pia Walker
The Grand Opening of the New Clydesdale Club
by Iain Cathcart
After almost 9 months of planning, homework, discussions………
Happy 25th Birthday to Inveraray A&F Club
by
It was standing room only at the Inveraray Inn when Inveraray & District Accordion & Fiddle Club celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
Supporting players were Fyne Folk, with Sally Hall, Jake MacKay and Alex John MacLeod on fiddles and Agnes Liddell on keyboard. Also playing were Seamus MacArthur and Colin Sutcliffe, both on melodeons; Margaret Kemp and Johnny Fisher on accordion; Charlie Soane and Pat Slattery on fiddles; from Fintry Club, Geoff and Margaret burton on accordion and keyboard; Jake MacKay on ‘moothie’, Jimmy MacDonald on keyboard and Donald MacLachlan on drums. All their contributions were much enjoyed.
Guest artists were Hector McFadyen and his Scottish Dance Band with Hector on lead accordion, Ross MacPherson on second accordion, Calum MacPhail on fiddle and Kevin McGlynn on drums, all ‘Men from Argyll!’ They are no strangers to the club having played many times since its inception. Hector was in great form with endless ‘craic’ and they played many of the great favourites as well as two cracking fiddle solos from Calum and Ross, on lead accordion, with a selection of Gaelic waltzes as only he can play.
To commemorate the occasion, a cake was cut by Club Treasurer for the past 17 years, Gillian Kerr.
The audience were loath to let Hector and Co. go and after the final set of reels and an amusing song from Hector, chairman Niall Iain MacLean, thanked all the artistes for a superb night and a grand stramash followed, bringing a very fitting close to a wonderful celebration for the Club.
Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship
The William Grant Foundation has confirmed that 2016 will be the last year William Grant and Sons coordinates the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship, an event it created in 1989. Instead, the Foundation will look to encourage and nurture participation in Scottish fiddle playing by making grants available to other organisations.
The 2016 event on October 30th will be a unique celebration of the history of the Glenfiddich Fiddle championship and all former Champions have been invited to attend and perform.
Friends of Wighton’s Jimmy Shand Collection project celebrates £9,000 Heritage Lottery Fund Grant.
The Friends of wighton group has received a Heritage Lottery fund (H.L.F.) Sharing Heritage1 grant, it was announced today. This exciting project, Sir Jimmy Shand – Music Collector!, based in the Wighton Heritage Centre, and led by Friends of Wighton, has been given £9,000 to carry out conservation work on 22 important music books and manuscripts, which were part of Sir Jimmy’s private collection.
Friends of Wighton, formed in 2006, works to preserve, protect and promote the internationally important Wighton Collection, and the other historic music books held in Dundee Central Library’s purpose-built Wighton Heritage Centre, 700 volumes of old Scottish music were collected in the early 19th century by Dundee merchant Andrew Wighton, and were bequeathed to the city after his death in 1865.
Having acquired the Jimmy Shand Collection at auction, the group have been fundraising to enable the volumes to be properly conserved so they can be made available for the use of musicians, researchers and the community. As each volume is completed, a concert, and at least one workshop, featuring its music will be held in an appropriate venue either in Tayside or Fife (the Collection includes some wonderful manuscripts from the Brechin area). Digitisation of the rarities in the collection will make the music available to an international audience.
Commenting on the award, Friends of Wighton chairman Iain Sword said, “We are absolutely delighted with the award! Sir Jimmy Shand was world-renowned as a musician, but few people know he also collected a wide range of historically important music. This award means that his music collection can come off the page and be played and studied by everyone.”
Lucy Casot, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland, said, “Sir Jimmy Shand – Music Collector! Is a great project and we are delighted to be able to offer this grant so that Friends of Wighton can embark on a real journey of discovery. HLF is pleased to support Friends of Wighton in its plans to engage a wide variety of audiences and, thanks to National Lottery players, enable people to enjoy this rich collection.”
Tom Alexander – Lifetime Achievement Award
by Derek Hamilton
On the 28th August I spent one of the most……………..
Skye Accordion & Fiddle Festival 2016
by John Grundy
Attracted many enthusiasts from throughout Scotland………..
Memories of
John McDonald (7/4/1932 – 1/8/2016)
Born in April 1932 as an only child, John was no stranger to hard work. He did a milk round in his hometown of Buckhaven before school and also delivered papers both in the morning and in the evening. Twice a week he also collected fish from the railway station for the local chip shop.
After leaving school, John worked on the railways as a signalman. In 1955 he changed career and joined Fife Constabulary although he never forgot the railways, esthetically travelling all over the UK and Europe by train if he could.
As a policeman he worked in fife and rose to the rank of Inspector, retiring in 1988 after 33 years of service. One of his proudest moments was when he represented Fife Constabulary at the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations in London and formed part of the Guard of Honour. Was his canny fife smilr perhaps the reason that the Queen stopped and spoke to him?
John was in his younger days an enthusiastic cyclist, touring Scotland and England with his friends during his summer holidays. His love of travel brought him to Canada many times and also to New Zealand. In Toronto a waiter once asked him what language he spoke. When John replied “English”, the waiter response was “Well, not very well”. Well, the Fife accent…….
John’s other great love was Scottish music and he first met the late Sir Jimmy Shand in 1956 while stationed in Newport-on-Tay. Their friendship blossomed when Jimmy Shand moved to Auchtermuchty in 1957. when Eamonn Andrews presented Jimmy Shand with the ‘This Is Your Life’ book, John was one of the guests featured in the programme. Jimmy Shand also wrote and published the tune called John McDonald’s March and John was an active member of the fund-raising committee which commissioned the well-known commemorative status of Sir Jimmy in Muchty.
John visited many clubs, and was often seen playing the ‘moothie’ informally in bands and groups. John was a regular attendee and the Secretary of Windygates Accordion and Fiddle Club and in May this year was given an Honorary Life Membership during their annual Shand Morino Day by the Provost of Fife.
John had been diagnosed with cancer. He passed away peacefully in Victoria Hospital while his friend Bruce Lindsay Snr played The Rowan Tree by his bedside.
John wrote this poem which was read at his funeral :
If your heart is heavy now, because I have gone away,
Dwell not long on it, my friend, as none of us can stay.
But those of you who liked me, I sincerely thank you all,
And those of you who loved me, I thank you most of all.
In my generous lifetime, as time went rushing by,
I found some time to hesitate, laugh, love and cry.
It matters not if time began, if time will never cease,
I was there, I used it all and saw it all, and now I am at peace.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
Greentrax 30th Anniversary Album
The Angel’s share – Dana & Susan Robinson – TM1116
Pendulum – Gillian Frame – Cheery Grove – CHEERY005
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
1st Oct 2016 – Ian Hutson SDB
8th Oct 2016 – Tom Orr SDB
15th Oct 2016 – Archive Session
22nd Oct 2016 – Gary Sutherland SDB
29th Oct 2016 – Davie Stewart SDB
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 25th Oct 2016 - tbc
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms) 12th Oct 2016 – Seamus O’Sullivan Duo
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 9th Oct 2016 – Garioch Blend
Arbroath (Artisan Golf Club) - 9th Oct 2016 – Carnoustie Traditionals Club Open Day + Dance to Steven Carcary
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 16th Oct 2016 - tbc
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 31st Oct 2016 – Steven Carcary SDB
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 26th Oct 2016 – Gavin Piper
Beith & District (Beith Bowling Club) – 17th Oct 2016 - tbc
Biggar (Biggar Bowling Club) –
Blairgowrie (Red House Hotel) - 11th Oct 2016 – Lomond Ceilidh Band
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 13th Oct 2016 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 4th Oct 2016 – Roddy Matthews & Friends
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) - 13th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Roddy Matthews & Friends
Clydesdale (St Mary’s Club Rooms) - 2nd Oct 2016 – Marie Fielding & Duncan Black
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 20th Oct 2016 – Iain Anderson Trio
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 6th Oct 2016 – 35th Anniversary with Jack Delaney SDB
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) - 18th Oct 2016 – Nicky McMichan Trio
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 5th Oct 2016 – Marian Anderson Trio
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 19th Oct 2016 – Brandon McPhee Trio
Dunfermline (Sportsman Bar, Rosyth) – 11th Oct 2016 – Sandy Lindsay
Duns (Masonic Lodge) 17th Oct 2016 – Andy Kain Trio
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Matthew MacLennan Trio
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 30th Oct 2016 – Michael Philip SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 12th Oct 2016 – Alasdair MacLeod SDB
Fort William (Railway Club) - 4th Oct 2016 - tbc
Galashiels (Clovenfords Hotel) – 13th Oct 2016 – Gary Blair
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 27th Oct 2016 – Michael Philip SDB
Glenfarg (Glenfarg Village Hall) - 5th Oct 2016 – Gary Blair
Gretna (The Solway Lodge Hotel) - 2nd Oct 2016 – West Telferton SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 17th Oct 2016 – Marian Anderson Trio
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 12th Oct 2016 – Nicky McMichan Trio
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 6th Oct 2016 – John Stuart SDB
Islesteps (Locharbriggs Social Club) – 4th Oct 2016 – Derek Hamilton Duo
Kelso (Cross Rugby Club) – 26th Oct 2016 – The Gold Brothers
Langholm (British Legion) – 12th Oct 2016 – Ewan Galloway Trio
Lewis & Harris (Caladh Inn, Stornoway) - 6th Oct 2016 - tbc
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 18th Oct 2016 – Gary Blair
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) - 25th Oct 2016 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Macmerry (Miners Social Club) - 23rd Oct 2016 – Susan & Shona MacFadyen
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 18th Oct 2016 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 5th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown Duo
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) - 27th Oct 2016 – Steven Carcary
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 31st Oct 2016 – Robert Whitehead Trio
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 4th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown
Oban (The Royal Hotel) – 6th Oct 2016 – Seamus O’Sullivan Trio
Orkney (The Reel, Kirkwall) – 5th 12th 19th 26th Oct 2016 – Club Nights
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) – 27th Oct 2016 – Robert Whitehead Trio
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Neil Hardie SDB 29th Oct – Dance to Graeme Mitchell SDB
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 11th Oct 2016 – Richard Smith Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 6th Oct 2016 – The Occasionals
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) - 4th 18th 25th Oct 2016 – Club Night 11th Oct – Johnny Duncan
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 27th Oct 2016 - tbc
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 13th Oct 2016 – The Occasionals
Sutherland (Rogart Village Hall) - 15th Oct 2016 – Iain Anderson Trio
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 3rd Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 6th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 20th Oct 2016 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Robert Nairn SDB
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Annan
2. Arbroath
3. Campsie
4. Crieff
5. Forfar
6. Gretna
7. Islesteps
8. Lewis & Harris
9. Montrose
10. North East
11. Orkney
12. Peebles
13. Renfrew
14. Rothbury
15. Seghill
16. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2016
(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. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
10. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
11. Button Key A&F Club (
12. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
13. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
15. Clydesdale A&F Club (Sept 2016 – present)
16. Coalburn A&F Club (
17. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
18. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
19. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
20. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
21. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
22. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
23. Ellon A&F Club (
24. Forfar A&F Club (
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
27. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
28. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
29. 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)
30. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
31. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
32. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
33. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
34. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
35. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
36. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 – present)
37. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
38 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
39. Macmerry A&F Club (Feb 2016 – present)
40 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
41 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
42 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
43. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
44. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
45. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
46. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
47. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
48. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
49. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
50. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
51 Stonehouse A&F Club (Opened 2003 - first report June 05 – Closed April 2018)
52 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
53 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
54 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
55 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
56 West Barnes ( - present)
57 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?)
58. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
59. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
60. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
61. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
62. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
63. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
64. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
65. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
66. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
67. Buchan A&F Club
68. Callander A&F Club (
69. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
70. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
71. Club Accord
72. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 – cFeb 2014)
73 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
74. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
75. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
76. Cults A & F Club (
77. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
78. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
79. Derwentside A&F Club
80. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
81. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
82. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
83. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
84. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
85. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
86. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
87. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
88. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – ?)
89. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
90. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
91. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93? – left the Assoc c2013)
92. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
93. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
94. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 – 6th December 2015)
95. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
96. Kintore A&F Club (
97. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
98. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier -
99. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
100. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
101. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
102. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
103. Maine Valley A&F Club (
104. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
105. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
106. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
107. Mull A&F Club
108. Newcastleton Accordion Club
109. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
112. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
113. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
114. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
115. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
116. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
117. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
118. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
119. Selkirk A&F Club (
120. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
121. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
122. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
123 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
124 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
125. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
126. Tranent A&F Club
127. Vancouver Fiddle Orchestra
128. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
129. Wellbank A&F Club
130. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
Advertising rates
Back Page (colour) - £300
Full Page (colour) - £220
Full Page (b&w) - £140
Half Page (colour) - £110
Half Page (b&w) - £70
Quarter Page (colour) - £55
Quarter Page (b&w) - £35
Eighth Page - £18
Small Boxed £12
B&F Treasurer – Willie Johnstone, Inverurie
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time-consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
My neighbour recently asked me, “Are you ever at home?”………….. ……..……….
Pia Walker
The Grand Opening of the New Clydesdale Club
by Iain Cathcart
After almost 9 months of planning, homework, discussions………
Happy 25th Birthday to Inveraray A&F Club
by
It was standing room only at the Inveraray Inn when Inveraray & District Accordion & Fiddle Club celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
Supporting players were Fyne Folk, with Sally Hall, Jake MacKay and Alex John MacLeod on fiddles and Agnes Liddell on keyboard. Also playing were Seamus MacArthur and Colin Sutcliffe, both on melodeons; Margaret Kemp and Johnny Fisher on accordion; Charlie Soane and Pat Slattery on fiddles; from Fintry Club, Geoff and Margaret burton on accordion and keyboard; Jake MacKay on ‘moothie’, Jimmy MacDonald on keyboard and Donald MacLachlan on drums. All their contributions were much enjoyed.
Guest artists were Hector McFadyen and his Scottish Dance Band with Hector on lead accordion, Ross MacPherson on second accordion, Calum MacPhail on fiddle and Kevin McGlynn on drums, all ‘Men from Argyll!’ They are no strangers to the club having played many times since its inception. Hector was in great form with endless ‘craic’ and they played many of the great favourites as well as two cracking fiddle solos from Calum and Ross, on lead accordion, with a selection of Gaelic waltzes as only he can play.
To commemorate the occasion, a cake was cut by Club Treasurer for the past 17 years, Gillian Kerr.
The audience were loath to let Hector and Co. go and after the final set of reels and an amusing song from Hector, chairman Niall Iain MacLean, thanked all the artistes for a superb night and a grand stramash followed, bringing a very fitting close to a wonderful celebration for the Club.
Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship
The William Grant Foundation has confirmed that 2016 will be the last year William Grant and Sons coordinates the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship, an event it created in 1989. Instead, the Foundation will look to encourage and nurture participation in Scottish fiddle playing by making grants available to other organisations.
The 2016 event on October 30th will be a unique celebration of the history of the Glenfiddich Fiddle championship and all former Champions have been invited to attend and perform.
Friends of Wighton’s Jimmy Shand Collection project celebrates £9,000 Heritage Lottery Fund Grant.
The Friends of wighton group has received a Heritage Lottery fund (H.L.F.) Sharing Heritage1 grant, it was announced today. This exciting project, Sir Jimmy Shand – Music Collector!, based in the Wighton Heritage Centre, and led by Friends of Wighton, has been given £9,000 to carry out conservation work on 22 important music books and manuscripts, which were part of Sir Jimmy’s private collection.
Friends of Wighton, formed in 2006, works to preserve, protect and promote the internationally important Wighton Collection, and the other historic music books held in Dundee Central Library’s purpose-built Wighton Heritage Centre, 700 volumes of old Scottish music were collected in the early 19th century by Dundee merchant Andrew Wighton, and were bequeathed to the city after his death in 1865.
Having acquired the Jimmy Shand Collection at auction, the group have been fundraising to enable the volumes to be properly conserved so they can be made available for the use of musicians, researchers and the community. As each volume is completed, a concert, and at least one workshop, featuring its music will be held in an appropriate venue either in Tayside or Fife (the Collection includes some wonderful manuscripts from the Brechin area). Digitisation of the rarities in the collection will make the music available to an international audience.
Commenting on the award, Friends of Wighton chairman Iain Sword said, “We are absolutely delighted with the award! Sir Jimmy Shand was world-renowned as a musician, but few people know he also collected a wide range of historically important music. This award means that his music collection can come off the page and be played and studied by everyone.”
Lucy Casot, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland, said, “Sir Jimmy Shand – Music Collector! Is a great project and we are delighted to be able to offer this grant so that Friends of Wighton can embark on a real journey of discovery. HLF is pleased to support Friends of Wighton in its plans to engage a wide variety of audiences and, thanks to National Lottery players, enable people to enjoy this rich collection.”
Tom Alexander – Lifetime Achievement Award
by Derek Hamilton
On the 28th August I spent one of the most……………..
Skye Accordion & Fiddle Festival 2016
by John Grundy
Attracted many enthusiasts from throughout Scotland………..
Memories of
John McDonald (7/4/1932 – 1/8/2016)
Born in April 1932 as an only child, John was no stranger to hard work. He did a milk round in his hometown of Buckhaven before school and also delivered papers both in the morning and in the evening. Twice a week he also collected fish from the railway station for the local chip shop.
After leaving school, John worked on the railways as a signalman. In 1955 he changed career and joined Fife Constabulary although he never forgot the railways, esthetically travelling all over the UK and Europe by train if he could.
As a policeman he worked in fife and rose to the rank of Inspector, retiring in 1988 after 33 years of service. One of his proudest moments was when he represented Fife Constabulary at the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations in London and formed part of the Guard of Honour. Was his canny fife smilr perhaps the reason that the Queen stopped and spoke to him?
John was in his younger days an enthusiastic cyclist, touring Scotland and England with his friends during his summer holidays. His love of travel brought him to Canada many times and also to New Zealand. In Toronto a waiter once asked him what language he spoke. When John replied “English”, the waiter response was “Well, not very well”. Well, the Fife accent…….
John’s other great love was Scottish music and he first met the late Sir Jimmy Shand in 1956 while stationed in Newport-on-Tay. Their friendship blossomed when Jimmy Shand moved to Auchtermuchty in 1957. when Eamonn Andrews presented Jimmy Shand with the ‘This Is Your Life’ book, John was one of the guests featured in the programme. Jimmy Shand also wrote and published the tune called John McDonald’s March and John was an active member of the fund-raising committee which commissioned the well-known commemorative status of Sir Jimmy in Muchty.
John visited many clubs, and was often seen playing the ‘moothie’ informally in bands and groups. John was a regular attendee and the Secretary of Windygates Accordion and Fiddle Club and in May this year was given an Honorary Life Membership during their annual Shand Morino Day by the Provost of Fife.
John had been diagnosed with cancer. He passed away peacefully in Victoria Hospital while his friend Bruce Lindsay Snr played The Rowan Tree by his bedside.
John wrote this poem which was read at his funeral :
If your heart is heavy now, because I have gone away,
Dwell not long on it, my friend, as none of us can stay.
But those of you who liked me, I sincerely thank you all,
And those of you who loved me, I thank you most of all.
In my generous lifetime, as time went rushing by,
I found some time to hesitate, laugh, love and cry.
It matters not if time began, if time will never cease,
I was there, I used it all and saw it all, and now I am at peace.
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
Greentrax 30th Anniversary Album
The Angel’s share – Dana & Susan Robinson – TM1116
Pendulum – Gillian Frame – Cheery Grove – CHEERY005
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
1st Oct 2016 – Ian Hutson SDB
8th Oct 2016 – Tom Orr SDB
15th Oct 2016 – Archive Session
22nd Oct 2016 – Gary Sutherland SDB
29th Oct 2016 – Davie Stewart SDB
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 25th Oct 2016 - tbc
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms) 12th Oct 2016 – Seamus O’Sullivan Duo
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 9th Oct 2016 – Garioch Blend
Arbroath (Artisan Golf Club) - 9th Oct 2016 – Carnoustie Traditionals Club Open Day + Dance to Steven Carcary
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 16th Oct 2016 - tbc
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 31st Oct 2016 – Steven Carcary SDB
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 26th Oct 2016 – Gavin Piper
Beith & District (Beith Bowling Club) – 17th Oct 2016 - tbc
Biggar (Biggar Bowling Club) –
Blairgowrie (Red House Hotel) - 11th Oct 2016 – Lomond Ceilidh Band
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 13th Oct 2016 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 4th Oct 2016 – Roddy Matthews & Friends
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) - 13th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Roddy Matthews & Friends
Clydesdale (St Mary’s Club Rooms) - 2nd Oct 2016 – Marie Fielding & Duncan Black
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 20th Oct 2016 – Iain Anderson Trio
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 6th Oct 2016 – 35th Anniversary with Jack Delaney SDB
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) - 18th Oct 2016 – Nicky McMichan Trio
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 5th Oct 2016 – Marian Anderson Trio
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 19th Oct 2016 – Brandon McPhee Trio
Dunfermline (Sportsman Bar, Rosyth) – 11th Oct 2016 – Sandy Lindsay
Duns (Masonic Lodge) 17th Oct 2016 – Andy Kain Trio
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Matthew MacLennan Trio
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 30th Oct 2016 – Michael Philip SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 12th Oct 2016 – Alasdair MacLeod SDB
Fort William (Railway Club) - 4th Oct 2016 - tbc
Galashiels (Clovenfords Hotel) – 13th Oct 2016 – Gary Blair
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 27th Oct 2016 – Michael Philip SDB
Glenfarg (Glenfarg Village Hall) - 5th Oct 2016 – Gary Blair
Gretna (The Solway Lodge Hotel) - 2nd Oct 2016 – West Telferton SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 17th Oct 2016 – Marian Anderson Trio
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 12th Oct 2016 – Nicky McMichan Trio
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 6th Oct 2016 – John Stuart SDB
Islesteps (Locharbriggs Social Club) – 4th Oct 2016 – Derek Hamilton Duo
Kelso (Cross Rugby Club) – 26th Oct 2016 – The Gold Brothers
Langholm (British Legion) – 12th Oct 2016 – Ewan Galloway Trio
Lewis & Harris (Caladh Inn, Stornoway) - 6th Oct 2016 - tbc
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 18th Oct 2016 – Gary Blair
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) - 25th Oct 2016 – Johnny Duncan Duo
Macmerry (Miners Social Club) - 23rd Oct 2016 – Susan & Shona MacFadyen
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 18th Oct 2016 – Ronnie Easton & Friends
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 5th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown Duo
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) - 27th Oct 2016 – Steven Carcary
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 31st Oct 2016 – Robert Whitehead Trio
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 4th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown
Oban (The Royal Hotel) – 6th Oct 2016 – Seamus O’Sullivan Trio
Orkney (The Reel, Kirkwall) – 5th 12th 19th 26th Oct 2016 – Club Nights
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) – 27th Oct 2016 – Robert Whitehead Trio
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Neil Hardie SDB 29th Oct – Dance to Graeme Mitchell SDB
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 11th Oct 2016 – Richard Smith Trio
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 6th Oct 2016 – The Occasionals
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) - 4th 18th 25th Oct 2016 – Club Night 11th Oct – Johnny Duncan
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 27th Oct 2016 - tbc
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 13th Oct 2016 – The Occasionals
Sutherland (Rogart Village Hall) - 15th Oct 2016 – Iain Anderson Trio
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 3rd Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 6th Oct 2016 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 20th Oct 2016 – Iain MacPhail SDB
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 18th Oct 2016 – Robert Nairn SDB
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Annan
2. Arbroath
3. Campsie
4. Crieff
5. Forfar
6. Gretna
7. Islesteps
8. Lewis & Harris
9. Montrose
10. North East
11. Orkney
12. Peebles
13. Renfrew
14. Rothbury
15. Seghill
16. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2016
(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. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
10. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
11. Button Key A&F Club (
12. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
13. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
15. Clydesdale A&F Club (Sept 2016 – present)
16. Coalburn A&F Club (
17. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
18. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
19. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
20. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
21. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
22. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
23. Ellon A&F Club (
24. Forfar A&F Club (
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
27. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
28. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
29. 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)
30. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
31. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
32. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
33. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
34. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
35. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
36. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 – present)
37. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
38 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
39. Macmerry A&F Club (Feb 2016 – present)
40 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
41 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
42 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
43. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
44. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
45. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
46. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
47. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
48. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
49. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
50. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
51 Stonehouse A&F Club (Opened 2003 - first report June 05 – Closed April 2018)
52 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
53 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
54 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
55 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
56 West Barnes ( - present)
57 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?)
58. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
59. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
60. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
61. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
62. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
63. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
64. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
65. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
66. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
67. Buchan A&F Club
68. Callander A&F Club (
69. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
70. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
71. Club Accord
72. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 – cFeb 2014)
73 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
74. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
75. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
76. Cults A & F Club (
77. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
78. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
79. Derwentside A&F Club
80. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
81. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
82. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
83. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
84. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
85. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
86. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
87. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
88. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – ?)
89. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
90. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
91. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93? – left the Assoc c2013)
92. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
93. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
94. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 – 6th December 2015)
95. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
96. Kintore A&F Club (
97. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
98. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier -
99. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
100. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
101. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
102. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
103. Maine Valley A&F Club (
104. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
105. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
106. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
107. Mull A&F Club
108. Newcastleton Accordion Club
109. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
112. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
113. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
114. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
115. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
116. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
117. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
118. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
119. Selkirk A&F Club (
120. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
121. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
122. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
123 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
124 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
125. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
126. Tranent A&F Club
127. Vancouver Fiddle Orchestra
128. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
129. Wellbank A&F Club
130. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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