The monthly newsletter for Scots in South Africa
Issue No 21, August 2011
Society reports
From Chief Stuart Munro
The Ceilidh on Saturday 23rd at Fort Wynyard, Headquarters of the Cape Garrison Artillery, was a great success. We had just over 60 people there including our Pipe Band, Scottish Country Dancers and the President of the Irish South African Association, Maureen Sharpe as well as greeting our Provincial Chieftain and his Consort, Gordon and Mary Wallace, on their official visit to the Society.
Gordon gave an inspiring address. The Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band excelled themselves with new tunes and also playing for us while dancing the Gay Gordons. There was a sing-along of all the old favourites where everyone joined in and the Scottish Country Dancing Team demonstrated how it should be done!
The Officer Commanding of the Cape Garrison Artillery, Major Vidius Archer,
proposed the Toast to the Land We Live In and the Regimental Sergeant Major, Master Warrant Officer Danie Steyn proposed the Toast to Scotland.
After a break to sell raffle tickets we danced to the music and singing of a local group named “Charmed” who, in reality, are three sisters. They really got us up and going! The feed-back that Jacinta and I have received from many members and guests is that they had great fun and a most enjoyable evening – despite the Gale blowing outside!!
Durban Caledonian Society
From Scribe Betty Cruise
We welcomed the Federation Chief, Frances Dickson, her consort, Ivan, and the Natal Chieftain, Sally Morning, at the Sandown retirement village. We enjoyed a wonderful meal provided by Sandown. Gordon piped in the visitors & we could see several occupants of the village enjoying the pipes. Molly presented a clock with our crest embroidered on it by Molly herself.
Some 24 members and 2 visitors welcomed the Natal Chieftain, Sally Morning, to a brunch at the Masonic Hall in Hunt Rd on 3rd July. Gordon piped in the top table party & after a super breakfast Sally & Gordon piped for us. Molly presented Sally with a TV dinner tray with a tartan cover — hand made by Molly! She is such a talented lady.
Port Elizabeth Scottish Society
From Chief Sandra Strang
On 2nd July members of the Society met at 6th Avenue Shopping Centre to recognise World Tartan Day (which was officially celebrated on 1st July). Young members of the Bells “Extra Special” Caledonian Pipe Band also took part and marched through the shopping mall. It is always nice to see the young ones taking part.
East London Caledonian Society
From Chief Sandra Rankin
Highland and Irish dancers have acquitted themselves well at various competitions and are always willing to show their talents wherever needed. Emily Frauenstein recently won the intermediate Highland section and Roxanne Piderit won the Premier Highland section. Roxanne is also one of only 30 dancers who will take part in the SA Tattoo from 1st to 4th September this year at Montecasino in Johannesburg.
We have sadly said farewell to our old friend Jimmy Murray, who passed away on 24th June in his 93rd year. A Past Chief and Past Provincial Chieftain, Jimmy was amongst our longest serving members and will be remembered with love and respect by all who knew him. Loving thoughts and prayers are extended to Margaret and all her family in their sad loss of Jimmy and, just a couple of weeks later, her son Alisdair. May God bless you and give you strength in your time of need.
News from Scotland
Dundee skyline transformed as ‘Hilltown multis’ are demolished
Daily Record, 1 August
Thousands cheered as four blocks of flats came crashing down to earth yesterday. The 21-storey buildings – 440 homes – were demolished in simultaneous explosions in Dundee. A huge exclusion zone was placed around the ‘Hilltown multis’ before the demolition team used 1400 detonators to blow them up.
The flats in Alexander Street have dominated the city’s skyline since the 1960s but took just seconds to be reduced to rubble. About 600 homes and 50 small businesses were evacuated before the blasts.
Highland cow stampedes into tyre centre as cattle cause city chaos
Norman Silvester, Sunday Mail, 31 July
A herd of cattle rampaged through a suburb yesterday after they managed to escape from a nearby country park.
Six Highland cows and one bull fled a field in Pollok Park, on the south side of Glasgow, after they were frightened by a dog which had been let off its lead.
They damaged cars and terrified passersby in the stampede before being rounded up by police.
The seven runaways headed out of the park, across main roads and travelled for more than a mile into the Battlefield, Queens Park and Langside areas of the city.
Local people watched in astonishment as they ran through residential streets.
One cow went into the National Tyre and Autocare Centre in Battlefield and became trapped in the tyre storage room.
The animal damaged a customer’s car and a vehicle belonging to a staff member.
Four cows were eventually rounded up in a car park of a private block of flats in nearby Mansion House Road, while the two other cows were found in Queens Park a short distance away.
A National Tyre worker, who asked not to be identified, said: “We had just done £200 of work on a Honda car and then had to tell its owner what happened. He didn’t believe us at first. We couldn’t believe it either.”
The cow remained trapped in the tyre centre for more than an hour - under police guard - until it was taken out by animal rangers. The other six cows were also rounded up and put into lorries to be taken back to Pollok Park.
Alan Osprey, 45, a local government worker from Langside, said: “I looked out my window and couldn’t believe it when I saw a herd of cattle run down the street.
“It was like something out of the Pamplona bull run. It’s not the sort of thing you expect to see in the south side of Glasgow.”
Yesterday, Glasgow City Council, who run Pollok Park, said all seven cows had now been returned to their field.
A spokeswoman said: “The cows took fright after a dog ran into the field. We urge owners to keep their dogs under control when they are near cattle.”
A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: “Officers assisted staff from Pollok Park in recovering the animals and returning them.”
QUIZ- D’ye ken?
- Where is David Livingstone buried?
- 2. Which Scottish medical pioneer was knighted in 1944 and won a Nobel prize in 1945?
- 3. What was the name of the sequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s “kidnapped”?
- 4. For how many years did Magnus Magnusson present “Mastermind”?
- 5. Which Scots comedian and musician was in the Humblebums?
Did ye ken?
- Where will you see Capt Scott’s Royal Research Ship Discovery? Dundee
- Who was David Riccio? Mary Queen of Scots’ murdered Secretary
- Where is the International Festival of Music and Drama held every August? Edinburgh
- What are ‘quines’ and ‘loons’? Girls and boys, in the Doric dialect
- Edradour near Pitliochry is the smallest example of what? Whisky distillery
CONGRESS:
87th Annual Congress
Cathy Bell, Congress Convenor 2011
87th Annual Congress of the Federation of Caledonian Societies, Welkom Inn, Stateway, Welkom, Friday 14th October 2011-Sunday 16th October 2011
Welkom Inn (formerly Holiday Inn) is situated in the centre of town with easy access to our new Goldfields Mall. Unfortunately we have no airport service in Welkom, the nearest being Bloemfontein which is two and a half hours away and we lack the man power to pick people up from such a distance.
We have managed to keep the costs to slightly less that 2010 Congress and we have given you the option of paying it over seven months.
We are arranging to taxi people between Welkom and OR Tambo Airport. Please phone Norma on 011 867 2250 or Robin on 011 432 8269 with your flight details.
If there are any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Convenor, Cathy Bell on 057 392 1214
GOLDFIELDS CALEDONIAN SOCIETY
87th Annual Congress of the Federation of Caledonian Societies, Welkom Inn, Stateway, Welkom
Friday 14th October 2011 to Sunday 16th October 2011
TITLE: ___________________ ___________________
FIRST NAME: ___________________ ___________________
SURNAME: ___________________ ___________________
POSTAL ADDRESS: ___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
CODE: ___________________ ___________________
EMAIL ADDRESS: ___________________ ___________________
CONTACT NO.: ___________________ ___________________
CAPACITY: Delegate / Official / Observer Delegate / Official / Observer
(please circle one)
SOCIETY: _________________ ___________________
ACCOMODATION: (please cirle one)
DOUBLE / SINGLE
NAME OF PERSON SHARING ________________________
BOOKING OPTIONS: No of
Persons Amount
FULL CONGRESS PACKAGE: R1700.00
Per person sharing 14h00 Friday to
10h00 Sunday ______ R_________
SINGLE SURCHARGE: R2000.00 ______ R_________
OR
NON HOTEL RESIDENTS: R600.00
Per person ______ R__________
(Includes Ceilidh, Conference and Ball)
Only attend Ceilidh (per person) R60.00 ______ R__________
Only attend Ball (per person) R250.00 _______ R__________
Hair appointment to be made: YES / NO
I wish to attend Congress 2011, and choose to pay over 7 months. Deposit R500.00 per person, payable by the end of February 2011, balance at R200.00 per person per month by 31st August 2011.
Cheques can be made out to Goldfields Caledonian Society
Banking details for deposits or transfers
Goldfields Caledonian Society Standard Bank Market Link Account
Account: 144290960 Branch Code: 055535
Please email deposit slips to spitfire.one@live.com or fax to 057 – 3534303 (ATTENTION DEBBIE)
or post to PO Box 1599, Welkom, 9460
