One of the most fascinating originated as follows.

On a very cold wet day in January 1403 in the far north of Scotland, Lady Fiona wife of the Earl of ****** ( As the family is still very much existence I will not give their family name ), was about to give birth. It was her first child and she was a little apprehensive of what was going to happen despite all the good advice from the other wives and the various male staff in the castle.

When the child started to enter this world Lady Fiona started to scream and scream and scream. Not at all what the young lady was expecting. The screams soon brought all the inhabitants of the castle into her chamber to offer advice, but to no avail. The screaming still carried on. Amidst all the noise the Laird sat quietly in a corner of the room reading an illustrated pornographic book written by one of the monks in the nearby Abbey. On several occasions he wondered if he should go and show some of the pictures to his wife, but considered that in the circumstances she would probably not appreciate them.

Amongst those in the room was Jock the castle piper. In an effort to drowned out the screams he started to play as loud as he could. This annoyed Lady Fiona immensely and amidst the screams she shouted out, with some very profane Gaelic Oaths, to cut the noise off immediately. In the room was the Captain of the Castle Guard, who with all the other men were enjoying staring at a naked Lady Fiona.  The Captain heard her say cut the music off, so as he did not like Jock the Piper one little bit, but he did like Jocks wife, swung his battle axe and hit Jock on the back of the neck severing off his head. The Captain of the Castle guard immediately left the room to go and pay his condolences to Jocks widow.

Lady Fiona continued to scream and still there was no sign of the child being born. Someone in the room thought that it would be a good idea if they sent for Angus the Shepherd, he knew all about lambing and such like things. He eventually arrived half drunk smelling of sheep droppings – cheap whisky and other unpleasant odors.

Angus lent over the bed, pursed his lips and scratched his head, dislodging a number of lice in the process. Looking around the crowded room he spotted Will the butler who he called over. “Will I want you to help me” said Angus, “Right”, said Will, “what do you want me to do, sit on her belly and try and squash the little sod out ?”

At this two of the seamstresses fainted and two of the young maids both sworn never get themselves in the same predicament and decided to join a Nunnery.

“No”, said Angus, “go and get me those two large silver spoons that we took off the Vikings in their last raid”. 

When Will eventually returned and handed the two spoons to Angus, he gave them both a bit of a wipe on his kilt, then tying the two handles together with the concave side of the spoons facing each other he started to fish for the baby’s head. Eventually he gave a grunt and started to twist and pull. The baby’s head appeared – Lady Fiona screamed louder than ever – then the baby became stuck again. Twisting and pulling the spoons slipped, one going around the back of the baby’s head, the other over its face and into its mouth. This must have given the spoons more traction, because with a further heave the baby entered the world. The inhabitants of the room gave a cry of applause and the baby a cry of displeasure. Lady Fiona fainted.

As they were all congratulation Angus, Will remarked “Bet yon young’un will never want for anything being born with a silver spoon in his mouth”, which was the first time that the popular saying was used. 

When Lady Fiona came to, the Laird wandered over to her and after saying well done, easy wasn’t it, gave her the pornographic book he was reading. Lady Fiona took one look and threw it back at him as hard as she could, the Laird was heard to mention that women were odd creatures.

David Fox.

George (Robin) Kelly once again being Honorary Chaplain, entertainment for the evening was our own wee champion Skylah Guest, Rodney and Phyllis for our Gay Gordon’s etc and Chief Tommy Soutar told the story of “The Rumour”, Party dances, Supper, a few words from the Federation Chief who also thanked the Artists before the Highland Chieftain Margaret West announced Robin and Glynis Kelly as her successor. All too soon it was time for Auld Lang Syne and Haste ye back.

Remember if you acquire an email address and give us it, you can receive this newsletter in glorious colour

Slainte!

Tommy Soutar (Chief)

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OUR NEXT FUNCTION SATURDAY 18^th SEPT.

The Best of British

As a suggestion from some of our members we are going to hold a “British Pub Night” so Come Along, sing and Dance to the Music of the “Beatles”,” Herman’s Hermits”, “Queen”, “Cliff Richard” and others. We will also fit in some of the popular “Drinking songs” from the “Blarney Brothers” and others. The kids won’t miss out as we will still fit in the party songs for them.

It’s also the 70^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Apart from the brave soldiers and pilots, it was the songs that kept the country’s spirits high. We can have a good sing-a-long with Max Bygraves.

Pub Grub will be Bangers, Mash and Peas (bring gas mask) + dessert + Tea and Cake all for only R40.00 adults R20.00 Kids under 16 under 3 free.

Please book as we are using caterers Dress up in your Red White and Blue (or army gear) and come and enjoy a great family night out.   Bookings info@scotlandsa.co.za   SMS: 084 517 5454. Or tel: 0116837022

———————————————————————————————-

Our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Lorna Stevenson who has just come home from hospital after a nasty fall, and Past Federation Chief Angus Wilson who also had a spell in hospital with a suspected heart attack and is recovering well.                                                                                        

We wish Robin & Glynis Kelly a great Holiday in the U.S.

Check the website www.scotlandsa.co.za for all the updates on other society’s newsletters also what our Federation Chief Jean Kelly has been up to on her travels.

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Congress 2010 in P.E. 8^th to 10^th October, you might just make it, contact Dawn urgently if you want to go Email decks@telkomsa.net

The Northern Irish have the Shamrock, which is very similar to a three leafed clover, but if you can find one with four leaves it is considered very lucky. On any day of the week in Ireland you will see Irishmen on their hands and knees in the clover fields trying to find a four leafed clover. There are an equal number of Irishmen sat a home gluing an extra leaf on to a normal three leafed clover to sell to unsuspecting tourists as genuine four leafed shamrocks.

The Welsh, being as confused as they are, have two emblems, the Leek and the Daffodil, the theory being that if they get hungry they can always eat the leek and admire the daffodil whilst doing so. It is however, not uncommon in some cottages in the rural areas to find a large vase of leeks in the sitting room and a steaming pot of daffodils being prepared for supper by a confused Welsh woman.

The English being far more refined than their neighbours, adopted the English Rose as their National Emblem. These were originally carried by most people to avoid the unpleasant smells of the unwashed Irish, Welsh and Scots. Even to this day in the City of London you will come across well dressed gentlemen wearing bowler hats, carrying a furled umbrella and with a rose in the lapel button hole of his suit, a tradition passed down over many generations. You will notice that many of these same gentlemen walk with their noses in the air to avoid having to smell any unwashed foreigners.

The Scots adapted as their Emblem the Scottish Thistle. This is one of the few plants that thrive in the harsh Scottish climate, but many historians believe that there may have been an ulterior motive behind the thistle being chosen as their emblem. For centuries Highlanders have been carrying thistle seed into England, Wales and Ireland and scattering this over the countryside, so much so that they are now one of the most prolific weeds in these Countries. It is thought that the reason for this action was to remind those living south of the border that the Scots were everywhere. In time the thistles spread across Europe and most of the rest of the world, and whilst in most countries of the world they are considered to be noxious plants to be weeded out and destroyed, in Scotland they are still venerated and protected.

There is only one recorded incident where the thistle was used in battle, or rather non battle as it turned out. In 1420 a large raiding force of rough Highlanders marched into England, on their way to Yorkshire and the land of the Yorkshire puddings which they were very fond of. They were met by an English army, made up mainly of foot soldiers just outside the walls of Hexham Castle, drawn up three deep in a line of about five hundred meters long. Each of the English soldiers had a bunch of roses tucked into his doublet just under his chin to ward off any unpleasant odors’ from the advancing Highlanders, many of whom had not had a bath recently. When the Highlanders were about a hundred meters away they all halted, and on the command from their Chieftain, they each pulled a large thistle from behind their backs, this they waved in the air, and at the same time shouted out as one, “Englishmen, we’re goin ta stick our thistles up your whistles”. This so unnerved the English soldiers who felt that it was very rude and uncalled for, that they all retreated into the safety behind the thick walls of Hexham Castle as fast as they could and so the battle never took place.

So the next time that you are clearing out some noxious weeds from your property and you cut down a Scottish thistle, just think you may be offending some Scottish feelings.

David Fox.

Oddly enough, the Folk Legend of the Headless Horseman has very close connections with the Fort Nottingham Highland and Traditional Games. The Chairman of the games is Lorne Maclaine, The Maclaine of Lochbuie, who is the hereditary Chieftain of The Maclaine of Lochbuie Clan, and Lorne is a direct blood descendant of the Headless Horseman.

In 1500 much of the Southern portion of the isle of Mull belonged to two factions of the Maclaine Clan. Those of Lochbuie and those of Duart. In 1538 Ewen of the Little Head, decided, after much nagging from his wife, to dispose of his father, John Maclaine, and claim the castle of Mull. John Maclaine was not in good health and he called on the Duart Maclaines to help him in the struggle with his son. On a wet misty morning the two factions met at Glen Cainnir, Ewen with about fifty hairy and rather uncouth clansmen met about a hundred of his father’s men backed by a further hundred of the Duart Maclaine’s who were equally hairy and uncouth. Uttering unprintable Gaelic oaths the two sides fell upon each other with battle axes and claymores. The fight was going badly for Ewan’s outnumbered clansmen, but suddenly seeing the Duart Chieftain ahead of him Ewen drove his horse – whose name has been lost in the passage of time – straight at the Duart Chieftain. Slashing left and right as he forced his way towards the Duart Chieftain, Ewen forgot to look behind him, and an enemy clansman came up behind him with a very sharp axe, and with a single blow decapitated the unfortunate Ewen.

As Ewen’s head fell from his body into the heather, his body must have gone into some sort of spasm and his legs became locked around the horse’s belly. The horse must have thought that he was going to be next to beheaded, so he took off at a full gallop towards home with the luckless Ewen still upright in the saddle. The two feuding parties were so amazed at the sight that they stopped fighting. In any event the loss of Ewen’s head meant that it was very unlikely he would ever be Chieftain, so there was not a lot of point in carrying on the fight and it seem that leaving the field of battle without a head was a bad omen. The Duart faction returned to the East coast where they had their castle and the remainder of Ewen’s followers walked slowly back to Loch Squabhain where the late Ewen had his fortified Long House.

When the horse and the headless body arrived back at Loch Squabhain, his servants had a good look down his neck just to make sure that he did not have a head on. It was decided that the devil was at work and that the horse must be bewitched. They cured this assumption by cutting off the head of the unfortunate horse which did not please the horse very much. So both the Maclaine’s of Lochbuie and the Maclaine’s of Duart had two ghosts instead of just one.

Within a short time it was apparent that the ghost of Ewen and his horse were determined to let their presence known. Every time that a Maclaine Clansman heard ghostly hoof beats in the night, he or she, would know that they would shortly be dead. People in the district took to going to bed with their ears stuffed with sheep’s wool.

Even today, the story is still believed in the outlying areas of Mull. As Lorne Maclaine will tell you, just a few years ago he was talking to the wives of one of the crofters

on Mull, and she said that she had heard the Headless Horseman galloping past in the night and that she feared that she would soon be dead. She was correct in her

Assumption, as she died only four years later at 98. This just goes to prove that there is good reason to believe in the legend.

So, if you are in the Western Highlands of Scotland, and you hear a horse galloping past in the night, get as far down as you can under the bed clothes, pull them over your head and pretend that you did not hear the Headless Horseman. In any event it may be a good idea to make sure that your Will is up to date before visiting the Highlands.

,
David Fox.

JULY 2010.  We are off to Natal !Friday July 2^nd sees the whole family pile into the Tuscon ( we are being driven down by our son ) and head off to Natal. Andrew and I were last in Natal at the last Congress they held. So we are sure we are going to see many changes.

We drop off the rest of the Family in Hillcrest to see our daughter-in-law’s folks and carry on into Durban, arriving at Molly And Noel’s place around 8pm. They make us very welcome and we all have an early night. Saturday morning, and, Molly, Andrew and I head off to the market at Shongweni for a look around. What a wonderful market !!. So many hand and home made goods, it was a sight to see.

Saturday afternoon we help Molly set up for the cocktail party where we are to meet all of the Durban Society Committee members. The balance of the party start arriving around 7pm and we have a lovely evening meeting and getting to know them. The weather was very pleasant and we  sat on the verandah for the whole evening , chatting drinking, and, yes, eating again.

Sunday morning we four toddle down to the Golden Hours market ( lots of shopping to be done in Natal ) where we browse around, pick up a few purchases and have breakfast. The market supports the Golden Hours School and home for the disabled, and it was gratifying to see so many people and stallholders all “doing their bit”. Then it is back to Molly & Noel’s where we get changed and head off into town for our welcome.

Durban Society has an arrangement with one of the Masonic Lodges, and they have their “home base” at the very well equipped Masonic Hall. We were greeted on arrival by Lyn & George Chasomeris , Chief and Consort of the Society and are then “piped-in” by David Dickson through a Guard of Honour formed by the other members of the pipe band. The Pipes and Drums consisted of members of four other bands who all love to play and entertain together.

We were introduced by the Chief and had a wonderful afternoon reacquainting ourselves with Callies that we had not seen in a few years. Julia Jackson was looking very well since last year at Congress, and was happy to report that she was now relatively more mobile and pain-free. Margaret Gardiner was also looking very well and, as usual was her very cheerful self. It was a great surprise to see Audrey and Les Marshal too. Les has for many years been Durban’s representative to Central Council and he and Audrey like to go down to at least one of Durban’s functions annually. We were delighted that they decided to come along for our welcome, Thanks Les and Audrey.

We were very well entertained by the wonderful dancing performed by the young ladies of the Bronwyn Parker School of Celtic Dance who danced five separate dances for us. In addition, we were serenaded by a wonderful gentleman member ( who’s name I can not give you, as I can not read my own notes – my apologies ), who amongst his selection performed a moving rendition of Highland Cathedral, which I had never heard sung before, it was absolutely fantastic !. Then, we had the Pipes and Drums, and boy, did they do us proud. They all looked like they were having such a great time too. It makes the music that much more enjoyable when the performers look like they are having as good a time as the audience. Well done the Pipe Band !!!

The catering was done by the Committee Ladies, and was excellent, again we went away very well “Fed”. During the afternoon a presentation was made to each of two couples who had both celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversaries the previous week. Molly and Noel Gould and Nancy and Joe Dunsmore, well done to the four of you. May you have many more.

At the close of the proceedings Andrew and I were presented with wonderful gifts in commemoration of our visit. Beautiful hand made ( by Molly ) Lap Trays, covered in McKenzie tartan (worn by the Durban Caledonian Pipe Band) and decorated with the Durban Caledonian Society Logo and the year, and two Beer Mugs decorated with the Durban Caledonian Pipe Band crest for Andrew, ( We had a slight accident on the way home and had to ask for the mugs to be replaced – of course according to Andrew it was my fault as they were his gifts that were broken). Thanks to Molly for having replacements or I would NEVER hear the end of it. At the end of the lunch we said our goodbyes and, duly armed with directions to Hillcrest, proceeded to get lost on our way to pick up the balance of the Family. After traveling up and down the N3 as far as Marianhill and back we eventually collected the rest of the Kelly’s and headed home from our wonderful weekend.

Friday July 16^th and we collect Margaret West, our Highland Provincial Chieftain from her home and the three of us head off to Durban. Margaret is the Central Council representative for Pietermaritzburg where we are off to for our Federation Welcome tomorrow. After a very nice trip down we arrive at Molly and Noel where once again we are made very welcome. Saturday sees Molly take the three of us off to Shongweni Market again. It really is a wonderful place to visit. Once the market is closed ( 10.30am \0 the four of us head off into Durban. We are going to visit the Moses Mabida Stadium.

I have now been to Soccer City, have seen both Cape Town and Port Elizabeth Stadiums, but I have to say that the Durban Stadium is, for me, the best in the country. It is a wonderful piece of architecture and engineering. We buy our tickets and head up in the sky-car. What a view !  Not only can you see for miles, the day is warm, and the skies blue and clear. We can see that all the work done to clean up the beachfront has definitely paid off, and Durbanites are still turning out to have a look around the Stadium even though the World Cup is over.

We stay up on the observation deck for about half an hour then come down and walk around the outside of the stadium. On the opposite side of the stadium from the sky-car you can, if you are brave enough, have a go at Bunjee Jumping. I shall have to come back with my son to do that adventure.  It is beautiful out and we sit at the Keg & Spear for lunch and watch the planes go by as the Air Show is on too.

After Lunch we go back to the house and Norma and Patrick arrive later in the afternoon. We dress and drive in convoy to Pietermaritzburg for the function. We are met on arrival by Sally Morning, Chief of the Society, who is also going to be the next Natal Provincial Chieftain, well done Sally.

We are piped-in by the Colin Prince the Honorary Piper. We are introduced to everyone by past chief, Ernest Barlow-Jones who is Master of Ceremonies.

Pietermaritzburg Society, are based at the Moth Retirement Village and have a lovely premises there which they share with the Moths, a wonderful venue.

We are entertained this evening by a selection from the Pietermaritzburg Pipe Band, again a wonderful group who really enjoy their music. Songs from a member of the Band, Nick Taylor, who had us all join in and sing along. Wonderful Scottish Country Dancing from a group of Ladies and Gentlemen who had traveled from Howick, on this cold and misty evening, and who did not stop dancing all night. There was a lovely violin selection from Lesley Durrans, whose fingers must have been really hot by the time she had finished she played such lively tunes, wonderful.

It really is a privilege to be entertained by such talented people, and we thank you all. Natal Societies are lucky to have such talent in their midst.

Again the food was provided by the Ladies of the Society and we all enjoyed their efforts. We all got up and danced ourselves warm with the Country Dancers encouraging us on and the Band playing for us, a wonderful evening was had by all. In the wee cold hours we said our goodbyes and headed back to Durban. Next morning Norma and Patrick treated us all to breakfast on the beachfront at Joe Cool’s. What a pleasure to see so many families out and about on the beachfront. It really was like the “Old days” with so many people out with their children having a great time at the beach.

We wish Durban “All the Best” for their bid to host the Olympics, they have done an outstanding job in turning their waterfront around.

Thanks for taking the time to read of our travels. Hope you are enjoying it as much as we are living it.

Please remember, Congress Bookings CLOSE at the end of August. Hoping to see many of you in Port Elizabeth.                                                                 

Yours Aye,                                                                                                      
Jean and Andrew

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Chief’s Night, Saturday 28 August, 19h00 for 19h30, at the Benoni Country Club, Morris Avenue, Morehill, Benoni. Tickets R100 a head.

Please phone Heather on 011 465 1979 or Norma on 011 867 2250 to confirm your attendance.

Heritage Day Picnic and Scottish Country Dancing (optional!), Friday 24 September (public holiday), Pretoria Botanical Garden, 2 Cussonia Avenue, Brummeria, Pretoria. Bring your own picnic.

Entrance Fees:
Adults: R20
Students:R12
Children: R7 Under 6 years: Free

More details of time etc in next month’s newsletter.

Halloween Party, Saturday 23 October. Venue to be confirmed but things are looking positive!

CONDOLENCES

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Renee Feldhusen, of St Andrew’s Scottish Society. She was 90. We send our condolences to all her family and friends.

CONGRATULATIONS

Happy birthday this month to: Margaret Hartgill, John Grant, Rona Tait, Neels Claasen, Mike Baker, Gail Baty,

Happy anniversary to: Christine and John Hanley, Margaret and Len Foster, Ray and Walter Zimmerman, Merriel and Richard Young, Christine and Nick James, Isabel and David Storie.

Best wishes

To Angus Wilson of the Randfontein Callies, who has suffered a heart attack, and to Jessica Powell, who had a spell in hospital but is now fine.

Bon Voyage

Once again to Beth Cameron, who is off on her travels again.

Welcome back

To Jean MacGregor-Hanley, who is coming back from her extended stay in the UK.

Don’t forget: You can get this newsletter via email. Please contact me on:

patrick.craven@gmail.com

Best wishes to you all, Patrick

Dear Fellow Caledonians

A huge “thank you” to everyone for making the Chairing and Kirking of the Chief not only successful, but meaningful and well-supported occasions, setting the tone for an exciting year of fun and service ahead.

Supper at the Buffalo River Yacht Club was also much enjoyed with ten members attending.  The relaxed atmosphere, good food and fine company definitely indicate a repeat later in the year.

Saturday 21 August 2010 has been set aside to welcome the Chieftain of the Cape Province, Ivan Dickson and his Lady President, Frances to our society.  To accommodate our older members, we will meet at 3.00 pm at the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles headquarters on the corner of Fleet and Buffalo Streets. After the formalities, there will be a Treasure Hunt with an opportunity to explore the excellent Military Museum, all on the premises.  This will be followed by a bring-and-share supper and fellowship.   There are no kitchen facilities, so please bring a plate of suitable finger foods.  The bar will be open for your liquid refreshment.  Safe parking is available in the grounds.  If you need a lift, please phone Sandra 043 726 1500 and leave a message if necessary.

The Chieftain and Lady President will attend the Children’s Sunday service at Cambridge Presbyterian church in Renfrew Street at 9.00 am on 22^nd August and we would be very happy to see you there too!

A Social evening with soup and rolls, travel slides and other entertainment is planned for Saturday 11^th September.  As you will not receive another newsletter before then, please phone Sandra 043 726 1500 for details before 1^st September.

MEMBER NEWS.

Sincere sympathy is extended to the families of John McTavish and Starr Richards who passed into higher service recently.  Jean Sansom has undergone a hip replacement and is making a good recovery at home. Rosita Moorcroft is concerned for her infant granddaughter who has been in and out of hospital recently.  Please give the family your prayerful support at this time.

We welcome a new junior member, Tanya Munung. We hope she will be very happy with us.  Happy travelling to Alan Woodhurst who is in the UK for nine weeks and to Des and Frances Plint, also in the UK to visit their family.  Congratulations to Ralph and Rose Anley in the arrival of a new granddaughter in Edinburgh.  Graham Cowley has returned from a business trip to Malaysia.

PIPE BAND:

With a number of members away during September, the 90^th anniversary celebrations have been postponed until a more suitable time, possibly mid October.  The 70^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain will be commemorated on Sunday 12^th September at the East Bank cemetery.  The band will lead the parade at 10.30 am and the fly-past will be at 11.00 am.

Practise is every Monday evening at the Drill Hall at 7.30 pm; learners meet at 6.30 pm.

Contact Robert: 082 897 8571

S C D C

Dancing is held each Tuesday evening at Hams Club at 7.20 pm.  Come and join us for lots of fun and good exercise.  Contact: Rosemary Anley (043 7351207) or Merylees Burgess (043 7210375).

LADIES GROUP.

Always provides a happy morning of sharing over a cuppa. On 7^th September at 9.30 am we will enjoy the hospitality of Maureen Illingworth, 602 Parklands, Jarvis Road, Berea. Please join us – we’d love to have you with us. Contact: Mary Simpson at 043-7482314.

ECHG GATHERING. The 2011 gathering will be held in Port Elizabeth on Sunday 20^th March, a departure from the usual Easter weekend arrangement.  Please keep this date in mind.  East London will host the gathering in 2012 and will hold a meeting of all interested members at Hams Club on Tuesday 24^th August 2010 at 6.00 pm to initiate sponsorship and fund-raising projects.  Your input is much valued so please come along and share your ideas. Thank you to Mary Simpson for the donation of a tartan tea cloth which was raffled at the last function and raised R200.00 towards funds.  Nadege Rankin was the winner and Iris van de Zee received second prize of a box of chocolates. Andrew MacDonell has suggested we raffle a bottle of excellent whisky.  He has also suggested a competition for guessing how many 10c pieces it takes to fill a similar bottle.  Please help us fill the bottle.  When full, the competition will be held to raise funds for the gathering.

CONGRESS 2010. It is just around the corner in Port Elizabeth, 8^th to 10^th October.  There is still time to register if you would like to attend.

JULIE ANGUS SCHOOL OF HIGHLAND AND IRISH DANCING Roxanne Piderit and Tyla Marais danced at Basle tattoo as part of the Rhythm of Africa Highland Dance team. They did so well that they have had offers to dance at other overseas venues. Eastern Cape dancers all acquitted themselves well at the SA Championships and Inter-Provincial Competitions held in Johannesburg recently.  Congratulations to Georgia Webber on winning the beginners Highland section and Emily Frauenstein who won the novice National section.  Best wishes to everyone for the dancing exams on Tuesday 17^th August and the Eastern Cape Inter-Provincial on 4^th September. Thank you all for your continued and valued support of the Society.

Buffalo Volunteer Rifles Mess Night on the first Wednesday of every month from 5.30 pm.  The Society enjoys a very happy and mutually beneficial relationship with the BVR and our members are welcome to attend their Mess night.

Buffalo River Yacht Club offers a good meal on Wednesday evenings at an equally good price!  To book, phone Yvette Wilcox 073 028 4197.  You won’t be disappointed.

M.O.T.H.S. In addition to their regular get-together each Friday at 5.30 pm at their Hall in Elizabeth Road, you are invited to join them on Friday 22^nd October for El Alamein Parade, 5.30 for 6.00 pm and on Friday 3^rd December when their open evening will include Carols By Candlelight.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: With the high cost of cash deposits at the bank, it would be appreciated if subs could be paid by cheque or EFT where possible to East London Caledonian Society, ABSA Bank, Frere  Square Branch, Cheque Account Number 7.1010-0918.  You are also welcome to place your subs in a marked envelope and hand them to the treasurer at any Caledonian function.

BIRTHDAYS.

AUGUST

3^rd Celia Davidson
4^th Barbara Weymouth
8^th Robert Fleming
15^th Sue Piderit
15^th Lionel Latigan
25^th Pat Godfrey
25^th Iris van der Zee

SEPTEMBER
1^st Ann Woodhurst
21^st Rose Anley
23^rd Sheila Godfrey
30^th Freddie MacFarlane

If your birthday does not appear, it is because we do not have the information.

Committee: The next meeting will be held on Thursday 7^th September 2010 at 7.30 pm at the home of Kim Mathieson, 5 Oliver Road, Amalinda.

Yours aye

Sandra Rankin (Chief)

Membership Application Form – Click To Download

Well you have to put up with us for another year, which kicks off with Chiefs Night on 21^st August 7pm sharp start, We should have the Traditional Installation over with quickly to let us eat early and enjoy the evening with dancing to the pipes with Rodney and Phyllis. We will have Skalah Guest, who won 4 gold medals at the Benoni Gathering dancing for us. We congratulate her on a very successful year. We will also have the Party Dances for the kids and adults alike so bring the kids along; let’s start the year with a real family function. A full catered meal has been booked and at only R60.00 Adults R30.00 under 16 and under 3 free. We will be having our special whisky raffle so keep a few R5.00 coins handy. Norma will be bringing along some Scottish country dancers. Please book by the 18^th, for catering purposes by, email info@scotlandsa.co.za or tel 011 683 7022 sms 084 517 5454. Remember we have full bar at Club Prices and Special drinks required let us know before 18^th and the barman will order stock.

We had a quorum for our A.G.M. and the meeting got under way at 14h40 With our Secretary Robert reading the Notice convening the Meeting. Past Federation Chief Robin Kelly was thanked by Treasurer Helen Weir for his continued help in auditing our Finances. We bade a sad farewell to Ivan and Patricia Lane and Alan and Maureen Miller who have decided to take a wee break from the committee, our gratitude for all the service they have given the Society, and we welcome aboard “the good ship Caledonia” Mike and Elizabeth Simon and Sona Sing. They are no strangers as they have helped us in the past year while Jean Margaret and Andrew have been serving in higher office. We hope they will have a long and fruitful association with the committee.

The line up for the year ahead is:

Chief and Lady President……………………..Tommy and Lovie Soutar

Senior Chieftain…………………………………….Graham Kelly

Junior Chieftain,…………………………………..to be filled with a little persuasion

Treasurer,……………………………………………..Helen Weir.

Secretary……………………………………………….Robert Lane.

Honorary Pipers……………………………………Rodney Kuck and Phyllis Duhig

Honorary Chaplain……………………………….George (Robin) Kelly

And the committee comprising of, Jean and Andrew Kelly, Margaret West, Mike and Elisabeth Simon, Sona Sing and we hope Lizelle Kelly will join us when she has fully recovered.

Helen had intimated that she had wanted to step down as Treasurer, Tommy said he would just give her brother Jimmy Weir a call and like “Magic” she changed her mind and would continue for another year.

Tommy made special mention of how Jean and Andrew as Federation Chief along with Margaret As Highland Chieftain, had made great progress in having the Caledonian Movement recognised at Gatherings, also with encouraging the Societies they have visited to make full use of the website.

Click Below to download the basic of the Chiefs Report is attached in word format. (Wonderful what technology can do):

St Andrews Chiefs Report 2010

Till our next update

Slainte!

Tommy Soutar (Chief)

***** KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT YOUR FEDERATION CHIEF IS DOING FOR THE CALEDONIAN MOVEMENT IN “OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE FEDERATION CHIEF” ON THE WEBSITE www.scotlandsa.co.za

**Very important if you intend going to Congress in P.E. and haven’t booked time is running out Package bookings close 31^st August. Don’t miss out book now! ***

Easterns Chiefs will be on the 28^th at Benoni Country Club, Contact Norma for details 078 144 0293 or Norma Craven email norma@satawu.org.za

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