The Scots Society of St Andrew, Bedford www.bedscotsoc.org Newsletter December 2016 A Message From The President (December 2016) I would like to start by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Since my last Message we have held a variety of events starting with our Charity Dinner at the Peking Palace Chinese restaurant. At this event we raised over 400 for this year's charity, the M S Centre in Barkers Lane, Bedford. Our annual Remembrance service was held at the Foster Hill Road Cemetery and I can report this was conducted in fine weather, unlike some years when we have not been so fortunate. St Andrew's Night was an enjoyable occasion despite low numbers, which created more space on the floor for dancing. Reports and pictures on all these events can be seen later in this Newsletter. We are pleased to welcome Katherine Binning to our committee and would again note that we are still looking for further members to join the committee. Unfortunately Kevin Watters has had to step down from the committee, due to
work & family commitments. However, with his IT skills, he is still maintaining our website, for which we are very grateful. I am sad to have to report of deaths of three members, Alan Spearing, Mary Bloomfield and Willie Mackay. All these have been stalwart members of the Society and will be missed. We are looking forward now to the New Year and hope to see many of you at our Burns Night gathering on 28th January 2017. Ian Kirk ********************************* Maureen Mathie Secretary My offer to help on the committee way back in April 2016 was quickly accepted being able to bring many years secretarial experience. I was nominated and voted for the position of Secretary at the Society s AGM in May. Although now a Mathie (Clan Matheson), my maiden name was McKeggie, allied to Clan MacIntosh. My grandfather William *Allan McKeggie was a Scottish tailor and his family, farmers, moved to Derbyshire, probably following the much earlier land clearances. My father, George *Allan, an engineer moved down to Cambridge and then locally to work in research for many years at Wrest Park, Silsoe. My husband Alex s family moved down to Corby in the 1930s to work in the steel and allied industries. Alex s father, *Alexander, also an engineer, moved to Bedford where he met Barbara (who also had a Scottish father) and worked for many years with Vauxhall. * family names We have a strong affinity with Scotland where over the years we have spent many holidays. In the early years of our marriage we went with Alex s parents to Ayrshire and over to the Isle of Bute where Alex s father spent family holidays in Rothsay. In our youth we scaled Ben Nevis. With our children we spent many 2
holidays exploring the highlands and lochs of Argyll in our caravan or lodges. We enjoyed popping over to the islands on the ferries from Oban and Mallaig passing on the road to Skye the much photographed Eilean Donan castle. An Iain Dubh Matheson became constable of the castle in the 15 th century and died defending it against the MacDonalds. Since retiring we have enjoyed coastal walking around Britain and have followed much of the east Scottish coast from the Borders, covering the John Muir trail, and right up to north of Aberdeen. We have experienced very diverse terrain passing famous golf courses, farming of potatoes and raspberries in seemingly miles of poly tunnels, fishing ports, herring smokeries etc and skirting the cities of Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. More recently we have enjoyed city breaks in Glasgow, where we concentrated on the geneaology of the Mathies and had much help from the archivist at Paisley library, and last year in Edinburgh and witnessed the very moving ceremony of the pipe bands marching from the castle to the Remembrance services in the city. We hired a car and had a very enjoyable day with my brother and his wife who live in the beautiful highland town of Crieff. We also took the bus out to Leith to view the royal yacht Britannia very well worth a visit. We enjoy the Society s events and like to practice ceilidh dancing. I enjoy helping to organise and set up events in the Society s busy programme and meeting many new faces. Over the months I have received much support from the committee in my new role, not forgetting the benefit of the wealth of information on the history and running of the Society from Nancy and the help from our IT whiz-kid Kevin. 3
Event Reports Charity Dinner at The Peking Palace Chinese Restaurant 5 October 2016 An enjoyable Chinese meal was had at the Peking Palace Chinese Restaurant, in St Mary's Street, Bedford, to raise funds for our Charity this year, The MS Therapy Centre, Barker's Lane, Bedford. This was attended by 28 people, who can be seen tucking in on the photographs. More than 400 was raised for the charity. 4
Remembrance Service Fosterhill Road Cemetery - 6 November 2016 To commemorate the deaths, due to epidemics, at the start of the first world war of soldiers from the Scottish Highland Division, our annual service of Remembrance was held at the graveside. The service this year was attended by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Major John Whatley, also Dave Hodgson, Mayor of Bedford. Brigadier Peter Dalley carried out the readings. Also attending were representatives of the numerous local organisations who regularly support this event, including Bedford Pipe Band; the Royal British Legion; the Salvation Army; Army Cadets; and other Associations. The service was conducted by Rev Peter Littleford. We were again joined by representatives from the Bedford Polish community, to honour 3 Polish officers buried in Bedford Cemetery, during World War 2. As ever, it was a very emotive event, with more people attending each year and this year we had favourable weather. Photographs over. 5
Remembrance Service Photos Dignitaries Pipe Parade Wreath Laying 6
St Andrew's Night 2016 St Andrew's Night was celebrated this year on Saturday 26th November at Bromham Village Hall. After an excellent buffet meal provided by Dawn Hawkins, we were given a tour of Scotland by Nancy Barr. This was in the form of a pictorial quiz which formed the basis of 'The Toast to Scotland'. This was followed the Grand March led by our piper, Richard Galley. George Hogg then led us through his varied dance programme starting with the Gay Gordons and finishing with a request for the Glengarry Swing. In the dance interval we had a Pipers' Medley, where Paul Brown joined Richard. Despite only 43 people attending the event, there was a benefit that more room was available for dancing, in fact there were 3 sets up for all dances. It was another enjoyable evening for the Society. The Occasional Few The Grand Parade 7
Pipers Richard and Paul Bob 8
OBITUATORIES Mr Alan Spearing (26 July 1943-19 October 2016) After a long illness, it was with sadness that we learned of the death of Alan Spearing, husband to Jenny and father to Christopher at the age of 73 on Wednesday, 19 October 2016 in Dial House Nursing Home. His funeral on Tuesday, 8 November at Bedford Crematorium was attended by many friends, family, former colleagues, and past pupils. It was indeed a tribute to a life well lived with many varied interests including The Territorial Army, Bedfordshire Army Cadet Force, Freemasonry, The Scots Society of St Andrew, Bedford and of course his life as a teacher of English, Geography and History. Alan volunteered in many different walks of life and the eulogy written by Jenny and Christopher told of a life full of fun, laughter and practical jokes. Miss Mary Bloomfield (7April 1928-7 November 2016) Mary Bloomfield, a long-standing member of our Society and latterly an organiser of the weekly whist drive, sadly died in Bedford Hospital at the age of 88 after a short illness. Mary came to Bedford from Richmond, Surrey as an evacuee and spent the Second World War with Mr & Mrs Spreckley in Queens Park. After the war she returned to live with them and they became her family. Mary worked as a secretary for over 20 years at Police Head Quarters firstly in Goldington Road and later in the new HQ in Woburn Road Kempston. She was a much loved member of the Royal Observer Corps, Crew 2, No 7 Group, Bedford for over 40 years and she was an accomplished teacher to new recruits showing great patience and kindness. Her many friends in the Corps will miss her greatly at National Reunions and get-togethers in the RAF Club in Bedford. The Royal Observer Corps formed a guard of honour at Mary s funeral. 9
Future Events for your Diary: Saturday 28 th January, 2017 Wednesday 15 th March 2017 Thursday 13 th April 2017 Wednesday 3 rd May 3017 *Burns Night Dinner Dance, The Addison Centre, Kempston, Bedford. MK42 8PN Contact: Maureen Mathie West Barn, Parkside, Milton Ernest, Beds. MK44 1RG Secretary@bedscotsec.org.uk Charity Pub Quiz The Swan, Bridge End, Bromham, Beds. MK43 8LS Contact: Ian Kirk The Beeches, Thurleigh Rd, Milton Ernest, Beds. MK44 1RF iankirk442@gmail.com Pub Skittles The Polhill Arms, Renhold, Bedford. MK41 0JP Contact: Ian Kirk The Beeches, Thurleigh Rd, Milton Ernest, Beds. MK44 1RF iankirk442@gmail.com Annual General Meeting Putnoe Heights Church & Community Centre, Bedford. MK41 8EB Contact: Maureen Mathie West Barn, Parkside, Milton Ernest, Beds. MK44 1RG secretary@bedscotsoc.org.uk *See Flyer attached/website Details will be posted on our website www.bedscotsoc.org.uk 10
Have you had a look at the Society s website lately? It might be worth a visit as you will see that the website has been given a facelift and is being updated regularly with information about forthcoming and past events. Not everything has been transferred over from the old website yet but that version is still available via a link at the bottom of every page on the site. There is also a Facebook page that will list the events and gives members an opportunity to communicate online. There is a handy link at the foot of each page on the website. Kevin Watters is looking after the website but it takes time to pull it all together and we want to make it as useful as possible for members so Kevin welcomes any feedback and ideas about anything that you would like to see included. One of the handy new features is that you can reserve places at events by completing an online form on the pages advertising the events. This will ensure that your request gets through to the right place. Unfortunately, there is no means to pay for events at this stage as the Society s bank fees would be increased significantly to accommodate that functionality. Go and have a look now and see what you think by visiting www.bedscotsoc.org.uk If you have previously created a bookmark to the old site, you may find that it no longer works as the address in the background has changed subtly. If that is the case, delete the old bookmark and create a new one. Scots Society of St Andrew Bedford Contacts: President: Ian Kirk iankirk442@gmail.com Treasurer: John Thompson Treasurer@bedscotsoc.org.uk Secretary: Maureen Mathie Secretary@bedscotsoc.org.uk