Friday 29 May 2020

Earlston Rugby Football Club in Times Past

Earlston Rugby Club is the focus here in our new  series looking at 
Local Clubs and Societies
Its History
The Club is thought to have been formed in the 1870s by two Yorkshiremen who were installing machinery in the local woollen mill.  

One  of their first games was against Kelso in 1876,   the result being a draw. On 7 March 1879, Earlston played Kelso  in one of the first matches staged under electric floodlights. The Club also played in the first Melrose Sevens  in 1883. 



Earlston Rugby Football Team, 1876


In the early years the Club's pitch was located at the Georgefield Road close to where the school pitches are today. In 1921 the present pitch at the Haugh  was leased from A. Brownlie, Timber Merchants. Two years later the first Clubhouse was erected. 



During the Second World War,  the rugby pitch and clubhouse were requisitioned by the military.  One third of the pitch was dug out and concrete laid to make a "hull down" park for the tanks of the Polish Division stationed in the area,  preparing for D. Day. 

In  1968 the clubhouse was extended  with further major work carried out in 1988

************

Earlston Rugby Football Team, 1932 

Press Reports from:   Southern Reporter, 22nd August  1935
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
At the annual general meeting ol Earlston Rugby Club Mr John Weatherston (president) occupied the chair. The treasurer submitted a financial statement for the past season, which showed a credit balance of £5 7s 1d- The office -bearers elected were : President, Mr John Weatherston; vice-president, Mr R. Geggie;  secretary, Mr D. W. Denham; treasurer, Mr G. D. White; captain, D. D Fleming;       vice-captain, D. W Denham.  Messrs J. L. Turnbull and J. W. Tail, the retiring secretary and treasurer, were cordially thanked for their excellent services to the Club for several years.  Mr John Rutherford, who retired from the Committee, was also thanked for services rendered.

A HANDSOME SILVER CUP
Patrons and friends, including Earlstonians abroad, have generously subscribed a substantial amount to a fund which will enable the Club to purchase a handsome silver cup for competition at their annual September seven-a-side sports. It was decided to name the cup Earlston Rugby Football Challenge Cup, and that it would be competed for on September 7th for the first time.

Press Report From:  Berwickshire News:  2nd October 1951
MATCH PLAYED SATURDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 1951: 
EARLSTON 8, KIRKCALDY 6
"Earlston Rugby XV had Kirkcaldy as visitors to Earlston. Earlston attacked early on but Clark, Kirkcaldy full back, brought relief with long kick to touch. L. Wilson, Earlston centre, made a great break through, but knocked-on. McLeod, Kirkcaldy half, sent his threes away but Weatherley, Earlston full back, made a great tackle and prevented a score. Kirkcaldy were awarded a free kick and Hamblin, narrowly missed. After a great run Falconer was crash-tackled near the line.
Earlston continued to press and Clark fielding a long ball was nearing Earlston line when he made an effort to pass J. Cowe, who, however, grassed him. Earlston forwards broke away, ably led by G. Wilson, hooker and captain of the team, from a loose rush R. Bell scored. Reid goaled from an easy position, shortly before the half-time whistle blew.

On resuming, Kirkcaldy attacked and from a scrum the ball went to Hamblin, who raced over to score.  The same player failed to convert.   Earlston defence were under pressure for a time, but L. Wilson and J. Weatherly brought relief with good touch kicking. J. Rutherford, Earlston winger, broke away and was going all out for the line, but Clark tackled him.  Earlston threequarters again attacked, but Clark again averted a score.  Reid, the drop goal opportunist, dropped a lovely goal for Earlston.  Nearing full time Kirkcaldy scored another try through McLeod.  Hamblin failed with the kick from an easy position. 


Result: Earlston. one goal, one dropped goal (8 points); Kirkcaldy, two tries (6 points).
Earlston team was: —J. Weatherly; J. Rutherford, W. Falconer. L. Wilson, and A. Dickinson: E. Reid and M. Whiteford; R. Bell, G. Wilson, J. Cowe, W. Kerr, J. Wilson, W. Sheridan, D. Mundell, and R. McQuillin."






Earlston Rugby Football Team 1960



Earlston Rugby Football Team at Biggar 1984 after winning a League title. 

Sources


    Contributors:  James McQuillin and Susan Donaldson of the Auld Earlston Group. 


**************



Saturday 16 May 2020

Earlston Orchestral Party

Did you know that Earlston once had its own orchestra - 
known as the Earlston Orchestral Party?


"Earlston Clubs and Societies" was the intended theme of our 2020 exhibition - postponed  of course because of the Corona Virus.  Earlston Orchestral Party was  just one of these groups that residents could enjoy in times past.

So here as a taster for hopefully  next year,  when we will be featuring  items on all kinds of local organisations - sporting, social, youth, musical, dramatic, educational etc.  - including  some you may never have heard of.

Earlston Orchestra in Concert, 1898

The earliest reference found in the local press to the Orchestral Party (sometimes called Orchestral Society) was in “The Southern Reporter“: 28th October 1886. The occasion was a concert and dance, organised by Earlston Street Lighting Committee to raise funds to provide winter street lighting in the village. After the concert part of the evening, dancing 

 Southern Reporter:  28th October 1886

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, local newspapers regularly reported on the activities of the orchestra.  Chief conductor was Mr. Samuel Fisher, with Miss May Smith and Miss Betty Kerr taking on the role as deputies.
 

1902 – At the church choir social evening, “The Orchestral Party discoursed excellent music throughout the evening, which was spent in singing, reciting and dancing." "(Berwickshire News: 4th March 1902. 

1903 - The Southern Reporter: 23rd April referred to a presentation of a handsome silver mounted ebony walking stick, suitably inscribed,  made to Mr. Bertie Smith on his moving away from the village. He was 
“made the recipient of a handsome gift from the Earlston Orchestral Society of which he had been a member since its inception and in appreciation of his services as Orchestral Accompanist.”
1906 - The Berwickshire News:  17th July gave a fulsome report on another presentation to a founder member, when Samuel Fisher, conductor,  entertained members of the society to tea, after which   a presentation was made of a silver cake basket  to Miss Ethel S. Younger on the occasion of her forthcoming marriage. Mr Fisher referred to her:
"great musical gifts, zeal and enthusiasm for her studies as a violinist and the valuable support she had always given the orchestra in their public engagements, in which she uniformly acquitted herself with the utmost credit".
 
During the First World War, the Orchestral Party was a regular participant in fund raising concerts, held to provide Christmas gifts to serving soldiers; to assist the War Relief Fund; and for the War Comforts Fund under the banner “Under the Flag of Britain” in a programme of patriotic music, with the plaudits:

The Earlston Orchestra gained fresh laurels from the high standard of excellence reached by its members”. (Berwickshire News: 7th December 1915)

The 1920s marked a busy time for the orchestra. Events included playing  at Carolside in aid of the Scottish War Memorial Church [at Edinburgh Castle]; at a major two-day Masonic Bazaar;  and at Earlston Horticultural Show where the:
 "The pleasure 


During the decade, other performances were given at a Golf Club gift sale;   a concert at the Earlston Lodge of Good Templars;  a WRI sale of work where the orchestral played "in a tasteful and effective style"; at a lecture on "A Month in Sunny Italy" held at Ercildoune Church Young Men's Club,  and at a Kinderspiel (children's play) to raise money for the  children's excursion fund.


A Kinderspiel Concert in Earlston  - undated. 


In the 1930s only two appearances of the orchestra were noted in the local press - in a concert with Earlston Dramatic Society and at a concert in aid of the  church hall renovation. 

Conductor Samuel Fisher died 8th May 1938 aged 75, buried in Earlston Churchyard.

                                                                 ***********
POSTSCRIPT
An obituary paid tribute to Mr Adam Hewitt as “one of the prime movers and founders, along with the late Mr. Samuel Fisher of Earlston Orchestral Society, now alas!  defunct.” (The Southern Reporter: 29th May 1941).


In the same year, an obituary of Mr David Hogg, a handloom weaver, noted that “he was the last of the original founders of Earlston Orchestral Party among whom he played the double bass for a long period" (The Berwickshire News: 2nd. September 1941). 


But with the death of Samuel Fisher, 
 this once showcase of Earlston musical talent appeared to come to an end. 


SOURCE
British Newspapers 1710-1963 on FindMyPast


Contributor:  Susan Donaldson of the Auld Earlston Group  

 **********





Tuesday 5 May 2020

Five Years of the Auld Earlston Blog

Working lives, shops & shopping, leisure activities, clubs & societies, building,  events,  travel & transport,  war & remembrance,   emigrants, local people who have made their mark in some way, newspaper headlines, personal memories,   and Earlston down the decades from the 1790's to the 1950's. 

These are  all topics that have featured on the Auld Earlston blog, first launched five years ago to provide a written record on all aspects of the village's past.                 


Facts and Figures
In the five years,  165 posts have been published  and  the blog has received a total of  115,680 page views, with readers, predictably from:
  • USA 
  •  UK
  • Ireland
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Rest of Europe

     Take a look back at some of the most popular articles over the years:
  
Top Five Posts Ever 
     
Top  Six Posts of the Past Year
 Thank you to all our readers for your continued interest and support.
'************

We would very much like to include  more items from  readers.

Have you come across an interesting story from the past?  
 Why not share memories of  more recent times  with others? 

Contributions are welcome from snippets, to short articles
 (approx. 200 to 1200 words in length)
We can add relevant photographs from our collection. 

Contact us at:     auldearlston@aol.com 

***************