Showing posts with label Clubs & Societies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clubs & Societies. Show all posts

Tuesday 4 August 2020

Earlston Literary & Debating Society

How many readers know there was once a Literary & Debating Society in the village?  Founded in 1913 and  last reported in the press in 1930, it is  the latest organisation to feature on our blog.  

Its Formation.  
On Thursday, January 9, 1913 a group of like-minded villagers gathered in the Corn Exchange Small Hall to consider forming a literary and debating group.

The chairman for the meeting was Mr James R Simpson, who outlined the objective of the meeting.  The Reverend Keith moved that they form a society to be called the Earlston Literary and Debating Society,  which was seconded by Mr J M D Simpson and unanimously agreed.

The group then set about establishing office bearers and the following were elected:  Honorary President Mr D Aitkenhead, President Reverend Keith, Vice-Presidents Reverend Harvie and Mr J R Simpson; Secretary Mr Scott Donaldson and Treasurer Mr R Garrioch.  A Committee of Management was elected and comprised Messers Samuel Fisher, R W Smith and Harry Aikman. After the meeting closed, the Committee met to draw up a constitution and rules.

Who were its Founders? 
The Committee was made up from a broad range of Earlston’s residents, many of   them well known in the community - Daniel Aitkenhead was the  retired schoolmaster and former Kirk Session Clerk;  the Reverend Norman Keith was the parish minister,  while Reverend Robert Harvie was the minister of the United Presbyterian Church; James R Simpson was a designer at the woollen mill, while (William) Scott Donaldson was a butcher at his father’s shop; Robert Garrioch was an accountant at the Earlston branch of the Commercial Bank; Samuel Fisher owned a house painting and decorating business; Robert Smith was a grocer living in Thorn Street and Harry Aitken, who lived on Church Street, was a power loom tuner working at the woollen mill.

The Debates and Lectures
In February, the Society met to hear the first debate and the chosen topic was  “Is civilization better than a state of nature?”. James Simpson took the positive position while Samuel Fisher took the negative.

"The Berwickshire News and General Advertiser" reported the event and noted:

“Both gentlemen delivered most excellent papers, which were very highly appreciated. Thereafter the following gentlemen exercised their powers of ratiocination [critical thinking]  - Messers W R Johnson, J D Aitkenhead for the affirmative and Messers G Aitchison, R W Smith, J M D Simpson and T Oliver of the negative.”
The result was that the affirmative received 11 votes while the negative received 8.

With the Society’s objective to hold debates established, the literary aspect was addressed beginning in December of 1913. Mr William Doughty, Assistant Master at the village public school, presented a paper “The Novel”. In his lecture he traced the rise and development of novels from Samuel Richardson to Henry Fielding and included contemporary novelists. By all accounts his presentation was well received.

Not all meetings were given over to debates or discussing literature. In January 1914 a session was held which would have not been out of place at a Camera Club meeting.

On the second Tuesday of the month Mr John Steedman, manager of the Commercial Bank, gave a lecture entitled “A Summer Cruise to Norway and Denmark”.  His lecture was supported with photographs he had taken on his trip starting onboard the steamer from Leith to Scandinavia. He then described the towns he had visited together with notes on the social, religious and commercial aspects he encountered along the way. The presentation was further embellished by musical selections played by the Earlston Orchestra. Little wonder that the meeting had to be held in the Parish Church Hall. Mr Steedman received a hearty vote of thanks as did Mr Wilkie who acted as lantern operator.

By February, the programme reverted to debates and one which must have divided the loyalties of the audience. The topic was “Does Scotland owe more to Scott than Burns?”, with the note that Earlston has an Ercildoune Burns Society (as do many towns and cities across the world);  but Scott’s home, Abbotsford, is just eight miles from the village and Princes Street in Edinburgh is dominated by the Scott Monument.

Mr William Doughty took to the floor to support the case for Scott. He started with the private lives of both men and declared that Scotland owed nothing to Burns in this regard. Next he addressed Scott’s poetical qualities and claimed that Scott’s work could be placed alongside that of Burns. His strongest argument, he argued, was in Scott’s description of scenery and depiction of character.

Samuel Fisher championed Burns claiming that Burns had reached the hearts of many Scots and had done more to spread the “vernacular throughout the land.” All classes, Fisher argued, had been influenced by the songs of Burns and these same songs had given immortality to those of lowly birth but sterling character.

At the end of the debate and votes were cast, the verdict was in Scott’s favour.

After that meeting there are no newspaper reports until 1928. Presumably the Society did not meet during the years of World War 1 and some of the original members had died or moved on. For example, John Steedman died while on holiday in Arbroath in September 1914.  In 1914, William Doughty who had contributed so much to the Society volunteered for military service, then within months of his return to Earlston in 1919, took up a post at Daniel Stewart’s College in Edinburgh.  Daniel Aitkenhead died in 1922 at the age of 90.

Concern for the Society's Future.
The next mention in the local press is dated September 27, 1928,  when "The Southern Reporter" published an account of a meeting of the Society. Confusingly, the report states:
“The initial meeting of the Earlston Literary and Debating Society was held in the Lesser Exchange Hall with Mr John Weatherston in the chair. There was a better attendance than at the previous meeting and it was agreed to carry on with the existing members.”
This comment suggests that membership of the group was falling.

Regardless, at this meeting the following office-bearers were elected: President Mr John Weatherston; Vice-President Reverend Walter Davidson; Secretary and Treasurer Mr John Turnbull; Committee members Messers Porteous, W Riddell and T Nichol and the Misses Isobel Forsyth and Betty Kerr.

It was agreed that the Committee would develop a programme of subjects for debate and discussion,  with the first being “The League of Nations”  to be given by Mr Wood, Director of Education of Berwickshire Education Authority. It was further agreed that future meetings would be held in the Good Templars Hall.

The programme of topics for debate are as relevant today as they were in the 1920’s and 30’s. In early October the question “Is Scotland Maintaining her Reputation?” was debated by the Reverend Walter Davidson, for the affirmative, and Mr Porteous for the negative (the affirmative won).

Later that month the topic was “Does convention more than reason direct men’s actions?” On this occasion Mr John Turnbull advocated Convention and Mr William Riddell held the brief for Reason. "Reason" won by a considerable majority.

In December two ladies, Miss Hounam and Miss MacKay, debated “The Victorian versus the Modern Woman” with Miss MacKay advocating the Modern Woman which won by a majority of votes.

In 1929 the topics debated included “Is heredity stronger than environment?”. With Miss MacKay advocating the affirmative and Mr William Riddell the negative. When the vote was taken the majority was given to the negative.

In addition to the debates,  lectures were given,  including one by Mr Wood, Director of Education, on “Is the world getting better?”  Mr James Fairbairn of Melrose gave a talk on “The Border Ballads”. The evening before Mr Fairbairn’s lecture, a whist drive was held where eleven tables were occupied. The ladies' winners were Miss Archibald, Mrs Broomfield and Mrs Pauling. The gents' winners were Mr Neil Hollands, Mr R Pauling and Mr T Oliver.

January 1930 saw the  last report  of a  Society meeting,  when Reverend John Gray, of St John’s Church, Earlston delivered a lecture on "The debt we owe to the Seamen." Mr Samuel Fisher, a member of the inaugural 1914 Committee, gave a vote of thanks.

Sadly no more was discovered on Earlston's  Literary and Debating  Society - a group   that once held a place in the village's social and  cultural activities.  


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 Contributed by Jeff Price of the Auld Earlston Group 

An early 20th century postcard of the Corn Exchange with its belfry clock
 - the setting for the first meeting of the Society. 

 

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Saturday 18 July 2020

Earlston Rifle Volunteers


The latest organisation to feature in our series of local  clubs & societies is Earlston Rifle Volunteers - the fore-runners of today's Territorial Army. 

 The Rifle Volunteers setting off for camp in 1907

 The Beginning  
In the 1860’s, volunteer rifle companies were being formed across the country and so, on his return from the Crimean War Mr Mitchell of Carolside decided to establish a Rifle Volunteer Company in Earlston.  Together with Henry Hewatt, an accountant in the village, he set about recruiting villagers and by the end of 1862, 41 men had volunteered.   

The Rifle  Ranges
Although the government had resolved not to accept the services of any volunteer corps after January 1863, the Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire persuaded Lieutenant- Colonel Jones, the Deputy Inspector of Volunteers, to inspect the rifle range of the proposed corps. The tenant of the Park Farm, Mr Weatherly, had granted the use of ground for a rifle range.


The ground, with the rifle butts on the south side of the White Hill and the targets and flag pole at the bottom of the Black Hill, provided a range of about 900 yards.  The range impressed Lieutenant-Colonel Jones and permission was granted to establish the Earlston Rifle Volunteers. And so on June 5th, 1863 the Earlston Rifle Volunteers (the 6th Berwickshire) was officially formed.  

Meantime a second, short, range was established on the “Early Haugh” on land owned by Lord Haddington on the banks of the Leader river closer to the village.


Ordnance Survey Map - Roxburghshire NIV 1924, 



Mr Mitchell, now Captain Mitchell, accepted the office of commanding officer of the Company. He appointed as his subalterns Lieutenant James Smail and Ensign Wilson. For his drill instructor,  Mitchell chose Sergeant Charles Wilson who had served 21 years in the 42nd Royal Highlanders, the Black Watch, and had seen service in the Crimea and the Indian Rebellion.



First Parade and Uniforms
The following year, 1864, saw the first parade of the Volunteers.  The uniforms were
described as scarlet tunics with scarlet cuffs and collar, black braid all round, an Austrian knot, and for officers four “fern leaves” in black embroidery on the breast, dark grey trousers with 1¼ inch scarlet stripes, dark grey shakos with red band, black piping, the Royal Arms in front, and light green ostrich feather plume (cock’s feathers for officers) and brown waist and pouch belts.



Captain Mitchell commissioned three village tailors, Messers Leslie, Inglis and Clendinnen to make the uniforms and Mr William Robertson, saddler, was commissioned to make the belts and pouches.


From “Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force 1859-1908” by Major-General J M Grierson.  Published by William Blackwood & Son 1909.


 
The   appearance of the corps and the pomp and circumstance of the occasion. After a dusty march back to the village the men gave a hearty three cheers to the Queen before being dismissed and treated to ale and biscuits, courtesy of Mr Leslie.


Ladies' Challenge Cup 

 On New Year’s Day 1866 a rifle competition was held at the Black Hill range which was to become an annual event.  Later in the year it was proposed that the ladies of the town and neighbourhood would subscribe for a silver cup named The Ladies’ Challenge Cup, to be competed for at Earlston and open to the Berwickshire Battalion.


The Ladies' Challenge Cup, courtesy of Mrs Bunty Mason  






The cup is inscribed “Presented to the 6th BRV by the Ladies of Earlston & neighbourhood 1866”. On the opposite side of the cup two volunteers are depicted, one in a kneeling firing position and the second is reloading his musket. The range flag pole is also shown. The first competition for the cup was held at the Early Haugh in October 1866 with every company except Chirnside taking part. The rules were such that should any marksman win the cup twice he was entitled to keep it and that honour fell to Sergeant John Burrell at the competition held on the Black Hill range in July 1893. The base of the Cup was inscribed “Won by Sergeant John Burrell 1893”.



Sergeant Burrell was something of a marksman since he won a number of prizes including the New Year’s Day competition in 1908 where the Tom Scott’s watercolour “Rhymer’s Tower” was the first prize.


  1908 Prize - Rhymer’s Tower by Tom Scott RSA, courtesy of Bunty Mason


Reorganisation 
In the  1870’s the British government started to reform the army to better organise home and foreign garrisons and incorporate the volunteer forces. As part of this restructuring, the Earlston Volunteers were consolidated into the Berwickshire Rifle Volunteers, forming Earlston F Company in 1880.



Royal Review 

1881 would be the 21st anniversary of the volunteer company movement and it was decided to celebrate the occasion at the Royal Review in Edinburgh with “the grandest parade Edinburgh had ever witnessed.”  On Thursday, October 25 that year, Queen Victoria and her entourage attended the event  at Queen’s Park, now Holyrood Park, where, 21 years before, the newly created volunteer forces had paraded before her.

The day was deemed to be a great success -  except for the weather which dumped 3 inches of rain over 24 hours. Undeterred, the population of Edinburgh was swelled with over 400,000 spectators keen to watch the spectacle from any vantage point with Arthur’s Seat being particularly popular. Over 40,000 troops including men from the Earlston Company took part, churning the Park into ankle deep mud.


"The Wet Review" by William Baird
 

Further Reviews
Another review were held in 1905 in front of King Edward VII and on August 29 1931, the fiftieth anniversary of the “Wet Review”  was held when 1,600 veterans marched past the Mound. During the Second World War, on August 29, 1941, 200 veterans of the “Wet Review” marched past the review stands in front of the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. 
 
Earlston’s last veteran of the original “Wet Review”, George Hunter, who lived at The Terrace, died in May 1944 aged 85.


In 1884, the Berwickshire Volunteers were briefly affiliated with the Royal Scots and adopted their uniform, then in 1887 they were transferred to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers forming the 2nd Volunteer Battalion to be commanded by Colonel Hope of Cowdenknowes. In 1900 the uniform helmet was replaced with the glengarry with the familiar diced border and the trews were now Leslie tartan.

Earlston volunteers served in the Second Boer War (1900-1902) and when Robert Young and John Maltman returned to the village in 1902 they received a heroes' welcome. School children were given the day off to meet the men at the railway station. Even the mill workers at the tweed mill were given an hour off work to join in the celebrations.  Off to Camp - Report in the "Southern Reporter":  18th July 1907.





In 1908, the Volunteers Force merged with other militia and yeomanry companies to form the Territorial Force. Earlston men would form D Company 4th Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borders. That same year the Berwickshire Volunteers would attend their annual camp outside Gordon.




The men from Earlston would serve with distinction during the First World War, especially during the Achi Baba Nullah attack in Gallipoli.


After the First World War there was another restructuring of the military and the Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army.



In Earlston, in 1923, and after almost ninety years, the final competition was held at the Earlston Rifle Volunteers Black Hill range. Fittingly participants included old Volunteers, Territorials and ex-Servicemen.


Contributed by Jeff Price of the Auld Earlston Group 


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