Curling references in old newspapers

Newspapers are a very important historical source. They include snippets of information about the doings and achievements of ordinary people in their day to day lives, and also the less characteristic and out of the ordinary doings of the great. One of the problems about newspapers has been that until the internet age it has been necessary to travel to the library or archive which houses the run of newspaper which you wish to search. The other is the sheer volume of newsprint.

When large libraries – either alone or in conjunction with other libraries – put entire newspaper collections online the burden is amazingly reduced, for one can use the appointed search engine and be almost certain to find all the references for which one is looking. The reduction in fatigue and eyestrain is immense.

I was therefore exceedingly pleased to discover that recently the British Library has put online its collection of nineteenth century newspapers. Among these are to be found The Caledonian Mercury, an Edinburgh paper, and the Glasgow Herald, both of which might be expected to contain material on curling. And so it proved to be.

I have selected a few of the 'hits' to illustrate the width of material that can be found.

The first report tells of an interesting game taken on by members of the Duddingston Curling Society, and the editor goes on to sing the praises of the National Game of Scotland.

1809, 21 Jan., Caledonian Mercury.
“CURLING.- Upon Thursday the 19th instant, a BONSPEL was played, on Duddingstone Loch, between eight officers of the Dumfries-shire Regiment of Militia, and eight members of the Duddingstone Curling Society. The players were divided into two RINKS, and, after a well-disputed contest, victory was declared in favour of the Gentlemen of the Society.

The game of Curling was first invented in Scotland, and has long been peculiar to that country, in many parts of which it is practised with the greatest ardour, nor is the partiality for this National Game without a reasonable foundation, for it believed, that there are few versant with it, and at the same time with the other games and sports of this country, as well as with these of our sister kingdom, who will not admit, that in point of variety of the judgment, dexterity, and exertion required, the interest, or rather the enthusiasm excited, it surpasses them all.

The motto adopted by the Duddingstone Curling Society, is therefore just and appropriate.- The members wear a silver medal, upon which are represented Duddingstone Loch frozen, where a party of curlers are at play, the old parish Church, Arthur’s Seat, &c. in the background. The motto is Sic Scoti; alii non aeque felices.” The motto, loosely translated from the Latin is, “This is the way the Scots play: the rest of the world is not equally lucky.”

The medal, or badge, of the Duddingston Curling Society, struck in 1802 and worn by members 'to distinguish them from any other gentleman'.

A few miles to the south of the capital and a few years later the curlers of Peebles were displaying the same enthusiasm for the game, not to mention the hardiness of the Scot.

1814, 7 February, Caledonian Mercury.
“CURLERS AT PEEBLES.- Five rinks, consisting nearly of eighty, met on the Tweed on the 2d curt. And after anxiously contesting the game, they dined on the ice, beneath the bridge, on the standard dish of beef and greens, served up from the Tontine. Many patriotic and curling toasts were given by the Provost in the chair, and others, in presence of upwards of 2000 spectators. The bagpipe and merry reels closed the icy scene, and the part proceeded to the Tontine, and spent the evening in the true curling style.”

Dundee Curling Club celebrated its bicentenary in the year 2000, although in the history published to mark the event it was conceded that there was no written minute until 1840. I wonder if the report below means that the curlers of Dundee were a bit premature.

1820, 22 Jan., Caledonian Mercury.
“On Tuesday last the Dundee Curling Club was constituted in due form – Mr William Bisset of Forebank, Preses of the Club, in the chair. Mr Bisset was on the ice in 1740, and partook of an ox roasted, on the Tay, during that memorable season; and, although now within a month of eighty-six years of age, he has played almost every day during this winter with all the hilarity, vigour, and skill of the youngest and most expert curler.”

It was a great thrill to come across the next passage for the medal still exists and still belongs to the curlers of the parish of Morton, of which the main village is Thornhill to the south of Sanquhar. I have had the privilege of borrowing it, and I have pictured winners proudly strutting around the parish with this small, unsophisticated proof of their skill on a ribbon around their necks.

1816, 26 February, Caledonian Mercury.
“On Tuesday the 30th of January, the curlers of Morton met on Drumcork loch, to play for a silver medal, presented to them by Mr John Fingland. The ice being uncommonly fine, a very great number of competitors were present. The rinks were marked out and tickets drawn, when one of the finest displays of skill in curling took place ever witnessed in that neighbourhood. It was not until after several were matched a second time, that the Committee, which was chosen, of experienced curlers, could award the prize, which they at last did to Mr W. Ferguson, Thornhill.”

The very medal!

1820, 22 Jan., Caledonian Mercury.
“On Tuesday last the Dundee Curling Club was constituted in due form – Mr William Bisset of Forebank, Preses of the Club, in the chair. Mr Bisset was on the ice in 1740, and partook of an ox roasted, on the Tay, during that memorable season; and, although now within a month of eighty-six years of age, he has played almost every day during this winter with all the hilarity, vigour, and skill of the youngest and most expert curler.”

In the early part of the nineteenth century most curling took place in late December, January and February. The report below is indeed remarkable as it records a bonspiel taking place on the last day of October. The agricultural comment puts it properly into context.

1836, 5 Nov., Caledonian Mercury.
“It is a remarkable circumstance in the annals of curling that on Monday 31st October a bonspiel was played on the pond at Garvald House between the Dolphinston and Garvald players. The pond is five feet deep, and the ice was excellent. There is still nearly one half of the oats in that neighbourhood to cut, and almost the whole potatoes to dig.”

The next pair of excerpts speak for themselves of a different age.

1847, 20 Jan., The Scotsman.
“ROYAL LUNATIC ASYLUM, MORNINGSIDE.- CURLING.- The inmates of this asylum have recently formed an artificial pond in the grounds, and instituted a curling club amongst themselves; and, through the kindness of the Duddingston and Merchiston clubs, who have presented them with a number of curling stones, these unfortunates are now occasionally enjoying the pleasures of this exhilarating and ancient game.”

1848, 7 Feb., Caledonian Mercury.
“CURIOUS CURLING CHALLENGE.- On Monday last, the inmates of Morningside, through their medical superintendent, Dr Skae, sent a challenge to the Merchiston Curling Club, four against four, either on their pond at Morningside, or any other. Four respectable citizens kindly agreed to humour the lunatics, and play them on their own pond; for which purpose their ‘channel stanes’ were sent out in a cart on Tuesday, but unfortunately John Frost had by that time taken his leave, and the ice was covered with water. Dr Skae’s patients comfort themselves by hoping that “there is a good time coming.”

One of the ways in which curlers could extend the number of curling days was by using rinks made on the Cairnie principle. Another was to substitute something different – indoors and on a much smaller scale. This was the 'curling table' or 'summer ice table'.

The Glasgow Herald, which in the first four decades of the century did not appear to take much interest in the National Game began from 1840 onwards to include lots of 'curliana' – results of matches, advertisements and curious snippets.

For example, the issue of 28 October 1850 contained an advert by Andrew Galloway of 105 Hope Street, Glasgow, which proclaimed:
“The subscriber begs to announce that he has lately introduced an EXCELLENT SUBSTITUTE for ICE, whereby the NATIONAL GAME of CURLING may be enjoyed within doors. It consists of a handsome Mahogany Table, resembling a Billiard Table in form, having a surface of perfect smoothness for the Curling Stones to glide over, and capable of being adjusted by screws to the greatest nicety of level. The style in which the apparatus is finished is such as to render it an ornamental piece of Furniture, suitable for any Mansion.

The Subscriber has furnished his Curling Tables to many Noblemen and Gentlemen, all of whom speak in the highest terms of the excellency of the invention, and of the agreeable exercise and amusement thereby afforded.

A Curling Table in operation, and numerous references may be seen at the Subscriber’s Cabinet and Upholstery Warehouse.
ANDREW Galloway.
105 Hope Street,
Glasgow, 23d October, 1850.”

It was not long before the possibilities were being exploited. In the Herald of 13 December 1850 Messrs. Pattison & Co., announced the opening of their “Magnificent SALOON” in Brunswick Place/ Trongate where patrons could enjoy “GAMES of AMERICAN BOWLING, CURLING, BOWLING, CHESS, DRAUGHTS AND BAGATELLE,” though NO BETTING ALLOWED.

Of the Curling Table they said: “[It] is furnished by Mr. Galloway, of Hope Street, and is one of the finest he has ever produced – being four feet longer than the one built for Eglinton Castle.”

Watercolour sketch by Jemima Wedderburn of a house party of the Earl of Selkirk playing at summer ice.

David B Smith

An Sguabag Bhealaidh

At page 228 of his monumental history the Rev. John Kerr prints without introduction or discussion or translation seven verses of a Gaelic song by Paul Cameron of Blair Atholl.

Curling has never been an integral part of Gaelic culture and for long I wondered what the poem was about. Many years ago I asked Duncan McRae, RCCC Council member and law agent in Stirling, and native Gaelic speaker, if he would translate it for me, for the Gaelic is not much at me.

I recently came across his version, which he had entitled 'A Curling Ditty', although I could see with my very little Gaelic and my big Gaelic dictionary that the poet had called it 'The Little Broom'.

A search of the RCCC Annuals for the 1880s showed that a Paul Cameron was a member of the large Dunkeld Curling Club, as was the Duke of Atholl.

Curiously while I was working at a version of the poem in both languages a lady from Carrbridge got in touch by email. She was putting together a page of Gaelic terms used in curling and she had based her work on Paul Cameron’s poem. She wondered if I was able to help.

Here’s the McRae version.

Seisd. ‘S i mo luaidh an sguabag bhealaidh,
Chuireas snuadh an graidh nan fearibh,
‘S i mo luaidh an sguabag bhealaidh,
‘S alag mhear nan cuairteag.

Chorus. My favourite is the little broom
Putting colour into men’s cheeks;
My favourite is the little broom
And the lively effort of the circles.

Ged thig oirnne reoth’ ‘us gaillionn,
Chuireas groiceannaich do’n teallach
Theid na crolaich mach le farum
Thun a chath bu dual daibh.

Although frost and tempest may come upon us
Drawing ordinary men to their fire-places
The curlers venture forth merrily
To the battle as was their wont.

Gur e ‘n croladh gaol nam bairean,
Bheireas cail ‘us ceol ‘us carthan,
Slainte cre ‘us speiread aigne
Nach bi lag no truaillte.

Curling is the best loved of games
Providing strength, music and friendship,
A healthy heart and vigorous disposition
Which is neither weak nor defiled.

Thig an t-aodhair thig am baran,
Thig an t-aosda thig an gallan,
Dh’ ionnsuidh eire ghlas na carraid,
‘Togas tlachd mu ‘n cuairt di.

The farm workers will come and the lairds also,
The elderly will come and so will the young
Towards the grey ice of the contest
Giving pleasure to all the surroundings.

“Sios am bacan”, cluinn an sgiopair.
“Seol dhomh clach ri taobh na bioraid”.
Sid air falbh, an eiteag bhinneach,
‘S i air chrith ‘na gluasad.

Drop the “bottle” says the skip.
“Aim a stone beside the tee”.
Away goes the light stone
Shaking as it runs.

‘S ann an sin tha ’n horo-gheallaidh,
Ga toirt suas thar Sgor-na-caillich,
Rang a daimh le stri ga faire,
‘S laigh i ‘m barr na cuairteig.

Then there is great excitement
Echoing across Sgor na caillich,
The teams contesting vigorously
The stone lying on the edge of the circle.

Eadar “togail” agus “dionadh”,
“Sgram an geard” no “sgaile a cliathach”,
Cha ‘n ‘eil sean no og nach miannaich,
Bhi fo riar do bhuareis.

Between “raising” and “guarding”
“Wipe off the guard” or “strike out the shot”
Both old and young earnestly desire success,
All are thrilled by the excitement.

‘S lionar cuach de dh’fhuarag Adhal,
Nitear ol do Bhrod Dhunchaillion,
Bhuaidh ‘us cliu do’n Diuc tha again,
Sar chul-taic na sguabaig.

A cup is filled with Atholl Brose,
The toast is to the Brod of Dunkeld,
Victory and fame to the Duke,
Excellent supporter of the broom.

Seisd. ‘S i mo luaidh an sguabag bhealaidh,
Chuireas snuadh an graidh nan fearibh,
‘S i mo luaidh an sguabag bhealaidh,
‘S alag mhear nan cuairteag.

Chorus. My favourite is the little broom
Putting colour into men’s cheeks;
My favourite is the little broom
And the lively effort of the circles.

David B Smith, Troon, Scotland.
Daibhidh Mac a’ Ghobhainn, ann an t-Sron, Alba.

Silver Broom has a home

In July last year, we asked (see here) if anyone knew the whereabouts of the Silver Broom, the trophy that was awarded to the winners of the Air Canada Silver Broom World Curling Championship, last played for in 1985. Nobody responded to our plea, but this week a sharp-eyed follower of this blog pointed us to an article in the Winnipeg Free Press, by Paul Wiecek.

The Silver Broom has been found, and has pride of place at the Winnipeg Granite Club! Here are extracts from Wiecek's story (the link is above, but just in case that disappears......)

Broom finds a home
Abandoned for years, curling's rescued trophy now sits in honour at the Granite
Paul Wiecek 6/12/200

It took the long way home. The very long way.

But 23 years after it was retired, one of curling's most iconic symbols -- the Air Canada Silver Broom trophy -- has finally found a dignified resting place right here in the city whose curlers won it three times.

The circuitous route that the trophy took to get here -- and the discovery of a fraternal twin in a tiny club in Switzerland -- is a story of a famous trophy forgotten then rediscovered, and the perseverance of one Winnipeg man in rescuing what was once the ultimate prize in all of curling.

"It had basically been sitting for about 14 years collecting dust in an Air Canada warehouse," says Jamie Hay, who used to work for the airline. "I figured that's no place for it... And so now it's here at the Granite (curling club), because I couldn't think of a better place than that."

Hay's long and twisting relationship with the Silver Broom begins in 1994. Some friends of his were playing in a bonspiel in Switzerland when they walked into the curling club's lounge and saw the Silver Broom trophy hanging on the wall.

They took a picture of their discovery and related the story to Hay, who filed it away in the back of his mind as a bit of an oddity.

And that's where the thought stayed until 1998, when an Air Canada vice-president told Hay that the company was thinking about starting a museum and was trying to reacquire its memorabilia. Hay told the VP of his friend's discovery in Switzerland and urged the airline to try and reacquire the trophy.

It was left at that until six months later, when the VP's assistant called Hay to inform him that the trophy had been discovered in a Montreal warehouse.

Hay wondered how the trophy somehow transported itself from Switzerland to Montreal. And he didn't hesitate to answer when the assistant asked Hay what she should do with the trophy, the museum plans apparently shelved. "Send it to me," Hay said.

A couple of days later, a huge crate arrived in Winnipeg. When Hay opened it, he was shocked to discover a massive wooden trophy with a silver broom attached, but which didn't look anything like the one in Switzerland that he'd seen the photo of.

It turns out that there were actually two Silver Broom trophies. Both had a silver broom that detached from its base, but the bases were different -- the one in Switzerland, which was awarded from 1968-78 was a plaque, but the one Hay was looking at, which was awarded from 1979-85 and was designed by a Canadian artist, was a massive piece of carved walnut.

(The trophy) has been to Calgary for the Canadian senior curling championships and it's been to an Air Canada bonspiel in Saskatoon. It spent a winter being displayed at the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame at the downtown Bay and it spent two winters at the Fort William Curling Club, home of the man who last won it in 1985 -- Al Hackner.

And then last spring, Hay, a former president of the Granite Curling Club, hatched a plan with some fellow club members to put the trophy on display at Canada's oldest curling club.

A beautiful oak case was built by club member Don Supeene and the trophy was put on display in the club's second-floor dining room, sharing space with the club's almost-as-famous massive fireplace.

Don Duguid, who won the Silver Broom in 1970 and 1971, says it's the perfect resting place for a piece of curling history. "Where else would you put it?" Duguid asks. "It's the Mother Club and that trophy belongs there. It's a great spot."

Orest Meleschuk, who made it three world championships in a row for Winnipeg by winning the Silver Broom in 1972, says Hay deserves full credit for rescuing the trophy before Air Canada got into financial trouble a few years ago. "If Jamie hadn't found it, it could have ended up anywhere. Who knows -- it might have ended up at auction."

In the long run, Hay has a more ambitious plan for the trophy. Two ambitious plans, actually. "My opinion is that this thing should be sitting in the Canadian curling hall of fame... or it could be used as the championship trophy again. But there isn't a Canadian hall, and they're using another trophy right now at the worlds.

"So what do we do with it? The Granite seemed like a good place until we figure that out."

The Winnipeg Free Press photo shows L-R Derek Hay, Eric Guy, Don Supeene and Jamie Hay with the Silver Broom.

Memories of Crossmyloof

My curling career started at Crossmyloof Ice Rink in the early 1960s when I was a pupil at Hutchesons' Grammar School, just across the road. This photo was taken from Crossmyloof station. The rink closed in the late 80s and the site is now a supermarket. (Photo from this wonderful RAILSCOT Intranet site here)

The first rink at Crossmyloof opened on October 1, 1907, the enterprise of a few Glasgow businessmen. It could accommodate six rinks for curling, and was the first place in Scotland where curling could be enjoyed when it was not cold enough for outside play. This proved to be extemely useful when the Canadians visited in 1909 for the Stathcona Cup matches, see here.
This pic is from an old postcard of the 'Skating and Curling Pavilion, Crossmyloof', and shows the bandstand in the centre of the rink!

Curling in 1907. Pic from a Royal Caledonian Curling Club Annual.
The rink closed at the end of the first world war and was purchased by William Beardmore and Company Ltd, to be used for the manufacture of aero engines. In 1929, a new rink was opened on the Crossmyloof site by the Scottish Ice Rink Company. Some of the walls of the old building were used in the construction of the new arena, which was somewhat bigger than the old. In the 1930s, a seven sheet curling rink was added to the complex, and then in 1961, a further four sheets were added for curling.

This is on the main seven sheet curling rink at Crossmyloof sometime in the early 1960s. The curlers in the centre are playing with the Alley Club on a Saturday morning. The player to the rear, in the cardigan, is Peter Cowan. (From Bob's collection)

This photo was taken in the four sheet annex, and shows Glasgow Ladies CC at play. The pic is from the Club's archives. The pipes ran across the sheets rather than lengthways and were plastic, the first time these had been used anywhere in Europe.

This is a view of the inside of the main arena, with skaters, and curling circles. Date (and source) unknown.

This is curling in the main arena, again date (and source) unknown. In the 1960s, on certain evenings, all the ice at the Crossmyloof complex was in use for curling, seventeen sheets in all.

Now, the next three pics are something of a puzzle. They show young people at play on the main curling rink, before the bar which overlooked the ice, was built. What was the occasion? It could well have been the first inter-school match between Hutchesons' Grammar and George Watson's in Edinburgh which took place in December 1961. Information would be welcome. Anyone recognise anybody?


Note the spectators in the 'hot house'.

There are other photos of curling at Crossmyloof on the SCRAN site here. I would be pleased to learn if anyone reading this has others. I would also like to be able to correctly credit those pics whose source is not indicated.

Ramsay

One of the little-sung heroes of Scottish curling history is the Rev. John Ramsay. Like many a man of the cloth he was a keen curler. He joined the famous Duddingston Curling Society in 1808 at the age of 30, but it was publication – anonymously – of An Account of the Game of Curling by a Member of the Duddingston Curling Society that entitles him to a place in the pantheon of Scottish curling.

An Account was, of course, the first printed account of the history and present practice of the game. In it Ramsay proposed for the first time in print the idea that curling had come to Scotland from the Low Countries, but he also firmly placed it in the culture of Scotland of his day.

Ramsay was born in Carstairs in Lanarkshire and went to the University of Edinburgh where he studied Arts and Divinity. Before he got a charge of his own he made ends meet by being a private tutor, co-founder with Sir David Brewster, a fellow student, of The Edinburgh Encyclopedia, editor of and contributor to The Scots Magazine, and after 1805 successively assistant minister to the Rev. George Husband Baird, Principal of the University and minister of the High Kirk, assistant to Sir Henry Welwood Moncreiff of St Cuthbert’s and assistant to Dr Moodie of the Tron Kirk. Principal Baird a member of the Duddingston Society. In 1812 he was called as assistant to the parish kirk of Ormiston, East Lothian, where he speedily succeeded to the ministership on the death of the incumbent. After twenty one years he was called to Gladsmuir and spent the rest of his life in the ministry of that East Lothian parish.

While Ramsay was a member of Duddingston he not only was elected one of the committee to devise the Gold Medal but also wrote his Account and participated in all the usual curling activities. The Duddingston Bet Book shows him joining in challenges by members from Lanarkshire against members from Dumfries and Galloway but joining other clerics to play the lawyers.

When he got to Gladsmuir he was in at the foundation of the curling club there and from 1836 until 1841 was the new club’s president. One of his first acts was to propose that the club “should procure a silver Medal to be worn for the Season by the winner.” He remained a member until, it appears, he resigned the presidency and membership in 1841. What caused the separation of the club and the minister is not known, but for the last thirty years of his life the minute book is silent about him; and even his death went unnoticed.

His parishioners, however, did erect after his death in 1871 a plain, dignified stone above his grave in the kirkyard at Gladsmuir.

During the just-finished tour of Scotland by the Canadian curlers, David Affleck, secretary of the East Lothian Province of the RCCC, and the president, Callum Harvey, arranged for a deputation of two of the Canadians, Barry Greenberg and Bruce Beveridge, to join them to lay a wreath in memory of this important man. The wreath was made, appropriately, of evergreen branches of Scots pine and conifer of Canadian origin.

When the Rev. John Kerr wrote of Ramsay in a piece that is printed in The Channel Stane he said, “If any ‘brither curler’ has a day to spare when the summer sun dispels all thoughts of John Frost and the channel-stane, he will find it refreshing to visit the beautiful spot where our historian is laid, and to read the simple inscription on the marble slab above his grave.”

What a good idea!

by David B Smith.

The small volume that is the Account of the Game of Curling by Rev John Ramsay.

Ramsay's headstone at the old Gladsmuir kirk.

A wreath made up of conifer foliage such as the Douglas Fir and Thuya, both native plants in the Canadian west coast, and Scots pine foliage, all collected from Smeaton Lake, a traditional outdoor curling site, was placed at the foot of the Graveyard memorial. L-R: David Affleck, Barry Greenberg, Bruce Beveridge, Callum Harvey.

Pics by Bob Cowan

Curling in the Footsteps of History: Part 1

Robin Copland has written about the Canadian curlers' visit to Scotland in 1909. His booklet, Curling in the Footsteps of History, is reproduced here in four parts.

INTRODUCTION

The pioneering Canadian tour took place in January and February 1909. This important tour set the tone for future tours of Scotland from Canada. Like all tours, true stamina was required of the party – especially at the start of the twentieth century when planes and email were but dreams!

I do hope that you enjoy reading of their exploits while here in Scotland. A fuller version of the whole story is available in the 1910 RCCC Annual and that was my primary source for information. (There is a list of all my sources at the end of Part 4)

Robin Copland

CHAPTER ONE – PLANNING AND PREPARATION

In 1903, after many invitations had been sent and rejected for one reason or another, a hardy party of Scottish curling tourists under the captaincy of the Reverend John M Kerr, toured Canada and the USA during a period of two months in January and February.

Five years later, at the Royal Caledonian Curling Club’s Annual General Meeting in Perth in July 1908, it was “resolved unanimously and enthusiastically to invite a team of Canadians to Scotland and return if possible the hospitality shown by Canada to the curlers from the mother country in the winter of 1902-03”. Although the notice was short for such an undertaking, the invitation was sent out specifically to coincide with Lord Strathcona’s Presidency of the Royal Club, his Lordship being “such a link between Scotland and Canada … and had taken such a keen concern with the advancement of ‘Scotland’s ain game’”.

Sir Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal

When the message was flashed back that Canada cordially accepted the invitation, the news was received with “unmingled delight” in Scotland’s curling communities although some privately feared that the size of the organisational task that lay ahead would perhaps preclude the tour ever taking place. The doubters should not have worried! Within two months a team, with representatives from as far afield as Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Dawson City, Yukon, had been picked and were making plans for their trip – this, mind you, in a time when the phone was a rarity and the only quick way to get a message cross-country was by telegram.

A small committee was put together in Scotland to organise a programme that mixed competitive curling matches with dinners, hospitality and sight-seeing. The programme extended over five weeks. As a sign of the times, it included no curling on any of the six Sabbath days and indeed, Church Services were organised on each of them, including two at Scotland’s great Cathedrals, St Giles in Edinburgh and Glasgow Cathedral in the west.

There was only one covered artificial rink at Crossmyloof in Glasgow. This had been “very kindly placed at the service of the Royal Club in the event of John Frost not having the decency to provide natural outdoor ice for the occasion”. It was just as well and in the event, many of the matches took place in this wondrous new facility on Glasgow’s south side.

CHAPTER TWO – ARRIVAL AT LIVERPOOL AND THE JOURNEY NORTH

Although by this time, trans-Atlantic liners were driven by steam, there was still uncertainty over arrival times depending on the weather. This was specially the case for winter crossings. The Empress of Ireland was thus listed to arrive at Liverpool on either the 15th or 16th of January. Although she enjoyed a capital crossing from Canada, the tide prevented her docking until the morning of the 16th, so the Scottish welcome party that had travelled down to Liverpool on the 15th had to wait a night before welcoming their Canadian brethren to the shores of their ancestry. They passed “a pleasant evening” in the company of members of the Liverpool Curling Club before marching to the dockside in procession behind Pipe-Major Mackay, carrying their besoms high and wearing their Tam o’ Shanters with pride.

Old friendships from the earlier tour were rekindled and the Canadians, sporting their Dominion heather button-holes, welcomed the visiting party onto their ship where a toast was drunk to the success of the tour. A special train transported the party north directly to Edinburgh’s Waverley station. Interestingly, two ladies accompanied their men on the tour, something that would perhaps not be countenanced in these supposedly more enlightened times one hundred years later!

The train was held up for fully an hour by a fall of snow near Newcastleton on the route north. Meantime “the visitors and their friends thoroughly enjoyed themselves … by singing songs, cracking jokes and spinning yarns”!

During the journey north, a calculation was made: the average number of miles travelled by each of the tourists – just in getting to Halifax to join their ship – was 1200. One hardy soul, the cheery Mr McPherson of Dawson City, would travel something like 14000 miles in total over land and sea during the tour. He used various modes of transport from pony and trap to express luxury liner through trains and automobiles!

CHAPTER THREE – ARRIVAL IN EDINBURGH

The welcoming party of Edinburgh curlers had a long wait at the Capital’s Waverley Station due to the blocked line at Newcastleton. It is not recorded how this time was spent, though looking back over a hundred years, one cannot help but wonder if the proximity of the bar at the North British Hotel might give us a clue!

The stationmaster, Mr Maitland, arranged for fog signals to be placed on the down line to warn of the train’s impending arrival. Sure enough, the loud retorts of their detonation gave the welcoming party due warning and two lines of local curlers stood on the platform. Mr Robert Cousin of Merchiston CC and Mr Mark Sanderson of Duddingston CC had been tourists to Canada and they lead the colourful lines of curlers, both from their own respective clubs, as well as representatives of the Waverley, Northern, Craiglockhart, Balerno, Currie, Corstorphine and Bathgate Curling Clubs.

As the train drew to a halt, the whole party erupted in cheers and each of the tourists was welcomed to Scotland individually and enthusiastically by each of the welcoming party. “A spirit of jollity” prevailed. Pipe-Major Duguid of the Queen’s Edinburgh Brigade struck up on his pipes and soon a large crowd of interested onlookers had gathered to view the procession of curlers as they made their way from the station platform up onto Princes Street and to the tourists’ hotel.

Once in their hotel, a speech of welcome to “the ancient capital of dear old Scotland” was given by ex-Provost Gordon. The Hon Duncan Cameron Fraser, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia and Captain of the tourists gave the first of many “thank-you” speeches on Scottish soil. He finished his first speech thus:

“We, like the Scots, would rather lose every time than win by aught that would lower us in the estimation of the people…”

Brave words that echo down through history to the present day!

Here is a list of the 1909 Canadian tourists:

Captain of the Tour
Lieutenant-Governor D C Fraser

Ontario Members
T J Hamilton, Merchant, Fergus;
Alex Logan, Merchant, Parry Sound;J H Neelands, Merchant, Barrie;
R L Paterson, Manufacturer, Toronto;
Simpson Rennie, Seedsman, Toronto;
J W Ryder, Hotelkeeper, Sarnia;
R S Strath, Real Estate, Toronto;
R M Waddell, Peterborough;
Randolf McDonald, Railroad Contractor, Toronto;
Lieutenant-Colonel McKenzie (Captain), Manufacturer, Sarnia.

Quebec Members
D A Bethune, Contractor, Montreal;
Alex Milne, Contractor, Montreal;
David McGill, Agent, Montreal;
A McAulay, Merchant, St John’s, NB;
James Stewart, Contractor, Pembroke, Ont;
William Stuart, Contractor, Ottawa, Ont;
F S Stocking, Passenger Agent, Quebec;
W L Thom, Merchant, Montreal;
H G Willis (Secretary), Agent, Montreal;
J H Hutchison (Captain), Contractor, Montreal.

Nova Scotia Members
James Dover, Merchant, Truro;
Dalziel Paterson, Customs Department, Pictou;
George E Munro, Merchant, Westville;
Lieutenant-Governor D C Fraser;
H St Clair Silver (Captain), Merchant, Halifax.

Manitoba Members
Alex Fowler, Merchant, Balder;
Dr W J Harrington, Physician, Dauphin;
Henry T Hurdon, Transportation, Duluth, Minnesota, USA;
A D McDougall, Railway Contractor, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA;
Donald McMillan, Accountant, Butte, Montana, USA;
J G McLean, Merchant, Pilot Mound;
C W McPherson, Civil Engineer, Dawson City, Yukon;
J P Robertson, Historian and Librarian, Winnipeg;
William Robertson, Lumber Merchant, Kenora;
A S Ross, Superintendent, Regina, Sask;
W L Parrish (Captain), Grain Merchant, Winnipeg.

Very few of these are the “great and the good”! The tourists were drawn from seven of the Canadian Provinces; almost all were from “middle class” backgrounds. Three of their number were from across the border in the USA and became honorary Manitobans for the duration! We should not be too surprised by this seeming anomaly as the 1903 Scottish Tour to Canada had included some of the northern States of the USA in its itinerary.


Alexander Logan, 1862 – 1944. Parry Sound Curling Club and 1909 Canadian Tourist

• Born 24 May, 1862, South Oakley, Parrish of Saline, Fifeshire, Scotland.
• Emigrated to Canada with his parents in 1883.
• Occupation: Contractor and businessman. He founded Logan's Funeral Home and Furniture Store in 1885. Logan's Funeral Home carries on business in the same location to this day and is managed by Alexander's great grandson, Hugh Logan. He was also responsible for the construction of several commercial buildings in Parry Sound.
• Co-founder, ardent curler and supporter of the Parry Sound Curling Club.
• Corresponded with Andrew Carnegie of Dunfermline, Scotland and was successful in securing his financial support for the purchase of the first pipe organ at Parry Sound's St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.
• Fire Chief for the Town of Parry Sound, Church Elder and member of local Masonic Lodge.

Curling in the Footsteps of History: Part 2

CHAPTER FOUR– AN UNSCHEDULED GAME AT MYRESIDE

by Robin Copland

That there was a rink to play on at Myreside at all was due to a young groundsman called Scott, a keen, keen curler from the Borders. On his own initiative, he had constructed a concrete curling rink that, although smaller than regulation size, was used for curling until, in 1902, it became the floor of an implement shed. For Season 1902/03, Scott had made two pioneering Tarmacadam rinks at the side of the club pavilion and further, had installed gas lighting. For many seasons, the Watsonian CC played matches with neighbouring clubs when frost permitted.

On the Saturday night of the Canadians’ arrival in Scotland, there was a sharp frost in Edinburgh and a member of the Watsonian Curling Club, founded less than ten years earlier in 1898, took it upon himself to invite a number of the tourists to his club, there to enjoy an informal game of curling. For the next couple of hours, a cheery game was enjoyed before all participants adjourned to the pavilion for drinks and high jinks.

History records a victory on the ice for the Scots, though the games were not official and therefore do not appear in the record books.

It thus appears that the Watsonian Curling Club had the privilege of being the first curling club in Scotland to entertain members of a visiting Canadian team. The 2009 tour will have dinner in the Watsonian clubhouse on Thursday 29th January – the second last night that they will have in Scotland. I cannot help but think it is a fitting place at which to end their tour and hopefully, glasses will be raised in honour of the hardy souls who accepted the informal invitation a century ago.

CHAPTER FIVE – SERVICE IN ST GILES

One of the features of the 1909 tour was the importance attached to Worship. Perhaps this should come as no surprise, though it is somehow quaint to reflect from a century on that it was absolutely expected that every one of the tourists would attend church on each of the Sundays that they found themselves in Scotland. No allowance seems to have been made for the possibility that different faiths may have been represented on the tour, although, to be fair, that is probably because there were none!

Thus the party attended a Service in their honour at noon on Sunday 17th January at St Giles Cathedral. The Reverend John White of South Leith conducted the service and gave “a very powerful sermon on the Responsibility of the Empire”. He spoke of the tour as “evidence of a growing friendship between the Mother Country and her daughter colonies”. The official report notes that, “the visitors were much interested in St Giles” and that each met the Reverend White in their hotel after the service. Indeed he became the first recipient of the official tour badge.

CHAPTER SIX – THE TOUR GETS UNDERWAY

Suitably refreshed after a relatively easy Sunday in the Capital and spiritually revived as they must have been after the thunderous sermon given by the good Minister from South Leith, the tourists were entertained by the Edinburgh Council on Monday morning. They visited the City Chambers and Edinburgh Castle before heading for Peebles by train on a line sadly now disused.

Though the weather in Peebles was dismal with rain falling from a leaden sky, the tourists received a warm welcome from local curlers who raised their brooms and shouted in their honour as their train steamed into the picturesque station. Later, they were honoured with a civic reception in the Town Hall. Flags flapped in the wind and handkerchiefs were chastely waved from the upper-floor windows along the main street.

What is striking about the 1909 tour – Peebles is just the first example – is the way that elected officials went out of their way to welcome the Canadians to their towns and cities. The tour was a huge event in Scotland and the tourists seemed to have caused a massive stir wherever they went.

Later that night, the curlers were entertained to dinner at the Peebles Hydropathic (now known simply as the Peebles Hydro Hotel). Sir Henry Ballantyne, a tourist himself on the 1903 tour, presided over the event and spoke of his pride at hosting the first official dinner of the tour. Many were the speeches thereafter and the toast list, looking back a hundred years, was mind-boggling in its length and complexity. These were different times from those we inhabit today!

The next morning must have been an exciting one for the party – many of whom were of Scottish origin, for a visit had been laid on to Abbotsford House, home of Sir Walter Scott – arguably Scotland’s most famous author. The party was joined by several local ladies and gentlemen and was conveyed in eleven motor vehicles, a rarity in those far-off days, and travelled to Abbotsford via Selkirk. After an hour in Scott’s famous old house, the party proceeded to Melrose where again, they received a raucous welcome from the townspeople. Again, there was a civic reception before the Canadians were given some time to explore the ruins of Melrose Abbey. Everywhere they went, they were feted, though sadly any plans that may have been made for curling had to be abandoned because of the weather.

Interestingly, two Canadian Maple Trees were planted on the site of the artificial curling pond in Melrose and another was later planted in the public park at Peebles. The party was then escorted by the town’s curlers to the train station, where they were given a most hearty send-off, “cheers being raised again and again”.

CHAPTER SEVEN – THE MASONIC CONNECTION

There were about twenty Freemasons in the party – that out of a total of thirty-seven curlers. Freemasonry then was a powerful force and movement and there were a number of events organised specifically for them. The first of these took place in the tour’s next stop, Kilwinning, where they were entertained by the Lodge Canongate, one of the most ancient Scottish Lodges, which at the time boasted of having the oldest Lodge Rooms in the world.

Obviously, we cannot go into what was said or indeed done at the Carlton Hotel that faroff night, except to say that Brother Duncan Cameron Fraser, the Tour Captain, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia and Past M.W Grand Master Mason of Nova Scotia was given the singular honour of honorary membership of the Lodge.

Throughout the tour, the Masonic members were spirited away from time to time to private dinners or entertainment. For example, on 16th February, after dinner in Aberdeen, the Masonic tourists were guests of the Provincial Grand Master at a concert.