Jan./Feb. 2012 NEWSLETTER
Scribe: Stuart Rennie Tel/Fax 021 762 3253 Mobile 079 534 8389
Email: scrennie@telkomsa.net
Dear Members
I hope that you all had a Blessed Christmas and a happy New Year. It is hoped that you are all looking forward to doing something exciting or different in 2012, and that the New Year’s resolutions that were made, will be kept. The huge blight on our festivities was the awful death toll on our roads, despite all the extra precautions taken by our traffic authorities. I think it is high time that we all realize the huge responsibility we have when we get behind the wheel of a car. We, in our own small way can make a difference by ensuring that we do not drink and drive, or drive unroadworthy vehicles or exceed the various speed limits. If only that could be a major resolution of all South Africans this year!
NEWS FROM SCOTLAND
The following articles are taken from The Herald on Monday 9th January:
Drink-driver numbers rise in crackdown
The number of people reported for drink-driving during an annual police crackdown has risen by 12% in a year. A total of 478 people were reported for getting behind the wheel while over the limit during the four-week festive campaign, up from 426 the previous year. There were36 reports for drug- driving, up from 25 last year. As well as receiving a criminal record, a substantial fine and an automatic twelve-month ban, some of the drivers may also have their vehicle taken away for good. A 46-year old woman with her daughter in the car was arrested on New Year’s Day in Portree, Skye, when she refused to be tested. She now faces losing her Landrover Freelander. Police in Edinburgh found a man hiding in a loft after he was spotted driving a Ford Transit without a seatbelt. He drove off and ran into a house, where he was pulled from the loft and jailed for drink-driving. He had a pending case for a similar offence and now faces losing his van.
Well, they also have a problem, but it does not seem as bad as ours. Notice the stiff penalties for drink-driving, though.
Charging hubs plan for city car parks
Hundreds of company car parks in Scotland’s biggest cities could be converted into electric vehicle charging “hubs” in order to accelerate uptake of the new technology and provide extra residential parking space. Scottish Power, one of the firms spearheading development of electric vehicles north of the Border, believes there is a huge potential for residents to charge their cars in spaces that lie deserted overnight. It is planning to develop the concept over the next decade in collaboration with councils and employers. The Scottish Government has so far announced £8.5 million funding for electric vehicles to subsidise the higher purchase cost, and pay for a network of public charging points. Scottish Power’s plans were welcomed by environmental charity ‘WWF Scotland’, which has previously claimed that 290,000 electric vehicles will be needed on Scotland’s roads by 2020 to meet the Scottish Government’s climate change targets.
We have a long way to go!
Scots left reeling after gales batter country
Published on 4th January.
Scots once again faced hurricane-force winds as 100 mph gales battered the country yesterday, causing widespread damage and disruption. Strathclyde Fire and Rescue received 572 calls between midnight and 1 p.m. and attended a total of 488 incidents. Five people were injured as high winds overturned caravans at a site in Dunoon shortly after 8am, and 15 people had to be rescued from a boat that was blown away while being repaired in an Inverclyde shipyard. In Glasgow, the roof of a block of flats was ripped from the building and strewn across Broadholm Street in the Possilpark area. In Crookston, the wind tore off the gable end of a home, while in Partick, a house’s chimney blew off, onto a parked car. Elsewhere, falling masonry proved to be hazardous in Edinburgh, with Great Junction Street in Leith closed due damage to the old Co-op building.
Motorists were faced with fallen trees in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, while flooding closed routes in Dunbartonshire. The Scottish Borders was also badly hit, with 70 trees reported to have fallen on roads throughout the area. Glasgow Housing Association said that it received more than 1000 calls between midnight and 5pm. Murray Park, the training ground of Rangers FC at Milngavie, also suffered damage to its roof causing rain-water to leak onto one of the indoor pitches. Well, we thought that our South-Easter has been blowing strongly!
TIME FOR A LAUGH
How do you get a Highlander onto the roof?
Tell him that the drinks are on the house.
“I’ve kissed every woman in this tenement block except one,” said an amorous Glaswegian to his friend, just as one of the male residents of the block was passing. The
man immediately turned back, went upstairs and reported this to his wife. “I wonder who the woman is that this rascal hasn’t kissed?” he said. “Oh,” said his wife, I suppose it’ll be that stuck-up Mary Mackintosh on the third floor.”
Two men were sitting drinking side by side at a bar in Glasgow. After Jack the barman had served them several whiskies, one suddenly turned to the other and said, “Where are you from?” “From the Isle of Mull,” replied the other. “Is that so? So am I. This deserves a drink.” And he ordered two large ones. “Whereabouts on Mull?” “From Tobermory.” “Tobermory? Me too.” “Well, that calls for a dram’” And the other ordered two large ones. “What street did you live on?” “Harbour Street.” “This is amazing. I grew up on Harbour Street.” “Fancy, after all that, us meeting like this in the middle of Glasgow.” One of the regulars wandered into the pub. “How are things, Jack?” he asked the barman. “Och, the same as usual. The wife’s giving trouble, the landlord’s mean as ever. Oh, and the Maclean twins are plastered again.”
The jokes were all taken from Scottish Jokes: edited by Chris Findlater, Lomond,1998
MEMBERS’ NEWS
1. We wish Peter McLeod all the best as he recovers from his recent knee operation, and hope that he will soon be walking as well as he was at the age of twenty!
2. We welcome the following new members who have recently joined our Society, and are pleased to have them as members: Phillip and Patricia Marwick, Alison Skirving and her father, Andrew Robert. We look forward to meeting you at our next function.
3. Congratulations to Jacinta Munro and Gloria McWalter, who will both, respectively, be celebrating big “0” birthdays. Knowing that ladies do not like others to know their age, I have refrained from saying how old each one will be on their respective birthdays.
4. Great news of Peter and Nicky Ross’s sons Alistair and Craig. Alistair applied for a 6 month inter-office transfer to Ireland with his employer Grant Thornton (an audit company). He left South Africa on 1st January 2012 and is now based in their Dublin office. The family ancestry is mostly Scottish but while he’s in Dublin he’s quite keen to do some research on the family’s Irish ancestry. Go for it Alistair! Craig recently went on holiday to Namibia with his girlfriend, Carla Swemmer, and they returned to Cape Town engaged to be married. We’ve been told by the proud parents that she’s a lovely girl. Both Craig and Carla work in Ogilvy’s advertising agency in Cape Town. Plans are currently being made for a May wedding.
FOR SALE – KILTS AND SCOTS REGALIA
1) We’ve had a call from a Mrs Tereza Harling as a result of her looking for a Caledonian Society in Cape Town on the internet. Her late husband died in August 2011 and she now has to “downsize” and move into a retirement centre. As a result she is now forced to sell some treasured personal items, among which are two ornamental swords originally purchased at the Scottish Shop that used to be in the V&A Waterfront. One is a replica of an Officer’s sword with an ornamental ‘basket’ handle and the other is a replica cavalry sword.
Both swords were the pride and joy of Mrs Harling’s husband. If you are interested in owning these rather interesting pieces, Mrs Harling’s contact details are: 022 783 1817 or email: harling@telkomsa.net to discuss price and to arrange collection or transport.
2) In the East London Caledonian Society newsletter they are advertising the following: HeatherDunn has the following for sale:
a) 7 kilts, all made in Scotland of pure new wool. Most with matching shirts and jerseys and some matching scarves.
b) Three size 10 kilts: Maroon and navy plaid- with matching scarf and shirts.
c) One cream and blue kilt- with matching shirts.
d) One Douglas tartan with matching shirts and jerseys- navy, red and yellow.
e) Four size12 kilts:
f) A longer length Lady Di tartan- navy and dark green, with matching jersey and scarf and
optional frilly white blouse.
g) McDonald tartan kilt- navy and red.
h) Tartan – sky-blue with a brownish checks and thin yellow and cream
stripes, with optional matching sky blue jersey.
i) Plaid- Green and pale blue, with white thin stripe and optional white jersey.
j) 2 McDonald kilt pins.
Please contact Heather Dunn – 08331428 or 041-5813584.
BIRTHDAYS
We hope that those who have already celebrated their birthdays, had an enjoyable time, and we wish the others, many happy returns on their special day.
Jan. Feb.
1st Beth Odendaal 10th Will Carter
5th Vidius Archer 12th Tony Reis
8th Audrey Smith 16th Gloria McWalter
14th Narina Gilder 21st Chelsea MacMillan
22nd Alfred Husband 21st Danie Steyn
23rd Jacinta Munro
THE CAPE TOWN CALEDONIAN SOCIETY RECIPE BOOK
The members of the sub-committee tasked with putting this together wish to thank all members who contributed their recipes and managed to acquire some sponsorships and/or advertisements.
The recipe books will be sold at R50 each, and will make ideal gifts. They are still in the production process, and we will inform you as soon as they are ready to go on sale. We would like to get an idea of how many booklets to make, and ask you, kindly, to phone Colleen at 0795348389 or 021 7623253 or our Secretary, Jacinta (See above for her telephone numbers) within a week of receiving this newsletter, to place your orders.
PAST EVENTS
CHIEF’S AT HOME
This was a great occasion where we had lunch at the Mossop Hall. The afternoon was relaxed, giving us a chance to chat to each other. Thank you, Stuart and Jacinta for all the hard work you put into organizing and preparing the good food which we all enjoyed. Thank you, too, Myra for the lovely chocolate cakes you made for dessert.
St ANDREW’S NICHT AND THE CELEBRATION OF OUR 130th
ANNIVERSARY
The food and venue were stunning, and the whole occasion was a fitting tribute to our Society’s 130 years. The evening was so enjoyable that no one wanted to leave, and I believe that there was more dancing and partying, way after the function had ended. Stuart and Jacinta did a great job in organizing and running the function, and our heartfelt thanks must go to each of them. Thank you, too, to all the other members who assisted in the smooth running of the evening. It was good to see some of our newer members involved.
FUTURE EVENTS
BURNS’ NICHT Function will be held on Saturday 28th January 2012, at South African Legion, Rosedale Service Centre, Lower Nursery Road, Rosebank, at 19:00 for 19:30. This special occasion, at which we celebrate the Bard’s birth, will have all the usual tributes, as well as good food and most importantly, Haggis will also be served. An economical, cash bar will be available for liquid refreshments. Tickets cost R110 for paid-up members and R130 for non-members. We urge you to invite your friends, and to book through Stuart or Jacinta as soon as possible. Seating is again limited, so it will be a case of first come first served as far as booking goes. The final date for booking, however, will be Wednesday 25th January.
Here are directions to Rosedale: From: Liesbeeck Parkway (sometimes called Campground Road), Rosebank – turn into Alma Road (at traffic lights) towards the mountain – drive to the T junction at the end of Alma Road (the railway line will be immediately in front of you). Turn left into Lower Nursery Road (alongside the railway line and past Rosebank Railway Station). You will soon see ‘Cul de Sac’ road signs – drive into the Cul de Sac (still alongside the railway line). Soon afterwards, on the left, you will see a tall building (the S A Legion Rosedale Centre) turn left into the driveway through the boom into the secure parking area on the left. Walk to the main entrance of the building and you will be directed to the function venue. See satellite picture below – the curved dual carriage way is Liesbeeck Parkway – the crossroad near the top is Alma Road – Rosebank Railway Station is shown and the yellow marker is Rosedale.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF
Here’s wishing you all a really great 2012 with much fun and laughter as well as much love and support when things don’t go quite the way you would like them to. I must say that 2011 ended with a big ‘bang’ with the celebration on 3rd December of St Andrews Nicht combined with the 130th Anniversary of the Society. There was certainly much fun and laughter as well as much love and support for Jacinta and myself when things didn’t go the way we had planned – both before and during the function. Our grateful thanks to everyone that came to enjoy themselves – and did!
Here are some pictures of this memorable occasion:
A montage of pictures from the past to remember those who have gone before us over the latter part of the 130 years since the Society was founded.
Stuart and Jacinta Munro presenting one of their gifts to the Society – a brief history of the Society and listing the names of Past Chiefs, Lady Presidents, Provincial Chieftains and Federation Chiefs that were Members of the Society from 1881 to 2011.
Left: Some of the nearly 100 guests being addressed by the Master of Ceremonies, Danie Steyn.
Right: Highland Dancing before the sun goes down – the venue “Villa on the Beach” was overlooking Table Bay at Sunset Beach and the fun carried on until midnight.
Left: The sun sets over the sea and Past Chief Stuart Rennie was admiring the sight of Table Mountain and the lights of Cape Town in the gathering dusk. Right: And the Pipe Band plays on.
Far Left: The Society’s 130th Anniversary cake – chocolate of course! Left: Brogan Reis, the youngest Member of the Society cuts the cake with the Chief and Lady President, Stuart and Jacinta Munro, and Right: Declares it was all worth the wait!
And we ate and we danced and we ate and we played and we ate and we danced ‘till late into the night
Of course it wasn’t just the 130th Anniversary we were celebrating, it was St Andrew’s Nicht as well, the first function to be held by the Society in 1881. We were entertained by Leonard McLeod’s “Toast to St Andrew” as well as Jacinta’s “Toast to Scotland” when she presented the Society with a bottle of scotch specially named, “The Famous Cape Town Caledonian Society” (instead of “The Famous Grouse”) and invited anyone to join her in “a wee dram”. The bottle was empty in double quick time!!!
The next day Jacinta and I enjoyed Christmas lunch with the Pinelands Caledonian Society then went on the St Luke’s Hospice in Kenilworth to support the Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band and witness the very special event of the “Lighting of the Tree”. It’s a most moving public ceremony and it gives you the opportunity for personal introspection and a time to remember all those friends and family that have gone before us. The Band had been invited to play during the ceremony and they added a very special pull to the heart strings and a different ambience to the evening.
Left: The Band plays all-time favourite tunes for those who have come to remember. Middle: Emotions let loose when we look up as the lights go on. Right: Singing Carols as it grows dark allowing the brilliantly lit tree to illuminate all around us.
On Christmas Day, Jacinta and I have our own little tradition and that is to only give small presents and forgo an expensive dinner and celebration and rather spend that money on giving to children. I conducted a Christmas Service at a church in Llandudno in the morning and then we went home and I changed into Father Christmas! Magic! Over the year we gather soft toys, some toiletries and sweeties to make up goodie bags. We rely on donations from whoever feels like they would like to give. A group of ladies actually knit teddy bears for us – each has a name and its own birth certificate! This year we visited Victoria Hospital Children’s Ward, and two homes looking after abandoned and abused babies and children, some who have HIV or AIDS. Throughout Christmas Day we were able to share some gifts with over 100 children aged between 1 and 10 years old. It was hot and tiring but oh so worth it when you see the smiles.
If anyone would like to donate cash or kind during the year we would be grateful – maybe this year we could give the children Christmas in July as well.
Until the next time, “May you have lots of happiness and lots of luck too. May your blessings be many, and your troubles few”. Stuart
AULD LANG SYNE
The following article appeared on IOL on January 1st 2012:
The common assumption is that Scottish poet Robert Burns composed the ballad. The truth seems less straightforward. The first recorded reference comes from Burns, who in 1788 wrote to a female friend. Commenting on the theme of old friendship, Burns mentions in his letter, the old Scot’s phrase, “Auld Lang Syne,” which translates as “old time’s sake.” Then he tells his friend: “There is an old song and tune which has often thrilled thro’ my soul.”
Right there, the seeds of the world’s favourite, nostalgic song appear to have been planted. However, another half decade passed before Burns set the words on paper and sent them to a publisher – and even then, it seems, almost as an afterthought. A celebrated poet, Burns was dedicating what would be his last decade, before dying at 37, to the collection of traditional Scottish folk songs. Dozens of songs are discussed in a long 1793 letter to the publisher George Thompson.
Then Burns mentions: “One song more and I have done – auld lang syne.” Claiming he” took it down from an old man’s singing”, Burns says the song has “never been in print, nor even in manuscript.” He then presents the whole thing, starting with the famous lines, “Should auld acquaintance be forgot/And never brought to mind?” and continuing for a total of six verses, most of which tend to be left out by modern revelers.
“My sense is that Burns rewrote most of it, because it really does have that ring of Burns’ poetry,” Nelson told AFP. Thompson, himself, thought that there was: ”evidence of our Bard himself being the author.” The tune took its own tortuous path. The words were first set to entirely different music, while the tune known today as “Auld Lang Syne,” was originally matched to other lyrics, such as the uncatchy sounding ditty “O Can Ye Labor Lea Young Man.”
In 1799, when Burns was already dead, words and music were combined in their final form.
NEWS FROM KINDRED SOCIETIES
1. Pinelands Caledonian Society will be having their Burns’ Nicht Function on Saturday 21st January at the Catholic Church Hall, 19:00 for 19:30. Cost R120:00, and to book, ‘phone Jean Girvan at 021 5574474 or 0727695536. They will also be having a Video Evening where they will be showing the Edinburgh Tattoo at the Catholic Church hall on Saturday 25th February at 19:00 for 19:30. Cost R65:00, and to book ‘phone Anne at 021 5540302.
2. Congratulations to the Welsh who celebrate their 130th Anniversary this year.
3. Cape Town Caledonian Pipe Band Functions:
January 28th – Burns’ Nicht – Cape Town Caledonian Society
February 5th – Opera in a Convent Garden, Wynberg, and Border Patrol Moths Parade in Bergvliet
April 7th – E.C. Highland Gathering
May 5th –South Coast Highland Gathering
June – Pretoria Boys’ Highland Gathering
July 23rd – Durban Tattoo
July 29th – Benoni Highland Gathering
Be aye the thing ye would be ca’d.
Yours Aye,
Your Scribe
