St Andrews in Focus Issue 62 Jan Feb 2014

St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

January/February 2014 Issue 62, £2.00

www.standrewsinfocus.com

the award winning magazine for St Andrews

St

Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

From the Editor

We are near the end of what I like to call the Speculation Months. November starts it – a restless month conjuring endless possibilities. It pivots on St Andrews Day pointing to the hectic days of Christmas. Then comes wild Hogmanay.

Burns Night heralds a slow settling down, till, by the end of January the new number given to the year starts to feel real; 2014, fourteen years into the 21st century – amazing!

I’ve had the nerve to add something else to the mix this time; a bronze statue of ‘Hamish McHamish of St Andrews: Cool Cat About Town’, to cheekily borrow Susan McMullan’s book title: Susan has been happily involved with this additional project right from the start. Marianne Baird, thank you so very much for providing our town, inadvertently it must be said, with such an endearing pet for over 14 years! And to you David Annand our gratitude for agreeing to, and making such a superb bronze tribute to our Hamish! Colin Sweeney, thank you for building the supporting plinth so beautifully and tastefully blending with its surroundings. All I can add is that I fervently hope Hamish’s unique story will live forever, in bronze as in word, till the end of time.

Happy 2014 everyone!

Flora Selwyn

********

The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. © St Andrews in Focus (2003) JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2014 EDITOR Flora Selwyn Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com DESIGNER University of St Andrews Print & Design (printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk) PRINTER Winter & Simpson (ken@wintersimpson.co.uk) DISTRIBUTER Distribution Unlimited (billy.shepherd@distributionunlimited.co.uk) PUBLISHER (address for correspondence) Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com SUBSCRIPTIONS St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year.

Subscriptions for 6 issues are: £14 in the UK (post & packing included).

Please send cheques to: Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. £25 overseas (post and packing included).

Please use PayPal account: editor@StAndrewsinFocus.com NOTE: please pay with a Personal Bank Account, as credit cards incur a 3.9% charge.

REGISTERED IN SCOTLAND: 255564 THE PAPER USED IS 100% RECYCLED POST-CONSUMER WASTE

2

Contents

FEATURES • Community Council • Café Mirage, In Memoriam • Boyhood Memories • Thoughts on St Valentine’s Day • Centenary Thoughts • Ethiopia, a report • The Scottish Information Commissioner • Renate Mackay remembers Cedric Thorpe Davie • Frank Churchward • Head for heights on Hope Park Church • From the Internet • Reviews – The Reluctant Wife – Keep Calm & Get a Cat

3 4 4 4 4 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 9

SHOPS & SERVICES • Ask a busy man • More power to your pocket • Hyperbolic Crochet • An easy recipe • MOT for your property • Roving Reporter • McCarthy & Stone

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

EVENTS • StAnza 2014 • Gilbert & Sullivan Society • Selected Events

18 19 19

ORGANISATIONS • Community Safety Panels Merger • St Andrews’ Business Club • Trip to Loches • SAMS celebrates 75 years • Saint Exchange

20 20 21 22 23

TOWN & GOWN • A ‘trail’ at St Salvator’s • James Gregory • A singing linguist • Still Life • Pope v. Antipope • Korean films • The Saint • Orchard harvest • Martyrs Kirk Library

24 25 26 27 27 27 28 29 30

OUT & ABOUT • Picts in Fife • Culross booklet • Planting late bulbs • Completion • Feeding Hamish • The new harbour gates • Tony Hardie’s Nature Notes • Toonspot • Hidden Gems

31 32 32 32 33 33 34 34 35

NEXT ISSUE – Mar/Apr 2014 COPY DEADLINE: STRICTLY 28 JANUARY

All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space.

Cover, Crail’s Lane, an original photo by GW

FEATURES Henry Paul, Treasurer, Community Council

St Andrews – Common Good Fund The roots of the Common Good can of their common lands, to be transferred by Act of Parliament be traced back to the early mediaeval into the St Andrews Links Trust. period, with some burghs deriving royal We have five confirmed CG sites in St Andrews: Town charters from David I. The Common Hall, Victory Memorial Hall, Bruce Embankment (including car Good Act, passed in 1491, determined park), parts of the Lade Braes, and the Bleaching Green at that revenue from burgh properties the East Sands. Currently, income paid to the Common Good and income from comes from two main sources; the rental various levies was paid by the stall holders at the Lammas At present the typical annual Market and the rental income from the to be used for the common good of the town. Over the pet shop on South Street, which is part income into the CGF is following centuries there have been fixed of the Town Hall. At present, Fife Council approximately £30,000 or moveable assets donated on ‘behoof of does not pay any of the lets’ income from the community’; most commonly to former the Common Good properties or ground burgh councils. The common good funds comprise land and rent from the Bruce Embankment properties or the parking buildings in addition to moveable items such as paintings, charges from the Bruce Embankment car park into the CGF. books, and artefacts.

The Council’s auditors criticized this practice in 2009 and Fife Title to common good land is held by local authorities Council officials are being urged to resolve this situation soon. as statutory successors to the Town Councils, abolished in At present the typical annual income into the CGF is 1975. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 provides approximately £30,000. Any organisation or individual may that common good should not be absorbed into the general apply for funds to support projects that will benefit the people fund of the Council. The Act also states that where a local of St Andrews. Recently, funds have been given to the authority wishes to dispose of common good assets, and a St Andrews Partnership towards the restoration of Martyrs’ ‘question arises’ about their right to do so, they should apply Monument (a CG asset), the St Andrews Orchard Group to the Court of Session, or the Sheriff, for authority to proceed. (to help establish a wildflower meadow in Stanks Park), the Furthermore, the Act states that, in administering the Common St Andrews in Bloom group, the St Andrews Town Commission, Good assets, any authority to which it is transferred shall have St Andrews United FC Social Club, and the restoration of the regard to the interests of the inhabitants of the area to which Whyte Melville fountain (another CG asset) in Market Street. the common good related prior to 16 May 1975.

An application form can be downloaded from Fife Direct or In 1975, some Town Councils took the opportunity to pass obtained from the local office in St Mary’s Place. To contact the town’s common property into new Trusts to avoid having the Community Council, use the contact details on our them taken over by the new authorities. St Andrews managed website: www.standrewscc.net or write C/O Town Hall, to arrange for all the golf links in St Andrews, which were part Queens Gardens, St Andrews, KY16 9TQ.

3

FEATURES Sadly, this magazine, and our town, has lost another regular contributor, Lillias Scott Forbes.

Printed here in fond remembrance is her poem Café Mirage (from A Hesitant Opening of Parasols, 2009). Lillias loved nothing better than sipping her coffee while contemplating the world around her, a habit she honed in her much-loved France. The accompanying photo is one she liked, taken by your editor and published in issue 25. Lillias, we shall miss you!

Lillias Scott Forbes

Café Mirage Now is our time for meeting, love This after-time that breathes of calf romance Vicarious ecstasy Figmented moments always too briefly shared And now with you Only by grant of memory Come, let’s retrieve our rightful rendezvous!

Thus, once more through the streets of hesitation I grope and peer by mazy, murky ways

By Rue des Carmes, Passage Hagard I smile, inured to such seductiveness.

Now, beyond dark Floods sudden light at last Café Mirage – quite démodé – I part its lacy screen, dingy with history, To where you sit One of those rare imagined moments Capering about the white flare of the candle Inviting a timorous searching of finger-tips – Let us rest our arms on the red chequered cloth.

Tam Gordon

Boyhood Memories Many happy days I spent, when just a laddie wee, Playing on the West Sands and dooking in the sea I can mind an auld ex-sojer, he only had wan haund, Makin’ lions, giraffes an’ elephants, entirely oat o’ saund.

Howkin’ in the Swilken Burn, finding this an’ that, Catchin’ baggy minnens, a red breasted stickleback.

Makin’ fires tae bile some wilks, in an auld tin can, Runnin’ roond in auld tom breeks, wi’ a braw sun tan.

Diggin’ up lead bullets, frae the saund oot at the butts, Chasin’ up the auld horse, that pu’ed the bathin’ huts.

I ran wi’ Bulgers pownies, just tae lend a haund I mind wan time an airoplane, landed on the saunds.

It used tae tak folk roond trips, high abune the toon, But they wudny tak’ me up at a’, I hadny hauf a croon!

Spearin’ dabs while paddlin’ wi’ an auld tin fork, Scourin’ the high water line, for any bits o’ cork.

I never geid a thocht at a’ tae growin’ up just then, But noo, as anyone can see, I am a full grown man Thinking o’ those happy days, the sun aye seemed tae shine, It never seemed tae rain at a, tho’ it must have done some time.

The ways no aye been easy, wi’ peace an’ war an’ strife, But these happy boyhood memories, have eased my road through life.

Robert Gordon Gall

Thoughts on St Valentine’s Day There are many different kinds of love – There is the love of a beautiful view, There is the love of music and dancing, Or whatever appeals to you.

There is the love that you have for your children, And the very deep love you have for theirs; And then there is that very special love I have had for you for years, and years, and years.

(Photo by Flora Selwyn)

John Cameron has

Centenary Thoughts Whatever else may be said about the First I used to lunch in the R&A with the late World War, the centenary of whose start takes Frank Richardson, who assured me ten times place in 2014, the conflict clearly altered more Scots fought at Arras, where he was Scottish society forever. wounded, than at Bannockburn. A very fine Almost 150,000 boys never came home portrait by the celebrated Scottish artist Sir – a statistic that left a generation of girls James Guthrie of Field Marshall Douglas Haig, facing emigration, or spinsterhood, and which captain of the R&A in 1920, hangs in the Club. depopulated the highlands and islands. Yet in His reputation was ruined by Lloyd George’s 1914 most Scots voiced support, grossly self-serving history taking part in demonstrations of of the war published after the war still casts national pride and patriotism the Haig’s death, but this has been a long shadow like of which were never seen restored in recent years. before or since. Knowing, as we Certainly in 1918, General do, the carnage that would follow this fervour “Black Jack” Pershing, the highest ranked seems misplaced, but at the time the call of soldier in American history, was in no doubt that duty, King and country found an echo in every Haig was “the man who won the war”. Ten years heart. later, 100,000 Scottish veterans saluted Haig No other allied country suffered when he lay in state at St Giles’s Cathedral, as proportionally greater losses on the Western the general who led us to some of our greatest Front, not because Scottish dead were more victories. “acceptable” than English. The fact is that Scots Sadly the public perception of the war and Australian regiments were considered the has been formed by the anti-war poets, the best, used as “shock troops” so they were in film Oh! What a Lovely War, and the brilliant effect the victims of their own prowess. series Blackadder Goes Forth. Also of course,

4

the sacrifice was squandered at Versailles, where John Maynard Keynes resigned in disgust at the absurd terms of a “Carthaginian peace”. He spoke for many, both at the time and later, when he said that, “young men had fought a war to end war and now old men were signing a peace to end peace”. It is also to be hoped that the claim from a lunatic fringe remembering the Great War as “unionist propaganda” will not gain traction in the year of the referendum.

Finally, it was a tragedy that survivors came back to a Scotland which would never again recapture its Victorian vigour; the war still casts a long shadow. Like many others, my extended family began to see emigration as the first step in life, so the next four years will recall more than the boys lying in Flanders fields.

FEATURES Somerled and Rory MacLeod visited

Ethiopia

In February 2011 Tearfund asked me to available pool of funds. With the loans they host a fellow minister from the Ethiopian develop businesses, build homes and fund Kale Heywet Church (EKHC) on a visit to their children’s education. Where necessary St Andrews. Tearfund is an international groups club together to bulk buy staple Christian charity with a vision to raise 50 goods, or open kindergartens, or found million people worldwide churches. What counts out of spiritual and material is that formerly hopeless I believe that these poverty through a network of individuals now find 100 thousand local churches; themselves cherished exchanges are the Ethiopian Kale Heywet of progressive significantly enriched members Church is the fastest growing communities. Evidence of church in Ethiopia. But it the change is the way in when they are wasn’t always that way... which, whenever members multi-generational 10 years previously fall ill or get pregnant, the EKHC was on the margins of group gathers a love gift. a society wracked by hopelessness, through Where sufficient groups exist they form bad government and poverty. What relief Cluster Level Associations (CLAs) which aid it could muster was quickly absorbed exert greater influence through their collective without any real effect. Then the Church’s representation. A third tier, of Federations, development branch embraced the concept is further extending the reach of this “people of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), which were power” to the extent that the movement is pioneered in India. Starting with a pilot looking forward to voting in its first Member of project drawn from the poorest of the poor, Parliament!

EKHC introduced techniques for generating resources without relying on hand-outs. Those involved, and their communities, were transformed and the movement has gone viral. There are now over a million people involved through thousands of SHGs, while the EKHC, which remains the major facilitator of SHGs in Ethiopia, has mushroomed: with 8000 congregations and over 8 million active members comprising 10% of the entire population!

Simon Haile, who leads the project, was in the UK to meet churches sharing EKHC’s commitment to holistic mission: Town kids bringing the whole Gospel to the whole community. I must have been convincing in my enthusiasm because he invited me to return his visit! And so it transpired that my 8 year-old son, Somerled, and I travelled to Ethiopia this October. I was keen to take at least one of my children because I believe that these exchanges are significantly enriched when they are multigenerational.

Our mission was to learn about the SHG movement, to make friends and to seek ways of fostering mutual support. We began by attending SHGs in various locations to get a feel for the basic concept. These Country kids happen in urban and rural settings in the context of a coffee ceremony involving 15-20 participants, mostly women, and of various faith commitments. Coffee ceremonies involve the roasting and brewing of beans into tiny cups of what locals refer to as “black gold”, which are served with popcorn or roasted peas.

Time and again we heard how people too poor even to afford one proper meal, set aside the cost of one coffee ceremony per day for a week, then pool their savings. After a few weeks they begin drawing loans which they pay back with IGA family interest in order to increase the

Rory & Somerled (kindly taken by Peter Adamson specially for this magazine) Somerled and I spent 12 days in Ethiopia.

On the Sunday in the middle I was invited to preach in a church which was founded by a SHG. Church-going in Ethiopia is serious stuff! Sunday School happens on Saturday so that the whole family can worship together on Sunday. A praise leader gets the faithful going, before an elder of the congregation leads everyone in a lengthy and impassioned prayer.

Sermons are expected to fill half to threequarters of an hour before another elder exhorts the assembled masses to give generously in the offering. More vigorous singing completes the gathering, which averages a couple of hours in length.

I was nervous about the stamina of my travelling companion, who is a product of his generation: short attention span, obsessed with technology, and not given to roughing it.

He played a blinder though, accompanying me on every visit. After playing coy for the first few minutes he would slip away and the next thing I knew he was chasing around with local youngsters, all of whom were anxious to stroke his blond mane. Three times he presented a copy of his book about penguins to the schools we visited.

At every location I offered to pray for the people whose story we had listened to. Almost invariably I was enthusiastically received. The one exception was the last visit where the Muslim couple hosting us were worried about the consequences of a Christian praying for them. Particularly special was a visit we made to an Income Generating Activity (IGA). Here a father of two, who also looks after his niece, explained how belonging to his local SHG had revealed his flair for business, enabling him to provide for his extended family and concentrate more on his duties as an elder in their church.

When I asked what people wanted their Scottish neighbours to know about Ethiopia they would remark how the world used to associate Ethiopia with athletes and starvation, but now they want to be recognised for progress. Certainly a refreshing wave of optimism seems to be sweeping this country, fuelling its aspiration to be the voice of emerging Africa – in the spirit of which we can say, “we saw the future and it looks bright!”

The last word goes to the wee fellow, “We went to Ethiopia on a mission trip and we visited schools and they were happy places.

I saw people in groups saving their money together and I thought Ethiopia looked very friendly. They collect the money to build houses and businesses and schools.”

(Ethiopia photographs courtesy Rory MacLeod)

5

FEATURES Sarah Hutchison Head of Policy and Information (Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner), provides an update on

The Scottish Information Commissioner smooth as possible. For example, we encourage Now that the leaves have fallen from the trees in authorities to provide a customer-focused FOI Kinburn Park, it’s once again possible to see that service and we train community groups to make the two grand Victorian buildings on either side clear requests that are more likely to yield the of Doubledykes Road, St Andrews Museum and information they want to see.

Kinburn Castle, actually mirror one another. While FOI has been a tremendous success in the name “castle” conjures a romantic view, in Scotland, providing communities and individuals reality, Kinburn Castle is home to two busy working with information than helps them to understand, offices: Murray and Donald and the Scottish engage with and sometimes challenge, the Information Commissioner. The Commissioner’s decisions made by the public sector. In many office has been operating here, in the heart of cases, communities have been able to use St Andrews, since 2003. information gained through FOI to change The Commissioner is the Scottish public Scotland for the better. For example, a small group authority charged with enforcing and promoting of families who lost relatives in the Vale of Leven freedom of information (FOI) law. Rosemary Hospital Clostridium Difficile outbreak in 2007 Agnew, who has held the post since May 2012, used FOI effectively to campaign for great change was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen, on the in the management of hospital-acquired infection nomination of the Scottish Parliament and her office in Scotland. The public now have more, and much is funded from the public purse. We’re a very small better, information about disease outbreaks than organisation as public authorities go: just 21 people ever before and the incidence of infection has support the work of the Commissioner and we declined markedly. serve the whole of Scotland.

Although Scotland (and the UK) are relative So what do we actually do? It is our job to Rosemary Agnew, who has held late-comers in the global movement towards provide an independent and impartial decision the post since May 2012, was greater openness and transparency, our FOI whenever someone is unhappy with the way in regime benefited from the learning gained in other which their information request has been handled appointed by Her Majesty The countries who adopted laws before us. Nowadays by a Scottish public authority (around 600 cases Queen, on the nomination of the our office is increasingly receiving visits from a year). We also promote good practice to ensure Scottish Parliament and her office other countries. Since Rosemary came into post that in most cases, requests are answered promptly is funded from the public purse just over a year ago, she has welcomed groups and effectively. We raise awareness of the right to of officials from Liberia, China and Ireland, all ask for any information held by authorities and we wanting to learn from our experience. We also reach out to international encourage effective and responsible use of that right. partners, sharing ideas and practical solutions, mainly by email and In the last ten years since we came into being we’ve investigated and through internet blogs (removing the need for extensive travel). resolved thousands of cases. Many have resulted in national headlines, Rosemary recently attended the Open Government Partnership such as: legal advice on the position of an independent Scotland within summit at the end of October, hosted by the UK Government in London. the European Union; seal killings under licence; MSPs’ expenses; or the There she heard about the massive increase in open data initiatives medical advice which led to the release of the Lockerbie bomber. But around the world and the way in which FOI laws in many countries drive many of our cases are not high profile at all; yet they nevertheless relate greater openness and transparency. Indeed, in some countries, access to the issues of importance in people’s everyday lives. For example, to information rights are proving to be important drivers in anti-corruption information about internet services in schools; funding decisions about work – where communities can see information, they can use it to community organisations; costs of property repairs; or farming subsidies. challenge bad practice.

One of the great pleasures of our work is that we can never anticipate So next time you amble down Doubledykes Road, past the tennis the information that people will want to see – it can be on any and every courts and on towards the museum, do pause just for a moment and look subject, just as long as someone has asked for information that a public across at the lefthand side of Kinburn Castle. As you do so, you just might authority actually holds, or is likely to hold. Some recent local examples catch a glimpse of us working away on a draft decision, collating packs for include information about Fife Council’s budget proposals, wind turbine our next speaking engagement or hosting visitors from a country hoping planning applications, a road condition report (following pothole damage) to implement its own FOI law. and housing repairs.

If you’d like to know more about FOI and your rights to access Only a small fraction (around 1%) of all the information requests information from Scottish public authorities, do have a look at our made in Scotland each year result in appeals to us. According to the website www.itspublicknowledge.info We also provide an enquiries statistics we gather from Scottish public authorities, we estimate that by service, Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and are contactable at the end of this year, they will have responded to some 60,000 requests enquiries@itspublicknowledge.info or by phone 01334 464610. for information – and in most cases the person making the request has not had to appeal to us. We support both authorities and the public to Staff photo courtesy the Commissioner make the process of requesting and, importantly, receiving information as

at Elspeth’s of St Andrews 9 Church Street Tel: 01334 472494

6

FEATURES Renate Mackay, who subscribes to this magazine, writes from Glasgow about

Cedric Thorpe Davie – a personal memory In the summer of 1949, aged 17½, I spent three weeks during the Edinburgh Festival with Cedric, his wife, and two small sons.

At a chance encounter in St Andrews, with my father Erwin Finlay Freundlich (lecturer in Astronomy, Director of the University Observatory) Cedric mentioned that, as he was conducting “Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaits” throughout the Festival, he was renting a flat in Edinburgh for three weeks, and that he and his wife were looking for an au pair.

I was about to commence my training as a nurse at the Edinburgh City Hospital on 1 October 1949. My father ‘volunteered’ my services as au pair, which was readily accepted!

During my stay with the family, as a treat, Cedric kindly suggested I sit beside him in the unreserved organ gallery, from where he conducted, so I could watch the show. (I have since found that it is the very best place,

directly opposite the stage in the Assembly Hall, from which to watch events!)

After the show Cedric invited several members of the cast back to his flat for supper. Because of the late hour, Cedric’s wife was already in bed, so I was asked to act as hostess. I sat enthralled and goggle-eyed by Duncan Macrae, Moultrie Kelsall, Willy Joss, and others – what an experience!

Cedric was, of course, unable to go to other events during his own performances. However, he frequently attended various rehearsals in the mornings. I accompanied him to one such – Sir Thomas Beecham rehearsing Haydn’s Creation!

(Photo of Nurse Renate Mackay)

Flora Selwyn was privileged to meet

Frank Churchward It’s not every day I have the honour of speaking to a man a month away from his 103rd birthday, in excellent health, and who has just flown in from Australia!

Frank Churchward was born on 19 December, 1910 in Cardiff, Wales. Aged 14, he left school in 1924 to work in the Boyle & Co. shoe shop in the village of Llanbradach, some miles from his home town. After two years he went to live in Cardiff with his grandmother, Eliza Ellen, and uncle William Rendell.

Married to Florence Mullet in 1935, Frank and his bride stayed with his In-laws. They had two children, Jeoffrey Winston, and Geraldine (Gerry) Irene, six years apart through the Second World War. Frank joined the Welsh Regiment in October 1940, moving to the Royal Army Ordinance Corps (RAOC) the following year. Frank is reluctant to talk about his war experiences, but he was mentioned in Dispatches in the London Gazette in May 1940, and was demobbed with the rank of Sergeant in February 1945. Sadly, his mother had died the month before he came home. “My mother was a Spiritualist, and in those days it was against the law. I said to my wife, if there is anything in this racket called Spiritualism, I will find out, not realizing what I was going into.”

In Civvy Street, Frank again found work with Boyle & Co. this time in Pontypool. It was not too long, however, before he opened his own shoe shop in Cardiff. Florence sadly passed

away in 1969. Then he met May Pritchard individual must bear the consequences of through his membership of the Christian wrongdoing, and atone personally.

Spiritual Church, and they were married shortly In 1989, at the age of 80, Frank decided after, but had no children. to visit Jeoffrey, who was living in Australia, Spiritualism is the wellspring of Frank’s running a deli. He bought a 3-bedroom house life. He was irrevocably drawn into its wider in Christies Beach, not far from Adelaide. embrace at a time of great stress when his baby Gradually he widened his circle of friends daughter, diagnosed with a heart condition, was among Spiritualists, practising his healing given a short while to live. In his powers. Then he moved across Spiritualism is distress Frank asked for help from the road to a 2-bedroom house the medium in the Church he had with a garden, “so quite a lot of the wellspring of been attending. Frank was told, work involved.” One day in 2001, Frank’s life through Mrs Thomas, the medium, whilst out walking, he went through to place his hands on his daughter’s heart each a local caravan park and saw a caravan with a night, “and leave the rest to God and the Spirit large annexe for sale. Frank liked what he saw, world.” Today Gerry is alive and well, and 65 bought the caravan, moved into it and sold his years old. house.

Frank was told from the spirits that in the In September this year, Gerry with her future, he would be used as a healing vessel, husband Alan, flew to Australia to visit Frank. the healing power coming from God. Also that By this time Frank had given up driving when he he would be used to teach the true teachings of reached 101, was living on his own, not cooking, Christ, covered up for over 2000 years. but eating out. After some persuasion he agreed He tells of one remarkable cure he effected, to return with them to St Andrews, his doctor healing a young girl of TB when her condition giving him the all clear to fly. had apparently become almost fatal. It took him Frank is happily installed in his own en a year, but his perseverance paid off. suite extension to his daughter and son-inThe present state of the world saddens law’s house, all three were looking forward to Frank. He believes passionately that if Christ’s Frank’s 103rd birthday in December. Frank teachings were adhered to there would be an has 3 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. end to strife. “Christ’s teachings are spiritual: Plans were still in the air as I wrote this. I’m sure seek and you will find; knock and it shall be everyone who reads this now will join me in opened; ask and you will receive, and the truth hoping that Frank enjoyed the most wonderful will make you free.” Spiritualism emphasizes celebration of a remarkable life. Happy 103rd personal responsibility for one’s actions, that year Frank, and ‘Lang may yer lum aye go on no-one can be absolved from sin through a reekin’!! belief that Christ’s death cleansed them. Each (Photo, by Flora Selwyn)

7

FEATURES

A Head for Heights on Hope Park Church

(Photo by Flora Selwyn)

8

From the Internet, via Keith Morris

‘Tongue in cheek’ In ancient Israel, it came to pass that a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dorothy. And Dot Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg. Indeed, she was often called Amazon Dot Com. And she said unto Abraham, her husband, “Why dost thou travel so far from town to town with thy goods when thou canst trade without ever leaving thy tent?”

And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said, “How, dear?”

And Dot replied, “I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages saying what you have for sale, and they will reply telling you who hath the best price. The sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah’s Pony Stable (UPS).”

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with the drums. And the drums rang out and were an immediate success. Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever having to move from his tent.

To prevent neighbouring countries from overhearing what the drums were saying, Dot devised a system that only she and the drummers knew. It was known as Must Send Drum Over Sound (MSDOS), and she also developed a language to transmit ideas and pictures – Hebrew To The People (HTTP).

And the young men did take to Dot Com’s trading as doth the greedy horsefly take to camel dung. They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Sybarites, or NERDS. And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the deafening sound of drums that no one noticed that the real riches were going to that enterprising drum dealer, Brother William of Gates, who bought off every drum maker in the land. Indeed he did insist on drums to be made that would work only with Brother Gates’ drumheads and drumsticks.

And Dot did say, “Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others.”

And Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel, or eBay as it came to be known.

He said, “We need a name that reflects what we are.”

And Dot replied, “Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators.”

“YAHOO,” said Abraham.

And because it was Dot’s idea, they named it YAHOO Dot Com. Abraham’s cousin, Joshua, being the young Gregarious Energetic Educated Kid (GEEK) that he was, soon started using Dot’s drums to locate things around the countryside.

It soon became known as God’s Own Official Guide to Locating Everything (GOOGLE).

That is how it all began. And that’s the truth.

FEATURES: REVIEWS Pam Garland reviews

The Reluctant Wife

by W J L Paterson Published by Plains Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9576661-0-8.

Available at Waterstones, price £6.99 or from libpatatkins@live.co.uk Frequently the war novels we read are based on active war service, or chirpie Eastenders living through the London bombings. The Reluctant Wife, a true story written by local author Jess Paterson, and her sister Libby, gives an interesting, different perspective on wartime.

The narrative is based on the letters of Bill, a young Scottish research chemist, who has chosen to work in the Woolwich Arsenal for the duration, to his wife Betty, who chooses to stay in Scotland as much as she can. Clever fictionalized inserts give us Betty’s volatile reactions to his letters, and the details of her life when she is apart from him.

Three days before their wedding in 1938, Bill, still then at Ardeer in Ayrshire, writes a romantic, somewhat vulnerable letter. There are signs in this of the relative innocence of the time; of buying her wedding ring he says, “and did I blush?” Perhaps, too, there are signposts for what is to come. “You know Betty, you did not tell me you loved me, in your letter…….” Betty, in her parents’ house in Tranent, looks at the wedding dress she has made herself, happy that she is going to change her status.

It comes as a cold shock when the very next communication, in 1943, is an icy missive from London, in which Bill makes arrangements for their ‘final separation’, with provision for their daughter Jessie! What has happened to their dreams?

This seemingly conclusive letter, however, is only the start of the ongoing stresses and secrets of the rest of their war years. The vivid tale unfolds, and I found it difficult to put down, my sympathies moving from one to the other, constantly pushing the story forward.

Betty and little Jessie, in a strange contrast to the evacuees escaping London, have to head frequently for the war zone! They make the

long, wearisome, blacked-out train journey, accompanied by a large trunk full of bed-linen and kitchen utensils, to arrive in dingy, soulless ‘rooms’. While Bill can speak of camaraderie at work, and evening drinks with colleagues, Betty feels just as displaced as the evacuees. She is lonely, and terrified by the drone of German bombers, the strident, wailing siren.

Throughout the tug of war between two determined characters, two main sociological themes emerge – the culture of marriage in that era, and the position of repressed women, who had no voice. I found myself laughing out loud, albeit ruefully, at the expectations of the 1940s husband! Bill writes, “being married means…having the comfort of a gentle, loving woman to minister to your needs…” His regular laundry parcel is dispatched by post from London when Betty is not with him.

It returns weekly, beautifully ironed! The spirited Betty deeply resents the fact that she has not had the chance in life to be more than a 1940s wife.

This is a fascinating and vibrantly real story, imbued with the spirit of the age. There is an entirely unexpected twist, which caught me completely by surprise. I leave that to other readers to discover! The characters are skillfully drawn, and the book could easily be developed for radio or television. I wonder if I may look forward to an equally absorbing follow-on novel?

Kerry Clark encourages readers to

Keep Calm and Get a Cat!

by Susan McMullan Published by Black & White Publishing. Available at Waterstones and all good bookshops price £4.99.

Following in the footsteps of the ever-popular ‘Keep Calm’ books, Susan McMullan’s Keep Calm and Get A Cat is a delightful celebration of our furry feline friends.

Author of the best-selling book Hamish McHamish of St Andrews: Cool Cat About Town, which follows the life of the famous St Andrews cat, McMullan is ‘purrrfectly’ suited as the wordsmith of this wonderful little read that’s packed full of charming insights and quotations, fun facts and trivia.

Splendidly researched and put together, the book is well structured, easy to follow. It’s

broken down into individual sections, namely: Proverbs, Sayings, Superstitions, Cats, People, Life According to Cats, Cats and Other Animals – making it easy to read. Of course, the dinky handbag size is convenient as well.

Especially appealing is the ‘Superstition’ section. Entertaining and quirky, it’s full of unusual facts such as: “A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather ahead.” Best wrap up warm, my cat is forever doing this!

The book also incorporates lots of sayings that I’m sure every cat owner will whole-heartedly relate to, for example: “No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat, and no amount of masking tape can ever totally remove his fur from your couch!”

The inclusion of proverbs is commendable, with Chinese, Norwegian, and Spanish, to name a few. My particular favourite: “If stretching were wealth, the cat

would be rich” perfectly portrays my own lovable moggy and I’m sure it will ring true with many people who find themselves being helplessly owned by a cat! It’s true what the book says: “It’s really the cat’s house – we just pay the mortgage.”

This light-hearted, fun read is great for all ages and would make an ideal gift for cat lovers everywhere. After all, everyone knows cats will always be better than dogs!

SPECIAL: St Andrews in Focus has 5 copies to give away to the first 5 people whose names and addresses are received by the Editor (see the Editorial page for the magazine’s email & snail-mail addresses)

Have a relaxing start to 2014!

Reflexology Treatments available in Crail and St Andrews Contact: Kayren Hall B.Sc (hons), MAR, IIR Tel: 07952 253061 / 01333 451882 www.seatangletherapies.co.uk

9

SHOPS & SERVICES

10

SHOPS & SERVICES Eric Hughes Brown epitomises the saying:

“If you want something done, ask a busy man!”

Eric’s Grandfather Andrew Hutcheson was well. Eric’s room was over the Portcullis a founder member and Captain of Troon (he did not let it down though!) Less than a Merchants Golf Club. His Great Uncle James year in Taunton, he was invited back to The Hutcheson was the first ever Professional Bruce in East Kilbride as the No.2 to the Golfer at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Wales, General Manager. A much improved salary in 1897. So you could say that golf is an enabled him to marry Margaret, whom he inherited gene on his mother’s side. had met when she was a catering student at Teaching was the other side; his father Motherwell College. taught mainly English and History in Ayrshire Aged just 25 in 1973, Eric became the schools. He died aged 50, but in his short life Resident Manager of the Golf View Hotel in was a town councillor, a county councillor, Nairn. A Director of Clan Hotels, who owned Justice of the Peace, and had other diverse the hotel, was heading north from Glasgow activities. Both sides’ inherited genes led to a to Inverness to show Eric the hotel when his powerful work ethic. car crashed in heavy snow near Tomatin.

In 1959, age 12, Eric washed glasses Margaret was in the rear seat with baby weekends and during school holidays at Elizabeth in her Moses basket. Unimpressed The Marine Hotel (flagship of the Scottish with the Director’s driving, Eric said that he Highland Hotel Group) next to Royal Troon would accept the job with one condition........

Golf Club, earning 2/6 an hour. “That was a that he drove the car back to Glasgow! Eric lot of money then,” explains Eric, equalling it soon developed the business, planning extra to a weekly wage today of £5. Later, Eric was teaching Golf Weeks with the famous Dai sometimes a waiter, hall porter, receptionist, Rees (Dai had Captained the last British even telephonist on an old-fashioned console winning Ryder Cup Team in 1957) at Nairn full of coloured wires! Eric learned the hotel Golf Club where he is still a member to this business from the bottom up. day!

Eric attended The Scottish Hotel School, Clan Hotels bought the Newton Hotel in the only residential hotel school in Britain 1979 ( where Charlie Chaplin used to stay), whose Diploma was modelled on the one at Eric’s instigation. He became General in Lausanne, Switzerland. Ross Hall (now a Manager of both operations, building up the private hospital) became part of the University turnover and expanding the management of Strathclyde in 1964. Eric opted for the new team degree course, graduating in 1968 with a BA St Andrews Links Trust, which had in Business Administration (Economics and bought Rusack’s Hotel in 1980, approached Hotel Management). ”It was a Eric. In 1981 Eric became great foundation and I enjoyed Managing Director, though it immensely.” harbouring ambitions to Both sides’ inherited still By this time he had have his own hotel, or run a worked to general assistant group of hotels! genes led to a level in five of the 22 Scottish Meantime he set about powerful work ethic Highland Hotels. His first increasing the turnover of position was Junior Assistant Rusacks, opening all year Manager at the brand new round as he had done in 4-Star Bruce Hotel in East Kilbride. This was Nairn. “I had to run it in a different way to the the first new-build hotel in Scotland after previous owner who was highly successful, the war with 65 rooms Scandinavian style. but had much lower overheads than the new It had a Danish Coffee Shop with authentic company set up by the Links Trust.” In less Smørrebrød, also a fine dining restaurant. It than 5 years the sales had increased by boasted a cabaret room/night club opened by over 330%. In 1985 the Links Trust sold the Brook Benton, the American crooner. hotel to Trust House Forte for around double Motherwell College, Lanarkshire, heard what they had paid previously! This capital about Eric, offering him a position teaching gain, with other resources, allowed the Links business studies in the Catering Department.

Trust to continue their Development Plan, “What I really wanted,” says Eric astutely, subsequently buying 100 acres of land from “was the Night Club Manager’s job at The the Cheape family in the summer of 1986.

Bruce, as I would then have made so much Part of the Rusacks development under money on tips it would have paid for an Eric had been the provision of The Links MBA programme in the USA.” Eric had been Rooms in the basement in the early ‘80s accepted by Michigan State University, but he as a limited clubhouse for visitors. Until the never got there! impressive Links Club House opened in1995, Instead, he had a travel scholarship, St Andrews did not have a proper clubhouse traversing Europe on a field study to find out for visitors. Eric takes great delight in telling what constituted “British Eating Out Abroad”. how his grandfather was involved in 1905 in With a questionnaire in 8 languages, Eric the building of the public clubhouse in Troon, drove with a fellow graduate from Glasgow to the real commercial “home of golf” according Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Berne, Vienna, to Eric, long before St Andrews!

Bonn, Copenhagen, in 10 weeks, in a Mini!

Eric stayed with Trust House Forte during Back home, Eric attended Jordanhill a major £2m renovation. However, in 1988 College of Further Education for a teaching with 3 financial partners, he bought Balbirnie qualification, but was soon back in the front House from Glenrothes Development line of hotels. From Motherwell he went to Corporation, turning it into a luxury 5-Crown Taunton in Somerset, to the famous Castle Deluxe hotel opening in November 1989. In Hotel as Catering Manager. The Castle had between negotiations to buy Balbirnie, Eric both a moat and a rare square Norman became a Lecturer at Strathclyde University,

commuting to Glasgow via Dundee, writing lectures on the train!

Eric took a huge risk giving up Rusacks, but he also committed to selling his house in St Andrews to fund his share of the equity of the company. Eric, and his family lived in an apartment in Balbirnie House, Margaret driving the children to Madras College. But she also was the underpaid Pastry Chef of the afternoon tea baking, together with other buffet work!

During the summer of 1992, having sold his shares in Balbirnie, Eric was approached again, to take on a new challenge as Resort General Manager at Craigendarroch in Ballater, Royal Deeside. Eric spent 4 years turning round its money losses. It was sold to the Stakis organisation, which transferred Eric to York as General Manager of a 130-room hotel.

June 2009, Eric took over the management of the Scores Hotel, St Andrews, from Norma Pacholek, who had been his PA at Rusacks.

Sadly, Norma passed away in March this year.

Eric, who had known David Mann, owner of The Scores, since his Rusacks days, proposed a master plan for development, starting with landscaping the gardens at the rear of the hotel to provide marquee facilities for the 2010 Open Championship, and to improve the car parking access. However, the most transformational proposition is eventually to more than double the number of bedrooms from 30 to 66 in two stages.

Now retired, Eric is determined to write a book, Links with Golf (Troon, Nairn, St Andrews, 1887-1987) as a perspective of these three golfing towns, their purpose-built golfing hotels having informed his career and his personal connections with golf.

Eric has acted as specialist advisor to the Council for National Academic Awards. In Ballater and York he was an External Examiner at Robert Gordon’s University. He has also been a founding Director of Tourist Boards, including the St Andrews and North East Fife Board. Shortly he will step down as Chairman of The St Andrews Partnership after 4 years.

A golf collector with a substantial collection of memorabilia, Eric is a bibliophile. “Margaret says we live in a secondhand book shop, though many of the books are new!” One bookcase is dedicated to the original Penguin paperback books at 6d old money,1935 -1939. Just returned from their latest cruise adventure, the Brown family had Christmas off, a rare experience!

(Photo be Flora Selwyn)

11

SHOPS & SERVICES Jonnie Adamson

More power to your pocket We recently decided significant changes in recent years, affecting to get a green deal most of us. assessment done Not only are there significant for our home. One differences in road tax (£490 per year of my main reasons difference between ‘green’ and ‘mean’), but for doing so was possibly more importantly is the difference that we had notice in benefit-in-kind tax cost between low of another price emission and high emission cars. The rise in our home energy costs. As a grant was taxable benefit of having a company car available for the assessment it seemed like available for private use is deemed to be a good plan. I await the seven times higher for results of this assessment, a petrol car emitting but I believe that there 215g/km of CO2 than Allowing us to make best one emitting 75g/km. If are a number of grants and financial incentives you multiply this over use of our resources by available for homeowners the nation’s fleets of improving technology and businesses for the company cars then purpose of being more you can see that there keeps costs down energy efficient. This, along is a real incentive with the recent posturing for employers and by politicians over energy employees to choose prices, green taxes, and levies got me thinking an environmentally-friendly option. It does about the changes in tax policy that have not just help save the planet, it helps the actually made a difference to private individuals pocket too. and local businesses whilst also helping to It is not just a tax saving; it is easy to see reduce pollution. that my clients who have adopted energy In my opinion the decision to link tax on saving measures have benefited from lower cars to CO2 emissions is one of the most energy costs. It really does make a noticeable

12

difference switching off unused appliances and using low energy equipment and light bulbs. Fuel and running costs are also very much lower where low CO2 cars are used.

It is also well worth keeping an eye on the grants, interest-free loans, and advice on the Energy Savings Trust website. The incentives and assistance measures do change, and it is often the case that anyone can benefit from them.

I am all for reducing the environmental impact we have as a society, but I do feel that the way this will be best tackled in the long term is by making us more efficient economically. Allowing us to make best use of our resources by improving technology keeps costs down, and should make things last a bit longer too.

For further information on this, or other matters, please consult: Henderson Black & Co. 149 Market St, St Andrews Tel: 01334 472 255

SHOPS & SERVICES Sarah McLeod describes

Hyperbolic Crochet I first encountered the term ‘hyperbolic crochet’ through The Institute for Figuring, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organisation, “dedicated to the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science, mathematics and engineering. From the physics of snowflakes, and the hyperbolic geometry of sea slugs, to the mathematics of paper folding, the tiling patterns of Islamic mosaics, and graphical models of the human mind, the Institute takes as its purview a complex ecology of figuring.” http://theiff.org/current/ Hyperbolic crochet was developed by mathematician Daina Taimina as a way of modeling exponential growth and hyperbolic planes in 3D. Taimina was teaching a course in hyperbolic geometry at Cornell, and modeling with paper had proved unsatisfactory, too fragile; crocheting with wool proved to be an excellent way to produce a tactile model for herself and her students.

See Taimina’s TED talk here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1TBZhd-sN0 hy·per·bol·ic also hy·per·bol·i·cal adj.

1. Of, relating to, or employing hyperbole.

2. Mathematics a. Of, relating to, or having the form of a hyperbola. b. Of, or relating to a geometric system in which two or more lines can be drawn through any point in a plane and not intersect a given line in the plane. c. Of, or relating to a hyperbolic function: hyperbolic cosine.

The term ‘hyperbolic crochet’ may have stemmed from academia, but many crochet artists will be familiar with the ruffled edge, the organic coral, and branching growth pattern that free-form crochet replicates quite naturally on the hook. As soon as crochet stops being flat, as in a blanket, hyperbolic forms start to emerge.

As a 3D artist I can readily see how 1 stitch = 1 cell, albeit on a bigger scale, and is therefore an excellent way to describe growth patterns and the fractal nature of simple but apparently complex creatures, such as coral, and the frilly edge of a nudibranch (sea slug), cabbage leaf, or carnation petal.

In fact hyperbolic crochet has been used to great effect in an IFF project called the Crochet Coral Reef, from the IFF website, “a project that resides at the intersection of mathematics, marine biology, handicraft, and community art practice, also responds to the environmental crisis of global warming and the escalating problem of oceanic plastic trash” The CCR is a fantastic project that has toured the world, that anyone can join, crochet artists from all over the world have contributed with every colour and every material possible including plastics, all variety of textiles, and mostly wool. More can be seen on the website: http://crochetcoralreef.org/ My interests lie not only in the beauty of the forms and textures produced, but also what it says about our culture of textile over-production today.

Fascinated by the number of charity shops in St Andrews, and the weekly loads collected by truck of fabrics, shoes, clothes, fur coats that could not be sold in the shops, therefore sent for ‘ragging’, I wanted to find out more ….

According to Wastewatch (part of Keep Britain Tidy, a charity and lobby group): • • • • •

The UK generates between 550,000 and 900,000 tonnes of textile waste every year.

It is estimated that 400,000 to 700,000 tonnes of textiles are sent to landfills every year, At least 50% of the textiles going to landfill could be recycled, but in fact the amount of textile waste reused or recycled annually in the UK is estimated to be around 250,000 tonnes.

No specific legislation exists to regulate or encourage the recovery and recycling of textiles in the UK. However, aspects of the global textile industry are very political, with some of the largest international clothing companies accused of selling clothes made in ‘sweat shop’ conditions abroad.

Decorative forms from recycled textiles by Sarah McLeod.

Available for sale at the Weft Textile Studio and Workshop, 15 East Shore, Pittenweem. More info; http://studio54-pittenweem.blogspot.co.uk/ Prompted by a lifelong hatred of waste I started to use worn-out clothing in some of my own work – vintage fabrics are very different from their modern counterparts; for instance T-shirt fabric from the ‘70s under the microscope has a much higher cotton content than modern T-shirt fabric, and there is a quality to vintage or ‘worn-in’ fabrics that is missing in new or manmade fabrics.

There is a great tradition of recycling textiles, from the famous patchwork of the “Gee’s Bend” – quilts made by depression-era freed slaves in Alabama, when the price of cotton plummeted and every scrap was precious – “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend” A Showcase of Distinctive Work by African-American Artists” www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=970364 Also – “Kitting for Victory” during WW2 when wool was in very short supply and women were encouraged to unpick old unwearable woollen items in order to re-knit.

Of course vintage fashion has gone mainstream; it is now acceptable to wear secondhand clothes, unfortunately it also seems acceptable to buy ‘disposable’ clothes very cheaply sometimes for a single wear purpose. The environmental costs of fabric production and the personal costs of sweat shop garment manufacture are not reflected in the prices of modern cheap fashion.

Synthetic fabrics produce their own recycling dilemma; for instance, tights, which are made of nylon, lycra, and manmade composites present specific problems in landfill as synthetic manmade fibres will not decompose. A conservative estimated of 1200 million pairs of tights a year are thrown away in the UK alone and the UK hosiery market (socks, tights, pantyhose) is said to be worth approximately £320m Connecting statements made on waste and the use of hyperbolic crochet is something I would like to see happen, as the word ‘hyperbolic’ itself means ‘exaggerate’ and is where the term “hype” comes from – if anything is exaggerated in these times it is the necessity to keep consuming – as the world’s resources are being stretched to their limit, this particularly applies to high turnover markets such as the textile industry.

Projects to raise awareness of waste and pollution such as the Crochet Coral reef are to be highly commended; perhaps it is time to start our own version in St Andrews? We certainly have enough raw materials!

(Photos courtesy Sarah McLeod)

13

SHOPS & SERVICES From Ayesha Khan – an easy recipe for you to enjoy.

Renton Oriental Rugs Tel: 01334 476 334

72 South Street, St Andrews Fife, KY16 9JT

14

SHOPS & SERVICES Harry Maclean advises on

MOT for your property Those of you who own a vehicle that is over 3 years old will be only too familiar with the annual visit to the garage or MOT test centre. You wonder if it will sail through without any problems, whether it will pass, but with advisory notes or perhaps even the dreaded FAIL? The next stage, should it fail, will be the worry of how much it will cost to carry out the remedial works necessary to get it through the test, and the sharp intake of breath, followed by “how much!!” as the garage owner explains the cost of parts and labour involved.

How does this relate to properties?

Many car owners take great care of their motor car, cleaning it inside and out, polishing it and making it look special; they want a pleasant environment to travel in. Beyond that they occasionally (although maybe not often enough), lift up the bonnet to check the oil and fluid levels to ensure that all does not come to a nasty end. Lastly there is the inevitable visit to the petrol station, where costs have rocketed over recent years, and can now absorb a great deal of your monthly income.

As a Chartered Surveyor in the property field, Harry Maclean of Beechfield Property Consultants inspects properties on a daily basis, many of them worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. This is far more than the value of your average car, but more often than not they receive far less care and attention than your prized possession that sits on the driveway.

For example, when did you, the owner, clean the paintwork on your house to remove dirt and deposits that can add life to your external paintwork? More common, however, are problems with roofs and gutters that can cause extensive damage if not maintained properly. These photos show how leaky roofs and gutters have led to dampness inside, creating an environment that is anything but pleasant. In severe cases this can cause mushrooms and fungal growths inside your house, which is not only unhealthy, but can also lead to wet rot, dry rot and greatly devalue your property.

Key factors Experience in what to look for whilst inspecting your house is something that is learned over a long period. Seeking out good vantage points from your own property, or sometimes that of a friendly neighbour, can help to spot a problem early, potentially saving you a great

Total

ecommerce

Total Ecommerce, 7 Borthwick Place, Balmullo, Fife Call: 01334 871101 Email: Info@total-ecommerce.co.uk

deal of time, trouble and money. The tennis ball blocking the top of the rainwater downpipe is quite common, and not known about until the rainwater, which has nowhere to go, spills over the gutters.

Worse than this though, can be the blockage within the pipes, which can cause them to split with frost action and then lead to dampness inside.

“Out of sight, out of mind” might be the reason, but regular maintenance of such items can save money later.

House MOT certificates Currently there is no government legislation that enforces owners of properties to have them checked to pass a test, and it is unlikely this will be enforced in the near future. But as you do in other aspects of your life, you should try to do everything within reason to look after your asset, and keep it in good order.

Further to this, if you live in a historic or listed property, you might want to promote the beliefs of those who believe as William Morris did that, “ We are only the trustees for those who come after us” What is the value of having an MOT certificate for your house?

You can provide evidence and proof to future purchasers of your house that you have maintained it well. It may be that a more enlightened Insurance company would offer a discount to your home insurance premium, akin to the No Claims Bonus in your car?

What might the MOT cover?

• Roofs – checking for slipped or missing slates • Rainwater goods • Walls • Windows & Doors • External woodwork • Paths & gardens • Outside ground levels • Gas Safety checks and certificates for boilers • Fixed Wiring checks • Smoke Alarm tests and checks • Emergency lighting checks • Central heating maintenance Any questions about the content of this article can be directed to Beechfield Consultants who can be contacted by phone on 07779 910 224, Email: harry@beechfieldconsultants.co.uk or alternatively check out their web-site, LinkedIn or Twitter pages.

(Photos courtesy Harry Maclean)

— No nonsense brochure websites from £250 — Ecommerce websites from £400 — Beat the credit crunch and get your business back on track — No nonsense approach to your online business from Total Ecommerce

15

SHOPS & SERVICES

From our Roving Reporter

1. Here’s a different way to earn a crust: Christopher MacRae is planning to pay his way through University by wearing a sponsored shirt. This is what he proposes, “there will be a one-off fee to have your ad or logo featured for the entire year. I am charging per square inch and the cost will vary depending on the location of the advert. For printing, the prices are as follows (embroidered prices in brackets): Chest – £200/sq in (£220); Lower Front/Upper back – £150/sq in (£170); Arms/Lower Back – £80/sq in (£90); Sides/Under Arms – £20/sq in (£30).” Christopher says he hopes to create a stir, “I will be wearing the same shirt every day for the next year of my life (washing it in between of course!) – a novelty shirt that is completely covered in printed or embroidered adverts, big and small, that will hopefully become as much of a talking point as the companies it is advertising.” Reporter is impressed. He hopes readers will respond favourably to this innovative plan. You can contact Christopher by email: sponsortheshirt@gmail.com Good luck Christopher!

(Photo courtesy Christopher MacRae)

2.

3. Reporter noticed a new shop, Sweetheart, at 27 Church Street, (Tel: +44 780419 2929) so of course, in he went! Owner Canan Gafuroglu told him her story: “I came here four years ago for my children’s education. I have been impressed by the history, beauty and the welcoming nature of St Andrews since my very first day here. There was a lot for me to see in St Andrews with the many beautiful sights and experiences it provides. I wanted to add a piece of Turkish culture to this colourful, inspiring city. I brought my favourite aspects of Turkish culture, including authentic Turkish delicacies, handcrafts and jewellery. It’s very heartening to see so much interest in Sweetheart. My experience in St Andrews has been very delightful – I hope to give others the chance to experience the delight in exploring a different culture as well.”

Reporter says, ‘well worth a detour!’

* * *Reporter * * met Zinaida Lewczuk.

She told him, “In recent years there has been growing interest in mindfulness. It is a profound practice that can transform our lives, based on systematic cultivation of moment-to-moment awareness of our experience. We learn how to see more clearly the patterns of our mind.

We learn to recognize unhelpful patterns, and develop the skills to transform them. We learn the skills of cultivating positive states of mind such as kindness and compassion, to enhance our well-being. Mindfulness enables us to slow down and find places of stillness and quiet within ourselves, an antidote to our hectic modern life-style. It can also bring us to the present moment, helping us to connect with the richness of our sensory experience, awakening a sense of curiosity and wonder. There is growing research evidence of the benefits of mindfulness in improving well-being, increasing resilience, and helping with mental health problems.” Reporter learned that you can experience the approach yourself by joining Zinaida’s 8-week course starting on Monday, 27 January, 6.00-8.00pm. Contact Zinaida: zinaida@lewczuk.co.uk Website: www.lewczuk.co.uk (Photo courtesy Zinaida Lewczuk)

*****

(Photos courtesy Canan Gafuroglu)

The New Picture House Winner of the RAAM Independent Cinema of the Year Award for Excellence Enjoy a pre-show drink in our lounge or book an exclusive function or children’s party with a private screening

www.nphcinema.co.uk

117 North Street, St Andrews Tel: 013334 474902

16

SHOPS & SERVICES Flora Selwyn was a guest of

McCarthy & Stone – Later Living in St Andrews In November I was invited to spend time in the new McCarthy & Stone development, Scholars Gate, at the end of a new road called ‘Abbey Park Avenue’, off Abbey Walk. Down past the orchard (described in this issue’s Town-Gown section), is an attractive new block of 44 one- and twobedroom flats for the active retired.

A nicely marked car park through arches had enough space for me. Then a quick walk back to the secure main door, opened for me by Professional Advisor Wendy, who had been looking out for me. Almost before I said, ’hello’, she ushered me into a room full of people listening to author Jennie Erdal talking about her book, The Missing Shade of Blue.

This, I learned after the lively session, was a meeting of the residents’ optional book club. Tea and cake were on offer, but politely declining because I’d had a late lunch, I was shown to the attractive guest suite and given the key, free to come and go, absorbing the surroundings.

The literature describes the interior as ‘traditional yet modern’.

Thickly carpeted, the prevailing colour scheme is mostly muted creams and pale grey, with some apricot-coloured easy chairs and a sofa with matching cushions in the homeowners’ lounge. Large windows provide light, but electric lights are always on, some of them turn on automatically when passed. The three floors are serviced by an efficient lift.

A spacious laundry room, and a small reading room are also part of the communal facilities. Off the car park there is a store for mobility scooters, and bicycles, and there’s a separate plant room.

Every room in the building has a very prominent red emergency cord. Elaine Cameron is the House Manager, on duty Monday – Friday from 9.00am to 4.00pm, but available out of hours if necessary.

She told me she has found her ideal employment. I noticed that she carried a large walkie-talkie around with her so she can be called anywhere in the building.

One of the homeowners used to be a neighbour of mine, so I knocked on her door to catch up with her news. She is ecstatic about her new home. Kay told me that all her removal worries were taken care of by McCarthy & Stone’s independent part-exchange specialist company, from the surveying through to the actual move itself. The part-exchange scheme, if chosen, takes care of absolutely everything to do with moving house, giving peace of mind. Kay has a one-bedroom apartment, and family members have frequently stayed in the guest suite when visiting. A fitted kitchen allows Kay to cater for herself and visitors. Her bedroom looks out over

the garden, which is well looked after. “I love it here,” said Kay, “I have company when I want it, and no worries, everything is taken care of.” As Kay was expecting her daughter, she had set her TV to monitor the front door, a useful device.

McCarthy & Stone’s policy is to locate their developments in a convenient location, and on a bus route, so that residents can easily go into town. There is an annual parking fee of £250 for those with cars. I thought that sounded a bit steep, but I was assured that it was fair, the money going towards general maintenance benefiting everyone.

‘Later Living’ is designed for those over 60 years of age, and physically able. Anyone requiring care would be catered for in alternative ‘Assisted Living’ accommodation, where individual needs are provided for. Currently this is not available in St Andrews.

A large house and garden, especially one in a remote part of the countryside, might well become burdensome and lonely at some stage, persuading its owner to downsize into a comfortable, easily-managed flat within walking distance of a town centre. McCarthy & Stone provides a solution. Homeowners have complete privacy, yet are encouraged to make friends through use of the communal spaces. The book club is one social event organized for anyone interested, but on the whole residents have the benefit of St Andrews on their doorstep, with its great diversity of opportunities.

It was kind of McCarthy & Stone to invite me. The lively enthusiasm of Angela, Wendy, and Elaine was delightful. No wonder residents like my friend Kay are so happy!

(Photos courtesy McCarthy & Stone)

FOR OUT OF TOWN LEGAL ADVICE Wills / Inheritance Tax Planning / Executries / Powers of Attorney / Guardianship Conveyancing / Commercial Property / Business Law

We can consult locally

ADIE HUNTER Solicitors and Notaries 15 Newton Terrace Glasgow Telephone: 0141 248 3828 Fax: 0141 221 2384 email: enquiries@adiehunter.co.uk

17

EVENTS Kirsten McKenzie Press & Media Manager

StAnza 2014 As Scotland’s only dedicated international poetry festival and one of the top three poetry festivals in the UK, StAnza has long been famous for its warm, friendly atmosphere and its international focus.

For four days in Spring, St Andrews is the place to hear your favourite poet, discover new voices, meet other poets, writers, and publishers to enjoy the energetic buzz that fills the town. This year, from 5 – 9 March more than 60 poets, plus visual artists, musicians, actors and other writers will take part in events ranging from poetry readings to workshops and poetryinspired art installations.

Ten years after performing some of his earliest poetry here, author Louis de Bernières will launch the Festival. His first collection of poetry was published earlier this year. Awardwinning poet, New Yorker poetry editor Paul Muldoon will make his first appearance at StAnza, alongside poet laureates Carol Ann Duffy, John Burnside, and Tishani Doshi.

Poets from across the Commonwealth will explore what the idea of home means to them, as part of StAnza’s first theme, A Common

T J Dema

18

Wealth of Poetry. In the year Scotland hosts the Commonwealth Games, StAnza will preview a selection of new poems from Glasgow poetry network St Mungo’s Mirrorball, inspired by commonwealth sports. This digital installation will include a poetic tribute by Alex Hutchison to Phil Caira, the Fifer who won weightlifting medals in the 1958 and 1962 Games. An interactive exhibition of poetry spun on tennis balls invites visitors to create new poetry by spinning the balls woven onto a mesh frame, to reveal new poetry that can be read in any direction.

StAnza 2014 will kick off with a new, award-winning circus show, Rime, based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, making use of group acrobatics, human towers, Chinese poles, silks, flips and tricks to tell this beautiful haunting tale.

StAnza will also feature an exhibition including fascinating details of 1920s domestic life, inspired by a remarkable coincidence: Maria Walker bought letters in an antique shop on a whim, and five years later met the poet Angela Topping, only to discover that the letters were written by Angela’s grandparents! The exhibition, The Lightfoot Letters, is a fusion of textile art, poetry, and the social history of the inter-war years.

For those looking for an alternative to digital media, Jean Johnstone will lead a session exploring the importance of artists’ books for poetry lovers and bibliophiles, a specialised type of artwork which creates individual books using art and text. Participants can explore the artists’ books, unwrap their layers of silk and linen, then explore the textures of bark and leaf papers, while discovering new poetry, creating a unique multisensory experience.

The Rock (The Radical Road) The centenary of the start of WW1 provides the basis for a series of workshops around StAnza’s second theme, Words Under Fire.

Jenny Lewis will help participants with ‘Voicing the Past’, finding inspiration from a variety of war-related artefacts. John Greening, author of the new collection To the War Poets, will lead a workshop on the importance of surprise in poetry. Meanwhile, building on the success of StAnza’s all-day workshop at Balmungo House, former home of the artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, there will also be two daylong workshops in 2014. These will be led by Cumbrian poet and St Andrews lecturer Jacob Polley, with poet and painter Vicki Feaver, who will explore ways of transforming image into poem. Edinburgh ‘cabaret of words, music and lyrical delights,’ Rally and Broad, will host the StAnza Slam. There will be opportunities for participants to try out their own poetry at one of three open mic events.

Check out StAnza’s programme and booking details at www.stanzapoetry.org or call 01334 474 610 for a free brochure.

Tickets will be on sale from 5 January from VisitScotland, Tel: 01334 474 609.

(Photos courtesy StAnza)

EVENTS From Ian Bradley

G & S events for your diary the first, held at Holy Trinity Church Hall last Following their successful and highly acclaimed year, attracted a full house for such numbers production of Iolanthe in November, the as Gee, Officer Kruptke from West Side Story, St Andrews University Gilbert and Sullivan There is nothing like a dame, from West Side Society have a number of concerts and Story, and Who will buy this wonderful morning? performances early in 2014 at which they would from Oliver. much enjoy seeing residents of St Andrews and Finally, from 16-18 April, also at the the surrounding area.

Buchanan Lecture Theatre, comes the On 17 January at 7.00pm Caroline Taylor, Society’s main production for this academic one of the Society’s leading ladies, currently on year, The Sorcerer. her year abroad in Paris, I am looking forward to my Among Gilbert and returns to St Andrews to Sullivan’s earliest give a recital at Holy Trinity tenth year as Life President, collaborations, set in Church, which will feature and am particularly proud of an English village, it is music by Mozart as well the Society which has done a delightful tale of the as Gilbert and Sullivan. much to foster good relations unexpected effects of Caroline is one of a number a magic love potion of the G & S Society soloists between town and gown prepared by the wellwho sing in the Holy Trinity known sorcerer, John Wellington Wells, slipped Church Choir – they include three of the into the tea at the vicarage fete on the orders principals from Iolanthe – and proceeds from of the son of the local squire. her concert, for which admission is free with a The Society has not performed in the retiring collection, will go to Church funds (see Buchanan Theatre for many years, but it used Town & Gown in this issue) to be its home. As Honorary Life President, I On 20 February at 7.30pm in the Buchanan am looking forward to performing there. For a Lecture Theatre the Society presents an start, the seats are a lot more comfortable than evening of G & S songs interspersed with those in Venue 1 in the Students’ Union, it is a lot less from Broadway and West End shows. This is draughty and the acoustics and sightlines are the second venture into this mixed territory – considerably better.

I am looking forward to my tenth year as Life President, and am particularly proud of the Society which has done much to foster good relations between town and gown. Our most loyal audience comes from the town. It has been a source of great pride and joy to me that over recent years the Society has given concerts in aid of churches, local charities, Iolanthe cast

to both the blind and hard of hearing clubs, at one of our care homes. We also gave a wonderful concert for elderly residents of St Andrews on the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

On 22 January the Society will give its annual fund-raising Private Willis concert at the Burn, Glenesk, near Brechin in aid of the charity Goodwill and Growth Africa, which particularly helps those suffering from HIV Aids in southern Africa. Previous concerts have raised as much as £700 for this charity.

Meanwhile, an initiative suggested by former Society President, Laurie Slavin, now in his final year at the University reading International Relations and History, is being taken up across the country this summer.

Speaking at last year’s International Gilbert and Sullivan Symposium in Buxton, Derbyshire, he suggested an international G & S night on the model of Burns’ Night. The date he proposed was 3 June, the birthday of Richard D’Oyly Carte who brought Gilbert & Sullivan together.

The idea has enthusiastically been taken up by Ian Smith, Director of the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, who hopes that there may be G & S dinners and concerts across the world on that night. Here in St Andrews it is hoped that there will be a G & S Dinner with distinguished guests on 3 June.

For more information about these and other events, e-mail the society at gssocmail@st-andrews.ac.uk

Selected Events Wednesday, 8 January – 7.30pm. Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens. Pesticides, Peregrines & politics: another triumph for birdwatchers. A talk by Jeremy Greenwood, Scottish Ornithologists’ Club Fife Branch. Contact: 01334 828 925.

Sunday, 9 February – 11.00am-5.00pm. Younger Hall, North Street.

Fife Food Fayre. Local/organic food for St Andrews. Fee: £3.

Under 16 Free. Contact: v.albrecht@stafoodfayre.co.uk 07581 502 674.

Friday, 17 January – 7.00pm. Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews.

Charity recital by soprano Caroline Taylor, accompanied by Walter Blair. A mixed programme including Mozart, Gilbert & Sullivan, and more. Free entry, retiring collection at the end for the Church fund. Contact: cat4@st-andrews.ac.uk

Wednesday, 12 February – 7.30pm Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens.

Spanish Steppes: Birds of the Laguna de Gallocanta. A talk by Jeremy Brock for the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Fife Branch.

Contact: 01334 828 925.

Monday, 27 January – 8.00pm. School 1, University Quad, North Street. The Archaeology of Kilmartin Glen: recent discoveries & new developments. A talk by Dr Sharon Webb for the St Andrews Archaeology Society. Contact: 01334 462 600.

Wednesday, 29 January – 1.10pm. Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews. Lunchtime concert. Contact: 01334 462 228.

Thursday, 30 January – 8.00pm. School 1, University Quad, North Street. From global to Local: co-ordinating the care of World Heritage sites in Scotland. A talk by Lesley Macinnes, Historic Scotland for the St Andrews Archaeology Society. Contact: 01334 462 600.

Thursday, 13 February – Swallowgate, Butts Wynd, The Scores.

The Social Dynamics of Dedication: the Delian Inventories of the Third Century. A talk by Dr Christy Costantakopoulou, Birkbeck, for the St Andrews Scottish Hellenic Society.

Wednesday, 5, 12, 19, 26 February – 1.10pm. Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews. Lunchtime concert. Contact: 01334 462 228.

Thursday, 20 February – 7.30pm. Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews. The Doric Quartet. Music by Hayden; Janacek; Beethoven. The St Andrews Music Club & University of St Andrews. Contact: 01334 462 228.

19

ORGANISATIONS

Community Safety Panels Merger Two of Fife’s community safety panels - St Andrews and District and Cupar and District - have merged into a new and expanded North East Fife Community Safety Panel. Members some of whom are pictured along with co-chairs Bill Sangster and Loretta Mordi signing the new panel’s constitution, are drawn from local communities and meet every four months to identify crime prevention or personal safety initiatives in which they can be directly involved or contribute to through fund-raising activities. Recent examples of the panel’s work include a personal safety course for women; a campaign to encourage the use of lights on cycles; crime prevention leaflets for golfers; the provision of personal attack alarms; and the supply of high visibility pouches to newspaper delivery people.

Always looking for new members, anyone interested in joining the North East Fife Community Safety Panel should contact Stewart Davidson on sgd1@st-andrews.ac.uk for further information.

Flora Selwyn delved into the history of

The St Andrews Business Club For a town full of businesses it seems strange that the impetus for founding a business club in St Andrews came from Dundee. The irony now is that the Dundee club no longer exists, whereas its offspring is thriving!!

The St Andrews Business Club began life in 1950. For many years meetings were held in McArthur’s Café (now The Rule) in South Street.

One of the first speakers to address members was a Mr Paterson, President of the Dundee Business Club, on the subject of the “Functions of a Business Club.” I couldn’t find any record of this talk, which is a pity.

In fact, the earliest records of the Club are surprisingly scant. However, the list of topics covered in those early days suggests that interests haven’t changed that much in the town, though without a doubt the details have. There were talks about the Tourist Board (before VisitScotland), Town & Country planning, juvenile delinquency, Britain’s economic problems, pension schemes for private firms, and so on. On 30 October President Ken Russell with speaker Viv Collie (courtesy Ken Russell) 1950 Prof T M Knox spoke about, “The Place & Development of the There were outings to DC Thomson in Dundee, The Guardbridge University in St Andrews.” Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University Paper Mill, the Byre Theatre etc. The most unusual visit was a day trip since 1936, Prof Knox was to become Principal in 1953, three years after spent on board a Nuclear Deterrent Submarine at the this talk.

Faslane Naval Base. Grand annual dinners, with ‘all the On 7 November 1951, the Burgh Engineer, R F Buick the Dundee club no trimmings’ were held. spoke about “the Development Plan for St Andrews.” longer exists, whereas Membership, however, dipped in the late 1990s, with How different that has become since! There followed its offspring is thriving!! serious consideration being given to a possible merger a somewhat enigmatic topic on 26 November 1951 by with the Merchants’ Association. That did not transpire.

Prof J H Baxter entitled, “Persia? Oil.” Presumably that A rethink by the committee came to the conclusion that meeting in the is today’s Iran. Then C H A Collyns of the Fife Sub Area SEB Electricity evening was the problem.

Board addressed, “The Development of Electricity” on 31 March 1952.

Relocating to the Scores Hotel, breakfast meetings were introduced, Peter Thomson, the BBC Sports Commentator spoke on 30 November starting at 7.45am with a full breakfast available before the scheduled 1953, but no title is recorded. On 14 December the same year, A D talk. This proved the making of the Club, and membership has increased Taylor of the (late lamented) as a result.

Guardbridge Paper Company The minutes of Peter Mason’s President’s report at the Club’s AGM talked about, “Papermaking.” in 2005, reads: “The President indicated that he enjoyed being President.

In 1963, now Principal, Prof His duties had been far more pleasant and less onerous than he had Knox told the Business Club expected.” Exactly what, I wonder, had he expected? that the University’s annual Kenneth Russell, the current President of the Club, is certain that salary bill stood at £400,000, “it’s the sign of a good club when you get good speakers and good expected to rise to £600,000 attendances,” all of which is true today. Membership fees, though they within 3 years. That was have had to rise this last year to cover costs, are still reasonable at £30 before decimalization of for the year, with £10.50 for each breakfast. “We don’t pay any speakers,” Britain’s currency. yet the calibre continues to be high.

The list is fascinating in its Outings are still planned, a popular visit to the Hill of Tarvit being a variety. That hasn’t changed recent one. The annual dinners are no longer the grand affairs they once over the years. Regular were, in fact there hasn’t been one for a while. meetings were held monthly, Anyone wishing to attend a meeting as a guest of an existing member apart from the usual holiday is always made welcome. times. It seems that neither topics nor speakers were ever in short supply. Well kent For further information please email the Secretary, Ronnie Murphy: names appear regularly: Sir RMurphy@murraydonald.co.uk Menzies Campbell; Michael Bonallack; A B Paterson; Donald Finlay, to mention a (Photos by Flora Selwyn) few.

20

ORGANISATIONS Virginia Fowler reports on the

Biennial Trip to Loches At the end of October twenty-one members of Verrerie, the ancestral home of le Comte the St Andrews – Loches Alliance made the Béraud de Vogüe, a descendant of the Stuart biennial pilgrimage to the town of Loches en Dynasty. We were graciously received by le Touraine in France, with whom St Andrews Comte, who naturally spoke perfect English, shares a “Cultural Partnership”. For fifteen of then given a guided tour of the Château by a the group, this was their first visit to Loches. group of actors who regularly perform there.

The group was warmly welcomed on the Although the Château remains a family home Friday evening at the former Chancellerie, much of it is now open to the public. It takes now an art gallery, by Pascal Dubrisay, its name from a glass factory, which once deputy of Culture and Heritage for the Loches stood at the edge of the lake bordering the area, and one of the founding members of the Château.

Alliance. There they were introduced to their On Sunday morning a number of options hosts for the weekend. had been arranged by our hosts, including a One of the highlights of the visit was a visit to a local artist’s studio in Loches, a visit day trip on the Saturday to Aubigny-sur-Nère, to the School of Horticulture, or a guided tour a small market town in the Berry region with of the town. The group was then reunited at la strong historical links to Scotland, dating Mairie, or Town Hall, for a reception with the back to the signing of the Auld Alliance Treaty Mayor of Loches, Jean-Jacques Descamps, in 1295. The town and lands surrounding his wife Milène, and his deputy Marc Aubigny-sur-Nère were given as recompense Angenault. Jean-Jacques Descamps has to John Stuart Darnley in 1423 for coming been involved with the “Cultural Partnership” to the aid of the future since its inception, both King of France during the he and his wife, until very Hundred Years War with recently an MEP, having the English. Henceforth been extremely supportive The medieval town Aubigny became the city of the exchange between was completely rebuilt of the Stuarts in France. The the two towns and are Stuarts continued to play an frequent visitors to after a fire in 1512 important role in the history St Andrews. of France, significantly in The reception was their capacity as personal followed by lunch in bodyguards, la Garde Ecossaise, to the nearby Beaulieu-lès-Loches. The Loches French Monarchy. Scottish soldiers under area boasts a Scottish Country dance group the Stuarts were granted French citizenship, known as La Gigue Ecossaise; after lunch the many of them staying on in France : a good Scottish and French dancers joined forces number of their descendants still live in to dance the appropriately named Joie de Aubigny (the town boasts its own Pipe Band Vivre. The entire group then joined in for an and celebrates, les Grandes Fêtes Francoafternoon of lively dancing and singing of Ecossaises every year on 13 and 14 July).

French and Scottish dances and folk songs.

The town of Aubigny-sur-Nère also has a very Later that evening, the office bearers of contemporary link with Scotland, as it has the Alliance from both towns met to discuss been twinned with Haddington in East Lothian future plans. The discussions included the for more than forty years. successful exchange between pupils of Our group were very warmly received Madras College and the Collège Georges in the Town Hall of Aubigny, situated in the Besse; the possible placement of a student precinct of the Château des Stuarts, by from the horticultural college at Verneuil, near the cultural attaché and the deputy mayor.

Loches, at the Cambo Estate in the Spring of A number of the Fife group, the “Location 2014; an exhibition in St Andrews of the work Reelers” then danced the strathspey Queen of contemporary Loches artist Jean-Philippe Mary of Scotland in the Château forecourt.

Constant; entente between the Photography The Scottish contingent were then given a Societies of the two towns; and a new project tour of the town, with a visit to the museum to continue the successful links between the dedicated to the Auld Alliance and the town’s Primary Schools. The Renaissance Choir Scottish connections, followed by a visit to the from the University of St Andrews hopes to Memorial of the Auld Alliance. The Location make a visit to Loches in the not-too-distant Reelers had an opportunity to demonstrate future. their dancing skills, dancing the Scottish Everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable Reel, The Auld Alliance, in the marketplace time, new friendships were forged and to the great delight of the local townsfolk who the bonds between the two towns were gathered round to watch. reinforced.

The medieval town was completely rebuilt after a fire in 1512 and the Municipalité have gone to great lengths to protect the Further information about membership architectural style of the buildings, mainly of the St Andrews-Loches Alliance wooden structures with beamed ceilings is available from John Matthews: and slate roofs. Our party enjoyed a jfmatthews6@gmail.com or Joyce delightful lunch with regional wines and local Duncan: joyce.duncan@btinternet.com specialities in the restaurant of la Chaumière, a charming hotel near the town centre also built in the vernacular. After lunch the group (Photos by Frank Ridell) proceeded by coach to the Château de la

Château Aubingysur Nère

Augignysur Nère, La Danse Footnote: Location Reelers are a group who have been dancing Scottish Country Dances in appropriate locations for a number of years. It started with Schiehallion in walking boots at the top of Schiehallion; followed by Fife Ness, on the rocks at Fife Ness in a storm; Autumn in Appin in Appin in the autumn; and so on. The dancers started their trip to France with a rendition of Well Met in Paris in the baggage handling area of Charles de Gaulle airport, without so much as raising an official eyebrow, before continuing to Loches.

21

ORGANISATIONS Alan Tricker

SAMS is celebrating 75 years of music-making!

In March 2014 St Andrews Musical Society (SAMS) will be celebrating 75 years since its formation. Over the years there have been dozens of brilliant musicals and operettas performed around the town, hundreds of local people have enjoyed involvement with these productions, thousands of people have watched the shows – in fact almost 10% of the population buys a ticket each year. Read on if you want to know how you can join in the celebration, but first a little history.

In 1939, during a packed meeting in the Old Court Room in St Andrews, a discussion arose regarding the possibility of St Andrews starting its own Operatic Society. The proposal for such an organisation came from Mr Alex Maxwell who “was surprised that a city like St Andrews was not represented in this branch of theatre art.” It was noted by another speaker at the meeting that, “If Cupar can do it, so can St Andrews.” So on Tuesday, 21 March 1939 in a meeting chaired by Dr Mair, St Andrews Amateur Opera Company (the title was soon to be changed to Society) was formally inaugurated. Dr Mair said during the meeting, “At a time like this, when there is so much anxiety and unrest in the world, it is absolutely essential that we should keep our peckers up, and there is no better way of doing it than making music.”

Later in the same year rehearsals began for a performance of A Country Girl by James T Tanner, which was to be staged in 1940, but never took place because of the war. It wasn’t until 1947 that St Andrews Amateur Operatic Society staged its first show, The Pirates of Penzance. The choice of show was decided after Sheriff More, by now the President of the Society, had been urged by the County Music Organizer to select a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Performances began at 7.30pm to allow the members of the orchestra to catch the last ferry back home to Dundee! The production was presented at the New Picture House, which had a large stage area, but limited back stage facilities. Because of the large seating capacity, it ran for only 3 nights. Miss Joyce Cuthbert, then the Society accompanist and a life member, recalls that on the last night there was a blizzard, with the orchestra using candlelight for 35 minutes, because of an electrical fault.

In the late ‘60s productions moved to Madras College, then to the Town Hall. The Society continued to perform Gilbert and Sullivan shows until 1964 when Oklahoma was chosen. Since then the Society has performed a variety of shows from Viennese Operetta to Modern Musicals. In 1979 a world premiere was

Original programmes, Trial By Jury, 1949 and Pirates of Penzance 1947 at New Picture House

22

HMS Pinafore

Kiss Me Kate

Carousel

Let Us Entertain You

chosen – Hamelin – based on the story of the The reduced technical facilities available Pied Piper, co-written by Ken Horton, who took necessitated many changes to the production in over as Musical Director for the next 10 years. the final four weeks of rehearsals, but the show During the dress rehearsal of Fiddler on opened on time and many patrons expressed the Roof in 1988, a fault in the hired lighting delight in being back in the Town Hall. system set off the fire alarms in the Town Hall, At the AGM in 2011 it was decided to resulting in the whole cast having to evacuate change the name to St Andrews Musical the building in full costume – much to the Society – SAMS – to give it a more modern amusement of passersby! Fife image. Charitable status was Council electricians assisted applied for and granted.

To celebrate 75 years, in getting everything safe and The production chosen the Friday performance ready for the performance the for 2014 is Crazy for You – a will be a Gala Event next night. When the show was delightful show based on the repeated in 2000 many of the music of George Gershwin. cast felt uneasy as a character of the fictional It will be on at the Town Hall from Tuesday, 25 Anatevka stated, “someone should have put a February to Saturday, 1 March. match to this place years ago”!!

To celebrate 75 years, the Friday In 1989 St Andrews AOS celebrated its 50th performance will be a Gala Event, with anniversary. For this golden celebration the displays of photos and programmes from Society went back to its G&S roots, choosing past shows in the Supper Room of the Town The Gondoliers, since it was celebrating its Hall. To the Friday performance SAMS will be centenary that year. In the summer, the Society inviting people who have made a substantial also performed a new show entitled When contribution to the development of the Society the Lights Come on Again, written by Carole over the years. Moreover, anyone who has Tricker. The show looked back to the formation performed with SAMS – or helped backstage of the Society in 1939 and the first performance – is encouraged to buy a ticket for the Friday in 1947, combining this with memories of local night performance. If planning to attend then, residents and events in St Andrews. please tell Secretary Alan Tricker, so he can St Andrews AOS continued to perform invite you to the after-show drinks reception, shows each year in the Town Hall, but in 2002 when there will be presentations and the cutting they were able to move to the newly opened, of a substantial birthday cake! All past members rebuilt Byre Theatre. St Andrews AOS was are encouraged to attend to catch up with past the first amateur group to present a musical stage-friends. in the new theatre. Brigadoon was chosen,the production being greatly enhanced by the facilities available in the new theatre. The The Secretary may be contacted at: Society continued to present shows in the samssecretary@hotmail.com Byre until 2013 when the sudden closure of the theatre meant that they had to return to the Town Hall for the production of Carousel.

(Photos courtesy SAMS)

ORGANISATIONS Paul White

Saint Exchange Since January this year, St Andrews has of how national currencies could operate had its own local currency trading within and follow suit in the future. the town. “Saint Exchange” is based upon The Scheme is centred on the a Local Exchange Trading System (LETS), members’ directory, a telephone book of which has been used around the world, by sorts, where each member has a page many local communities, as an alternative where they can list their wants and offers, to using traditional currency. Instead of with contact details for members who using POUNDS, members of the scheme want to trade with them. The traders can use “SAINTS” to trade and exchange agree on the price together, carry out all manner of things, including: hand-knitted the trade, and record it online through jumpers; homemade jams and chutneys; the website. Accounts are kept by the sailing lessons; mending clothing; fixing committee and published each month bicycles; offering pottery with our newsletter. lessons; teaching people One of the most Saint Exchange was set how to sail. Anything exciting things about up by volunteers from the and everything is offered the scheme is the environmental network through the scheme – diversity of wants group Transition University and offers apart from Alcohol for duty & excise reasons! available. There of St Andrews Saint Exchange was is of course set up by volunteers from the environmental an abundance of baked goods, network group Transition University of jams and the like (but who can St Andrews. Initially the group looked at get enough of that anyway?). alternative currencies as a way of providing However, there are also more local resilience in St Andrews against the uncommon trades on offer, such as fluctuations in the global financial market, a wide range of music lessons and also to create a working example of a language lessons. There is also the currency which doesn’t have debt inherently opportunity to buy books for Saints built into its system. Many people aren’t in the Crail bookshop. One member aware of some of the changes that have has been rearing pigs, and will occurred to the banking system over the last soon have free-range pork to sell for 100 years, but the system we have inherited Saints. Overall, what has been really allows banks to issue money on a computer fascinating to see is how many of our screen, with significant amounts of interest everyday purchases and needs can accumulating and accruing year on year, be sourced from within the community, requiring further loans (or “bailouts”) to cover without the need for money! the repayments. This has been one of the There is a Trading & Coffee contributing factors to the financial downturn morning, normally held on the first we have been experiencing since 2009, Saturday of each month. It’s a great which has resulted in the UK national debt opportunity to meet other members in rising to £1,377billion in 2013. the scheme, as well as having a cup of LETS systems are intentionally interesttea and a chat, also to bring along your free for this reason; they create an equal own things which you wish to sell. The system which benefits the community and last few trading mornings have seen the members within the scheme rather some frenetic trading going on with as than shareholders or executives within big many as 100 Saints exchanging hands financial institutions. Since trading began within a couple of hours. Normally in January this year, over 80 local residents members bring along goods such have joined, with over 200 trades being as Fruit & Veg from their gardens, completed and 1200 SAINTS being traded. cakes, plants, homemade jams, Roughly speaking, 1 Saint = 1 pound. ginger beer, herbal teas. But also However, the “exchange rate” depends on a other members have taken orders for number of factors. One key element, which knitted items (such as tea cosies), was put in place from the beginning, was to personalised greeting cards, massage make sure that everyone’s “time” was valued appointments. Our next trading equally. A common issue with our traditional morning will be in early February, so currency is that there is a large disparity check out our website to find out more between rates of pay between different jobs; information on when and where it will for example, cleaners or manual labourers be. are often paid a low rate compared to other The scheme is open to everyone types of work. Several similar schemes to within the St Andrews and surrounding ours have therefore fixed the “rate of pay” East Fife community. You don’t need and we have followed suit, meaning that to “earn” any Saints before you any skill or service is fixed at the rate of 6 start trading, and a member of the SAINTS PER HOUR to encourage equality committee meets each new member to for work that is offered on the scheme. As take them through the sign-up process, most trades are casual work (no more than helping them identify what they can 1-2 hours per week) offered by members in offer, and what they can get from other their spare time, it is unlikely that someone members through trading. will use the scheme to earn a significant proportion of their income. With the ideal of reducing the pay disparity amongst To find out more, either email us: standexchange@gmail.com different members of the workforce it is more call us: 01334 464 000; or check out our website: www.Saint-Exchange.org.uk important in terms of providing an example

(Photos courtesy Paul White)

23

TOWN & GOWN Press Secretary Sandra Russell and IT Committee Member Elizabeth Black

Fife DFAS blazes a ‘Trail’ at St Salvator’s After completing a now muchleads to a webpage displaying the used Discovery Trail for children at answers with images and detailed St Salvator’s Chapel, Fife Decorative information. Crucially, at the and Fine Arts Society realised that Chaplain’s request, the University there was a need for IT department something designed kindly extended With increasing numbers especially for adults, their WiFi of students and adults when a red-gowned connection to owning smart phones student brought his St Salvator’s and tablets, it became parents into this enabling obvious that the use of ancient building access. obviously unaware of These trail QR codes made sense the history and art in sheets, with the chapel. (Features of note). After instructions, can be found on only a very cursory visit, they left the information table facing the within 5 minutes. entrance to the chapel.

Our Fife Decorative and Fine Fife DFAS is proud that Art Society members on the Church the first Church Trail in Britain Trail team set to work. Their aim was to use QR codes enables to design a set of questions, whose students, their parents, and the answers would provide an interesting many visitors to St Salvator’s and informative guide to this historic, to do more than cast a fleeting collegiate chapel. glance around the building.

In the process, Fife DFAS faced We have been delighted new challenges when embracing the at the positive feedback possibilities of modern technology. received so far and it has With increasing numbers of students been rewarding to see groups and adults owning smart phones and of students, some in their red tablets, it became obvious that the gowns, but all arriving with use of QR codes made sense. Users their smart phones, ready can download a free app that allows to discover the treasures them to scan the black and white and history of their famous coded square on the Trail sheet. This chapel.

12. Patrick Hamilton Question On leaving the Chapel and moving into North Street, you will see the initials PH on the cobbles of the pavement.

What event took place on this spot? And why?

Answer: PH stands for Patrick Ham ilton.

He was a Scottish churchm an and an early Protestant Ref ormer who lived from 1504-1528 .

He studied at the University of Paris at the end of the 151 0s, and it was there that he discove red the works of Martin Luther.

He returned to St Andrews as a student of the University, and started spreading the reformin g doctrines. In early 1527, Jam es Beaton, the Archbishop of St Andrews, was angered by Hamilton’s heretical preach ing and ordered that the young man should be put on trial.

Hamilton fled to Germany, enrolled as a student in the University of Marburg, but came back to Scotland the same year.

Ready to stand up for his religious convictions, he con tinued to preach the Lutheran doc trine in St Andrews.

In 1528, he was condemned © The Hunterian, to be burnt at the stake as a University of Glasgow 201 3 heretic outside the front entr ance to St Salvator’s Chapel.

Just 24 years old, he burnt from noon to 6pm, on the sam e day as his trial, to avoid any resc ue plans.

By standing up so bravely for his beliefs, Patrick Ham ilton drew attention to the Lutheran doc trine he defended with his life, helping to spread the Reformation in Scotland.

The place of his martyrdom is marked with a monogram of his initials set in the cob blestones which the students of St Andrews carefully avoid stepping on for fear of faili ng their final examinations.

The impression of a face on the tower stonework, above the initials is said to depict Hamilton and to hav e appeared miraculously, to represent his martyrdom.

For more information on Fife Decorative and Fine Art Society please go to www.fifedfas.org.uk (Images courtesy Fife Decorative Arts Society)

Print & Design

& Design advert?

We welcome commercialPrint enquiries St Katharine’s West, 16 The Scores, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AX. T: (01334) 463020, E: printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk www.st-andrews.ac.uk/printanddesign The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532

24

TOWN & GOWN Eric Priest, FRSE, FRS; Emeritus James Gregory Professor of Mathematics

James Gregory (1638-1675) – A Pioneering St Andrews Scientist I first became intrigued by this key seventeenth century Scottish scientist after being appointed many years ago to the Chair named after him.

What surprised me was that, in spite of his amazing contributions to mathematics, physics and astronomy, he seemed to be virtually unknown in the town. However, two good friends, Edmund Robertson and Rachel Hart, are real experts on his life and works, and so together we decided to commemorate him in several ways described below (Figure 1).

But first, why is James Gregory such a key figure? A son of the manse from Aberdeenshire, he was elected one of the early Fellows of the Royal Society in 1668 at the age of 30, and in the same year was appointed the first Regius Professor of Mathematics at St Andrews by King Charles II. On 17 May,1671, he wrote, “I am at home in a settled position, by which I can live. I have known many learned men, far above me upon every account, with whom I would not change my position.” – a sentiment that I share. In 1674 he moved to Edinburgh, but died of a stroke a year later at the age of 36, and yet in his short life he made amazing discoveries.

In Mathematics, he was one of the founders of “calculus” (with Figure 1: Eric Priest, Rachel Hart and Edmund Robertson with a copy of Newton and Leibniz), a fundamental set of mathematical methods a portrait of James Gregory in the exhibition in the Physics Department. which many scientists such as myself use every day. For example, he discovered “Taylor series” 40 years before Taylor, and gave the first proof in MUSA (the Museum of the University of St Andrews). If completed, it of the fundamental theorem of calculus that integration and differentiation would have been the first observatory in the British Isles. Gregory used are the inverse of one another. He wrote the first text book on calculus, what is now the King James Library in South Street so that it was taught in St Andrews 100 years earlier as his laboratory. For example, his observations than in Cambridge. in his short life he made of a lunar eclipse from this room in 1673 enabled In Physics, he discovered a “diffraction grating”, amazing discoveries him to calculate the longitude of St Andrews. In the which is a core component of many modern optical library, you can see today a meridian instruments. He had heard of Isaac line laid down by Thomas Short in 1748 Newton’s experiments with a prism a year and a bracket by a window to support earlier, demonstrating how white light is a telescope, which may well have been split up into the colours of a rainbow. You replacements for a previous line and can imagine Gregory perhaps walking bracket made by James Gregory. along the West Sands one day, picking So, in what ways are we up a seagull’s feather and taking it back commemorating James Gregory? First to his laboratory. He describes in a letter of all, if you walk through the arch into to a friend of Newton’s, “Let in the sun’s St Mary’s quad, on your left you will see rays by a small hole to a darkened house, a new display board about Gregory’s and at the hole place a feather (the more contributions (Figure 2), recently delicate and white the better for this installed with the help of St Andrews purpose), and it shall direct to a white Partnership. Secondly, if you enter wall or paper opposite to it a number of St Mary’s library just by the board, small circles and ovals (if I mistake them the kindly librarian may well show you not), whereof one is somewhat white (to upstairs to the King James library, wit, the middle, which is opposite to the where you will see the meridian line sun), and all the rest severally coloured. I and bracket as well as a new plaque would gladly hear Mr Newton’s thoughts describing Gregory’s links with the of it.”

Figure 3. Helen Firth with her painting of library.

In Astronomy, Gregory designed Gregory’s discovery of the diffraction grating.

At the time of writing, a third item the “Gregorian reflecting telescope”. He has just been given planning permission. We shall be installing, with the planned to set up an observatory at St Andrews, going in 1673 to London support of the Preservation Trust and the University, a brass strip across to buy instruments for the observatory, several of which are on display the pavement in South Street as a continuation of Gregory’s meridian line, together with a plaque.

As a fourth item, we commissioned a local artist, Helen Firth, to paint an artist’s impression of Gregory’s discovery of the diffraction grating, bearing in mind that there is only one other painting of Gregory in existence, a portrait in Marischal College, Aberdeen, where he was a student. However, we weren’t exactly sure what Gregory would have seen when he passed a light through his feather, so Tom Brown helped us by repeating the experiment, and the result was used by Helen. The painting now hangs in the main corridor in the Mathematics Institute.

The final and most comprehensive item is a permanent exhibition in the Physics Department up the stairs to the right of Lecture Theatre A of Gregory’s history and his contributions to mathematics, physics and astronomy.

Hopefully, these commemorations will help an appreciation of the historical importance and current relevance of the creative ideas of a major St Andrews figure in the history of science. Over half of the funding has been provided by the University and the Preservation Trust, but if anyone would like to contribute towards the shortfall, please contact me. More details about James Gregory can be found at www.st-andrews.ac.uk/maths/GregoryBoard.html Figure 2: The display board in St Mary’s quad outside the entrance to St Mary’s library.

(Photos courtesy Eric Priest)

25

TOWN & GOWN Caroline Taylor is a

A singing linguist abroad Caroline is an undergraduate at the University of St Andrews, reading an MA (Hons) French, Italian, Spanish. As a prominent member of many performing societies in St Andrews, Caroline has appeared in principal roles with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and St Andrews Opera; she was a 2012-2013 Choral Scholar with both Holy Trinity Church Choir and St Andrews Chorus.

Caroline is currently studying at Paris-IV Sorbonne University on an Erasmus placement, where she continues to receive singing tuition from Anna Maria Panzarella as a recipient of the Stevenson scholarship from the University of Glasgow.

When I first learned that I would be spending are full of excellent students I enjoy listening to, Italiano di cultura di Parigi (Italian Cultural my year abroad studying at Paris-IV Sorbonne, sharing my ideas with.

Institute). The concert was held in a beautiful I was over the moon! Living in Paris had always The Erasmus programme has been a room lined with gold leaf and decadent artwork been something of a dream for me, as had the huge help with getting to know people and – which really enhanced my enjoyment of the privilege of studying at the Sorbonne. discovering more of France. I now have a group music. I was also present at a pop-up string Here at the University of St Andrews, I read of friends from all over Europe. We regularly quartet recital that took place in the lobby of a a triple honours modern languages degree. go out during the evenings, on excursions library! It’s great to see performances taking I actually started Sixth Form with hopes of during the day. It’s also useful and fun to talk in place in unexpected venues – an enterprising becoming a surgeon, but after fainting in a multiple languages: French, but also Spanish idea that could help us in St Andrews to deal class about kidney dialysis, and Italian. I even found with the current closure of the Byre theatre.

I decided that languages myself speaking a bit of Some aspects of this year have already Paris is a vibrant, beautiful constituted a more German the other day! been very challenging. For the first few weeks, I place.

I feel incredibly appropriate study path (with Well, perhaps ‘attempting to found being completely immersed in the French lucky to be here far less blood!). speak’ would have been a language difficult – and even now I have to In St Andrews, student better description… look up a couple of words each sentence as life has been wonderful. There’s a brilliant One of the things I had been most looking I’m scrolling through Le Monde. Often simple atmosphere of community in the town, as forward to discovering in Paris was the classical things, like posting letters, or correctly writing well as a strong appreciation of the town’s music scene. In St Andrews, I had been lucky e-mails to professors can pose a challenge. traditions among the students – promoted by enough to perform operatic, operetta, and However, I did manage to open that bank groups such as The Fellowship of St Andrews choral works – with some musical theatre too. account!

– which makes studying here very special.

Had I been a bit spoilt for choice? The Parisian Paris is a vibrant, beautiful place. I feel Singing in groups that are for both students music scene is certainly very different. incredibly lucky to be here – whether I’m and residents, such as Holy Trinity Church There is a huge focus on choral music jogging past the Louvre’s giant pyramid, or Choir and St Andrews Chorus, has given me here, as well as ensemble music from the catching the Eiffel Tower’s dazzling light show the opportunity to meet some great new people baroque period and even further back – to the on the way back from a class. And then there’s – also to learn more about the town from a nontime of Tallis and Byrd. There are actually no all the fabulous food and the spectacular student perspective. societies within Paris-IV Sorbonne purely for landmarks!

I was both nervous and very excited before solo singers, or for performing operatic works Perhaps most importantly, I feel that setting off for Paris. I had been able to find – however there are plenty that sing beautiful I’ll come out of this year with great friends, accommodation before arriving, which made arrangements for multiple voices. knowledge of an entirely different academic things slightly less daunting, but I wondered I also continue to be fascinated by the system, some excellent singing experience – how easily I would make friends, how difficult choice of venues for performances. A few plus, hopefully, quite a bit more French. And it would be to open a bank account! The weeks ago, I went to a Sorbonne Scholars’ Spanish. And Italian!

Collaborations and Study Abroad department concert of early baroque works in the Istituto in St Andrews helped me a great deal in preparing for the move and in sorting out all my Join Caroline for a recital of Mozart and Gilbert and Sullivan on Friday, 17 January 2014 documentation. at 7.00pm in Holy Trinity Church. With accompaniment by Walter Blair, the recital features The first thing that really struck me is the arias from Don Giovanni, Exsultate Jubilate, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and hard-working nature of the students in Paris. I many more! Free entry on the door, with a retiring collection for the Church fund. had heard that the university system in France You can keep up-to-date with Caroline’s singing at www.carolinetaylorsoprano.com was more competitive than in the UK, but I was impressed to see this first-hand. I’m currently studying modules on French and Spanish (Photo courtesy Caroline Taylor) literature, and Italian language; all my classes

26

TOWN & GOWN Omar Khan (17 years old)

Still Life Yet simple Yet ornate Thus leave not to an oracle Let you leave it to fate

The tenacious watchers, hiding, watching The lazy gourmands, ravaging, devouring Insidious, though not else stirs among you The grazing land do you tread upon Yet you do not wake?

Sleeping nightmare, linger on, linger on Reaping death, claws on your door Creeping lies, ruins your fine appetite Yet you stay asleep.

Yet simple Yet ornate Thus leave not to an oracle Let you bereave your fate Though you know your end comes Yet you sow your grievous webs like Aum madaura Nebuchadnezzar, how low hast thou become?

Gavin White

Pope v.

Antipope We were sitting in our usual bar when the man in the corner said how wonderful it was that the University of St Andrews had been there for six hundred years, ever since Pope Benedict XIII had given it a Papal Bull in 1413. And I looked out of the window at the tower of St Salvator, solid against the skyline.

“In point of fact”, said the man in the corner, waving his hands to show it really was fact, “Benedict XIII was not a Pope, but an Antipope, a false claimant to the (Photo by Flora Selwyn) throne, during a period when there were eating black olives, spitting the pits on the claimants in Avignon and in Rome itself. floor, “and what has the Church of Scotland And the Catholic Church had recognised said on the matter?” the line in Rome, but not the line in Avignon.

“The Church of Scotland,” replied the So Benedict XIII was only an Antipope. lady historian, “is not very big on Popes.

No Pope. No Papal Bull. No University.” I They do not figure in their church life. They looked out of the window, and the tower of have never given a judgment on this matter.”

St Salvator had disappeared. There was “Well they should have done so,” only blue sky and few apologetic clouds. complained the black-olive eater, “what is “It is not as certain as all that”, said a the point of having a General Assembly, if lady historian, who was drinking crème-deit cannot settle a minor point like this?” And menthe through a straw, as lady historians he glowered at us all, evidently expecting do. “Historians today consider that the the members of that august body to hang elections in Rome were so chaotic,” and their heads in shame. But none of them she jiggled her straw to indicate chaos, “and were with us at the so corrupted by family And the University might time, so none did. interests, that there was “I think,” said the justification for taking have been there, or might not first speaker peaceably, the whole thing out of “that we may ignore the intricate details the hands of the mob. Though unhappily, of medieval history,” whereupon the lady into the hands of the kings of France.” This historian looked shocked at such heresy, last was accompanied by a Gallic shrug, “and concentrate on today. The University indicating that unfortunate results might has celebrated the occasion with fireworks, be inevitable. “The result was a fifty-fifty which cannot have been cheap, and they situation.” I looked out of the window and are selling rubber boots emblazoned with the tower was back, but riddled with holes. their crest and the number ‘six hundred’.

He might have been Pope or he might not.

That is the last word on the subject.”

And the University might have been there, or I looked out of the window, and the might not. tower of St Salvator was back in all its glory, “I am Church of Scotland,” announced and we turned out attention to other matters. a little man sitting behind a big drink and

From Dr Stefanie Van de Peer, Department of film Studies

Three Korean Films A box-office smash hit, ruthless university applicants and suicidal prepared to go to guarantee sleeper spies, were among the stories told at an exclusive film festival in entry into prestigious St Andrews. The films were shown in the New Picture House from 21-22 universities, asking at November as part of the London Korean Film Festival’s (LKFF) Tour. what price is success?

Professor Dina Iordanova, Professor of Film Studies at the University Recommended by London of St Andrews, was instrumental in bringing the event to the town after Korean Film Festival Advisor, hosting Ms Hye-jung Jeon, who is Project Director of the Korean Cultural Tony Rayns.

Still from ‘Secretly, Greatly’ Centre in London, Artistic Director of the LKFF, and the Korean cultural On Friday afternoon, 22 attaché. Last August, Ms Jeon came to visit St Andrews on her tour of November, we screened Secretly, Greatly (Jang Chul-soo, 2013) – a film Britain to scout out cinemas and appropriate venues for the LKFF on Tour. which broke several box office records in South Korea this year. It tells Professor Iordanova, who has extensive the tale of North Korean sleeper cell agent, Ryuexperience working with Korean film makers and han, who infiltrates the South and assumes the role It very rarely happens that any festival producers was in South Korea in October, of a simpleton in a rural town. One day, after two of these thematic festivals go where she gave a talk at the biggest film festival in Asia years, fellow elite spies Hae-rang, posing as a rock outside of London, so we have – the Busan International Film Festival. She presented star, and Hae-jin, posing as an ordinary student, are done the unimaginable three new books published at the Busan Film Forum. dispatched to town. Ryu-han helps the two spies Prof Iordanova said, “We are tremendously proud settle in, teaching them how to adjust in the South. that we were able to bring these outstanding Korean films to a small There is a drastic political power shift in the North and all three spies cosmopolitan town like St Andrews – not just for our students, but also for receive an urgent mission: commit suicide. the people of the town and the surrounding area. It very rarely happens On Friday evening we saw Rough Play (Shin Yeon-sik, 2013), the that any of these thematic festivals go outside of London, so we have tale of an aspiring unknown actor and his rise to the top. The problem is, done the unimaginable.” staying at the top is much harder than getting there. Young is surrounded NPH screened Pluto (Su-won Shin, 2012) on Thursday evening, by violent people and becomes increasingly vain. Rough Play makes 21 November, a story of the lengths that elite High School seniors are clear the illusion of show business.

27

TOWN & GOWN Elliot Davies is the editor of

The Saint As I write this article, I’m on the train back from London. I’ve just been to the Student Media Awards, an annual event hosted by the Guardian newspaper. The Saint’s news editor of last year, Jonathan, was shortlisted for student reporter of the year – one of five from 800 nominees around the UK. Although he didn’t win, we’re still celebrating, because it’s a fantastic recognition of the incredible work and effort he put into our paper during his time in the job.

Working on a student newspaper is a fun but constant challenge.

We do everything a local newspaper does, except on a shoestring budget and with a staff of volunteers who also happen to be studying full-time for degrees. That the paper comes out at all is quite something.

The Saint produces ten printed editions a year: roughly one a The Saint Team fortnight during term time. The process begins on a Monday with a meeting of all the section editors (the news editor, the features editor, the sports editor, etc). With a week and a half until the paper comes out on Thursday morning, standing outside the Union, library, and out, we go through each section attempting to plan out the content. physics building. You’ve probably seen us shivering in the cold, trying to Predicting the news in advance is rather difficult, but we usually end thrust papers into the hands of passers-by! up with at least a rough idea. This is made easier by our relatively new After each issue is distributed we hold a review meeting to discuss focus on investigations and in-depth pieces, which are easier to plan. what went well and what didn’t. Then we take a couple of days ‘off’ Breaking news is published on our website immediately. before it all begins again the following Monday...

Over the next few days our teams of reporters will write and send in It costs around £850 to have the paper printed and delivered; their articles, then it is the job of the section editors to lay out the paper the money for this is raised by our business team. These ten or so using Adobe InDesign software on our computers. individuals work parallel to the editorial team under We can’t afford office space, so we pay to lease room the direction of the business manager; their job is to in the Students’ Union building. We are completely sell advertising to local and national businesses. We Working on a student independent of both the Union and the University, allocate up to two and a half pages in the paper for nor do we receive any funding or support from either; newspaper is a fun but adverts, as well as space on our website. Thanks unlike most student papers around the country. We’re to the business team’s hard work we usually at constant challenge all entirely self-taught, the process normally taking least break even each issue, with any extra going about 35 hours in total over the weekend. towards other expenses such as the website, By the Monday night, a week after the original Dictaphones, and other equipment, media law section editors’ meeting, the 36-page paper is fully designed and laid textbooks, and so on. The Saint also hosts a black-tie ball at the Old out. It’s then my job, along with my deputy editor and our production Course Hotel at the start of each academic year, which is a lot of fun manager, to read through the entire document to check for typos, image and helps raise funds. quality, house style, design mistakes or any other problems.

Including the sub-editors for each section, there are around We also check for legal issues. We don’t have a lawyer, so it’s up to 50 staff positions on the paper, plus all the writers, illustrators, us to make sure we don’t print anything defamatory or otherwise illegal and photographers, none of which would be possible without the that could get us sued or worse. (A textbook on media law is mandatory extraordinary effort each and every one of them puts in. They really reading for all senior positions on the paper.) The Saint is incorporated don’t get any time off, either: in addition to the printed paper we keep as a limited company so that our writers cannot be sued as individuals our website updated 24/7 with news, videos, and other content from – instead the company would be sued (and probably thus go bankrupt, each section as we strive to cover everything that affects students in which would look very bad for the editor and business manager, who St Andrews. This hard work and dedication often goes unrecognised are the company directors). We have received legal threats in the past which is why it was so nice to see Jonathan noted for it at the Student and undoubtedly will again, so we take it extremely seriously.

Media Awards in London.

Once the paper is proofed and ready to go, we send a digital copy So the next time you see one of us shivering on a street corner with to the printing company (Trinity Mirror, who own and print the Mirror) a stack of newspapers in our hands, please – take a copy! See also: so they can run off our 2,000 copies on Tuesday morning. These are thesaint-online.com delivered to us in St Andrews for Wednesday afternoon to hand them (Photos courtesy The Saint)

28

TOWN & GOWN Alistair Macleod, Transition University of St Andrews

Orchard bears a community harvest of years turning the St Nicholas’ Boarding It’s not often that a community gets offered House into some lovely-looking apartments. access to such a great asset as an orchard Part of the grounds without much of a shout, included a wonderful but that’s just what has wonderful orchard made up happened this summer in from around 50 apple trees, orchard made up from around 50 apple trees, 8 St Andrews.

8 plums and 4 damsons plums and 4 damsons. It Housing developer, had been planted shortly Robertson Homes, has after completion of the building works at been working on the old St Leonards school St Nicholas’ Boarding House in the 1930s. site, just south of Abbey Walk, for a number

At this time St Leonards School employed around 20 gardeners in extensive orchards, with berry fruits and vegetable planting to feed the staff and students of the school – how very sustainable! One of the old gardeners reckons that the fruit from the orchard was used in the St Leonards kitchens up until 1998, the site being maintained until 2005, when it was mothballed and redeveloped.

Last winter Jim Kennedy from Robertson Homes contacted Elmwood College (now SAC) with regard to pruning the orchard and bringing it back into use. Elmwood happily obliged undertaking the huge job as part of their educational programme. All the while the local Transition Town group (Transition UStA) was busy developing new growing spaces and investigating sites to plant new fruit trees within St Andrews.

When Transition UStA approached Robertson Homes regarding the orchard they were offered access to the site and asked to help engage the community in its harvest and care. During September Transition UStA held 4 picking days, when they harvested over 60kg of lovely plums with the help of local residents and students. Since then the apples and damsons have yielded another 310kg of fruit, which has been distributed to pickers, groups, and students’ halls, as well as being pressed by the St Andrews Community Orchard project for cider and juice.

The fruit has now been harvested, but you can visit the site and get involved with its care and future harvest by contacting Transition UStA: www.transtionsta.org (Photos courtesy Transition UStA)

29

TOWN & GOWN John McColl, University Librarian & Director of Library Services, introduces

Martyrs Kirk Research Library The Martyrs Church on North Street was built in 1926-8 by architects Gillespie and Scott on the site of an earlier church building, opposite St Salvator’s Chapel. Though its earlier incarnation had been as a Free Church, it became part of the Church of Scotland in 1929. It was built in the Scots-Gothic style, and a church hall was added on the east side of the Church in 1933, replacing a house that had been on the site.

Over the next 50 years, several stained glass memorial windows were introduced.

The Church, closed in 2008 as part of a rationalisation of church provision in St Andrews, was put on the market by the Church of Scotland last year. In July 2012 the University learned that its bid to accept that we cannot make the facility available to all who might wish purchase the building had succeeded. Immediately it began to plan to use it. The Research Reading Room will therefore be restricted to for an addition to the University’s estate which would address two Postgraduate Research students and academic staff. particular needs: the shortage of Library The Special Collections Reading Room study space, and the shortage of study represents a stage in the development provision for Postgraduate Research of a long-term solution to the Library’s students (primarily those studying for PhD Special Collections dilemma. Despite degrees). The University Main Library, having wonderful and extensive collections only a couple of minutes’ walk away on of rare books, manuscripts, archives and the other side of North Street, had been photographs, the Library has never had substantially refurbished over 2011/12, an adequate facility for them. They were including an additional 350 seats. However, moved out of the Main Library in their given that it had been built in 1976, for a entirety when the redevelopment work student population less than half the size began in 2011, and currently occupy of today’s, the welcome improvements still temporary premises on the North Haugh. left the overall provision inadequate for It is not possible to store the 14,000 linear the University. With the growth in overall metres of special collections in the Martyrs Postgraduate Research numbers and Kirk Research Library, of course, so the pressure on office space in academic collections will remain where they are on Schools making it difficult to provide all the North Haugh while we work on a plan research students with their own offices, a to return them to the Main Library, but new study facility was urgently needed. users will have a more attractive, more The Martyrs Kirk Research Library was comfortable and much better situated first seen in its new guise on 13 September, reading room in the Research Library. They when it provided a beautiful robing room for will need to adjust to ordering the materials the procession of distinguished honorary they wish to consult in advance, and these graduands – including Hillary Clinton – who will be delivered by van to the new Reading were in town to help the University celebrate Room each morning, and returned to store its 600th anniversary. The Research each evening. The Special Collections Reading Room opened for business Reading Room will be staffed at both on Monday 30 September. The Special receptionist and supervisor points, while Collections Reading Room, which requires the Research Reading Room will run on The Research Library consists of the recruitment of an additional post, a partially-staffed basis. The Research opened on 2 December.

Reading Room contains around 5,000 two reading rooms: a Research The Research Library consists of two volumes of research materials requested Reading Room occupying the former reading rooms: a Research Reading Room by academic users in the Faculties of church, and a Special Collections occupying the former church, and a Special Arts and Divinity. The Special Collections Reading Room in the church hall Collections Reading Room in the church Reading Room will contain a reference hall. At the rear of the building is a Teaching collection for use by those consulting Room for Special Collections staff to use in their engagement work with Special Collections materials. As we are a holder of public records, the collections, and in palaeography teaching. The fit-out of this room this does mean that anyone with a research need to use our Special was made possible through a Collections can use the Special Collections Reading Room. generous gift from the New Park The project architects, Page & Park of Glasgow, have done an Educational Trust. excellent job on the design, and worked very hard with the University’s The Research Library Estates and Library teams to prepare the building for opening at the provides 68 study seats – 40 in beginning of the new Academic Year. The design has been achieved the Research Reading Room, with great sensitivity to the church architecture and respect for the and 14 each in the Special building’s former purpose and traditions. In developing the Martyrs Kirk Collections Reading Room and Research Library, the University has created a beautiful space, with Teaching Room. In addition, a high-quality finish, which successfully translates its original function there are a number of informal to support meditation and prayer into a sanctuary for learning and seats available, made out of research. With a skilful use of lighting to illuminate the highlights of the re-used former pews from the new interior as well as the original architecture, and the awe-inspiring church. Other original features stained glass in windows such as the ‘Hymn of the Universe’, designed which have been retained are

by Sadie Mclellan in 1989, the building is a beautiful addition to the the pulpit and the magnificent University’s estate. We look forward proudly to welcoming members of organ pipes. Because we wished the public who are interested in working with the Special Collections to to provide generous, high quality this very special and distinctive Research Library. study space for the users of the Reading Room, we have had to (Photographs by Victoria Cormie)

30

OUT & ABOUT Dr Elspeth Reid, secretary of The Pictish Arts Society, introduces the

Picts in Fife

Picts are part of our history in the East of Scotland. All around us in Fife are traces of their lives and deaths. At Lundin Links quarrying unearthed a Pictish cemetery where rows of stone-lined graves lie close to high water mark, under threat from coastal erosion.

Up on Norrie’s Law, chance uncovered a collection of silver hidden in Pictish times within the stones of a cairn. Whoever stashed their treasure on that hilltop for safety never got their chance to reclaim it.

Silver plaque (c.4cm) with Pictish symbols from Norrie’s Law (c.700-800AD) ©Bob Henery Nowadays you can only see the hill-fort at Clatchard Craig in old photographs; modern quarrying has dug it all away. It was used by Picts as a stronghold, protected behind four rows of ramparts. We know metalworkers were there making fine penannular brooches, because archaeologists found clay moulds that mirror the decorations on the brooches.

Pictish penannular brooch (photo by Johnbod, Wikipedia Commons)

Who were the Picts, or pechts as my Fife granny called them? They were the native inhabitants of the east side of Scotland from Fife up to Shetland, sometimes including the Western Isles, who shared a common culture. First termed Picti (painted ones) by the Romans around 300AD, the name stuck.

Picts had once made short work of a Northumbrian army that came marching up from the south, but from c. 790AD it is probable that they were being harried by raiding and invading Vikings. Records tell us that Vikings ravaged the monasteries of Iona and Lindisfarne; they were most likely responsible for wrecking the Pictish monastery of Portmahomack, Ross-shire, as well as the fortress at Burghead on the Moray Firth, and other settlements that we have no knowledge of.

Chronicles up to 890AD still recognised Picti as a separate people from the Scotti in the west, but by then their end was coming. Historians cannot agree on what caused a wholesale loss of Pictish culture, their artefacts, books and buildings. Did expansionist Scots crush the autonomous Pictish state, or was Pictish society not so much subjugated as amalgamated in a combined kingdom dominated by Scots?

Later, the Reformation may too have played a part in destroying Pictish remains. So much has been lost that nowadays we have no

native writings and cannot tell what form of Celtic the Picts spoke.* Fortunately we still have some of their distinctive sculptured stones in Fife and elsewhere, although only a fraction has survived of what once existed. Many were broken up for re-use and pieces are still coming to light, often in church walls and farm dykes. The earliest examples of sculptured stones are usually boulders incised with two enigmatic symbols that probably predate Christianity. (It is hard to put an exact date on a rock carving.) These symbols are unique to Pictland.

Lindores stone ©Bob Henery One Fife example is at Abdie Old Kirk, near Lindores. It bears the most common of Pictish symbols, called the ‘crescent and V-rod’, looking rather like a shield and broken arrow.

Above is the ‘triple disc’ with a bar, a much rarer symbol. Into one side of the stone is cut a large hand-mirror. We know it is a mirror because it occurs on many stones in Pictland accompanied by a very recognisable comb. Its significance is not known. (The stone became a sundial and an ordnance surveyor also cut his mark in the centre.)

When Christianity took hold among the Picts around the 7th century, the same Pictish symbols continued as a major feature of sculptured stones, co-existing with a large cross. New figures such as horsemen, Biblical characters and animals also appear. The stone itself was now dressed and shaped into a slab. Carvings were no longer incised into the surface but stood out in relief.

Two excellent examples of Pictish crossbearing slabs in Fife come from Largo and Scoonie, near Leven. The former is housed in a shelter in Largo Parish Churchyard; the latter is on view in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Both bear symbols and intriguingly both include the mysterious Pictish ‘beast’. Since this ‘beast’ is distributed throughout Pictland from the south coast of Fife to the north of Orkney, it must have proclaimed some widespread, important message, but its meaning eludes us today.

Incomplete Scoonie stone with ‘beast’, deer hunt and ogham What IS the Pictish ‘beast’?

A dolphin, a water kelpie, a swimming elephant? It has a rather benign expression. The long, curving snout, drooped head, backward spiralling leg ends, tail with a curl, and strange head lappet defy explanation. Yet it is remarkably uniform throughout the land, as though every sculptor knew what one looked like. This strange creation is found carved on the earliest simple boulders and on the latest ornate cross-slabs. East Wemyss caves have a couple too. The mystery fascinates us still. When the Pictish Arts Society was founded 25 years ago it chose the ‘beast’ as its logo.

St Andrews Cathedral Museum is home to many stones from Pictish times, but none of them bears Pictish symbols. The jewel in the crown of the Cathedral Museum is the St Andrews sarcophagus, supremely well carved and sharing many of the same motifs and features that occur on symbol-bearing cross-slabs, without any of the symbols (although the sarcophagus is not complete).

There came a point when the uniquely Pictish symbols fell out of use. By 900AD the Pictish era was over.

Although today we have vast gaps in our knowledge, archaeologists keep making discoveries using new technologies and old-fashioned digging. Just don’t believe everything you read in Asterix and the Picts! *

Place-name researchers offer a few words of Pictish: aber means mouth of river (Aberdour), pert wood (Perth), cuper confluence (Cupar), pit- piece of land (Pitbladdo).

The Pictish Arts Society welcomes new members: www.thepictishartssociety.org.uk Contact: info@thepictishartssociety.co.uk

Largo stone with ‘beast’ and ‘double-disc and Z-rod’ symbols

31

OUT & ABOUT Alistair Lawson, ScotWays

Fife’s Far Frontiers

– another offering from the furthest bounds of the Kingdom I have written previously in these pages about the rights of way around Culross, and about the collaboration between ScotWays and the Culross Community Council in ensuring that these routes are signed and made obvious to the public.

Detail from map

Gordon Jarvie

Planting late bulbs

The Community Council has now gone one step further in this direction and published a booklet detailing the ten most prominent walks – many with variants, so that the reader gets two (and sometimes three) for the price of one. Not only are the walks written up in detail, but the booklet is supplied with a coloured, fold-out, double-sided map, which makes following the routes simplicity itself. Should visitors find themselves hungry and thirsty at the end of their outdoor endeavours, the booklet also contains details of local tearooms and of the village inn.

Copies cost £2.50. They may be obtained from Culross Village Shop; alternatively, you can order direct, by e-mailing: diane.mackenzie@talk21.com remembering to give your name and postal address. For postage and packing, allow an extra 80p, making £3.30 in all.

St Andrews couple Roger and Margaret Squires, (both over 70 years of age) have now finished complete rounds of 284* Munros, 222 Corbetts, 224 Grahams.

I thought we’d planted – or replanted – all our bulbs some weeks ago. Not so, for yesterday I found a tray of hyacinths and tulips to remind me that we’d still a bit to do.

They’d started sprouting pale-green waxy nodes in their impatience, their imperative to grow.

But they lay outwith their element, all arrested, and now the forecast was for snow.

This morning saw a brief lull in the weather as the west wind ceased to howl and blow.

So into dark garden soil they’ve gone at last, and now they’re getting ready for another season’s show.

I wanted to apologise to them, say sorry that they’d almost missed the boat . . . I know that we’d have missed the blaze of next year’s tulips and the hyacinths’ blue-scented glow.

Roger completed on Beinn a’ Chaolais (Jura) 8 September. He had already climbed Suilven and Stac Pollaidh earlier, but Margaret had them yet to come.

She completed on Stac Pollaidh 15 October, becoming the 17th woman recorded as having achieved a Graham round. Roger is the 98th man. * There are now 282 Munros, the classification having changed.

32

OUT & ABOUT

Early on Monday, 4 November, one year after the floods that destroyed them, the new harbour gates were officially declared ‘open’.

Andrew Lumsden, Chairman of the St Andrews Harbour Trust presided over a delightful ceremony involving many townspeople and schoolchildren. A cold, but sunny day added to the celebration, as well as the welcome hot drinks and eats, courtesy of the Harbour Trust and supplied by Pat Dodds of the harbour’s famous Café.

Sluices open at bottom Harbour without gates after the storm

The new gates closed

(Photos by Flora Selwyn (including ‘before’))

33

OUT & ABOUT Tony Hardie’s

Nature Notes – Autumn 2013 In past nature notes I have visited the Eden But unlike the curlew, which in winter plumage Estuary on several occasions, but always at they look like though smaller, the long bill is high water, a time to watch the wildfowl; the upturned. This marks them out as a rather wigeon, the pintail duck, brent geese, and superior member of the family! They do not others which pass nearby. As the tide recedes join in the cacophony of the tideline and they small “waders” suddenly appear, rising from go to the peace and quiet of Siberia to breed. their resting place on the edge of the high But they will be with us all winter. As they fly water line; these are dunlin in myriadfold away from us we shall see the bars on their tail flocks turning in unbelievable unison, changing feathers. colours from silver to black as they do so, The little sanderling, always on the run, shortly to alight once again on the tideline. can be seen exactly on the tide line as it When they settle it is never recedes. They must get the for long – it must be feeding In past nature notes I have first “pickings”, but with so time. short a bill, really no more visited the Eden Estuary One’s approach has been than a strong beak, they on several occasions, but given away by the neurotic must need the first serving always at high water, a redshank. They do not flock of the receding tide. The like the lovely dunlin, but sandy tideline appeals to time to watch the wildfowl they are industrious feeders them more than mudflats, along the shoreline, delicately lifting one red so we see them on the West Sands. Some of leg behind the other as they search for food you will have read Gordon Jarvie’s verse about exposed by the tide. The call of the redshank them in the last issue of this magazine. must be the alarm call of the shoreline. It is I have to add to this list the fat round musical and often heard though nothing really knot, seemingly a dumpling amongst the threatens. other waders with a strong dark straight bill.

Before reaching the estuary one has They mostly winter in vast flocks to the south indeed heard the call of the curlew, one of our of here, having bred in the barren Arctic largest waders, sometimes seen in small flocks wasteland. And I must not forget that proud on the Madras playing fields. That lovely long and boldly coloured black and white friend of wild liquid trill is just part of the estuary and us all, the oystercatcher. With that sharp long indeed the hill when they go to breed in the dark red bill, often muddied to the hilt, they spring. Unlike the redshank, the curlew does are often seen on the way to the West Sands, not seem too worried by our presence, except where the mown grass gives them access to when nesting – indeed when nesting the alarm the worms and invertebrates below, if only call descends to almost a deep throated bark noticeable when the winter sun falls upon – go away! them as they rest on the exposed mudflats.

Another wader – the Latin name for this I cannot end without drawing to my readers’ family is unsurprisingly scolopacidae – is the attention the charming ringed plover. This is bar-tailed godwit waiting for the tide to tum. a resident, to be seen at Outhead, running

Bar-tailed Godwit

Knot discreetly on the foreshore with a wimpish but melodic call note. The white ring high on its neck with a black bib gives us its name and in winter they gather in small flocks. They are about the same size as a dunlin and are the most modest and retiring of birds. They nest on shingle just above the high water mark.

(Photo by kind permission of John Anderson (www.pbase.com/crail_birder))

THE St Andrews pet shop!

Stocking the widest range of pet foods, accessories.

Anything not stocked we can order.

78 South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JT Tel: 01334 470 873

34

OUT & ABOUT Arlen Pardoe, focussing on features that are in plain sight, but often overlooked

Hidden Gems in St Andrews (in plain view)

structures might have several ledges, one above Bee Boles and Charter Boles: these are terms that describe similar the other. The skep would be formed from straw items – recesses in walls that are built to serve specific purposes. or cane wound into a tapering cylindrical shape.

A charter bole prescribes the middle of a wall or boundary and often It can be taken out to work on the hive inside indicates ownership or responsibility for the maintenance of the wall. The made by the bees. bole is usually on the side of the owner and is The skep might also typically fairly small – 8 or 12 inches perhaps. be coated in mud or dung for further protection Larger examples are also found, sometimes of the hive. Holes at the base would allow entry with hinges for a door to close over the recess. for the bees. The main reason for keeping bees It may be that at one time charters were stored was for the production of wax for candles – any in these recesses, though over time they would honey would be a bonus, often fermented to be damaged by exposure to the elements, so make alcoholic drinks. St Andrews generally this is less likely. Since they indicate ownership, does not have the warmest of climates so the they can face in either direction – or can even bole is located to get the best of the sun – on appear on both sides of the wall, in which west or south facing walls. This means that case the responsibility is shared. However, recesses facing east or north will be charter the development of areas of the town results boles rather than bee boles. The size of a bee in patterns of the location of these boles – for bole is usually larger than a charter bole – example the walls of long rigs of properties on indeed some bee boles are designed to hold the south side of South Street mostly have boles more than one skep, either side-by-side or on facing eastward. top of each other.

Bee boles, as the name suggests, are Large charter bole with iron hinges recesses to keep bees. A skep would be kept on in Cathedral wall (Photos courtesy Arlen Pardoe) a stone or wooden ledge in the recess. Larger Small Charter Boles facing any direction

Deans Court

Argyle Street

Queen’s Gardens

South Street

Guthrie Place

Gibson House

Abbey Court

North Street

Bee Boles facing South or West

South Street

Market Street

Market Street

South Street

Alexandra Place (half built over)

Abbey Street

35

Invite you to visit a hidden treasure in the heart of St Andrews WOODLAND & WATERGARDENS, HERBACEOUS & SCREE ALPINES & RHODODENDRONS GLORIOUS GLASSHOUSE COLLECTIONS OPEN DAILY ALL YEAR ROUND

WINTER LECTURE PROGRAMME Tuesday 7th January at 7.30pm Tuesday 4th February at 7.30pm Chemistry Dept. North Haugh Entry Free – All Welcome TO JOIN THE FRIENDS AND SUPPORT THE GARDEN CONTACT MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Tel: 01334 476452 Charity No. SC006432