Royal Caledonian Ball Magazine 2006

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THE ROYAL CALEDONIAN BALL 2006

ANNUAL REVIEW

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TheRoyalCaledonianBall2006 The Ball will be held under the patronage of: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS ROYAL THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT

President: IONA, DUCHESS OF ARGYLL

Vice Presidents: THE EARL OF ERROLL Mrs HAY DRUMMOND

Chairman: VISCOUNT DUPPLIN

Members of the Executive Committee: Mrs NICHOLAS BARDSWELL The LADY LOUISE BURRELL Mrs NICHOLAS FANE Mr HENRY LOWSON Mr ANDREW MURRAY Miss ALEXANDRA TWEEDIE

The LORD BIDDULPH Mr GUY DAWSON Miss ANNABEL GLYNNE-PERCY Col. ALASTAIR MATHEWSON Mr FRASER ROBERTSON Mrs ROGER TYM

Members of the Scottish Committee: Mrs JAMES FRASER Mr BRIAN ROSS

Mr RODDY MARTINE Mrs JON STRICKLAND

Ball Secretary: Mrs RODERICK CORRIE Lower Littlecott Farm, Goatacre, by Calne,Wiltshire SN11 9HZ Tel: 01249 760 125 Email: secretary@royalcaledonianball.com www.royalcaledonianball.com

In aid of The Royal Caledonian Ball Trust Charity no. 213074 Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London W1 Friday 5th May 2006

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Patronesses The Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensbury Iona, Duchess of Argyll The Duchess of Argyll The Marchioness of Huntly The Marchioness of Lothian Jennifer, Marchioness of Bute The Countess of Dalkeith Lady Louise Burrell The Countess of Dysart The Countess of Erroll The Countess of Buchan The Countess of Eglinton and Winton The Countess of Moray The Dowager Countess of Strathmore DL The Countess of Kinnoull The Countess of Dalhousie The Countess of Lindsay The Countess of Mansfield and Mansfield The Countess of Elgin and Kincardine Antonella, Lady Lothian OBE Lady Strathnaver Lady Doune Viscountess Stormont Viscountess Dupplin Lady Dalmeny Viscountess Chelsea Lady Louisa Stewart Howitt

Lady Diana Godfrey-Faussett Lady Melissa Edwards Lady Iona Ind Lady Anne-Louise HamiltonDalrymple Lady Georgina Bullough Yr of Culcreuch Lady Elspeth Hordern HIRH Archduchess Sigismund of Austria The Lady Saltoun The Lady Kinnaird The Lady Mary Biddulph Sian, Lady Biddulph Jean, Lady Tweedsmuir Joan, Lady Clydesmuir The Lady Eden of Winton Baroness Alexandra von und zu Guttenberg The Hon. Mrs Thomas Lindsay

The Hon. Mrs Humphrey Drummond of Megginch The Hon. Lady Maclean of Duart The Hon. Mrs Nicolson The Hon. Charlotte Drummond of Megginch The Hon. Mrs Herdman The Hon. Mrs Fraser 2

The Hon. Mrs Macnab of Macnab The Hon. Mrs Jonathan Forbes The Hon. Mrs Robin Gurdon Lady Hope of Craighall Lady Agnew of Lochnaw Lady Grant of Monymusk Lady Edmonstone of Duntreath Fanny, Lady MacGregor of MacGregor Lady Campbell of Succoth Lady Lowson Lady Innes of Edingight Lady Macpherson of Biallid Lady Butter of Pitlochry CVO

Mrs Richard Baillie Mrs Christopher Boyle Mrs Evan Bruce-Gardyne Mrs Ewan Cameron Mrs David Campbell of Strachur Mrs Nigel ChamberlayneMacdonald Mrs Angus Cheape Mrs Malcolm Colquhoun Yr of Luss Mrs Roderick Corrie Mrs Charles Craig Mrs Mark Cubitt Mrs Guy Dawson Mrs Richard de Klee

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Mrs Mark Fairbanks Smith Mrs Nicholas Fane Mrs Colin Farquharson of Whitehouse Mrs James Fraser Mrs Simon Fraser Mrs Robin Garrett-Cox Mrs Alexander Galitzine Mrs Angus Gilroy Mrs Gladstone of Capenoch Mrs Gordon of Lude Mrs Andrew Gordon Mrs Dominic Grieve Mrs Hay Drummond Mrs Alexander Hay of Duns Mrs Humphrey of Dinnet Mrs Micky Ingall Mrs Roderick Ingham Clark Mrs Jamie Landale

Mrs Alastair Leslie Mrs Karen Liddell-Grainger Mrs Ranald Macdonald Yr of Clanranald Mrs Macdonald of Tote Mrs Charles Macdonald of Tote Mrs Andrew Macdonald Mrs MacGregor of Cardney Mrs Antony Mackenzie Smith

Mrs Alastair Mathewson Mrs Jeremy Mead Mrs Methven Way Mrs Houston Morris Mrs Andrew Murray Mrs Harry Nickerson Mrs Niels Olesen Mrs Oliphant of Oliphant Mrs Niel Redpath Mrs Fraser Robertson Mrs Oliver Russell of Ballindalloch

Mrs Iver Salvesen Mrs John Stansfeld Mrs Robert Stansfeld Mrs Thomas Steuart Fothringham Mrs Walter Steuart Fothringham 3

Mrs Ralph Stewart-Wilson of Balnakeilly Mrs Roderick Stirling Mrs Jon Strickland Mrs Alastair Struthers Mrs Barnaby Swire Mrs Mark Tennant Mrs Roger Tym Mrs Charles Vyvyan Mrs Paul Wakefield Mrs Charles White Mrs Justin Young

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Her Majesty The Queen

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Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal

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The Royal Caledonian Ball History

by Mrs Hay Drummond ever to be overtaken with the modern fire regulations in place.

Indeed at the time everyone agreed that it was rather too many for the Great Room to cope with, rather a squash, leaving many participants hot and bothered.

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he Royal Caledonian Ball started sometime in the 1840s as a private gathering given by the Duke and Duchess of Atholl for their Scottish friends who resided in London. By 1849, still at their invitation, it became a subscription dance for the purposes of collecting funds for Scottish charities, albeit with a decidedly Highland bias. Records show that the ball has been held annually ever since; cancellations only occurring with events beyond the committee’s control! No balls took place during the Boer War, following the death of Edward VII in 1910 and during the First and Second World Wars. Over more than one hundred and fifty years it has grown into one of the highlights of the London Season and a most successful vehicle for raising large sums of money.

It must by now have a good chance of ranking as the oldest charity ball in the world.

In the 1930s, as a treat, it was a very popular custom for children with their nannies to be allowed on the balcony to watch their parents dancing in the set reel, which formally opened the ball, in the Great Room below.

From 1930 the ball has been held at Grosvenor House, this hotel having the largest ballroom in London and capable of dealing with up to a thousand Scots who descend on the capital to reel the night away. A record attendance was achieved in the 1980s of more than thirteen hundred, but this is unlikely

Since the days of Edward VII the ball has been honoured with the Patronage of the reigning Monarch, and the ball can celebrate over 50 years of Patronage by Her Majesty The Queen. Our president had traditionally always been the current Duke of Atholl, who annually attended the dance and usually brought with him his own private army, The Atholl Highlanders, to play before the ball and to pipe onto the floor everyone taking part in the ceremonial set reel before performing an eightsome reel. This is a dance of Atholl origin and was introduced in 1890, before when it was the practise to arrange quadrilles. However, as the present Duke of Atholl lives in South Africa, we have been fortunate in securing the services of firstly the Earl of Erroll as our president and now Iona, Duchess of Argyll.

The money raised by the Royal Caledonian Ball allows a substantial sum to be given to Scottish charities each year.

The Committee feels that it is more important to give aid to people rather than things and so it is the young, the elderly, the homeless, the cancer sufferers and the disabled and disadvantaged, who receive help to improve their lives through our donations. An article on charity balls published in a leading daily newspaper some years ago gave the impression that only about ÂŁ10 from every ticket sold actually went to good causes. For many years the ball has succeeded in giving the majority the cost of a ball ticket to chosen charities and, thanks to gifts towards the expenses of this dance from generous sponsors, we hope to be able to continue to improve on this percentage.

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Charities supported by The Royal Caledonian Ball Trust

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several years: a school where the parents of pupils must be, or have been, members of the regular forces serving in Scottish regiments, or regiments serving in Scotland.

he charitable origins of The Royal Caledonian Ball date back to 1849, when the 6th Duke of Atholl decided to raise funds for Scottish charities; the Ball subsequently became an annual event and a charity in its own right. The constitution of the Trust states that its charitable gifts have to be related to Scotland, with a bias towards military causes.

Over the last ten years the Royal Caledonian Ball Trust has donated well over £500,000 to worthy Scottish charities and causes; in the last few years 50% of the ticket price was donated.

Capability Scotland works with children, adults and families who live with disability, to support them in their everyday lives. Artists at Capability Scotland’s Upper Springland service in Perth are working with the National Museums of Scotland on a project that will culminate in a dramatic medieval procession through the grounds of Upper Springland.

In 2005 The Royal Caledonian Ball Trust supported a wide selection of worthy causes: Firstly St Catharine’s Convent of Mercy, run by Sister Aelred, for the homeless in Edinburgh.

She describes the organisation as ‘a place of hospitality and mercy, a place of outreach and refuge for the most broken and needy in our society’.

The charity continues to fund a pony, named ‘Cally’ by the riding school, for the Riding for the Disabled Association in Glasgow. Every week over 200 mentally or physically disabled children and adults come to ride or enjoy carriage driving at the riding school.

Borderline, a charity for homeless Scots in London, aims to find them safe and secure sleeping accommodation and provides them with the resources to take up employment or ‘meaningful activity’.

ChildLine Scotland is the free, confidential telephone counselling service for children and young people. ChildLine Scotland aims to protect children who are at risk of harm and to help children resolve or alleviate their problems and worries.

The main objective of the Dumfries and Galloway Befriending Project is to recruit, train and match adult volunteers with vulnerable young people who are experiencing problems at home, school or in the community. The young people benefit from the energy and enthusiasm of their befrienders and gain confidence from forming a positive relationship with a supportive adult.

Donations to Drumpark School in Glasgow have enabled not only secondary school pupils to travel to Europe, but also provided play equipment for classrooms and playground within the primary department’s Behaviour Support Service.

Queen Victoria School in Dunblane has been supported for

Treasurer’s Report

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et out below is a brief summary of the results of The Royal Caledonian Ball in 2005. We are delighted to report that the Royal Caledonian Ball Trust has donated £72,000 to charity over the last three years.

These calculations are based solely on the ticket price as the Committee pass on the cost of the dinner directly to our guests.

Queen Victoria School, Dunblane

£5,000

Riding for the Disabled (Glasgow Group) Borderline Drumpark School ChildLine Scotland St Catharine’s Homeless Project Upper Springland Capability Project

£1,000 £4,000 £5,000 £2,000 £3,500 £3,500

Total

The ticket price was £80, of which 52% was distributed as follows:

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£24,000

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The Royal Caledonian Ball 2006 GENERAL PROGRAMME

DANCE PROGRAMME

10.00 pm The Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards

Procession and Set Reel 1.

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10.30 pm The processional march of the Set Reel into the Great Room 12.30 am Breakfast will be served

Dashing White Sergeant Reel of the 51st Division Waltz Eightsome Reel Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh Foxtrot Hamilton House

Breakfast The auction for the opportunity of a Macnab at Blair Atholl will take place in the Great Room

3.30 am Carriages THE PIPES AND DRUMS OF THE 1ST BATTALION SCOTS GUARDS BY KIND PERMISSION OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GHFS NICKERSON

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9.

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13.

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THE SIMON HOWIE BROADCASTING BAND

Duke of Perth Waltz Speed the Plough Mairi’s Wedding Quickstep Reel of the 51st Division John Peel

Carriages

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TheRoyalCaledonianBall2006 SET REEL ARRANGED BY Mr GUY DAWSON Order of Procession and Plan Chairman’s Reel Viscount Dupplin The Hon John Drummond of Megginch The Hon Humphrey Drummond of Megginch Mr William Forbes Cable Mr Giles Herdman Captain Angus Hay Mr Alexander Hay of Duns Mr Robert Hay

Viscountess Dupplin Lady Melissa Edwards The Hon Mrs Humphrey Drummond of Megginch Mrs Robert Miles The Hon Mrs Herdman Mrs Janey Ylvisaker Mrs Alexander Hay of Duns Miss Caroline Hay

PATRONE

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Highland Reel 1 Mr Randle White Mr Roderick Corrie Mr Alexander Crawford Mr Mark Stafford Charles Mr Patrick Wolrige Gordon Mr James Brooke Mr Jonathan Greig Mr Iain Macdonald

Mrs Nicholas Fane Mrs Roderick Corrie Miss Frances Sutton Lady Emma Mahmood Mrs Patrick Wolrige Gordon Miss Charlotte Eagar Mrs Jonathan Greig Mrs Iain Macdonald

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The King’s Own Scottish Borderers Major Douglas Cochran Captain Richard Forsyth Captain Tim Draper Captain Ben Birkbeck

Mrs Douglas Cochran Mrs Richard Forsyth Dr Julie McConaghy Mrs Ben Birkbeck

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STAIRS

Scots Guards Hamish Mackay-Lewis Esq Major James Kelly Captain,The Viscount Marsham Peter Mann Esq

Lady Davina Boyle Mrs Janie Gill Miss Victoria Forman Hardy Miss Sophie Mann

Order of Procession 2 Highland Reel 1 4 Scots Guards 6 Highland Reel 3 8 RMA Sandhurst 10 Highland Reel 2

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Highland Reel 3 Mr Guy Dawson Mr Christopher Sanger Mr Jamie Buchanan Mr Harry Horsfall Mr Alastair Keir Mr John Walker Mr Bruce Clitherow Mr Dominic Bayne

RONESSES

Mrs Guy Dawson Mrs Christopher Sanger Mrs Jamie Buchanan Miss Clara Andersson Miss Laura Speirs Miss Helen Hutton Miss Emily Robinson Mrs Dominic Bayne

Highland Reel 4

1 Mr Edward Fryer Mr Theodore Bell Mr Jamie Campbell Mr David Crichton

Miss Silke Lohmann Miss Jennifer DeWitt Miss Lotty Hankey Miss Caroline Ratcliff

3 Highland Reel 2 Mr Fraser Robertson Mr Andrew Murray Mr Gordon McCallum Mr William Scaldwell BAND

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Mrs Fraser Robertson Countess Cornelia Von Rittberg Mrs Gordon McCallum Miss Elizabeth Mason

RMA Sandhurst

7 OCdt Andrew Colquhoun OCdt Edward Lowther OCdt Adrian Havelock OCdt Alexander Gill

Miss Camilla Greenaway Miss Alexandra Munro-Ferguson Miss Cordelia Stirling-Aird Miss Lara Balfour

6 The Borderers’ Reel Lord Biddulph Mr Peter Mather Mr Arthur Blair Mr Neil Redpath

1 Chairman’s Reel 3 The King’s Own Scottish Borderers 5 Highland Reel 4 7 The Black Watch 9 The Borderer’s Reel

The Black Watch Captain Jamie Boyle Captain John Bailey David Boulter Esq David Mack Esq

Miss Emma Boulter Miss Venetia Browne Miss Lucy Corby Lady Cecilia Jocelyn

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STAIRS

CORRECT ON

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Mrs Karen Liddell-Grainger Mrs Emma Holloway Miss Helen Dunkley Mrs Neil Redpath

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Acknowledgements Snows On The Green Mrs Guy Spurr Mrs Robert Stansfeld Mrs Jon Strickland The Present Finder – www.thepresentfinder.co.uk Thomas Pink Jean, Lady Tweedsmuir Mrs Anne Waring Miss Ann Wolfe Mr Antony Woodward Mr John Woolland

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he Executive Committee of The Royal Caledonian Ball Trust would like to thank all those who have so kindly donated prizes and sponsorship: Chivas Regal supplied by Chivas Brothers Natural Mineral Water supplied by Hildon Ltd.

Particular thanks to: Lieutenant-Colonel GHFS Nickerson for kindly allowing the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards to play at the ball Tesco plc for their sponsorship of the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards The Allen & Overy Foundation Mrs James Troughton and Mr Andrew Bruce Wootton for the Macnab at Blair Atholl Hamilton & Inches

Thanks to Mr Alexander Crawford for typesetting and his assistance in the preparation of this Annual Review Photograph of Her Majesty The Queen by Mark Lawrence © www.royalimages.co.uk Photograph of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal by Ian Coates Photographs of The Royal Caledonian Ball by Dafydd Jones www.dafjones.com Images provided by Christies Images Ltd, courtesy of Mrs James Hood

We should also like to thank the following companies and individuals who have given their generous support through donations and gifts:

Printed by The Colourhouse

Iona, Duchess of Argyll Mr Euan Baird Mrs Nicholas Bardswell Berry Bros & Rudd Ltd Berry Scrumptious Mrs Charles Black Bloomsbury The Buccleuch Charitable Foundation Crocus.co.uk Demijohn Limited The Countess of Dysart Foyles Froxy Lady Mrs Oliver Gardiner Geo F.Trumper Geoffrey (Tailor) Kiltmakers – www.geoffreykilts.co.uk Gloss Makeover photography Grosvenor House Mrs Alexander Hay of Duns Mr & Mrs Heywood Hiscox plc Holmes Place Lady Elspeth Hordern The Countess of Kinnoull Lucy Stuart Lee Colour Consultation Montblanc UK Pantalon Chameleon Park Lane Champagne Ray Ward Gunsmith Ltd Richard Ogden Roxtons Sporting Limited

Thanks also to Spitfire Technology Group for hosting www.royalcaledonianball.com and Mrs Oliver Gardiner and Mr Guy Dawson for designing the website If you would like to be added to our mailing list, have moved or changed your name, please contact the Ball Secretary: Mrs Roderick Corrie Tel 01249 760 125 Email: secretary@royalcaledonianball.com www.royalcaledonianball.com

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Blair Atholl … the Macnab

by Andrew Bruce Wootton overing 145,000 acres in Highland Perthshire, Atholl Estates history stretches back to the 13th Century.

At the centre of the Estate, sits Blair Castle, ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl – founders of the Royal Caledonian Ball.

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The Estate has a long sporting history, and the walls of the Castle are lined with the memories of great stalking parties. The Estates are divided into six sporting beats, each offering a different mix of sport and scenery. Our keepers on each beat work closely with farming, forestry and ranger staff as part of an integrated team producing sport which is in balance with the countryside and a natural by-product of our land management. Most sport is offered to parties as a weekly package of walked up grouse shooting, stalking and salmon fishing, with guests staying at the shooting lodge which serves the beat.

Estate. The challenge, to catch a salmon, shoot a grouse and a red deer, all in a day, was based on the famous novel ‘John Macnab’ written by John Buchan and first published in 1925. In the novel, three ‘poachers’ – all members of London’s upper-class society – decided to poach deer and salmon on Scottish estates under the identity of John Macnab.Today the challenge includes grouse but generally excludes poaching!

The much heralded ‘Macnab’ is not often offered on the

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The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) by the Regimental Secretary

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he Royal Scots, the oldest Infantry Regiment of the Line, was formed in 1633 when Sir John Hepburn, under a Royal Warrant given by King Charles I, raised a body of men in Scotland for service in France. In 1680 the Regiment was posted to Tangier and won its first Battle Honour, since when a further 148 have been awarded. On its return four years later the title “The Royal Regiment of Foot” was conferred

by Charles II. The Regiment was divided into two battalions in 1686 and was not to have less until 1949 when the 1st and 2nd Battalion were amalgamated.

Battalions of The Royal Scots have been involved in almost every campaign in which the British Army has fought. From Marlborough’s battles to the Napoleonic Wars; the Peninsular to Crimea and South Africa, members of the Regiment have followed the flag in the service of their country.

World War I saw the number of battalions increase to 35, of which 15 served as front line units.

More than 100,000 men passed through these battalions, of whom 11,000 were killed and over 40,000 wounded.

The active service battalions were involved in all areas from the Western Front to the Dardanelles, Macedonia, Egypt, Palestine and North Russia.

At the start of World War II, the 1st Battalion embarked for France as part of the BEF. Forced into the retreat which was to end at Dunkirk, they never made the road to freedom.

After a desperate defence across the Bethune-Merville road to gain time for the retreating Army, and after suffering appalling losses, many were taken prisoner and few escaped home. The 2nd Battalion, based in Hong Kong, saw action when the Japanese attacked in December 1941.

fought in Burma. A new 2nd Battalion was formed in May 1942 and served in Italy and Palestine whilst the 7th/9th and 8th Battalions fought in Europe after D-Day. Since 1945 the Regiment has continued to serve in many parts of the world, including Germany, Korea, Cyprus, Suez, Aden and Northern Ireland. In 1983, the Regiment celebrated its 350th Anniversary and Her Majesty The Queen announced the appointment of her daughter, HRH The Princess Royal, to be Colonel-in-Chief. In December 1990 the battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia to take part in the Gulf War. Since which time it has also served in Bosnia and is currently again in Iraq.

Here too, The Royal Scots fought like tigers, but the result was inevitable. The 1st Battalion was reconstituted and

The Regimental recruiting area is Edinburgh, the Lothians and the former county of Peeblesshire. The Regimental tartan is Hunting Stuart, which is worn by all ranks except Pipers who wear the Sovereign’s personal tartan, Royal Stuart, an honour granted by King George V to mark the tercentenary in 1933. The Regimental Headquarters and Museum are in Edinburgh Castle. In recent years the battalion has concentrated on Rugby as its major sporting 16

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activity and has been the Army 7’s Champions for the last five years, and holders of the Army 15’s Cup this year.

On 28 March 2006, the 373rd Anniversary, The Royal Scots

ceased to be a single Regiment but merged with the other Scottish Infantry Regiments to form The Royal Regiment of Scotland in which, along with The King’s Own Scottish Borderers, they form the 1st Battalion.

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Ah! The witch-hazel is out!

by Marilyn Colville

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cottish country house gardens have a special quality not altogether due to latitude. Scottish gardeners envy the tender cistus, magnolias and hebes that are commonplace in the home counties, yet Logan actually has palm trees, Brodick has Goatfell as a backdrop, Dunrobin has its terraced situation and – no, – Scotland is just special and different. Great Scottish gardens, like Edzell and Inverewe, are unimaginable in any other part of Britain.

Traditionally the Scottish walled garden was at a distance from the house exactly right for the post-Sunday-lunch stroll. “Shall we walk to the garden?” the hostess of the 1950s would trill, and guests would know it was time to put down coffee cups, don their coats, gloves and scarves, and make a chilly yomp to see rows of brassicas, impressive glasshouses and small clumps of colour. “Look – aconites!” “Ah! The witch-hazel is out!” or the so-dainty daphne mezereum, which my children pronounce daphne misery-um. The trees however, were magnificent, Douglas firs and California redwoods collected for Scottish patrons in the 19th century, while snowdrops and daffodils spread out in sweeps. Later in the year the walled garden would be “a marvellous splash of colour” with red oriental poppies, blue delphiniums, orange geums, pink phlox and purple lupins. This brightness went right out of fashion in the reign of Rosemary Verey, whose restfully delicious schemes of mauve, pink and white with grey and bronzy foliage seduced northern and southern gardeners alike. Above all Scottish gardens discovered leaves, stripey hostas and spiky iris, foliage shiny, mini,

rough or fluffy made thoughtful juxtapositions. Since fulltime gardeners became an endangered species, the wilier gardener encourages un-killable plants like alchemilla mollis and hardy geraniums which will grow into, over and across everything, smothering the weeds. But soon, if not already, ‘weeds’ are actually encouraged as being ecologically p.c. and the lawn will not be mown because it is two feet deep in corn-marigolds, hawkweed and hay.

The trees remain, bigger and better, at least until Scottish Natural Heritage declare all trees but the Scots pine and the birch to be illegal immigrants, but the plantings round and underneath have changed. My father loved his rhododendrons, at least until he showed them off to Islay Campbell, then half his age, and later to create that splendid garden at Crarae, but already full of rhodo-lore and enthusiasm. After this encounter it was farewell to Pa’s bright mounds of Pink Pearl, Cynthia, Sappho and even his prized, optically-challengingly bright red Mars. The modern Scotsman – not his wife – seems irresistibly drawn to the pure-blood specie rhododendron and is appallingly snobbish about anything with big bright jolly flowers. “Look at the indumentum!” he will urge, grasping a leaf and turning it upside down, obviously a step on from admiring the leaf’s upper-surface, let alone the flowers which in the species may well be small, greenish and reluctant.

The gardening Scotswoman will be in charge in the flower garden, where, if her husband removes some leeks from her artistic vegetable plot he will be briskly told Tesco vegetables are for eating; these are for ornament, for their spectacular seed-heads to follow and for winter flower arrangements.

Rhodophilia seems to be a male thing, endemic in Scotland; the Scottish female gardener awaits Chelsea Flower Show with bated breath. What will be on the botanical cat-walk in 2006?

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The Calcutta Cup O’Plenty

by Oli Guthrie

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here can be few fixtures in the sporting calendar that inspire such divergent emotions as the Calcutta Cup, and as a Scot in recent times there has been a straight choice between disappointment and despair. On precious few occasions recently have we sampled the dizzy heights of elation at a victory over the Auld Enemy. Not so for the 2006 instalment. Oh boy no.

With the Australian coach Matt Williams at the helm, the Scots were often listless and consistently underperforming under the pressure of inescapable rigour and routine.

However, the recent arrival of the native Frank Hadden has seen a casting off of past shackles and a breath of fresh air, coursing through not only the national side but Scottish rugby as a whole. Where before the cold winds of failure, indecision and insecurity blew intrusively through the team, there is now a palpable sense of self worth, belief and most importantly, enjoyment. And on a scale of one to enjoyment, beating the English rates quite handsomely.

played with a cohesion and spirit that proved overpowering with the back row unit of Jason White, Ally Hogg and Simon Taylor leading the charge in attack, but more notably in defence, while Chris Paterson steadily racked up the points that proved conclusive for the English.

World Cups are one thing and whilst it is a flight of delirious fancy to realistically target the global crown, to chalk a score in the win column against the English is the stuff of boyhood dreams – such is the rarity and value. If proof is ever needed of this one only needs to look back at the recent final whistle photos of Scottish faces. The beaming smile that engulfed the bullish face of the heroic skipper Jason White was a picture that told a thousand stories, let alone words, and is a moment that will live long in the memory of all involved, from players to fervent fans up and down the land.

The fundamental appeal of all sport, regardless of talent, age, gender or ability is the crucible of contest and challenge. It is the idea that David might defeat Goliath that keeps us hooked; that Scotland could triumph despite conceding over a stone a man, having a tenth of the player pool and resources and a far inferior track record. England have come to represent a robotically muscular side of flat track bullies starved of creativity and flair. Such insurmountable odds mean precious little to Jason White however, and the talismanic leader inspired a performance from his men that laughed in the face of the odds (and the English) to bring home the Calcutta Cup.

There are so many facets of which to be proud and certainly too many to list here, but perhaps the most striking and elemental feature was the nature of the victory. Scotland

Where professionalism has heralded the dominance of statistics and analysis that were previously non existent, such facts and figures alone would have yielded a very different result. But it was not a day for theorising or analysing. It was a day for fire and brimstone, for guttural passion and physical sacrifice beyond the body’s most vehement protest.

The performance was the very essence of team work and gritty determination, and whilst the Scots may have under whelmed in attack they rewrote the rule book in defence and ended thoroughly deserving victors.

It was truly a heady day and thankfully the memory and the pride long outlives the hangover (although for a while it felt like a close run thing), and also returned a much needed atmosphere to the drought stricken Murrayfield, bringing with it a victory of valour, courage and lasting celebrity and one that will merit reminiscent celebrations for years to come.

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The Early History of the Covenanters

by William Crawford James VI & I preferred Anglicanism, as indeed he preferred England to his native land, but his motive in seeking to impose it upon the Scots was that it would cement the Union. Charles I, with his insistence upon the Divine Right of Kings, genuinely believed that Presbyterianism and Kingship were incompatible. His attempt to impose upon Scotland Archbishop Laud’s High Anglican Prayer Book led directly, from the Jenny Geddes riot, to the signing of the Second National Covenant of 1638, by many thousands of Scots.

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n Scotland, the old Pre-Reformation Church was even more oppressive, venal, corrupt and unpopular than its English counterpart had been. Scotland’s preference for Presbyterianism, where the Church is ruled by Elders elected by the Congregation, and there are no Bishops, may have been fuelled by a strong reaction against the past.

Whatever the reason, the doctrines of Calvin, Luther and Presbyterianism appealed to Scots from the outset. In 1557, the Lords of the Congregation signed the First National Covenant, binding themselves to replace the Roman Church with a Presbyterian one. In 1560, with the aid of Elizabeth’s troops, that aim was achieved; the French troops of Mary of Lorraine were driven out; the authority of the Pope was denied, the Mass was declared illegal, and Presbyterianism was established.

The Covenanters, as the signatories were now known, made clear their loyalty to the King, but also their utter opposition to the rule of bishops, and to anything even remotely connected to the Roman Catholic rite. As Charles sank deeper into the mire of the Civil War, the government of Scotland was carried on by the General Assembly of the Kirk, which had organised the signing of the Covenant.

For 10 years, the Assembly ruled Scotland in a way which recalls the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan in recent times.

A diarist of the period wrote; “Much falsit (dishonesty) and Scheitting (cheating) at this tyme wes daylie detectit by the Lordis of Sessioun; for the quhilk their wes daylie hanging, skurging, nailing of luggis, and binding of pepill to the Trone, and boring of tounges”. Executions for moral offences were commonplace. The severing of hands and limbs was frequent. The Kirk’s moral code did not exclude the use of torture, generally by the Boot. To many of those who had signed the Covenant, like Lauderdale and Montrose, it was a form of government more foul and oppressive than the absolutist rule of Charles I would ever have been.

From that moment on, the Scots Nation (with the exception, curiously, of an area around Aberdeen, which remained firmly Episcopalian) did not waver in its desire to worship according to the Presbyterian rite. Yet for the next 130 years, the Stuarts sought to impose either Episcopalianism, or actual Roman Catholicism, upon Scotland. Much of the turbulence which was apparent in 17th Century Scotland arose from this single cause.

Montrose turned against it. He decided to back the King, recommending to him a form of constitutional monarchy.

With the aid of Irish troops, and Highlanders under Colkitto, he won a series of brilliant victories against the men of the Assembly. Tippermuir, Aberdeen, Inverlochy, Auldearn, Alford and Kilsyth followed each other in dazzling succession, marred only by the sack, pillage and slaughter that followed the victory at Aberdeen. After Kilsyth, his troops, their motives less noble than his, melted away back to the Highlands and Ireland. Montrose sought replacements in the Borders, but at Philiphaugh, near Selkirk, he was surprised and routed by Leslie. He narrowly escaped with a few followers; most of his reduced force was captured; many were slaughtered on the field, and the rest, including women and children, were taken to Edinburgh. The Assembly announced they were to be executed. Protests poured in from all over Scotland. These were ignored; the 22

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execution of the women and boys was carried out, the Revd.

David Dickson, an ex-Moderator of the General Assembly, declaring; “The wark gangs bonnily on”.

Montrose continued to seek troops in the Highlands, until Charles I called on him to desist, and leave the country. He went to Holland. There, on hearing of the execution of the King, he fainted.The reaction of the rest of Scotland was one of fury and horror. Charles II was immediately proclaimed King in Edinburgh, but with a proviso that he should not reign until he had accepted the Covenant. Charles, before he accepted this proviso, decided to let Montrose see what he could do. Montrose landed in the Orkneys, recruited unskilled Orkney lads, and with them, and some gallant noblemen, like the Earl of Kinnoull, crossed to the mainland. The Orkneyers were no match for Gen. Leslie and Col. Strachan, and were routed. Montrose sought sanctuary with Neil Macleod of Assynt, who betrayed him for £25,000 Scots, 20 in cash, and 5 in meal. It is some slight consolation that the meal was sour, and the cash was probably never paid. Montrose was led down through Scotland, his feet tied under a Highland pony. Charles II did not lift a finger to try to save him. The courage, dignity and “sweet carriage” with which he, the poet-hero, went to his death are legendary. His poems, including the lines scratched on the window of his cell on the night before his execution “let them bestow on every airth a limb”, are an imperishable monument to his greatness.

Dunbar on 3 Sept 1650, Gen. Leslie having been goaded into tactical error by the ministers of the Assembly. Exactly a year later, Charles and Leslie marched into England, and were defeated at Worcester. Charles fled abroad, and Cromwell replaced the administration of the Assembly with one of his own. It was infinitely more just, but it was equally oppressive, it was English, and it was highly unpopular.There was universal rejoicing in Scotland when Charles II was restored. Alas, as the later history of the Covenanters shows all too clearly, the rejoicing was soon to turn to tears.

Charles II, having sacrificed Montrose, then landed in Scotland, made obeisance to the mullahs of the Assembly, and signed the Covenants. Cromwell immediately marched north with his army, and put the Scots army to flight at

Portrait of James Graham, Marquis of Montrose William Dobson (1611-1646) Portrait of King Charles II,Wearing Garter Robes Circle of Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680) © Christie’s Images Limited 1989 The Covenanters George Henry Boughton (1833-1905) © Christie’s Images Limited 2005

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Demijohn, the liquid deli

O

ne moment you’re sipping local wine and nibbling olives on a sun-soaked seafront terrace, next thing you’re clocking in at the office and eating cheese sandwiches at your desk.

It’s enough to make you throw in the towel and do something completely different. How lovely it would be to run a little business – why not delicatessens selling the holiday tipples you enjoyed so much.

Angus Ferguson did just that. Swapping his khaki army uniform for the olive groves of Italy,Angus opened Scotland’s first European liquid deli in Edinburgh in July 2004. “Inspired by working and travelling in Europe, I saw the opportunity to bring all that is best about Scottish produce and blend it with the best the continent has to offer. We are so confident in the quality and taste of our oils and liqueurs that we are encouraging our customers to try before they buy; we aim to make shopping a truly tasteful experience!

Having tasted and selected their purchases, customers then choose from an extensive range of Italian glass bottles, into which the oil, vinegar or liqueur is poured and then sealed with the signature Demijohn handwritten label; the bottle can then be refilled as required.

Unique to Edinburgh, but popular on the continent, customers are encouraged to taste each product before they buy. On entering the deli, customers are met with shelf upon shelf of glass Demijohns; large glass bottles traditionally used for storing wines and spirits, and from which the deli takes its name. The rows of demijohns contain a diverse range of liqueurs, spirits, olive oils and vinegars.

The majority of the liqueurs, spirits and vinegars are made by small scale producers using locally sourced ingredients from within Scotland – blaeberries, raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, sloes, brambles and wild flowers of Shetland – also responsible for Blackwood’s 60% abv Nordic Dry Gin (the world’s strongest vintage gin). Meanwhile Scots barley, rye and wheat are gathered for wide and much-loved ranges of whisky and spirits.

Having uncovered a world of small producers and natural ingredients within Scotland, Demijohn’s search to find unique and high quality produce now takes its owners to many different countries throughout the world.

Having just returned from the Valais region of Switzerland, their next hunt is for a pudding wine from Hungary. One can only imagine how tough a job it must be sourcing holiday tipples …

Demijohn is currently open for business at 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh; Demijohn is accessible on the internet on www.demijohn.co.uk.

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THE ROYAL CALEDONIAN BALL 2006

ANNUAL REVIEW