Issue #237 | Tain & District Picture Post | August 2020 by K & N Concepts Ltd - ePublishing

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE FOR THE ROYAL BURGH OF TAIN AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS

TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST

#237 AUGUST

2020

AUGUST 2020

TAIN GALA DELEGATES Photographs of this year’s Tain Gala Queen, Princess, Attendant and Prince - for the Gala that wasn’t! p8

TAIN GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

TAIN AS A MARKET TOWN (P2)

News and photographs of the winners from this year’s Tain Golf Club Championships. p25

Margaret Urquhart continues her series looking at Tain as a market town over the years p14

TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST

PRICE £1.95

WELCOME TO THE

DISTILLERY EXPERIENCE

The Glenmorangie Distillery Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1PZ, Scotland. On the A9, 45 minutes from Inverness, 1 mile north of Tain.

Tain Inverness

Perth Glasgow Edinburgh

THE ORIGINAL TOUR

1 hour, £8 per person

June - August: Monday - Sunday, every 30 minutes, 10am - 4pm April - May & September - October: Monday - Saturday, every hour, 10am - 3pm

By the tranquil shores of the Dornoch Firth, amidst the golden barley fields of Ross-shire, lies the Glenmorangie Distillery. Here you will find a warm Highland welcome from the legendary Men of Tain, the skilled craftsmen who ensure that Glenmorangie is made in the same unhurried and uncompromising way it has always been through its long and distinguished history. We offer a range of tours with unparalleled access to the Distillery and its warehouses. With the help of our expert guides you will experience all stages of the whisky making process from mashing and fermenting to distilling and maturation. Within our Still House (we call it our Highland Cathedral) stand the tallest stills in Scotland, their long copper necks are the same height as a fully grown giraffe! As a result only the lightest and purest vapours make it to the top, giving a smoother, more elegant whisky. On your visit to our traditional earth floored warehouses we will explain why Glenmorangie has for many years led the industry in the pioneering use of only the finest casks in which to mature our whisky. As part of your tour, why not visit our own distillery shop?

January - March & November - December: Monday - Friday, 10am & 2pm THE SIGNET TOUR

1.5 hours, £35 per person June - August: Monday - Sunday, 2.15pm Wednesday, 6pm, New for 2019 April - May & September - October: Monday - Friday, 2.15pm (January - March & November December: not available) THE MEN OF TAIN TOUR

2.45 hours, £95 per person

May - September: Tuesday, 9.45am (October - April: not available) THE SUNSET TOUR

1.5 hours, £45 per person

June - August: Wednesday, 6.00pm (September - May: not available) For more information call 01862 892477 email: tain-shop@glenmorangie.co.uk or visit www.glenmorangie.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND ONLINE BOOKINGS PLEASE VISIT WWW.GLENMORANGIE.COM Pre-booking is recommended and essential for some of the tours or large groups. The Glenmorangie Distillery is a working distillery. For a few weeks a year we undergo essential maintenance when tours may be restricted. Closed for the 2 week period over Christmas & New Year. The information on this advert is valid throughout 2019. The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking. Please savour our whiskies in moderation.

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AUGUST 2020

EDITORIAL Dear readers, Welcome to our latest issue! It’s hard to believe that we are now in August, in the midst of what has felt like one of the fastest Summers we have experienced in a long time. In many ways, it hasn’t entirely felt like the summer has started -- things have not been the same without the Vintage Car Rally, the many Gala events we are used to, and of course the Highland Gathering to look forward to. On the subject of the Gala, it is a pleasure for us to share photographs of the children chosen to fill the annual duties associated with the event - we look forward to seeing them fulfil these in 2021! Our own summer “holidays” have been spent making the most of the beautiful surroundings on our doorstep, driving across Ross and Sutherland from East to West. One thing is for certain though - we have not been alone in taking in the Highland roads. Traffic across the now famed NC500 route looks a lot busier than we are used to just now, and it is worth us all noting the wise words of Inspector Rice in this month’s Community Policing update. On a sad note, we were sorry to hear of the closure of S & B Allsorts, who have been such a great supporter as a stockist of the magazine, and as an advertiser since we took on the the editorial of the Picture Post. We are very grateful to Bruce and Susan and we wish them all the best in whatever comes next for them.

NORTH OF SCOTLAND FOOTBALL REVIEW 2020 (VOL. III) Player appearances and goals statistics, results, league tables and more from the Highland Football League, North Caledonian League, North Juniors, amateur leagues, youth football and more.

Available on sale from tainpost.co.uk/review for £11.99 plus p&p

K & N CONCEPTS

We hope everyone is continuing to stay safe as we get used to the changes in our lives. Please enjoy this issue, and do get in touch with your feedback. Best wishes, Niall & Lucy

WHERE TO BUY THE TDPP Tesco (Shore Road, Tain) Co-op (Tain High St) Tain Bothy (Tain Post Office) Bannerman’s Seafood, Tain Grants Bakery, Tain Highland Prime, Fearn Alness Newsagents

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COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMME The Tain & District Development Trust are in the process of setting up a programme to provide grants of up to £500 for small initiatives in the education; conservation and community service and support sectors in the Tain & District (Ward 7) area. A welcome partner in this has been Glenmorangie Distillery- who have committed financial support to the grant program. Given the current crisis, and for the foreseeable future, applicants for this TDDT Community Support Programme must be able to demonstrate that their project has been established as a direct result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Priority will be given to those initiatives where Government support packages are unable to help, and those ineligible for emergency grants. More information can be obtained online here: tainddtrust.com/covid-19

TAIN COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY POLICING NEWS

2020 is certainly going to be a different summer to our usual. The coronavirus pandemic has markedly changed our communities, many of us are working and spending more time at home. Outdoor leisure has become an important part of daily life. The positive aspect is that many people have taken up cycling or walking and

even ‘wild swimming’ for the bravest amongst us! Remember, any area of water, including reservoirs and canals, can hold hidden dangers. With many stretches located in remote areas, help will often be some considerable time away, so take responsibility for your own actions and make sensible decisions to stay safe around water. As coronavirus restrictions ease and bars, restaurants slowly open up for business our personal safety whilst enjoying the outdoors or some much needed highland hospitality becomes even more important. Here are a few tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable summer, whether you are at home, at the beach or in the pub

Outdoors: · Be aware of the dangers when out hillwalking, cycling or near areas of water. Think about the risks and plan well to minimise them. · Never underestimate the current, temperature or depth when in water. · Never get into the water alone and never go swimming after drinking alcohol. · Be mindful of your surroundings. Shouting, swearing, rowdy behaviour and loud music may be fun for you however may cause fear, alarm and distress to others. · Bin your litter when you leave, be kind to our environment and keep our area beautiful. · Keeping your dog on the lead and under control. When visiting licensed premises: · Know your alcohol limits. · Make sure you and your friends have return journeys planned. · Keeping your personal belongings safe at all times. I hope these simple tips will not reduce your enjoyment of the Summer. I would encourage you all to get out and enjoy the benefits of life in the Highlands, pass on this advice to visitors to the area and take care of yourselves and others. James Rice

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TAIN COMMUNITY

TAIN & DISTRICT FIELD CLUB On Saturday 25th July TDFC took our first tentative steps back towards a club meeting with a socially distanced walk at Spinningdale. It was good to be out again and although we didn’t see any of the newly introduced red squirrels we did encounter the wonderful squirrel willow sculptures. We have also put together

TAIN & DISTRICT GARDENERS’ CLUB This time last year we were preparing for our summer show, which was held in the Guide Hall on 24th August. This year has been great for fruit and veg but of course there will be no shows. However we are very lucky that many of us can continue to garden in these difficult times. We have also put together

a full programme of talks for the winter but as with so much else we are unsure how much of this we will be able to hold under the Covid-19 regulations. If you are interested in hearing about our programme contact heather (01862 892302) or find us on Facebook (Tain Gardeners’ Club)

a full programme of talks for the winter but as with so much else we are unsure how much of this we will be able to hold under the Covid-19 regulations. If you are interested in the club find Tain Field Club on Facebook or e-mail TDFC@ davidmcallister.co.uk

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MESSAGE FROM CLLR. DEREK LOUDEN

My usual monthly surgery is cancelled at present. Please feel free to contact me at any time on: 01862892734 07876774412 Or via email at LoudenDW@aol. com.

Happy to help any local resident with any problem at any time.

CONTACT TDPP Do you have an article or photos you’d like us to print? Please email:

info@tainpost.co.uk or call 01862 857366

ANDREW VASS

CO-DEPENDENCY OR SPIRITUAL GROWTH? ANDREW VASS WRITES Co-dependency is our tendency to steer one’ ship simply as directed by the advice of others. We lose our capacity to think for ourselves and know ourselves, because we have become submerged in some collective or family identity. This can be damaging when a married couple allow an initial attraction; ‘she liked him because he was decisive, he liked her because she was demure’ to become a negative label; ‘he is narcissistic, she is deceitful’. The initial positive labels which seemed to promise lifelong happiness are capable of being modified very slightly and then became negative labels- the kind of change which can lead to divorce! To avoid getting into the trap of codependency, we have to understand how one’s self is a different kettle of fish to other fishy characters. We have to value and defend those differences so we erect some boundaries against being drawn into relationships by the first whiff of chemical attraction. The key question to answer before embarking on a relationship is; ‘What does this person offer me? Am I a good match for the person?’ Relationships with friends, peer group and

family have a similar requirement. We have to defend the search for one’s own identity so that one doesn’t become needy. One father I knew used to introduce his daughters by saying ‘This is my intelligent daughter and this is my good looking one’. Unknown to him, his use of such simple labels taught both girls to label themselves as inadequate- one was not clever, the other was not beautiful. This ‘all or nothing’ kind of thinking does not allow for the fact that qualities are on a continuum. One can be quite goodlooking because of an attractive personality feature. One can be ‘clever-enough’ in one’s own way (despite not passing exams) and still make regular money. Neediness is linked to negative labelling and not getting to know or accept one’s own uniqueness. An attractive feature of historical Christianity was the idea of the ‘nonconformist’ conscience. It was an antidote to peer group influences. It asserted one’s right to avoid being drawn by a liberal sentimentalism into becoming an unthinking conformist to the polite and political fashions of an era. Interestingly in the early twentieth century most middle-class women went to church. This

meant that people had a sense of boundaries which prevented chemical rushes from rushing people into early relationships. But the Christianity of yesterday, seems different to an historian than the Christianity of today. The Christianity of today can’t escape from its reaction to having lost its status as the natural way of life of yesteryear. It also links with the political cocktails which are around. Some forms of Christianity seem to have become more aggressive, some more passive. History has always changed religions in ways that would create considerable variation from era to era. The Christianity of the Spanish Inquisition or of the Crusades was a very different force from the Christianity of todayat least it’s a different Christianity from the one that is proffered by most churches near you. Historical Christianity offers us some good and some poor role-models for today. Different rolemodels can offer us different perspectives. The Bible does not advise us to overvalue Joshua who was

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ANDREW VASS

famous for his bruising attack on Jericho because it offers us a different picture with Jonah who was being disobedient to God when he refused to parley with the Ninevites. But didn’t Joshua refuse to parley with the Canaanites? The reason why we can’t simply compare these figures is that the behaviour which suited one era does not necessarily suit another. For this reason, it is always good to look at the perspectives of famous Christians of the past. If we take a long hard look at each, we may find how appropriate their sensitivities are for today. So, let’s look at one Christian rolemodel from history. I have previously studied ‘A Retreat with Francis and Clare of Assisi’ by Bodo and Saint Sing- a fine sentimentalist’s treasure chest. But in trying to make sense of the lectures on THE GREAT COURSES website ‘FRANCIS OF ASSISI’, and ‘GREAT CHRISTIANS’ series, I have been struggling with the question; what is there to learn for today- a time when the Coronavirus has drawn our attention to stark issues. So, I wanted to look at real history- a task not always so sentimentally appealing. Real history tells us that Francis’ legacy was under assault even before he died. For the first 50 years after his death, the Franciscans were riven by division; at one point, they were divided by a pope into two orders.

The authenticity of the Franciscan pledge to poverty was questioned and apologists tried hard in the face of such criticism to define poverty in such a way that it could be said that the Franciscan order remained true to the concept of embracing it. And yet despite criticisms, many people could see something coherent in what Francis was about, and it was rather more than simply pledging a life of poverty - the flowering of Franciscan spirituality can be seen in the works of perhaps the greatest poet of all time- Dante. So, what was Francis really about? The courses above help me to have an opinionso, here it is. Francis had seen the need to correct the vices of pride and avarice. And he had correctly seen that the cure involved going deep inside one’s mind to understand its’ mechanisms. The problem of ‘ulterior motives’ is that we can always make rationalisations which disguise our avarice and aggressions. Our pride makes our rationalising necessary- but that pride is often linked with feelings such as shame, guilt, humiliation, anger, defensiveness, and a deep desire to have our views and legacy vindicated. With all that going on, we naturally slip into aggression and only a repentant attitude regarding our natural tendencies can lead us to soften a little. Francis saw that ‘humility’ was the antidote to the sin of pride, and

he saw poverty as the antidote to aggressive self-promotion. In his dramatic gesture of stripping naked in front of his father, he showed he preferred transparency and a renunciation of one’s rationalising tendency, along with all the vestments of his father’s respectability. But such gestures were okay in hot climateswhich is why we need a deeper understanding of how we can use his symbolism for today! But why did he need to stand out, and do his ‘own thing’? Couldn’t he have just gone to ‘varsity’ and ‘read’ theology? No! For Francis, to define something as basic as “love” wasn’t totally to understand it—intellectual exercise could take you places but was insufficient for true understanding. Francis preferred the university of life- but he was no hippy! For example, he wanted to experience real love by helping lepers. He could not have admired the Beatles song; ‘Love is all you need’ because love requires real compassion, meaning “to suffer with others,” as you “fully share their experience”. You need a ‘thinking approach’ to life- if you are to love people effectively. He later said he found more joy with the lepers he met than in any other episode in his life. For Francis the university of life had its place. Francis’s well-known sermon to the birds brings to the forefront the radical simplicity of the man. What did Francis think he was

doing here? Should we preach to the birds outside Tesco? The sermon was Francis’s way of showing his reverence for all of creation. Reverence, humility and being open to experiencing, (not the therapists’ ‘shame attacking’ so loved by modern politicians) were Francis’ motivation. God’s act of becoming human was, for Francis, the greatest expression of humility and the one all humans should recognize and seek to imitate. And here we get to the rock-bottom of Francis’ thinking. An age which wondered how one could imitate the earliest Christian martyrs, found in Francis an answer- one could imitate God’s humility. And from Francis through Dante we come to our modern church architecture; its lofty spires encouraging us to spiral our thoughts heavenward. So that’s a symbolism for today. Keep your clothes on, but be attracted by the beauty and loftiness of great buildings, great poetry, and great writers. If one adopts a shameattacking, fear-attacking comfort-attacking anger-managing approach to life, then one can study rolemodels even when the role-models are not conforming to one’s spiritual or political sensibilities. You may be a Protestant or an agnostic (while Francis was a Roman Catholic). That won’t necessarily prevent you from having an aha-moment. Keep dancing and learning!

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TAIN GALA ASSOCIATION

Due to Covid-19 and the cancellation of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events, Tain Gala Association was unable honour those above in carrying out their usual duties - we are pleased to confirm though, that they will be carrying out their duties next year! They are; Queen - Leah Mackenzie, Attendant - Olivia Macleod, Princess - Jagoba Wroblewska, Prince - Tayyab Noir

OLD FILE

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OLD FILE: QUEEN VICTORIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JUBILEE, TAIN HIGH STREET, 1897

CREDIT: TAIN & DISTRICT MUSEUM

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THROUGH THE LENS

THROUGH THE LENS WITH MARK JANES ISSUE #31

MOVING ON FROM ‘AUTO’ Today’s cameras are truly remarkable pieces of technology (and I include camera phones in that statement)! Set even the most basic cameras to “Auto” and they are able to produce really eye-catching, technically excellent pictures that would have taken a lot of experience to create in the past. Some even seem to be able to mind-read the photographer and figure out what kind of picture they want to achieve! But modern cameras are not much more than computers, and computers have to be programmed. And the

team of programmers in Japan who gave your camera its “brain”, can’t actually read your mind or see the scene in front of you that you’re trying to photograph. At best they can only come up with an average guess of what you’re trying to photograph when programming the camera to use certain settings. Of course, in reality, we may be trying to make photographs in all sorts of challenging conditions; fast-moving children or animals, things that are difficult to focus on, or scenes where the light is difficult. So that’s why all but the most basic cameras give you some way to over-ride the camera’s auto settings and take manual control. Here are some of the

settings your camera changes when it’s set to Auto: APERTURE – how much light is coming into your camera (measured in “f-stops”) SHUTTER SPEED – how long the light is coming in for (measured in fractions of a second)

SENSITIVITY OF THE SENSOR – how sensitive the camera is to light (expressed as “ISO”) FOCUS OF THE LENS – to cope with objects near to or far away from the camera WHITE BALANCE – to cope with different colours of light (e.g. natural daylight or

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ELEANOR ROSS ACHIEVEMENTS

artificial light). Most or all of these settings can be controlled manually if you choose. But why would you want to? Well, (a) many of these settings have particular effects on the picture, giving you a lot more creative control of your photograph, and (b) although the camera’s Auto setting gets it right 90% of the time, there are situations where a little bit of input from the photographer can make the difference between an OK picture and a really good one! So, over the next few weeks we’re going to look at each of these settings in some detail; how to adjust them and what happens when you do. Meanwhile, the easiest way to start taking control of your camera is through some of the semi-automatic modes on the “Mode Dial” on top of the camera (see picture). These let you take control of one setting while the camera takes care of everything else, ensuring you still have a decent picture. Think of it as taking a bike out with stabilisers on! Try setting your mode dial to “S” (or Tv on Canon cameras). This lets you control the shutter speed with the control wheel on the back of the camera. Try experimenting with different settings and see what happens. Next week we’ll talk about shutter speed in more detail. Have fun, keep safe and look out for next month’s “Through The Lens”.

TASC: DISTANCE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ELEANOR ROSS

I was delighted to learn recently that Eleanor had been invited by Scottish Swimming to take part in a National Distance Training Camp which would have been at the National Swimming Academy at Stirling University directly after the Scottish National Age Group Championships (SNAGs). Unfortunately due to lockdown this wasn’t achievable, so she attended a virtual camp on 29th June which was run by Alan Lynn the National Coach for Scotland, Ann Dickson, Head Coach at City of Perth and coach to Stephen Milne one of Scotland’s most successful distance swimmers. Eleanor has made fantastic progress in the distance events over the past year, with particular promise in the 400m Freestyle and 400m IM. This has culminated in her invitation to the swim camp. Eleanor’s achievements this year:In October 2019 Eleanor swam her first 800m freestyle in Fraserburgh, placing her as second fastest 12 yr old swimmer for this event in Scotland. The following day she swam the 1500m freestyle and finished as the

fastest 12 yr old in Scotland. She was the youngest Highland Swim Team (HST) swimmer to qualify for the Scottish National Short Course Championships, entering the 1500m freestyle open event and coming 26th overall (2nd fastest 13 yr old in the event). At this year’s SNAGs event she qualified for 12 events, 9 of which were 200m and above. 2020 will be the 3rd year she has qualified for DRP (District Regional Programme). I spoke to her mum, Jane, and asked if Eleanor would let us know what she likes about the distance events and what her thoughts are at this time and this was her response:“It’s really frustrating not being able to swim at the big events such as SNAGs, Scottish Summer Meet & British Summer Meet this year due to coronavirus and my goals have changed from aiming to succeed at these events to just wanting to get back into the pool. I enjoy the distance events more because I feel like you can get into a rhythm even though you do sprint within a distance event. I also like the challenge of pacing and

holding technique over the longer distances. Even though we have been in lockdown I’ve still tried to keep up my fitness levels with lots of workouts on zoom, cycling and swimming on both a static and bungee rope in a 12 foot pool that my mum and dad put up for me it’s much better now that the water is heated as it started off at 10 degrees but now it’s 28 degrees.” I think it’s fair to say that Eleanor has had an outstanding year and I for one can only congratulate her on her achievements. Super proud moment for her and her family and delighted that she is a part of TASC. Viv Skinner TASC Head Coach

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NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM

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TAIN AS A MARKET TOWN P2

TAIN AS A MARKET TOWN - PART 2 BY MARGARET URQUHART

The new Market Place was a very different set-up compared to the markets of old in the days when shops as we know them didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t generally exist and thus most selling took place at stalls and trestle tables set up and dismantled each day. By the 19th Century a good number of permanent shops had been established. The Market Place was designed specifically for the annual and weekly markets with buildings replacing the temporary stalls, although one imagines that extra stalls would be set up for the big market days at least. The Market Street stalls were rented out to various shopkeepers who had permanent shops on the main streets. Apart from market

days they would be used for storage which eventually became their only function. The labelled extract taken from an oblique aerial photograph dated 1949, shows the layout of Market Place in Market Street. The main market building took the form of a long single storey building containing seven arcaded stalls with wooden doors/ shutters which are partly seen in Photo 1. These fronted onto an open forecourt surrounded by a low wall surmounted by iron railings (removed during WW2) and accessed by a stone pillared gateway. Part of one of the pillars can be seen in the photo. It is not entirely clear what is happening in this particular scene which according to

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TAIN AS A MARKET TOWN P2

museum acquisition records is dated 1914. The stalls were rented by quite a variety of shopkeepers and tradesmen. Over the years they were occupied by hardware/ ironmongers, a house carpenter, shoemakers, an auctioneer, grocers, bakers, a chemist, a tailor, fishmongers. The Market Place was closed off at both ends by buildings at right angles to it. The bottom (north) end was closed off by the Market House, presumably erected at the same time as the stalls. Certainly, a building occupying that site is marked on a map (dated c. 1832) showing the layout of buildings in Tain. The Market House building can be seen in Photo 2. It was part of the Common Good Customs, which also included other assets (see Set of Customs Notice for 1888) and as such was rented or leased out to a ‘Customer’ (Custom House Officer) who had the right to exact custom dues. The let was usually for the year to allow for

rent increases. It also incorporated a shop (as in the notice) certainly by late 1860s. The earliest references just mention a house. Information from Burgh Accounts indicates that for a long time the lease was usually taken on by a ‘flesher’ (butcher), sometimes also renting a stall - notably Murdo Mackay - until 1869. Thereafter, a variety of tradesmen rented the premises, including John R Mackenzie, grocer, Donald (Dan) Mackintosh with the intriguing appellation, “Bellhanger”, and James Gray, tailor. For most of the last half century or so it has functioned as a hairdressing salon. However, the 1832, map shows a gap between the market stalls building and the Market House. That gap was filled sometime between 1832 and the next available map dated 1870. Photo shows the building that filled the gap. The large central window quite clearly was originally a doorway. The other two windows

are too small for the building to have been a shop. Possibly it was built as a store rather than a “stall” as such. It currently accommodates another hairdressing establishment. The other end of the main market building, similarly, has normal doorway entrances (shown above). This south end was closed off by the building in Queen Street now occupied by Munro, Butchers (shown right). This also must

have been constructed after 1832 and before 1870. The 1832 map shows the main market building stretching right up to Queen Street (then known as Back Street), so this later building must have incorporated the top end of that building. Although the butcher shop now occupies the whole building, it was originally divided into two parts and probably both were accessed from Queen Street. The doorway into the far end is still there. A close examination reveals that there was another doorway, now blocked up, next to the nearest window of the far end. Given the chimney stacks, at either end, it seems likely it functioned as two houses. In which case, the current entrance and shop windows would have been installed at a later date, possibly when they first came into commercial use. The nearer half became 26 Market Street. By 1921 it was occupied by George B Davison, saddler, selling leather goods. It was reported in 1946 that “The roof of the Burgh property occupied by Mr Davidson,

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TAIN AS A MARKET TOWN P2

Saddler, and Mr Ross, butcher on Queen Street is in need of repair to the slating.” Soon after this the property seems to have been purchased by Mr (Murdo) Ross who by then occupied 26 Market Street with George Davidson in the far end (3 Queen Street). Both of these gentlemen were succeeded by their sons, Ian (‘Murd’) Ross and Alan Davidson respectively. I believe Alex Graham stated in one of his articles that he thought Alan married late and migrated to South Africa. The aerial photo shows a rectangular shaped flat roofed structure in Market Place at the back of and abutting the butcher’s shop. This is not the lean-to extension we see today (photo below). It seems likely this was the WC installed in the

Market Place in 1881-82 replacing a urinal. The Burgh Surveyor reported in 1939 that he had “now closed the public lavatory on Market Street. However it was seemingly re-opened in April 1943 when it was reported that “a lavatory is to be opened on Market Street for the use of Tain Fire personnel”. The former Market Place was by that time in use as a depot for Tain Fire Brigade (on our front cover) who used 3 of the stalls. The building must have been eventually demolished or perhaps incorporated into the lean-to extension we see today. Part 3 will deal with how Tain’s market town function changed as the 19th Century progressed into the early 20th Century.

NOTICE

Tain Museum opens by appointment only on the 1st of August.

Taking into consideration the safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors we

have decided that to keep everyone as safe as possible we will re-open the museum on the 1st of August but by appointment only.

If you are interested in visiting the mu-

seum please e-mail us at info@tainmu-

seum.org.uk and we will make arrangements for your visit.

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GRANTS BAKERY Rolls, Baking, Sandwiches & Hot Snacks

Handmade soaps, candles, cards and gifts, made on the premises by young people preparing for work, are available to browse and buy in our shop in Tower Street, Tain. Opening hours: 9.00am – 4.00pm (Monday to Friday) 10.00am – 4.00pm (Saturday) Seasonal plants and produce available to buy at the shop or directly from the Garden Project at Edderton – open Mondays and Thursdays 9.00am – 4.00pm 24 Tower Street, Tain, Ross-shire, IV19 1DY. Telephone 01862 892221 Email madeintain@gmail.com Find us on facebook

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Tain & District Branch Cats Protection Telephone: (0345) 371 2737 Email: taincats@aol.com www.tain.cats.org.uk

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TAIN CATS PROTECTION

CATS SEEKING NEW HOMES Tain Cat Protection are looking for help to rehome two cats currently listed on their website, Blanco and Fluffy.

BLANCO Weighing in at over 7 kilograms, missing an eye, and with a pure white coat, Blanco looks impressively awesome. But in truth, he is a complete softie who wants lots of petting and affection. Around 10 ten years old, he has been with one owner for almost his entire life. Apparently the two were completely devoted to each other. With the sad passing of his former owner, he is now in CP care, looking for a quiet, rural, mature household. He has been well cared for, and his accompanying documents show a perfect record of annual vaccinations. CP has rounded him off with a dental treatment, cleaning up his teeth, and the boy did not require any extractions. Blanco understandably took a while to adjust to new carers, having been with one owner for a decade. We did not see much of him for the first few weeks. He also came with a cheeky housemate who was quite dominant over him. With her now being rehomed, he is exceptionally happy to

be the only pet in the house and wants to keep it that way. When Blanco is comfortably settled and feels completely relaxed in his new home, he will want tummy tickles and neck rubs. He stretches out his paws to ask for this, licks your hands while you adore him, and won’t let you go when you’ve had enough. In the four lockdown months we have had him, he has been indoors-only and this does not seem to have bothered him, sleeping a lot and occasionally being entertained by the swallows nesting outside. Sometimes the recommendation is for white cats to be kept indoors – or have sun protection applied – due to high risk of sunburn, especially on the ear tips. Sounds bizarre in un-sunny Scotland, but it does happen. We have never had a hiss, scratch, bite or swipe from this gentle giant. Blanco sets his own time scale and we will certainly indulge him.

FLUFFY Sadly Fluffy has to come into our care as her elderly owner is no longer able to look after her. Fluffy is a 17 year old female Tabby cat,

she is neutered and microchipped. Before she is rehomed, we will be having her vet checked and vaccinations started. She will be available for homing after her second vaccination has been given. If anyone would like to give either Fluffy or Blanco a new and loving home, please contact us

in the usual way. Resources: www.tain.cats.org.uk Email coordinator@tain. cats.org.uk or adoption@cats.tain.org. uk Tel: 0345 3712737 Facebook: Tain & District Branch

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FUNDRAISING / ROTARY CLUB

CHARITY TAPESTRY FUNDRAISER GEORGE ROBINSON WRITES...

Having seen the great charity work which has been done during the pandemic and not being able to help due to illness - as well as having to shield - I decided I would have to do something from home. The Masonic fraternity which I belong to have made a great difference since the virus hit and I was disappointed that I could not join in their charitable work. After reading that the Highland Hospiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundraising activities had stopped I decided to make the tapestry and have a draw with the proceeds going to the Hospice. Initially, it was taking me 2 hours and 15 mins to do a row. Just over halfway

through the project I found that the remaining packs of wool were all 1cm too long. I had to cut each piece before putting it on the canvas. It then took 3 hours to complete each row. Finally, when all 16,335 pieces were on I had to go to the start and tighten all the knots. John Lockhart at Dalmore Furnishing in Alness very generously donated the backing for the tapestry and also agreed to take cash donations in the shop. The backing, I handsewed on. This completed the project after 28 days and having spent 220 hours!

Quality Meat Products www.highlandprime.co.uk @HighlandPrime 01862 832061

We are providing a free delivery service for anyone self isolating. Please contact us for details

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JOHN GORDON

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, too, To trouble spots have gone.

Dear Niall & Lucy,

The law and order to maintain Beneath a blistering sun.

The photos of the 1949 Tain Festival have stirred a few memories. Sheila Fraser (now Campbell) remembers that the photo of the Festival Queen with her attendants was taken in the back garden of the Fraser family home, which at the time was the Police Station. The photo of her sister Lewis planting the tree with George Cameron the Provost looking on, is not actually the tree which exists today. The original tree was vandalised as was the second tree. Each time Lewis was called back with her spade to plant the second and third tree which is one growing there now. The names of the girls on the Sport in Tain Float are Tennis Girl - ?, Marna Grant, Hockey Girl - Rosemary Burgess, Golf Girl - Shirley Strachan. Perhaps Rosemary may remember the name of the Tennis girl whose face is hidden. ----This story began when Marjorie Strachan gave me a Booklet called Tales and Rhymes by Adam Holm who was the brother of Heckie Ross. (Proprietor of the Grocers Shop on King Street). The booklet had no printer information, so I assumed that it had been printed privately under a pseudonym, as Adam Holm was not a Tain name that seemed to be remembered. However, just when the Scottish Record Offices were closed by lockdown, I established that Adam Holm Ross was born in Tain in 1916 and had died in Tain 1971. Presently, I am unable to find out what he did but there may be some T&DPP readers who remember ‘’Adam Ross’’. The

attached

poem

(shown

below) has been copied from the Booklet as I considered it to be relevant to the present times. My regards, John Gordon -----

THE GREAT ELIZABETHAN AGE One day I sat disconsolate Dreaming of Glories Past. Of thin red lines, of forlorn hopes, Of colours nailed to Mast. Of men like Wallace and The Bruce, Like Frobisher and Drake. Of men who counted life well lost If lost for freedom’s sake. Then in a news-sheet lying there, In headlines bold and black. I read the words which proved to me Of heroes we’ve no lack. ‘’Sir Francis rounds the Horn today.’’ ‘’Another man in space.’’ Those headlines showed that modern man Is no inferior race. Then avidly I read the print, Which made me realise,

Nerve racking hours they stand and wait The sudden silent raid. The sniper’s bullet in the back, The terrorist’s grenade. Unarmed policemen face a thug. A fireman saves a life. Tight lipped at a disaster pit There stands a miner’s wife. Nurses and doctors go to lands Where disease is rife, And often work around the clock To save a human life. And heroes less spectacular Are found on every hand. Who in defence of their beliefs, ‘Gainst any odds will stand. Unselfish social workers, too, Will gladly volunteer To wage a ceaseless war on want of ignorance and fear. The dedicated scientists Those heroes ne’er forget Who, with great new discoveries, Improve the human lot. So let us not, regretfully, Dream of the days gone by, When men explored the untamed earth, For we explore the sky.

How many unsung heroes Were there before my eyes.

Maybe four hundred years from now When men read history’s page,

And then I thought of other men, Who may not seem so bold.

They’ll say: ‘’That truly was the Great Elizabethan Age.’’

But who, when duty calls, are brave As any man of old.

Adam Holm (1916 – 1971)

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SENIOR FOOTBALL

ST. DUTHUS FC LOOKING FORWARD TO OCTOBER START St. Duthus were one of many North Caledonian League clubs to welcome news of a possible October start for the delayed 2020-21 North Caledonian League season. On July 29th, the Grassroots sub group of the Scottish FA Coronavirus Joint Response Group revealed tentative plans to allow a return to competition to take place in mid-October at the earliest. In conjunction with the Scottish Government and Sportscotland, the Scottish FA are working on a staged approach to ensure a safe return. Stage 1 - Return to restricted contact training for adults Stage 2 - Full return to contact training Stage 3 - Local inter club match activity (including local friendly matches) Stage 4 - Return to affiliated competitions Despite the delay in starting their season, St. Duthus have been active in putting together their squad, having resigned almost all of their squad from the previous season, with the exception of just a few. They have also added to the squad, in signing midfielder James Mackay. James arrives at the club with several seasons of Highland League experience under his belt, having

ABOVE: MIDFIELDER JAMES MACKAY IS THE FIRST NEW ADDITION MADE BY ST. DUTHUS AHEAD OF THE 2020-21 SEASON

come through the youth set up at Wick Academy. He later went on to play for Fort William, Brora Rangers, Strathspey Thistle and Rothes before joining Golspie Sutherland in the North Caledonian League, with whom he won a league winners’ medal in 2019. Capable of playing anywhere across the midfield, or in forward positions, James will bring a great deal of versatility, creativity and quality to the team. Manager Stuart Ross expressed his delight at James’ signing. “We’re absolutely delighted to bring him into the club. He’s a player we’ve been aware of for some time

and to able to get him on board is great news for St. Duthus. Having James on board will enhance our options and create competition for places in the middle of the park, which can only be a good thing for our already competitive and committed squad.” On signing for Saints, James said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to kicking a ball, enjoying my football and hopefully winning something along the way.” More signings are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as managers Stuart and Andrew Ross remain keen to add to

the squad in anticipation of the new season. In other news, the U17s are now preparing for this upcoming Highland League North season, with training expected to resume in August when the schools return. With a handful of teams opting out of the 202021 season, the U17 campaign is likely to be shorter with only ten teams - down from twelve - across the North registering for competition this year. The U17s coaches have made an appeal to parents or others who may wish to volunteer during the upcoming season to help out with training sessions and on matchdays.

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SUTORS GIN SILVER AWARD

SUTORS GIN WINS AT LONDON SPIRITS COMPETITION 2020

Sutors Distillery, based just outside Tain, is delighted to have won an acclaimed Silver medal at the 3rd London Spirits Competition which took place in London on 6th July. This award is the ultimate seal of approval in the global spirits industry and Sutors Gin scored highly on quality, but also critically appearance and overall value and the judges were impressed and gave resounding feedback. Stuart Wells, co-founder of

Sutors Distillery said “We are extremely delighted that Sutors Gin performed so well. This Silver medal demonstrates that we are making the types of spirits that bar managers and mixologists want to use, and spirits drinkers enjoy choosing and drinking.” Sutors Gin is handcrafted in the Highlands and distilled from grain grown by local farmers in the fields overlooked by the Sutors, two

opposing headlines marking the entrance to the Cromarty Firth. It’s an expression of place, to the mountains where juniper has grown for centuries to the beaches and hills where the botanicals are hand foraged to create true Highland Spirit. To order Sutors awardwinning gin visit www. sutorsgin.com

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TAIN GOLF CLUB

GOLF CLUB CHAMPIONS CROWNED

Sean Kennedy from Loandhu emerged as Tain Golf Club champion for 2020in July with a stunning display. 20-year-old Sean, who is a student of golf management at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Dornoch secured victory in the final of the Tain Golf Club championship by five up, with four holes to play. Announcing the result on Facbeook, Tain Golf Club held high praise for Sean and his opponent: “Congratulations go to Sean Kennedy, the winner of this year’s Club Championship, defeating Scott MacDougall 5&4 in a great match played in

a great spirit. The future of golf at Tain is assured in the hands of these two great golfers.” In the Handicap section, Malcolm MacDougall collected the club trophy, defeating Alex Innes on the last hole. In the Senior Club Championship, Angus Gray defeated Bruce Fraser 3 and 2 in the Handicap Final, and “at long last” Graham Mackintosh won the Senior Club Championship after defeating Graham Oliver 4 and 3 in a really well played match. Well done to all the competitors and qualifiers.

TAIN THISTLE HOLD ON TO CHAMPIONSHIP WHILE SEASON IS SUSPENDED Summer amateur football champions Tain Thistle AFC will not have to defend their North West Sutherland championship this year -- after the association took the decision to cancel the 2020 campaign. League secretary Hugh Morrison confirmed the announcement publicly in mid July, after having issued cup draws back in February before football was suspended. He said, “Things have not progressed

as quickly as we hoped and as time marched on, we realised that we were not going to fit anything in. So we decided to null and void the season and the clubs know where they stand.” Thistle were set to defend the title against fellow Division 1 contenders Lochinver, Brora Wanderers, Golspie Stafford, Helmsdale United and newly promoted Lairg Rovers. In Division 2, Easter Ross sides Inver

and Invergordon Social Club were set to be joined by the returning Dornoch, competing against Embo, and North West clubs Kinlochbervie and Melvich. Tongue United opted not to register. It is expected that the NWSAFA will resume competition in the spring of 2021, by which time football activities shall once again be permitted.

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FOOTBALL CLUB’S COVID PREP

St. Duthus Football Club wish to thank Tain & District Development Trust for the kind donation of £500 towards Covid-19 preparations needed to begin training, including the purchase of equipment such as water bottles, sanitizing dispensers and sprays and cleaning materials.

TAIN GALA 500 CLUB DRAW Here are the winners in the July draw of the 500 Club.

£200 Lindsay Ross £100 Margaret Murcar £50 Rita Macgregor £50 Grant Maclennan £20 Edward Mackenzie £20 Katrina Corbett £20 Alex Skinner £20 David Urquhart £20 Jean Skinner Congratulations to all.

TAIN & DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TRUST

MONTHLY UPDATE TAIN & DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TRUST As Lockdown restrictions ease and our emergency resilience is shifting focus to managing recovery from the Pandemic, the TDDT Board would like to take this opportunity to send the community, our volunteers, partners and team a heart felt thank you for the support they have given to the community resilience efforts across the District so far. We would like to give a big shout out to our team who have worked tirelessly, going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that individuals, community groups and local businesses across the District get the support they need during these difficult and uncertain times. We must give a special thanks to our Development Manager Coral Allan alongside our resilience team for the huge effort that has been put into pulling together our resilience campaign including the 1000 youth packs, 6000 information leaflets, 400 Meals on Wheels delivered per week, providing a Community Fund to support Local Community Groups in their resilience efforts where we have now financially supported over 30 organisations and supported over 300 businesses District wide. We are now working with 95 volunteers, who have supported our community ambassador campaign and MOW. Our Volunteers as a collective have given over 6000 hours to the TDDT resilience centre over the last four months and they are the real Hero’s of our community during this pandemic. We have really missed the

opportunity to engage with our local community and businesses at our monthly markets in Tain and we are delighted to announce that our August Market will be going ahead as planned on August, Saturday 15th. We will continue to promote and support local businesses via our online #lovelocal marketplace. If you are unable to attend the market in the Rose Garden then please do continue to support local online where possible. Thank you again to everyone for their support and good spirit. Although our emergency campaign is easing we will continue to serve the community as your local Crisis Centre for Tain and District. To do this we will be working closely with our Local Councillors, Ward Manager, Community Groups, Local Businesses and Volunteers to provide a recovery plan service to the people of Tain and District with our focus being on: Tourism, Business Support, Funding, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Education, Employability and Training.

TDDT have put all usual activity on hold including our community projects to fully serve the community in their greatest need. As things ease we now feel comfortable in re-engaging in our regular activity via the Community Enterprise Hub as well as resuming our projects. An open consultation will be taking place online and all members will receive notification. If you are yet to sign up, go to our website www.tainddtrust.com where you can now sign up for free due to Covid 19. Thank you again to everyone for their support and good spirit. We really are lucky to have such positive, passionate and committed people in our team and indeed the wider community. We have been blown away by the support that has been provided to the community via community groups and local businesses and its been a privilege working beside you all as we get through this pandemic together. Keep Smiling Everyone and Keep Safe!

COLOURIZED PHOTOS

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COLOURIZED PHOTOGRAPHS (TAIN MUSEUM) THE MACDONALD FAMILY, WHO STAYED AT KNOCKBRECK HOUSE CIRCA. 1899-1901

Subscribe Have the magazine delivered direct to your door for ÂŁ40 per year. Visit www.tainpost.co.uk for more information. Digital Archive A growing Digital Archive of

back issues is now available via www.tainpost.co.uk/archive Get In Touch You can contact the Tain & District Picture Post using the following details;

info@tainpost.co.uk

Address 5B Ross Street, Tain IV19 1BA Phone 01862 857366 Web www.tainpost.co.uk