COMMUNITY MAGAZINE FOR THE ROYAL BURGH OF TAIN AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS
TAIN & DISTRICT PICTURE POST
#246 MAY
2021
MAY 2021
HISTORY OF CAMERON BUILDINGS
THE IMMUNITY OF TAIN
SAINTS GET READY FOR RESTART
Margaret Urquhart brings us part 2 of the history of Cameron Buildings on Lamington Street p8
Tain & District Museum go into the archives to look at the rights and priveleges of the town. p18
A look back at the season so far for Tain’s football hopefuls as they prepare to restart their campaign. p20
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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MAY 2021
IN THIS ISSUE Tain Community Council minutes Local news / accouncements Tain & District Field Club Nostalgia with Alex Graham History of Cameron Buildings (Pt 2) Andrew Vass writes Through the Lens with Mark Janes Patrick Vickery writes Tain & District Museum Local football and sport Poetry from Adam Holm
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Editors - Niall Harkiss & Lucy Veals Email info@tainpost.co.uk Tel 01862 857366 | Mob 07527 134574 Subscribe online - www.tainpost.co.uk or call 07527 134574 or email info@tainpost.co.uk
Does your business have a website? Can your customers (and potential customers) find you on the web? Is your website secure and compatible with modern devices? If you need help modernising and updating your website and establishing an online presence using social media, please give me a call on 01862 857366 or send an email to:
niall.harkiss@kandnconcepts.
Digital archive - www.tainpost.co.uk/archive or via Issuu at issuu.com/tainpost
co.uk
Niall Harkiss, K & N Concepts Ltd
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TAIN COMMUNITY
TAIN COMMUNITY COUNCIL MINUTES Minutes of the virtual meeting of the Community Council of the Royal Burgh of Tain, held on Monday 29 March 2021 at 7.30pm. Present:
Mr N Munro (Chair) Mr G Amos (Vice Chair) Mr D Macrae Mr G Holdsworth Mr A Mohan Mr G Nutt (Tain Youth Cae) Mrs Robertson (Councillor) Mr Louden (Councillor) Mr Rhind (Councillor)
MATTERS ARISING Knockbreck Water Problem - Mr Louden attended a meeting to address the water problem at Knockbreck – Scottish Water (SW) to investigate. Another meeting when the investigations are completed. SW wish to restore the drainage at the field with the path beside Asda before it was there. Mr Mohan reported SW took water samples from Knockbreck Primary School and they are waiting for the results to come back. YOUTH ISSUES Mr Nutt updated the meeting on the Youth Café – it is only a small amount of young people causing antisocial behaviour issues. There has been a small anti-social behaviour group set up and meet as and when needed. Mr Nutt has secured £1,000 funding for set up a Detached Youth Worker post (for Friday nights) – he is hoping to get other funding
for this post. The Youth Café is waiting to open up and have managed to secure funding for a worker for 3 years. CCAST are still working with the Foodbank, and demand has declined. The Employability Programme is increasing to 4 sessions a week due to increased funding. TAIN & DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TRUST No report. HIGHLAND COUNCILLORS REPORTS Mr Louden reported that HC budget has passed with a broad consensus. Mr Louden indicated that the new 3-18 year old campus plans was an attractive building. At the moment there is no swimming pool in the first phase. However, the 3 area Councillor’s are united in putting a case for the pool. Plans to keep the existing pool, but questions were asked about the viability of this. Some of Tower Street potholes have been filled. Mrs Robertson reported that Tain Task Force (TTF) had ordered less plants this year due to COVID. Funding of £20,000 has become available and it is proposed £10,000 will be allocated to Town for the good of the people. HC have cut some of the subsidy for the Nigg Ferry but the lost funds will be topped
up by other means. There is an extension to the Inner Moray Firth Development Plan deadline. Mr Munro thanked the Councillor’s for dealing with the Ferry subsidies. He also thanked TTF for the volunteers continuous hard work as they make the Burgh look brighter . Mr Rhind reported that there is a background push for a swimming pool in the 3-18 year old Campus. The roads are in a bad state of repairs and he noted that there is not equal treatment with other areas. Anti-social behaviour in housing is continuing and it was noted there was a fire in the Mansfield Estate. It was further noted that previously families were given money from the Bequests Account if they were left homeless. CHAIR’S REPORT Mr Munro reported that he was pleasantly surprised by the 3-18 year old Campus design. He thanked the Councillors for all their help on this project so far. With regard to the Hugh Ross painting at TRA – the stance is that the pupils and teachers very much wish the painting gone. Councillors to see where the painting can go. With regard to the new 50 mph speed limit on the byepass – he has seen the Police and cameras in the area.
UNEXHAUSTED REMITS No reports on any of these items except Website – Mr Munro to get introduction remarks to Mr Holdsworth for the website. Green Environment – lots of litter in the area. Mrs Robertson suggested a litter pick, with a view to contacting other groups.. Highland Council maybe able to provide litter pickers. Area suggested was outwith the High Street. Mrs Robertson to ask Catriona Taylor of litter pickers. TTF looking for new members. Duthac House is still deteriorating. Mr Louden to source a set of keys. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Mansfield Estate – it was noted that some people park on pedestrian areas. Photos to be taken and emailed to Mr Louden with information on this matter. Disability – it was noted that there is no disable access (dropped kerbs) on some of the pavements in Tain. Mrs Robertson to get officials to look at this matter. Meeting ended at 21:00. The date of the next meeting was set for Monday 26 April
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LOCAL NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS TAIN AND DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TRUST TACKLE LITTER Tain & District Development Trust have joined forces with Tain Community Council and the Highland Council to work together to clean up around Tain. On their Facbeook page, they shared the following message. Want to do your bit to keep the countryside litter free? All you have to do is pop into the HUB, before your walk, where we have a small supply of pickers, black bags and gloves kindly donated by Highland Council. Once you’re done all you have to do is return the picker to the hub. TAIN TASK FORCE POLY TUNNEL CLEAN UP Volunteers for Tain Task Force showed great community spirit in April with a great turn for a deep clean of the poly tunnel. Many thanks to Alison, Joan, Lin, Mhairi, Nancy, Brian, Grant, Tain Police Station for letting us use their power supply for jet wash and Ivan for his loan of scaffolding for the repairs. TAIN AND FEARN AREA MEDICAL PRACTICE UPDATE As shared on April 15th We have now almost finished phoning all of our over 50 year old and At Risk patients but there are still some people we can’t get hold of. We will try to phone and text you (where we have valid mobile numbers) and failing that we will be sending letters out in the post. If you are
over 50 years old or an At Risk patient and feel that you have been missed please get in touch with the practice to book an appointment for your Covid vaccination. We have also started the 12 week booster vaccinations for the over 80 year old category and will be working our way through the lists and telephoning patients when their boosters are due. Please do not ring in to the practice about boosters as this is tying up the phone
lines. We will be in touch with everyone when they are due. When we phone our number may show up as “withheld” or an “0800” number or even a “89****” style number. Please try and answer this call so we can make an appointment for you. Please share this message to make your friends and relatives aware if they do not have Facebook themselves. Thank you for your help.
POSTAL WORKER DOG ATTACK Police in Tain are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a postal worker was attacked by a dog on the Mansfield Estate in Tain. The incident occurred about 10am on Tuesday 27th of April 2021. Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information regarding the incident is asked to please contact Police via 101 quoting Police incident number 0506 of 28/04/2021.
TAIN & DISTRICT FIELD CLUB As always April is a time of change in the bird world. The winter visitors have moststly left and spring migrants have appeared. Last week enormous skeins of pink-footed geese were heading out northwest from their wintering grounds in the firths for their long migration to Iceland and Svalbard. At the same time ospreys, chiffchaffs and willow warblers which wintered in Africa have arrived back in their East Ross breeding sites. We have had a few uncommon migrants passing through as well. For several days a large flock of snow buntings on the Tarbatness peninsula were accompanied by up to a dozen Lapland buntings. These birds mostly winter in Eastern Europe but some spend time in the southern North Sea coasts. One or two sometimes appear during ispring migration on their way back to Scandinavia but it is unusual to see such a large group.
TDFC members have been venturing out as well with some taking exercise together. To find out more about the group have a look at out Facebook page. facebook.com/tain.fieldclub
ABOVE: Lapland bunting on an East Ross fence and skylark further up on the same fence.
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NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM
NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM
NOSTALGIA WITH ALEX GRAHAM
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CAMERON BUILDINGS
THE HISTORY OF CAMERON BUILDINGS (THE CHOCOLATE SHOP - ‘PERS’) PT. 2
As stated at the end of last month’s article on Cameron Buildings, the premises were taken over in 1928 for what would become a well-loved Tain establishment for many years. Much has already been said about “The Chocolate Shop” in past issues of the TDPP – by Murray Macleod in Issue 69, August 2006; Paul Donnachie in Issue 81, August 2007; Forbie Urquhart in Issue 83, October 2007 (a follow up to Paul’s article); and also Alex Graham in one of his “60s Nostalgia” articles. Using the information in these sources along with what I have garnered myself mainly from the Museum Archives, I will try to fill in some gaps and hopefully sort out some inconsistencies. First, it was stated in
Murray Macleod’s article that the original building was “thought to have been a Mansion House, belonging to the Cadboll Estates.” As indicated in my previous article, this was not correct. In fact the land on which it was built had belonged to the Murray family who were prominent in Tain from the late 18th Century and throughout most of the 19th Century. Although I couldn’t ascertain who actually built it, or exactly when in the mid-19th Century, it would not have been as a “Mansion House” but, like many other buildings in the Lamington and High streets, purpose built with the two shops on the ground floor and accommodation above. Paul said his grandfather, Emelio Peraccini (always
known as Leo) “and his elder brother, Primo, went into business together, and bought the Chocolate Shop” in 1928. I was puzzled by the fact that Primo never featured in any of the above mentioned articles, until I came across some adverts that mentioned that the proprietors of The Chocolate Shop in Tain, Pieraccini Bros, also had outlets at 30, Eastgate, Inverness and the Bridge Café, Brora, certainly in the 1950s and early 1960s. Primo presumably ran one of those two establishments. By the mid-1960s, first the Brora outlet ceases to be mentioned and then the inverness one. I don’t know what happened to Primo after that but the Tain outlet still continued to be registered as
“Pieraccini Bros”. Just exactly when the all the changes took place and in what order is a bit vague but what is clear is that the business progressed over the years from the confectionery shop, occupying only the right hand side (No. 6 Lamington Street) with a small tearoom/cafe behind (referred to in one advert as a “refreshment lounge”) to the place described by his grandson Paul, as follows: – “The shop contained all the features you would associate with an Italian run business; a chip shop, a café with 1950s jukebox, even an ice-cream factory housed in the catacombs beneath. “ As mentioned in Murray’s article, the left hand shop (No. 4 Lamington Street) at one point became the
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local bus depot and parcel office. When the depot was moved I am not sure, but this office was still occupied by the Highland Transport Company in a Valuation Roll dated 1955 but not in one dated 1971. (Unfortunately the museum archives only have copies for those two dates). So between these two dates, possibly in the mid-1960s, the whole of the building apart from the accommodation upstairs (No. 8 Lamington Street) became used for the business, with No. 4 becoming the fish and chip shop. The photo on the previous page was taken after the whole of the ground floor was taken over as the shop sign indicates. Note the SNP poster on the notice board. My husband, Forbie, always maintained that Leo, an Italian, was the first person to be a member of that party in Tain. Politics were very much on the agenda in The Chocolate Shop. Paul’s article stated that the “catacombs” (basement areas) housed a snooker room before World War 2 and Murray in his article claims that
demand for it fell “with the introduction of Youth Clubs” and that the room was turned into a chip shop and let to a Mrs Ross “during the war”. (A subterranean chip shop must be quite a unique occurrence!) The museum has an invoice dated 6/9/1944 from the Aerated Water Manufacturers, Academy Street, Tain, for goods purchased by Pieraccini, Chocolate Shop, Tain, on the reverse of which is a hand-written list of equipment for a snooker room. This suggests an intention on some unknown date, which could have been well after 1944, to reinstate the snooker room, perhaps when the chip shop moved up to the ground floor level. Whatever, a billiard room definitely was established around that time. It is listed on the 1955 Valuation Roll. Forbie in his
article recalls that “The Billiard room downstairs was popular. There were some good players, Tommy Cumming (then manager of the Bank of Scotland) who excelled at a number of sports, being one.” Tommy Cumming was only appointed to the Tain branch in 1964 so it was still in use after that although it doesn’t get a mention in the 1971 Valuation Roll. There was apparently only one table so “skittles” were available for those awaiting their turn. As well as the ice cream factory, another use of the basement areas was for storage, in particular when Leo added a wholesale confectionery and tobacco dimension to his business, supplying hotels and small shops in the north. Again it is not clear exactly when he took this on but the museum has an interesting item connected to this side of things, although perhaps pre-dating the wholesale outlet. There is a postcard, sent in 1944,
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from George Davidson, from “M.-Stammlager XX B296” in Germany to Leo Pieraccini, the Chocolate shop Tain, requesting cigarettes to be sent to the camp in Germany where he was a prisoner of war. These underground areas extended even under the street, hence the wide concrete apron fronting the shop and the high step separating it from the road to prevent vehicles parking over it. As well as changes to and additions to the business itself, the building was altered and extended over the years. Murray’s article mentions the café being extended to the rear in 1947. The museum has a copy of a plan for alterations to Pieraccini’s restaurant and tearoom, Cameron buildings, Lamington Street Tain, Ross-shire, drawn up by local architect John Sutherland Ross in November 1955. The proposed changes included the provision of a new food preparation area and a flat-roofed extension to the tearoom, both on the ground floor. Photo 2 (top left) is a scene from one of the versions of the restaurant/tearoom but
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I’m not sure which as the date it was taken is not known. Forbie’s business being just across the road, and him having a sweet tooth, he became one of “Pers” best customers and official taster for any new confectionery lines Leo took in. I still have two mementoes (bottom right on the previous page) that Forbie transferred from his shop to our household when he gave up his own business. One had an immediately obvious connection - the marble paperweight commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the business in 1928. Sadly Leo Pieraccini died in the same year (1978). The second memento was the cup Forbie used for his tea/coffee breaks in his back shop. I never realised the connection until I read the following in Paul’s article - “The coffee was Italian, made in a noisy, spluttering “Gaggia” machine and served in transparent
CAMERON BUILDINGS
continental style cups.” “Pers” wasn’t just a café but an institution and focal point for the social life of two or three generations of Tainites, both young and adult, not least because of the character of Leo himself, those he employed and those who patronised the premises. All this is brought out in the various articles mentioned above. Perhaps Niall will manage to put them up on the tainpost archive sometime soon for the benefit of those who are not acquainted with them. Meanwhile, I will merely share an image (photo 4) of Leo at work in his shop accompanied by one of his assistants, Peggy Shearer, and also one (photo 5) of the inimitable David (Davie/Davy) Peter who continued to work there until the shop was sold and taken over by another Italian, Luigi Volante. Luigi and his wife, Shoanagh, continued the retail business under the name “Café Volante” (photo 6) for another 19 years. I do not know much about the Volantes but they carried on the business successfully and were appreciated by the local community, so much so that when they retired in 2006 they were presented with an inscribed Tain Pottery plate, the presentation being attended by a group of friends and customers. The premises were then taken over as a Bookmakers. No. 6 still performs that function but eventually No. 4 became a fish and chip shop once more as it is today (photo 7). Margaret Urquhart
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MESSAGE FROM CLLR. DEREK LOUDEN
ANDREW VASS
ANDREW VASS
BEING CUSSEDLY MINDFUL I see my Mindful style as being kind of just a little cussed- if cussedness is viewed in the limited sense as a determined kind of stubbornness rather than in the wider sense of being obdurate as well. So here is my acronym C.U.S.S.E.D. The point of this acronym is that it helps me define mindfulness operationallyin a way that suits me.
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. Anyone can phone at any time with any request.
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
C= have compassion for oneself, and a keenness to clean out one’s back channels. U= be uplifted by one’s spirituality- Count one’s blessings, one’s reasons for gratitude. Being uplifted by dwelling on the beauty of scenery, the sacredness of life, one’s body as a temple, or the wisdom of a spiritual idea can help one see one’s glass as half full, and not half empty. S= smoothly be unrushed, slowed down, delighting in scenery, softening cheeks and tummy. E= embracing things that happens- in one’s mind, brain, and body, without hostility or frustration but reflectively, serenely, responsibly. D= being decentred from focusing on negative thoughts, over-concern with body, negative feelings, or potentially unwarranted criticismswhile being ready to be decisive in the interest
of one’s values responsibilities.
and
Readers may not always agree with my choice of acronyms, but the idea of having an operational definition is surely important. Many do Mindful activities without knowing exactly why they are helpful. There are two kinds of Mindfulnessone referring to specific activities, the other to overall strategy and sense of purpose. There are many ways of describing mindfulness with adjectives and metaphorstaking an inner selfie, rebooting, deleting, putting it on the backburner, being heartfelt, or doing tactical breathing. All these refer to specifics rather than overall purpose. But one can forget the essential overall purpose as one does many specific activities, such as Yoga, Tai chi, meditation, Christian Contemplation, or just taking a walk in the park. But what if one sees Mindfulness as a way of exhibiting cussedness without being outrageously cussed, would that be more helpful- more holistic? I have known some of the heroes who fought their way through World War 2- ‘dodging bullets’ as my uncle put it- and they got through it, by being just a little cussed- perhaps Philip the late Duke of Edinburgh was an example of this. He seemed to have the skill of causing havoc
on royal tours by saying things which weren’t quite politically correct. I recall the story of the time he warned a British student in China that if he stayed there too long, he would come back with slitty eyes. This remark perhaps certainly drew the world’s attention to the queen’s tour of China- but for the wrong reasons! Old heroes of the war were not always easy to live with, I can tell you- well not all the time. But their learned cussedness- when (or if) used diplomatically, was a strength. But was it not also a weakness? Yes, this is partly because we suffer so much from trusting our rationality nowadays. My acronym points to the fact that we often have to clean out our back channels- the parts of our back-stage mind where the debris of emotional reasoning, dire needs, thwarted ambitions, core beliefs, and recalcitrance reside. And our mental seat of consciousness can be taken over by our security system- making us seem as prickly as an officer in the K.G.B. or as fearful as a phobic. How often inflexible attitudes towards our emotionally loaded core beliefs get in the way of our life opportunities. In 1988, shortly before his death, Sir Alfred Ayer (famous atheist philosopher) wrote
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an article entitled, “What I saw when I was dead” describing an unusual near-death experience. Of the experience, Ayer first said that it “slightly weakened my conviction that my genuine death ... will be the end of me, though I continue to hope that it will be.” However, a few days later he revised this, saying “what I should have said is that my experiences have weakened, not my belief that there is no life after death, but my inflexible attitude towards that belief” In 2001 Dr. Jeremy George, the attending physician, claimed that Ayer had confided to him: “I saw a Divine Being. I’m afraid I’m going to have to revise all my books and opinions.” Having to consider altering one’s internal belief system can be scary, and difficult to do- sometimes one can become only half religious for a while, because belief systems from a prior time when one’s culture seemed to be steeped in atheism can still have some inner power. If it can be difficult for spiritual and atheistic sceptics to embrace spiritual beliefs religiously and upliftingly, equally some Christians have an inflexible attitude to heaven and hellwhich can leave them disappointed with their religion. I recall asking a Free church University friend what he thought would happen to the millions of people in far off Asia who, for centuries after the death of Jesus, had never heard of Jesus Christ? He did not wish to answer the question. Not all Christians are disappointed though with the starkness of their beliefs. Some Christians
in Edinburgh have taken pride in wearing the T shirt which refers to the 3rd chapter of Johnbut not with the more commonly used John 3.16 (for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not die but have eternal life) but with John 3.18 (Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son). To many people, Christianity may seem a most cussed belief system (in the worst sense of the word)- and occasionally a dangerous cult. But we can all of us, so easily slip into heavy ideological beliefs. Cognitive Therapists tell us that our back channels tend to harbour ‘all or nothing thinking’ and ‘black and white’ thinking. In the Bible there are plenty examples of key figures who had to question their assumptions in a C.B.T. way. Jonah had both types of thinking errors when he refused to go to preach to the Ninevites. God went to considerable trouble to divest him of his delusional judgemental tendenciesapparently, even fixing up a whale as a stage accessory. When God fixed up for two thieves to be on the cross beside Jesus, one of them chose to pour out love and gratitude to the Lord, the other, even as he breathed his last breaths, was hard hearted, and poured out scorn on the Lord. One of the two would be with Jesus in paradise that very day, the other would not. But how could Jesus (or God) invite any thieving scoundrel into
heavenly rest on the basis of a few words- which may have been no more than insincere flattery? Surely, one can question if the hard hearted Pharoah who persecuted the Israelites of Moses’ time might also have been saved at the last minute if he had not gloried indefinitely in his hard heartedness? But if scoundrels can have nice mansions in heaven, then why not atheists, and what does this say to our black and white views of scoundrels? Can a scoundrel even be a saint in the making? If thieves breathing their last can meet with God’s approval, then perhaps when people have Near Death Experiences they are also being checked out by God, and given a chance of salvation. What qualities might God be looking for? In ‘The Road Less Travelled’, M. Scott Peck defines love as, “The will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth. The research on Near Death Experiences seems to support the view that God may check each soul for qualities such as love and the will to extend love towards self and others. But then how might one understand John 3. 16which tells us that only those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved. Well John was often referring to the cosmic Christ, the light that has come in to the darkness. Divine light comes into our darkness to uplift us-if we wish to notice it. ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock’, Jesus said. All we have to do is notice with our spiritual intelligence. Faith, as used by Paul, is not a work, but simply
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the human response of openness to God, which leads to the acceptance of God’s gracious gift- of an uplifting relationship with the divine. That is why Paul described faith as faith from the heart. As such faith is not rational belief in all the propositions of theologianssuch as the idea that the Bible is inerrant. It is an emotionally uplifting belief system. When Jesus was told that many were preaching in His name, He did not advise that people should listen carefully for the precise propositions such preachers were uttering. He said; ‘You will know them by their fruits’. Christians cannot say for certain how or why God does what he does- for Jonah, or that thief on the cross. God seems to go to endless trouble. It would seem that He even visited the atheistic philosopher Sir Alfred Ayer- who we read up on earlier. We Christians, can only know that the message of the human Jesus and his divinity, applies to us, but that in some unknown way the divine logos of Christ may apply to all- if they notice when called. A holistic approach to Mindfulness may give some the path by which they can see for themselves how an uplifted spirituality (even an uplifted atheism) is better for one’s mental health than a complete sense of being cut-off. So, make your own working definition of Mindfulness. And if tonight you have a N.D.E. don’t assume it is just a delusion please.
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MARK JANES - THROUGH THE LENS
THROUGH THE LENS MARK JANES
ISSUE #40 PHOTOGRAPHING SPRING FLOWERS If your garden is anything like mine it will have probably gone into suspended animation over the last few weeks, as winter momentarily reasserted its grip. But things are getting back on track as the arctic winds recede and the temperatures rise. So we can look forward to a perhaps slightly longer display of spring flowers; perfect for photography! I’m sure most photographers will have tried photographing flowers at some point. It seems very easy, but there are a few pitfalls to be aware of. If you avoid them, you can raise your photos to a new level. PITFALL NO. 1 – HARSH LIGHT AND SHADOWS A beautiful sunny Spring day. What a perfect time to
go out and photograph some flowers! Well, no actually. Harsh sunlight can reflect off shiny petals, dazzling the camera and creating ugly and distracting highlights. Deep shadows can obscure detail and stand in sharp contrast to the bright highlights just mentioned. You’ re better off choosing a light overcast day with soft or no shadows for flower photography. This gives the camera a better chance of picking the correct exposure, and the soft, even light will allow all the fine details to reveal themselves. If you do want to shoot on a bright, sunny day you could try finding some flowers in shade. Just be careful that the background isn’t in bright
sun though (see below). Alternatively, engage a willing assistant to hold an umbrella or newspaper to block out the harsh sun. Better still, if you’re serious about your flower photography, make a diffuser out of muslin or some spare net curtain, stretched onto a light wooden frame. This will soften the shadows but still allow plenty of light through.
PITFALL NO. 2 – DISTRACTING BACKGROUNDS Flowers are beautiful objects to photograph, full of detail, shape, sensuous form and, of course, colour. But sometimes we can inadvertently include distracting backgrounds in the photo, which take the viewer’s eye away from the main subject. There are two photographic techniques
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you can use to avoid this; viewpoint and depth-of-field. Careful choice of viewpoint can make the difference between a distracting background and a pleasing one. By moving a few inches to the left or right you may, for example, be able to position your flower against a dark background, allowing it to really stand out. Using a shallow depth-offield will restrict the amount of your picture in focus, allowing the background to fade into a pleasing blur. You achieve this be selecting
a wide aperture on your lens. (If you’re not sure how to do this, why not sign up for one of my introductory photography courses, which will show you the basics of camera-settings). Be careful not to set your aperture too wide though, otherwise you may not get all of your flower in focus. PITFALL NO. 3 – COMPOSITION Composition is all about where you place your subject in the frame. It can be tempting to put your flower
in the middle. While this can often work, sometimes it can be better to put the flower to one side of the shot, or to form a small grouping of blooms. In this case, try to use an odd number, such as three or five, to give a balanced composition. Above all, have fun with your flower photography. Don’t worry about making things perfect. Capturing some photos of the spring flowers before they fade is a wonderful way to enjoy them. They’re also great
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things to look back on during the dark, dismal days of midWinter. But we won’t worry too much about that at the moment! As Lockdown continues to ease, I’ll be re-starting my outdoor workshops and one-to-one photography coaching sessions from the beginning of May. If you’re considering raising your photography game in 2021, why not get in touch? markjanesphotographer@ gmail.com.
PLAGUE, PESTILENCE AND THE DONKEY ‘SCHOOL RUN’ Those were the days, my friends, we thought they would never end, we’d sing and dance forever and a day Bantry Bay, on the southwest coast of Ireland, runs roughly 22 miles from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean, 6 miles wide at the entrance, 2 miles wide at the head, a deep and natural bay providing shelter for ships taking refuge from Atlantic storms. ‘If the Bay is beautiful, the town (Bantry) is anything but pleasant to live in, low lying and insanitary in the extreme, no wonder that Asiatic Cholera and typhus fever found in it a congenial spot.’ Stanley’s parents died of plague and pestilence in the early 1830s when he was three years old, after which he spent the next four years at Molloch Farm near Bantry with his grandparents. ‘I was a little over three years old and my sister Mary two years and Ellen six weeks….Grandmother Vickery soon came to our help and carried my sisters and myself to Moloch. It was a heavy charge to
take but she was capable of it and discharged her duties well and nobly till the sad day of her death…. As a matter of course there was great sympathy for us, a sympathy that seemed never to die out…’ Molloch Farm was a two storey stone dwelling, slated, with three bedrooms, a sitting room and a large kitchen that contained a wide fireplace. The bathroom arrangements remain a mystery, although given the description of Bantry at the time perhaps this aspect of life was somewhat haphazard. Outside, the farm house was enclosed with a thorn hedge close to a hill with gooseberries and bees, the’ school run’involved sitting astride a donkey, the cows were fed with wild mustard during milking, and the hens enjoyed sour milk and potatoes. Stanley’s describes his time at Molloch Farm at some length below, displaying a remarkable clarity of memory charged with nostalgia.
Molloch Farm, a few miles inland, was ‘a two storey home with slated roof. Here my sisters and I lived for some four years. There was a certain amount of rough comfort, good and cheerful fires of peath or turf cut from the many bogs. Wood was also dug out of these bogs sufficient to make rafters for the outhouses, oak black as jet. There was also a resinous wood found in great plenty which when dry made good torches and was often used instead of a candle. Bacon hanging from the kitchen rafters, a fat cow at Christmas time, potatoes in their prime, oat meal porridge and milk and honey in abundance. In fact it was one of the finest honey countries to be found anywhere, the hill tops being covered with the native heath and the fields with red clover. During the long winter evening the great big kitchen chimney would have a glowing fire of peath and the spinning wheels would be making music. The large one for wool and the small one for flax. The articles made from these materials were
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very course but strong and endurable. These kitchens were at times turned to other purposes as well for there the preacher in his turn ministered to a small but attentive congregation. Farming implements were of the primitive kind. A one furrow plough, scythe, sickle and flail. The latter consisted of two well-seasoned ashen sticks about five feet long united together with a strip of green hide. With this the corn was thrashed and it was a pleasant sight to watch the young active men face each other at work. There was not even a winnower in use and the corn had to be separated from the chaff by holding it up to thewind, the corn falling on a sheet or tarpaulin spread on the ground to receive it. Under the circumstances the wheat was certain to contain foreign matter either in the form of small
PATRICK VICKERY
stones or clay and it was a regular thing before sending it to the mill to be returned in the form of coarse or wholemeal flour to put it through the process of cleaning which was usually done on the large kitchen table by the slow process of picking. At this work young eyes and nimble fingers came in very handy. There were minor forms of industry which kept the good housewife and her assistants wellemployed. After killing the fattened cow the rough fat was melted and used in the making of candles usually by the slow process of dipping. A good washing potash lye was made from the ashes of burnt furze or gorse. The necessary starch was made from the farina of potatoes, a kind of tea was made from a certain kind of mint…and last was the brewing of a sweet and mild alcoholic drink from honey called
metheglin. All sickness was treated with the simple herbs grown both in field and garden. I well recollect how abhorrent to my young taste was the inevitable tansy which was found to kill worms and all other parasites of the childs interior. In hooping cough I had the best of all remedies, plenty of open air, when the paroxysms came on I was taken out doors and lifted up and down until relief came. Of course whisky was not forgotten, no doubt having the wellknown peculiar flavour of genuine “potheen”. But I must say it was very little used as a beverage by any of the family. Of course as a household remedy in the case of emergencies it had its place. I have dwelt on these particulars because they give an insight to the common life of the time now passed away. At best it was both morally and physically healthy.’
Stanley left Ireland for Australia at the age of 23 and headed for the Bendigo goldfields to join the gold rush. Unsuccessful in making his fortune, he eventually settled in Ballarat in the Central Highlands of Victoria. He wrote his ‘family recollections’ in 1889, the year Charlie Chaplin was born, and these were transcribed in 1986 from handwritten notebooks by his grandson Robert. I suspect Stanley had little idea how interesting they would become for future generations. In hindsight, unsuccessful during the Bendigo gold rush, he struck literary gold instead. He lived to the ripe old age of 82. All quoted text has been taken direct from Some Family Recollections by James Stanley Vickery at Moloch, Durrus, Bantry Bay, hand written in 1889 and transcribed in 1986 by his grandson, Robert Vickery. Patrick Vickery
Tain & District Branch Cats Protection Telephone: (0345) 371 2737 Email: taincats@aol.com www.tain.cats.org.uk
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TAIN & DISTRICT MUSEUM
THE IMMUNITY OF TAIN On the 20th April 1439, an inquest took place in Tain looking into the rights and privileges of the town, after its charters were destroyed during a clan feud in 1427. The original document from 1439 is lost but the museum has a very old copy made in the late 16th century. The document mentions, that the Immunity and Privileges of the town were first granted by the “illustrious King of Scots, Malcolm Canmore”, and later confirmed by Robert II of Scotland. Below is a translation of the full document, as written by court or government official,
James Hoppringle. This Inquest was held at the town of the Immunity of Tain on the 20th April 1439 by the undersigned trusty men: Alexander de Sutherland, master of the same, William de Leslie, Sheriff of Inverness, Hugh de Ross of Balnagown, George Munro of Foulis, Alexr. Macculloch, Alexr. son of Henry de Sutherland, John de Sutherland, William de Calder, William de Terral, Hugh son of Alexander George McCulloch, Hugh younger of Munro, Donald son of Symon, Ferchard Reyid burgess
of Inverness, John Moir of Caldrossie, John Bayne, Donald Mactyr, Donald Sussor, John de Spens, Andrew son of Alan, Andrew of Tarrale, John Monylaw, and Alexander Skynnane. These being sworn . . . found . . that all the dwellers within the said immunity of Tayne and all their goods whatsoever are under the special protection of the Apostolic See, and the said Immunity was first founded by a certain most illustrious King of Scots, Malcolm Canmore, of good memory . . afterwards confirmed by several illustrious princes
David Bruce, Robert his nephew, and the last Robert, son of Robert I. and that the inhabitants . . have and have had full and free power and privilege of buying and selling all goods whatsoever within the four corner crosses of the said Immunity, and that they never have paid, nor of right do pay, any contribution to the Kings of Scotland nor to the Earls of Ross except the custom to our lord the King, and thenceforth it is lawful for all inhabiting the said immunity to work and sail with all their merchandise, and goods whatever, everywhere, at their own good will, without any contradiction or further demand, by virtue of the privilege of the oftmentioned immunity as shall seem best for their own interest. In faith and witness of all the foregoing the seals of certain of the foresaid trusty men who took part in the foresaid inquest under the impress of the seal of the high and mighty lord Alexander Earl of Ross, Lord of the Isles, and Justiciary of our sovereign Lord the King on the north side of the Water of Forth have been affixed to this present inquest . . . This is a true copy of the chief and original Inquest .... by me James Hoppringile
TAIN & DISTRICT MUSEUM
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ITEM SPOTLIGHT - HUGH ROSS: THISTLE CUP
Miniature silver thistle cup made by Hugh Ross I (c.1680-1732), probably between about 1700 and 1720. This style of cup, inspired by the shape of a thistle head, was particular to Scotland at this period. The exceptionally rare surviving group of cups made in Tain are all of a diminutive size – this one is only 4.7cm tall. It is of heavy gauge with applied fluted lobes, a ribbed girdle and a ribbed S-shaped handle. The initials AS and MF are engraved above the girdle. The maker’s mark of HR conjoined is stamped on the base. Another thistle cup by Hugh Ross is in the McCord Museum, Montreal. It was taken out by James Thompson, who left Tain in 1757 with the Fraser Highlanders. The cup was said to have belonged to his grandmother.
Gairloch Museum’s wonderfully colourful ‘Socks’ that you can see at the Highland Threads Exhibition, link below, were made by Becca Macaulay the aunt of, our long time volunteer, Joan Smith. https://highlandthreads.co.uk/gairloch-museum Go check out the exhibition it is amazing! The photo above shows Katie Mackenzie and Joan Smith wearing Gairloch Pattern waistcoats knitted by Becca Macaulay.
This is a nice story from a newspaper article dated 1968, involving Ebenezer Taylor and David Ross (pictured) from Fearn, Are you related? He’d to wait 50 years to say thank you. Early in 1918, Ebenezer Taylor, School Street, Fearn, Ross-shire, was captured by the Germans at Douai, in France. Six months later the war ended, Eb and his mates were released from the POW camp and told to make their way back to their lines. Eb, thin and undernourished walked across France day and night. It was a stormy night as he passed the outskirts of Velenciennes. Suddenly a sentry appeared in the darkness-a Seaforth Highlander. Eb was taken to a hut, where a sergeant made him a hot meal and a cup of tea and lit a fire for him. It was the first decent food Eb had eaten in six months. Nothing would ever taste so good again! After a night’s rest, he was given transport to the coast. He looked for the sergeant to thank him for his kindness. But the lorry took off before he could find him. Over the years he often told the story of the finest meal he ever had and the kindly sergeant who cooked it for him. Eb’s a member of Fearn Church. One evening at the kirk session meeting, he and some old cronies were recounting their war days. When Eb finished his story about the sergeant, one of the kirk members, Davie Ross, held out his hand. “Meet that sergeant,” he said to Eb. “It was me who cooked that meal for you!” Though Davie had settled in the village years ago and sat in the same kirk pew as Eb, neither had recognised the other. So, at long last, Eb was able to thank Sergeant Ross for that kindness more than 50 years ago.
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FOOTBALL NEWS
ST. DUTHUS GET PREPARED FOR RESTART
With restrictions set to be lifted on contact sport on May 17th, St. Duthus Football Club are now going through preparations for a return to the field in a bid to fulfill their remaining fixtures from the 2020-21 season. With eight of ten league games already played, they have just two games remaining to play - at home to neighbours Invergordon and away to Thurso.
In keeping with what has been a stop-start season due to Covid-19, Saints’ fortunes on the park have been just as inconsistent, with 2 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses on the board. As a measure to cope with the late start and potential for future lockdowns, the league elected to split the competition into two divisions, meaning that clubs would play just ten league games over the
season. There was a handful of new faces in the ranks, most notably Chris Mailley, James MacKay, Arron Christie, Andrew Macleod and the returning Barry Kenny. It was a season of injury disappointment for the old guard though, as Ross Tokely dropped out after two games requiring knee surgery, while stalwart defender John Skinner ended up missing all of the 2020 calendar due to injury. Saints got their season underway in October with a disappointing defeat away to Invergordon, losing 3-2 on the day, despite two good Ben Bruce goals. Saints looked better value for a win a week later at home to Orkney, and were it not for a 92nd minute equaliser they would have taken all three points in a back and forth 5-5 draw. A week later, another late goal killed off any hopes of adding to their points
tally when visitors Golspie Sutherland overturned a 1-0 half time lead Saints had taken thanks to a Ben Bruce free kick, to beat Saints 2-1. November proved to be a better month, at least to begin with. A clean sheet and two goals was enough to beat Halkirk up in Caithness; Ben Bruce and Cammy Mackintosh on the mark for the club. The following week, Thurso came down to Tain and a hard fought contest between the teams ended 2-2, Adam Allan netting late to snatch a point. This marked the half-way point in the league campaign. Saints’ flutter with the North Caledonian Cup (which has since been cancelled due to Covid-19) ended in the first round with a 3-2 defeat to new boys Loch Ness at Canal Park in Inverness. A defeat away to Golspie rounded off the month of November as the second
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ADAM HOLM POETRY
half of the season got underway - but Saints bounced back in excellent fashion a week later. With goals from Bruce (2), Lockett and Mackintosh, St. Duthus made easy work of Halkirk United to put three points on the board. More pleasingly, there were debuts late in the game for Taylor Anderson and Calum Robinson, joining Aneek Khan (who debuted against Golspie the week prior) as the latest graduates from the club’s youth ranks. As the calendar year came to a close, Saints were faced with the annual trip across the water to play Orkney -- a daunting task during the pandemic era which no doubt made them the furthest travelled nonleague senior side in the whole of Scotland during the restrictions. All the planning and preparation paid off though, as the lads arrived in Stromness full of confidence and left the field with all three points. Although the score was 2-1, there was never any doubt over the winners on the day as Saints gave Orkney a torrid time of it with a number of chances on goal - Ben Bruce notching the all important goals to take his personal tally to 11 for the season as the top scorer in the league. That was to be the club’s last game before restrictions brought about a suspension on playing - and a five month hiatus and break between games. Before playing Invergordon, managers Stuart and Andrew Ross will have the side put through their paces in a friendly match away to Bonar Bridge on Tuesday May 18th.
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AND THE SAME TO YOU Thank you to John Gordon for sharing this poem by Adam Holm. One day a Wizard and a Witch, They had a fearful fight, They yelled and scratched, and kicked, and spat, From afternoon till night. When darkness fell they both went home, Nursing an awful rage, And wondering how to get revenge, How best the war to wage. The wizard sat all through the night, Locked in his secret cell. Practicing his magic art To find a magic spell. He’d many spells for mortal folk, But none of them would do; They would not work against a Witch Who dealt in magic too. He read his magic books to find A spell to harm a Witch. At last he found one which the thought Would work without a hitch. ‘Twas very like the one he used To turn folk into dogs, And with some small additions could Turn witches into frogs. ‘’Success! Success!’’ he cried aloud And rubbed his hands in glee. ‘’I’ll teach that no-good silly witch To dare to fight with me. ‘’Tonight upon the midnight hour She’ll cease to be a witch; She will become a four-eyed frog. Her home will be a ditch.’’ But in her house not far away The Witch was busy too, With cauldron boiling on the fire
Making a Witch’s brew. She searched through all her books of spells To find one really bad. And by some strange mischance she chose The one the Wizard had. ‘’Ha! Ha!’’ she gloated, gleefully. ‘’This one will do just right. That he can never bully me The Wizard learns tonight.’’ ‘’Tonight upon the midnight hour He’ll Wizard be no more. He will become a four-eyed frog, Leaping along the floor.’’ The Witch prepared her magic brew And corked the bottle tight. The Wizard she must now persuade To drink the brew that night. She watched the Wizard’s house all day, Until she saw him leave. And then she hurried after him And grasped his baggy sleeve. ‘’ Oh Wizard Dear,’’ she coyly said, ‘’ I know this will surprise. But I was wrong to fight with you I must apologise.’’ ‘’ Oh, that’s all right, ‘’ the Wizard said ‘’ I’m ready to forget, And quietly to himself he said; ‘’ Tonight I will , you bet.’’ ‘’ I’m glad our quarrel’s settled now,’’ The Witch demurely said. ‘’ Come drink some wine with me tonight Before you go to bed.’’ ‘’Thank you kind Witch,’’ the wizard said, ‘’I’ll do that very thing. I’ll call about the midnight hour Before the clock bell rings.’’ ‘’ That’s fine, Dear Wizard,’’ said the Witch
‘’I’ll wait for you tonight. You’ll find my Elderberry wine Will suit your taste just right.’’ The Wizard left his house that night Before the midnight hour. ‘’ Now for that silly Witch,’’ he said, ’’ I’ll have her in my power.’’ ‘’I’ll drink her Elderberry wine Then speak the magic words, And she’ll become a foureyed frog. So simple, it’s absurd.’’ The Witch was waiting by her door Dressed in her very best, To welcome what she hoped would be Her soon-departing guest. The glasses were already charged, One Wine, one Magic Brew. The Wine the Witch kept for herself The Wizard got the Brew. The wizard raised his glass and said: ‘’ My best respects to you.’’ And quietly spoke the magic words, Then drank the Witch’s Brew. At that same moment both spells worked Two frogs are on the floor ‘Tis hard to tell from their eight eyes Which is surprised the more. So, if you see two four-eyed frogs A-fighting is a ditch, The Wizard is the bigger one, The smaller is the Witch. Adam Holm. (1916 – 1971)
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