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KILLIN NEWSKILLIN & DISTRICT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Issue No. 30 January 1996

The frozen Lochay at the Hotel

So we got our white Christmas and socold in fact the scenes of frozen riversand trees were unlike anything we'veseen for many years. Unlike the far Northand Shetland, we weren't too badly hit,of course, there were frozen pipes andoccasional bad stories about explodingboilers, but we survived and none of ourroads were blocked. Temperatures somenights approached the nearly record levelsof -18 or -19, the coldest for many years.

We thought you would like somephotographs to remind you of the quite

extraordinary beautiful scenes, whenevery single twig on the trees wasperfectly white. It is a long time toosince the River Lochay was frozen solidright down past the hotel.

The other memorable event was, ofcourse, the freezing solid of the AcharnCurling Pond. Our photograph showscurlers on the pond, wrapped up to theeyes, for the first time for 12 years. Wealso noticed the presence of the necessary'spiritual' support for the cold curlers.See page 15 for the report of the Bonspiel

The Falls

held on Hogmanay. When the thawcame, it came very swiftly and resultedin many burst pipes, but our localplumbers seemed to rise to the occasion.

One comment we did hear during thiswild spell of snow and cold weather,came from a visitor who travelled upfrom Ayr on Christmas Eve. Heremarked on how well the roads inCentral Region were gritted and lookedafter compared to Strathclyde.

Well done the Roads Department!

Curling on Acharn Pond (see page 15)

ContentsAnniversary Ballechroisk Court 2Killin Community CouncilEditorial CommentMcLaren Leisure CentreOpening of Salmon FishingPeter Ross,

the Barber of KillinTraditional Music and Dance

FestivalLettersObituariesMeeting of Traders'

Association

3457

8

91011

12Clubs and Societies 13-15

A Winter Wonderland

Anniversary of Ballechroisk Court

Mervyn's WeatherLacking in sunshine, rain and wind,so might November and December bedescribed, to this might be added snowand frost, for indeed Autumn 1995has been singularly devoid of dramaticweather occurrence.

For the record, another very similarAutumn was that of 1983, indeed, oneof the few really wet days in thatNovember qualified for exclamationmarks - unusual indeed! However,wait for it! The January of 1984produced what was probably thedeepest snow cover for many yearson Lochtayside, the average depth ofundrifted snow near the Loch shoreduring the second half of that monthbeing 50-60 cms or approximately twoand a half feet and of course,considerably greater above 600 ft.

It was well into February before thiscover became broken, even atmoderate heights above sea level.

While there is no guarantee that theseconditions will recur in 1995/6 thepundits warn us at time of writing,19th December, that cold northerlywinds are bearing down upon us andwhile December rarely passes withoutat least a short spell of wintry weather,usually reverting to mild Christmasconditions, this year, the clutch seemsto have slipped a bit, so that thosethat enjoy laying bets on a whiteChristmas might just be lucky!

Mervyn K Browne

J.R. NEWSThe Newsagents and Fishing

Tackle ShopMain Street, KILLIN

Agents for permits and Stockist ofFishing Tackle & accessories

Newspapers MagazinesConfectionery Ices CardsStationery Gifts and Toys

TobaccoTel: 01567 820362

The Residents at the Opening 1986

The tenants and staff in Kirk Care'ssheltered housing development atBallechroisk Court in Killin, opened byRev Bruce in 1986, are all lookingforward to celebrating the development's10th Anniversary in January 1996. MissMacIntyre who was the first tenant tomove in, still lives in the developmentand is able to look back over the last 10years. During this time, 36 tenants intotal have lived in the development andwe have celebrated a Golden Wedding,94th birthday and four 90th birthdays.Four of the original tenants still stay atBallechroisk Court.

Kirk Care Housing Association wasformed in 1973 out of the desire ofmembers of the Committee of SocialService of the Church of Scotland toprovide sheltered housing for the elderlyin Scotland. The Association is aseparate legal entity and is not directlyassociated with the Church. It does,however, maintain a lively sense ofChristian commitment. The developmentat Ballechroisk Court consists of 15 flats.Ten of these are single and four aredoubles. The remaining flat has two

bedrooms. These flats are self-containedwith their own kitchen, bathroom andhallway. The development also has acommunal lounge which is frequentlyused for special events, keep-fit classes,etc and a laundry which all tenants arefree to use. Mrs Fenna, the residentwarden at the development, is on handto offer advice, support and assistance tothe tenants when required. For the firsttwo years the warden was Mrs SatchaStead. When Mrs Fenna is off duty, thedevelopment is covered by a stand-inwarden or linked to the Hanover Carelinealarm centre in Edinburgh. This meansthat the tenants are guaranteed a response24 hours a day. Tenants pay Kirk Carea rent and service charge and heating ispaid on a monthly basis along with therent.

If you are interested in applying for asheltered flat at Ballechroisk Court,please do not hesitate to contact the AreaOffice at 3 Forres Court, Edinburgh, EH36BJ (0131 225 7246) for an applicationform. Alternatively, if you would liketo look around the development,telephone Mrs Fenna on 01567 820206.

KILLIN HOTELWould like to wish all our customersa Very Happy & Prosperous New Year.The Hotel & Restaurant will be closedfrom Sunday 7th January and will reopenon Monday 12th February.The Public bar will be open as normal(very limited bar food will be available atlunchtimes from Monday 15th Januaryuntil Monday 12th February.)

AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS AND PARTIES (LARGE OR SMALL)

2

Killin Community CouncilThe Council met on 14 December in theLesser McLaren Hall. Dr Mairi MacCollwas in the Chair. District Councillor IanMartin was present, as was Constable IanDonaldson. One member of the publicwas present.

Entrance to Breadalbane ParkWork was proceeding. Some Councillorsfelt that the time being taken over thiswork was excessive.

Councillor Martin agreed to look into thematter.

Dog fouling and general cleanliness ofVillageFavourable comments were maderegarding the efforts of the new VillageOfficer to clean up the Village and itwas agreed that a letter be sent to SDCexpressing the Community Council'ssatisfaction with Mr Green's work. Againa request was made for a skip to makeMr Green's work easier. CouncillorMartin also agreed to pursue the problemof dog fouling and litter; he had alreadyraised the matter with the Secretary ofState.

Killin Folk Music Festival 1996The Council agreed to grant permissionfor camping in the Breadalbane Parkduring the Festival, on the sameconditions as in 1995.

Community Project GrantIt was reported that a cheque for £500had been received in response to a GrantApplication made by the Council forassistance in providing a hedge roundthe Bowling Green.

Police MattersThe Council was pleased to note that thelocal Police are now carrying out footpatrols.

Constable Donaldson also reported thata clamp-down on drivers ignoring doubleyellow lines was imminent.

The Stewart MemorialIt was agreed to ask the Heritage Societyto look after this memorial.

The Council agreed to vote for Mr JohnRiley of Tyndrum to serve on theExecutive Committee of the Association

of Scottish Community Councils.

Wind Farm in GlenogleCouncillor Martin reported that aproposal may be brought before thePlanning Committee of the SDC for thesiting of a Wind Farm in Glenogle.

It was agreed that the CommunityCouncil would want to be consulted aboutsuch a development and would also seekthe views of Lochearnhead, Balquhidderand Strathyre with a view to joint actionbeing taken if necessary.

Youth ClubIs there still some interest in this matter?Would teenagers who are interested, andtheir parents, please contact Mrs FionaStewart, Dochart Road (Telephone Killin820224). It seems that funds might beavailable from Central Region tocontribute to a "Drop-in Centre," but inthe meantime, a group would need to beformed, mostly of the young peoplethemselves to take the idea further.

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3

Comment Santa visits the Killin Nursery

We are pleased to see that thedevelopment of the McLarenCommunity Leisure Centre is wellunder way, with the setting up of anindependent company to control theconstruction of the complex and thenbe responsible for its overallmanagement.

We note the fairly widespreadrepresentation reflected in the Boardof Directors, selected from a varietyof nominated bodies, but we are sorryto see that Killin is not represented.

I have no doubt that Killin's interestwill be kept in mind, one way oranother, and I suppose it is too muchto ask for every community withaccess to the Centre to be on theBoard.

We also notice that the swimmingpool planned for the Centre is to be20 metres in length.

We may be wrong but we were underthe impression that a pool had to bea minimum of 25 metres in length toaccommodate racing competitions.

Does this mean it's to be a fun poolwith no competitive events?

What a pity! But maybe the extra 5metres was just too costly.

Apart from these small niggles, theplan for the Centre is indeed excitingand we look forward to its completion.

In Fearnan, take Fortingall Rd.for 100 yds, then turn right

Open EverydayTel. 01887 830251

Our photograph shows Santa visiting the specially decorated "grotto" inthe Killin Nursery. Mums and children had a private little meeting withhim, no doubt to tell him what to bring down the chimney on Christmasmorning!

New Year DanceIn spite of severe restrictions on thesale of tickets, the New Year's Danceat Killin again attracted a record crowdwith over 500 people attending todance into 1996.

Tommy Walker and his band set thepace early on and gave littleopportunity for anybody to sit outmore than one jig.

Whilst not an occasion for soberreflection, the crowd enjoyed morethan a wee dram and were enjoyingthe revelry until the early hours. Wellbehaved and good spirited, the

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atmosphere was charged with goodcheer to see in the New Year.

Certainly there were no prima donnasand the dance showed that young andold, agile and not so agile could allparticipate.

Admittedly the hall could be a littlelarger and certainly we would havebenefited from more toilet facilities,but nobody could fault the atmosphereand good natured involvement of allwho attended.

The coldness of the snap freeze wasmore than offset by the temperaturegenerated within the hall.

The New Year's Dance is definitelyKillin's worst kept secret - this yearthere were people not just from Killin,but also from Callander, survivorsfrom Edinburgh, foreigners from HongKong, Australia and who knowselsewhere.

Perhaps in 1997, we will need to havea bigger venue simply to maintain thefun enjoyed in 1996!

F Inglis4

McLaren Community Leisure CentreFor many years it has been the wish ofthe community served by the McLarenHigh School that the school swimmingpool should be replaced by a modernsports complex in keeping with the nextmillennium. To develop the project, anindependent company has beenestablished which will control theconstruction of the complex and then beresponsible for its overall management.In order to strengthen communityinvolvement in the project, Directors ofthe company, which is seeking charitablestatus, were selected from a variety ofnominated bodies to cover thegeographical spread of the catchmentarea. The composition of the Board alsoreflects the balance which is requiredbetween the needs of the school andcommunity and the extensive use of thefacilities by the tourists in the area.

The Board of Directors consists of: AlanReid, Callander; Margo Bain, Doune;Muriel Sinclair, Callander; MargaretNeufield, Inversnaid; Danny McKirgan,Callander; Norrie Bairner, McLaren

High; Duncan Scott, Lochearnhead;Roddy Ross, Central Regional Counciland Bob Calvert, Stirling DistrictCouncil. The Company is supported byCentral Region, Stirling District andForth Valley Enterprise. Currentestimated project cost - £3.5 million.

From a short list of applicants, GAIAArchitects, of Aberfeldy, were awardedthe contract having been involved inseveral similar community led projectsover the last 20 years. It is intended tocommence site work in June 1996 witha projected completion date of September1997. The facilities include: Spa Bath,Climbing Wall. Swimming Pool (20m x8.5m) current (19 x 7.5), Games Hall (4x Badminton Courts), Indoor BowlingHall (4 x rinks), Sauna and Solarium,Creche and Meeting Room, FitnessRoom and Cafe.

The continuing support of the communityis vital to the success of the McLarenLeisure Centre, with hopefully everyvillage in the catchment area making

some form of contribution. To date,major contributions have been receivedfrom the Trossachs Tourist Association;Women's Keep-fit Group, Callander andCallander and District Round Table, withsmaller contributions from individuals inCallander and Killin who have organisedsome quite novel sponsored events. SeeNovember KN Sponsored Water-ski! Tohelp monitor our progress in fund raisingwe plan to erect large wooden"thermometers" in the larger villages toindicate the growth in the communitycontribution. There will also be regularupdates in community newspapers. Also,to engage the imagination of pupils, theBoard are running a competition for aCompany logo. From the youngest tothe oldest in our community everyone willhave the opportunity to contribute to theirCentre through a Buy-a-Brick Scheme (£1contribution) to be circulated shortlythrough clubs and schools. At a meetingto be held in the Killin Primary School,Killin on 13 February 1996 at 7.30 pm,the architects will present their concept.(Editorial comment page 4).

5

Jogging along for Children in Need

Killin Primary School pupils jogged through the Village on 26 November1995. The jog ended outside the School with a knees-up and a song. En route,the children collected £232.82.

Well done pupils and staff, raising cash for a good cause and bringing a bit ofcolour to a dreich November day.

Oncology Fund

The Oncology Department of theRoyal Hospital for Sick Children inEdinburgh, is grateful for thetremendous support received from theKillin District during the past fouryears. The total sum raised is £6,500,of which, 1995 contributed £1,251with the sale in the Lesser Hall on 18November realising £220.

All the money raised is sent direct tothe department with no deductions foradministration.

Generosity has made it possible tosend such a handsome sum to assist

in the work of this caring department.The comfort and understanding givento these children as a result of thishelp is incalculable and long may itcontinue.

I and the devoted team of helpers wisha very Happy New Year to all themany contributors, both locals andvisitors, who have made this totalpossible.

Morag MacNee

Local Telephone Book

Now that the new local telephonebook is on sale, we would like tothank everyone who contributed to itsproduction, in particular ArnoldYoung, Mrs Muriel McNicoIl, MrsKay Riddell and Gregor MacAulay.Thanks are also due to shopkeeperswho continue to sell phone books,without profit; all proceeds going tothe Fabric Fund of Killin ParishChurch.

John and Isobel Morrison

Postcript

On behalf of the people of Killin andDistrict, we would like to thank Johnand Isobel for all the work theythemselves put in, organising,collating and compiling our new localphone book, a task they willingly takeon every few years. Many thanks toyou both.

Ed

J & C McWilliam

Funeral Directors18-22 Bank street

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Domestic machinery, caravan sites and golf coursesspecialised equipment all catered for.

Collection & Delivery ServicePostal spares service, Chain saws and safety equipment

6

Opening Day of Salmon FishingIn spite of the fierce wintry weatherover Christmas and New Year, theopening of the salmon fishing wasblessed with a mild, dry day.

A/as, the reward for the anglers, whoput out from Loch Tay HighlandLodges and Kinnell Boathouse, was around zero. It is many years sincewe had a blank opening day; maybeas far back as the 1940's! Let's hopethings improve!

Of course, there were the "ones thatgot away"! One angler definitely hada big one on, which unfortunatelybroke his line. Others caught thoseever present aliens - rainbow trout andone or two had kelts which, of course,had to be returned. But no salmon!

The Famous Grouse Prize

This prize, a half gallon of whisky,for the biggest fish caught on the firstday is, of course, unclaimed.

At the time of writing (15 January)we understand that the prize will beoffered again on the second day. Let'shope someone will be successful.

The other prizes, a half gallon for thebiggest fish of the first week and agallon (!) for the biggest of the year,we shall celebrate in later issues.

A dram poured on the bows can sometimes help

Starting the proceedings at Loch Tay Lodges The morning barbecue(?) at Kinnell

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Henry & StuartForsterElectricians

We wish everyonea Happy New Year

Tel: Killin (01567) 820371

Peter Ross: The Barber of KillinTail - Pheasant's tippet; Body - (front) red fur ribbed with silver wire, (behind)silver tinsel; Hackle - black; Wing - teal.

Thus one of the most widely used and successful trout flies ever devised.Wherever trout are fished for, you will find anglers using the 'Peter Ross' andmany a Scottish fisher, at least, would never dream of putting up a wet-fly castthat did not bear it at the tail - at least for Loch fishing, for it is perhaps ratherless successful on the river.

Well known as the fly is, however, its origin is not so widely recognised andone excellent book on trout fishing, published a few years ago, even stated thatits origin was unknown.

The anglers of western Perthshire, however, know otherwise and the man forwhom the fly was named is a living memory to many in the Killin district.

The purpose of this article is to put the main facts on record, for these facts1 am much indebted to D Willison and Peter Ross, both of Killin, Perthshire.The former was a frequent angling companion of Peter Ross, the elder, thelatter is his nephew and to him 1 am indebted for permission to copy andreproduce the only known photograph of his uncle.

Peter Ross was born in 1873 and died in 1923. He and his sister, for manyyears, ran a newsagent-barber-fishing tackle shop in Killin. The shop survivesto this day.

Ross was a small man and usually sat up high in the bow of the boat when lochfishing in order to make up for his lack of inches. He was an extremely skilfulangler and won many medals and cups in competitions, including the ScottishNational Angling Championships at Loch Leven. He was an early member ofthe Killin Angling Club (founded 1881) and often won their competitions onLoch Tay up to the time of his death.

In his capacity as tackle-dealer, Ross was a skilled fly-tier. He sent flies allover the world and his fame was such that many a visiting angler bought fliesso that he could say 'tied by Peter Ross himself. His variant of the Teal-and-Red, now known as the "Peter Ross", was so successful that he had to takelegal advice to protect the name. The date of its invention is not known; it wasprobably about the turn of the Century.

Peter Ross' name is not recorded in the annals of opera or melodrama as arethose of the Barbers of Seville and Fleet Street; but in the records of angling,the Barber of Killin is assured of his place among the immortals.

Boxing Night Dance

The Boxing Night Dance, which wasin aid of the Community Bus Funds,was a success despite the freezing coldweather.

The young people of the villagesupported it very well but there was adisappointingly low number of adults.The raffle tickets sold well and wewould like to thank all who donatedthe prizes.

The Community Bus benefits all theclubs and organisations of the villageand we should consider it a privilegeto have, but funding is required tokeep it in good running order.

So the next time yourself or your sonor daughter are going somewhere inthe community bus, please rememberthat to keep it, we have to support it!

KILLIN

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8

Traditional Music andDance Festival 1996

Yes folks, your support andencouragement for the first event,which was an outstanding success, hasput Killin on the festival map.

Since that momentous weekend inJune, there has been a steady flow ofmail from traditional folk artistsenquiring about appearing at the nextevent and from those who came tothe first festival wishing to return.

You have created this by the welcomegiven to all visitors which has spreadlike the fiery cross through the landand overseas 'the Killin folk put on agreat do'.

The dates of 21 to 23 June 1996 arebooked for a repeat performance, withquality being the watchword indeciding the programme and featuresof local interest playing an importantrole.

The committee is already at work andwould welcome additional help fromanyone wishing to get involved in theenjoyable task of running our festival.

We need all the assistance which canbe mustered to maintain the highstandard which the people of thedistrict have themselves set.

Thank you for your co-operation lasttime and come and join in'Festival 96'.

A J M StewartSecretary

Cleanliness of Village

CambusbarronCoal CompanyUnit 29, Kildean Auction Mart,

StirlingDeliveries Friday

For orderstelephone (01786) 471956

Alongside is a photograph of JakeGreen, our new Village Officer,whose work in keeping the villageclean and dealing with litter, hasbrought many words of praise.

People have said to us "We hopeyou'll report our satisfaction with hiswork"! Well, we do!

Well done, Jake.

Note also (see page 3) that theCommunity Council has written toSDC to commend his work.

Next Issue

The Killin News Production Committee would like to wish all our readers,writers and advertisers the very best for 1996. We would specially thank ouradvertisers, without whose support, the paper would come to an end. Weknow our advertising rates have gone up a little, but it is delivered to everyhouse, shop, hotel and guesthouse in the area.

Copy for the next issue is needed by the end of February and will coverthings happening in March or April. Thank you again.

Editor

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Letters

Dear Sir

Lix Toll

The recent letters in past publications,where various writers and may I say,sceptics, attempt to solve the origin ofthe name LIX are without doubtmisleading.

A MacGregor Hutcheson writes anddismisses as "a story" that Lix Toll isthe 59th Toll, even although it appearsin the AA Book of the Road described assuch. The same writer also dismisses as"absurd" that LIX should be derived fromthe Roman 9th Legion. Hundreds oftouring coaches every year, with theirpassengers all heading North to shakehands with "Nessie" (that's the LochNess Monster) pass through the area ofLIX every year. Some fortunatepassengers are told the proper story.

The area of LIX, with the TOLL at itscentre, is indeed the site of the camp ofthe Roman Lost Legion, Legion IX. TheRoman Legion, relentlessly carving itsway towards the barbarians in theWestern Highlands, went missing at LixToll. There are no records of a massivebattle or of a bloody massacre as inGlencoe. Nothing much in the historybooks, just a great mystery. Someopinion has it that the Romans liked thearea so much they simply mingled withthe locals and disappeared.

Those of us who live and work in thearea know that this magic continues inthe present day. Hundreds of invaders(now called tourists) who arrive, not inchariots anymore but in road weary orbattle scarred cars, never get past LixToll. Something mysterious happens, carssuddenly break down, rocks jump outfrom the verge into their path and strangemagnetic forces pull them off the road.Like mariners in the famous BermudaTriangle, they are trapped. Robbed oftheir transport, they are forced to returnto their homes in all parts of the globe.

Decide for yourself What is the truth ?

Jim CushleyToll Keeper, Lix Toll

10

Don SharpNatural History Preparator

Dear Mr Walker

I met you last August in Killin when youwere manning the Killin News tent. Wespoke of my MacDonald side of thefamily. I told you that I have got someexcellent old photographs, passed on tome by my grandfather James MacDonald,who was born in Aberfeldy. I have hadthese photographs copied for you andperhaps you may like to publish them inthe Killin News. I would indeed like toknow if any reader recognizes the croft,is it still in Killin? Are there anydescendants of William MacDonald?

The photograph shows a superb shot of

my great, great, grandfather, WilliamMacDonald, with his wife Jannet Fisher(two nn 's in Jannet) and three of his sixchildren - Catherine, Elizabeth andChristian, outside his croft at Killin circa1870.

I am always drawn to Killin andArdeonaig, a most beautiful part ofScotland I have a lot more interestingfacts about the MacDonalds of Killin andAberfeldy. If anyone would like tocontact me, please write to Donald Sharp,The Natural History Museum, WollatonHall, Nottingham, NG8 2AE. Please passthe photographs on to someone who canuse them. Many thanks.

Yours faithfullyDon Sharp

c/o The SteadingKillin

Dear Editor Barncroft of AuchlyneKillin

Having the privilege of being invited asa beater on the Boreland EstateChristmas Shoot, I suffered a blackoutresulting in personal injury. The promptmedical attention I received was firstclass! I wish to express my heartfeltthanks to Jock Stewart and Mr Smelliefor their on-the-spot medical attention,Falcon Frost and "the lads" for theirmercy dash to alert the ambulanceservice, "hats off" to Len the ambulancedriver, to Tricia who did the seriousmedical "stuff", to the unknown driverof the grit lorry and finally, to the caringattention of Dr Turner and humor of DrBlaney. My apologies to Tim, George,John, Jack and Julia for thedisappointment caused by my unexpectedrecovery! I still have need of my goodboots, coat, bag, gun and "popcorn",Many thanks for the numerous calls Ireceived regarding my recovery.

WarmlyBarry G Rogers, Big Bear, California

Dear Sir

With regard to the improvement tothe Killin Water Supply, I wouldhope that for £1,147 million, theresult would be a plentiful supplyof the best champagne, whisky andwines available.

Emma Paterson

Editors Note

Touche! Of course we apologise.How nice it would be if champagnedid flow from the taps! Alas, notso! The figure was actually, butmisprinted, £1.147m (one point onefour seven million pounds) Well!spotted, Emma.

Ed

Obituary NoticesNan McKellar died on26 November at the Falls ofDochart Retirement Home.

A native of Killin who lived all herlife in the family home in GreyStreet, Nan was a well-known andloved figure who took a keeninterest in village life and activities,a member of the Kirk and the WRI.She had a wealth of knowledgeabout Killin and the older families.

Our sympathy goes to her brotherJim.

Albert Lumsden sadly passed awayon 16 November after an unfortunateaccident.

Born in Edinburgh in 1919, Albertserved in the RAF during the War,spending time in India and Burma.He moved to Rhodesia with his wifeBetty and his only daughter Frances,in 1956. Although he loved Africa,Scotland was always home forAlbert and he returned to settle inKillin with Betty in 1980.

Albert loved the fresh air and thecountryside, walking, animals,gardening, music and in his youngerdays, was a keen tennis player. Hewill be fondly remembered for hissense of humour, his quietdetermination and as a kind man

who respected the feelings of others.

Albert will be sadly missed by hiswife, daughter, grandchildren, familyand friends.

Robert ("Bob") Cook, former localhotelier, died on 31 December.

Born in Edinburgh in 1918, he spenthis early years in Kircudbrightshirebefore departing to attend a localtelecommunications college. Hebecame a radio operator sailing withP&O for two years.

At the age of 20 he joined the MODat Evanton working on early radar,but volunteered for the forces at theoutbreak of World War II. Servingin Burma he walked to India and wasfinally invalided home in 1945.

After the war he completed marineelectronics at Hull College. Fromthere he joined Kelvin Hughes whichenabled him to work all over theworld. He was seconded to Salvesonsto work on the use of sonar in theAntarctic.

In 1969, he and his wife Joyce boughta derelict 16th century coaching innwhich he restored and renovated.

Once completed, they left theArdeonaig Hotel to move to

Portnellan, Crianlarich, developinga yacht-chartering business andchalet site.

Retiring to the north side of LochTay he enjoyed his remaining yearsconverting the barn at Cragganester.

He leaves a wife, two sons, twodaughters and seven grandchildren.

Margaret Burton was brought upat Acharn, the eldest of threedaughters of the Willison family.After training at Lawers andAuchencruive, she managed apoultry farm. She married JohnBurton in 1962 and spent the restof her life at Cononish with Johnand their two sons Ian and David.

In her youth she was anaccomplished hockey and tennisplayer and later showed promise atgolf but her main sporting interestwas curling and many friends whoshared happy times with her, on andoff the ice, will remember "MaggieB" with affection. She took anactive part in the affairs of thecommunity until limited by ill healthand the large number who gatheredat Strathfillan Church on9 November was a tribute to herpopularity.

She will be much missed.

GRANT ANDWELSH

(Sole proprietor: A. Grant)

Painters & DecoratorsAmes Taping

Greenbank,Main Street, Killin

Tel: (Killin 01567) 820462

11

Killin Traders' Association AGMAt the Killin Traders' AGM held on Tuesday 28 November 1995, the success of theFolk Festival and Highland Games was discussed. One of the main items raised wasthe fact that there are not enough people to help organise and run both these popularevents and it was the same people who were doing both. With the success of theseevents, it was decided to donate £2,000 to the fund for the lighting and soundequipment being installed in the McLaren Hall by the Drama Club.

The Chairman, Mr John Mallinson, brought to the attention of those present that theTraders' Association, in running these events, was not able to devote enough time tothe interests of the traders. There was a possibility that the Community Council couldprovide more influence to help both the traders and the members of the public.

It was decided that the Traders' Association was an events group and as we could nothelp the traders, we could not continue to call ourselves the Killin and DistrictTraders' Association. With this in mind, it was decided by a vote to set up, with thehelp of the Drama Club, an Arts and Drama Liaison Group which would help eachto acquire funding for any events that could be held in the village. There will be ameeting held to formally constitute this group, close the existing bank account for theTraders' Association and to re-allocate the funds to new accounts for the HighlandGames and the Folk Festival.

New Office Bearers elected for the Highland Games are: Chairman Mr Charles Grant;Secretary Mrs Fiona Stewart; Treasurer Mrs Frances MacLaggan.

New Office Bearers for the Folk Festival are: Chairman Mr John Mallinson; SecretaryMr Alex Stewart; Treasurer Mrs Frances MacLaggan.

Representatives for the new Liaison Group are: Mr John Mallinson, Mr Charles Grant,Mr Gordon Wilson and Mr Ian MacLaggan.

Secretarial and Office ServicesLuib, Crianlarich

Telephone 01567 820532

Book Keeping and Wages:Computerised and ManualBusiness and ConfidentialCorrespondenceReportsCVsDissertations and Essays TypedDesk Top Publishing

All work is carried outprofessionally and confidentially.

MAUREEN H.GAULD

Antiques and ArtsBric-a Brac

Cameron Buildings,Main St, Killin

Tel: (01567) 820475 - SHOP820605 - House

ARTISTSign Writing

Speciality Animal StudiesThe Old Schoolhouse

Ardchyle, by Killin, Perthshire FK21 8RF01567-820535

Thank You

I wish to thank all the kind peopleof Killin for the help and concernthey have shown to Andrew andmyself during the past few months.Also for the many letters, cards andflowers I have received sinceAndrew's death. I shall always begrateful.

The response to the Cancer ReliefMacMillan Fund raised amagnificent £390!

Irene Duncan

(We apologise for the accidentalomission of this item from the lastissue - Editor.)

Thank You

Annie Allan would like to thankher many friends and neighboursfor the gifts, flowers and cards shereceived on her 90th birthday.

Thank you all most sincerely.

Thank You

The Gilfillans wish to thankneighbours for their kind help andassistance in early January, makingparticular mention of Donnie andLily MacKenzie and Jake Green;not forgetting the staff at theTighnabruaich Hotel.

The Gilfillans

Thanks to Judge Stroyanfor our Christmas Trees

Judge Stroyan, as usual, providedthe village with its Christmas Tree,as well as those at the McLarenHall, Kirkcare and the school.

Thanks are due also to Willie Stitt,Michael Grant and their helpers forputting up the tree at the Churchand fixing the lights. Thanks alsoto the Episcopal Church for the useof their electricity.

12

Isa Maclntyre Bowling ClubIsa Maclntyre, Flat 3, Kirk Care,celebrated her 90th birthday on Friday3 November 1995. Mrs MargaretFenna, Warden, presided over theresidents and friends who met in thelounge to offer congratulations andgood wishes to Isa. After a toast, thecompany enjoyed a tea party whenIsa cut a lovely birthday cake.

On Saturday 4 November there was afamily lunch presided over by ColonelSandy Menzies and his wife Valerie.Also present were their son James,daughter Helen and her husband Paul;Hamish Menzies and his wife Betty,their son David and daughterElizabeth, all from Blackmount,Bridge of Orchy; Mr and Mrs JamesCampbell, Cruachan; MargaretCampbell, Kirk Care; PeggyHutchinson, Edinburgh; Dr MairiMacColl and Mrs Agnes Colmar.Killin.

It was fortunate that LeslieBoumphray and his wife Margaret,from Carlisle, were on holiday andwere able to join in the celebrations.

Leslie, a boy at school, came fromGlasgow with his little sister, Rita,(now in New Zealand) when schoolswere evacuated and stayed with theMclntyre family. Leslie has been fartravelled to Uganda and has a daughterin Wales. Every year Leslie andMargaret return to Killin on theirAutumn holiday to visit their favouriteplaces where he played with his schoolfriend Willie Foster.

It was a lovely family reunion on oneof those beautiful days we had inNovember this year. Isa wishes tothank all kind friends for making her90th birthday so memorable.

Tom MurphyFencing Contractor

All typesof fencing work undertaken

Garden, Farm, Forestry, etc.

Corrycharmaig, Glen LochayKillin FK21 8UA

Tel: 01567 820308

The Bowling Club held their annual prizegiving and social evening in November.Our photograph shows all the prize winners gathered round the trophies.

Killin Quilters

Killin Quilters, after a long campaign, drew the raffle for a superb hand-madequilt at the McLaren Hall on 9 December. It was won by Mrs Kitty MacLachlanof Lochearnhead. The sum of £777 was handed over for the McLaren HallFund. Well done the quilting ladies! Photograph shows Mairi Stewart, leaderof the Quilters, Mr W Stitt, Chairman of the McLaren Hall and Mrs A Macintosh,Quilting Tutor.

Scott-Electrical ServicesMember SJIB

All Electrical Repairs, Maintenance & InstallationsDomestic & Commercial

Hotels and Guest HousesLighting Circuits * Heating Systems" Sockets*

Electric Showers & Frost ProtectionQualified Tradesman

01567 820900Manse Road, Killin

13

Killin WRI Cancer Research CampaignThe November meeting was held in theLesser McLaren Hall. Mrs Liz Lambert,President, welcomed members andvisitors from Kenmore and Dull andDistrict. Mrs Milne and Miss Haydockfrom Balquhidder showed slides on theirtrip to Brazil. Tea was served by theCommittee, after which a quiz on objectsfrom various parts of the world wasplayed. The evening finished with therural song followed by the NationalAnthem.

Competition Results: Toffee Apple: 1.S Ferguson, 2. B MacGregor, 3. EStewart. Travel Photo: 1. J Willison, 2.M Naismith, 3. E Holmes.

On 11 November there were 13 tables atthe annual whist drive for the warblinded. The sum of £245 was sent toSt Dunstans. At the December meetingMrs Lambert welcomed members andintroduced Mrs Christine Thomson,Federation Chairman, who demonstratedChristmas Floral Art in unusualcontainers. Hostesses for the eveningwere Mrs A MacNee and Mrs M Hunter.After tea there was a quiz on householdnoises, compiled by Mrs K Riddell.

Competition Results: Table Decoration:1. Mrs B MacGregor, 2. Mrs MNaismith, 3. Mrs S Ferguson. Jar ofMincemeat: 1. Mrs Copple, 2. Mrs BMacGregor, 3. Mrs S Ferguson.

Killin BakeryTel: (01567) 820706

Open Daily 6.30am - 3pm

Fresh baked bread,rolls and cakes.

Pizzas on Saturdayuntil 7.00pm

The members of the local committee would like to thank everyone who gaveso generously and supported their recent coffee morning. The sum of £644 wasraised. The total for 1995 was £3,029 which was sent to Glasgow to be usedfor research in Scotland. Thank you all very much for supporting this worthycause.

Bunty MacGregor

Gun ClubKillin Gun Club held their last Clubshoot of the competitive season when25 guns turned out.

Winners on the day and for the seasonare as follows:

DTL Class A: 1. G D Coyne 69; 2.E McAllister 63; 3. H Campbell 58.Class B: 1. D Robertson 68; 2. JSinclair 56; 3. S Christie 54. ClassC: 1. S Argo 43; 2. J Ward 40; 3. TFrost 24. Sporting Class A: 1. JSinclair 53; 2. H Campbell, EMcAllister 42. Class B: 1. R Cairns48; 2. A Lennox 48; 3. J Ward 48.Class C: 1. S Argo 38; 2. E Paterson

Falls of Dochart, Killin. PerthshireTelephone: Killin (01567) 820270

- STB 3 Crown, en-suite rooms- All rooms with Sky Movies- Egon Ronay recommended bar food

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Tel: (01567) 820270

36; 3. I Downie 33. High Gun andSuie Cup: D Robertson 110.Classification Winners: DTL: A. GD Coyne 263; B. J Sinclair 233; C. TFrost 150. Sporting: A. G Ross 246;B. R Cairns 240; C. Jas Sinclair 186.Agg Shield: 1. G Ross 488; 2. RCairns 470. Currie Rose Bowl: G DCoyne 266. Junior Shield: DMcCallum.

The Christmas shoot was held onSunday 10 December 1995. Thirtyone guns turned out on a good dryday. Shoot results as follows:

1. G Ross 69; 2. H Campbell 69; 3.E McAllister 65. High Gun andDochart Cup: G Ross. Team Flushwas won by R Mills, G Smithson, GCoyne, D Robertson.

Thank you to all for their help andsupport for the past year. Hope tosee you all next year. All the best in1996. Killin Gun Club AGM will beheld in Suie Lodge Hotel on Sunday18 February 1996 at 8.00 pm. Allwelcome.

G D Coyne (sec K G C)14

Karate Killin and Breadalbane Angling Club

On Sunday 5 November, after a hardtraining session, two members ofCentral Freestyle Karate Club passedtheir 1st Dan Blackbelt. A largenumber of students also advanced agrade. The course was a great success,due to the effort made by everyone toturn out on the day.

Flora McBurnie took the warm-up andput everyone through a difficultstretching routine. Following this,Sensei McAllister gave a few basicmoves to put everyone into the swingof things. The Dan grading startedalmost immediately. Everyoneperformed well and for a change, Ididn't see anyone sitting out. Perhapsthe presence of a 3rd Dan kepteveryone on their toes. Everyone whosat a Grade passed, though some faredbetter than others. Two trophies wereawarded for the "best beginners" andthe annual trophy for Student of theYear was presented.

I would like to say thanks to all whoturned up and a big thanks to SenseiMcAllister for grading the Blackbelts.

Mr K Gray, Dalmally, Chief Instructor

Postscript

Congratulations to my wife Eileen whohas achieved the coveted Black Belt inKarate. Over the years I have had tolisten to her as she complained of theaches and pains, bruises and bumps -trophies of her training! On5 November, after an afternoon of beinggraded by visiting instructors, she wasawarded her 1st Dan (no mean feat forsomeone 42 years old). I am justly proudof her.

Congratulations also to Flora Haining,pictured with Eileen, who also passedher black belt.

Tom Coffield

The AGM of the Club took place onMonday 13 November in the Killin Hotel.The President, A Stewart, welcomedeveryone and opened the proceedings.

During his review of the past season,Alex made reference to the dedication ofTony Weaver during his term in the chairand, in particular, his part in thesuccessful purchase of the Salmon Righton the River Dochart.

A presentation of a trout fly rod wasmade to Tony on behalf of the members.

Dave Murray, in his secretary's report,highlighted the problem facing the Clubin the loss of some stretches of Loch andriver bank from the permit scheme, theriparian owners now administering theirown fishings. Negotiations were in handwith land owners to bring other areasunder the Club's permit.

Angus Inglis presented the balance sheetwhich showed a decrease in income fromlast year but left a good surplus for nextyear's expenditure. It was decided toallow affiliates who had been membersfor five years and supported the Club inits activities to apply to become fullmembers of the trout section.

The proposal regarding changes to themethod of fishing for salmon wasdiscussed and it was the opinion of themeeting that the Club should await theoutcome of the Tay Salmon FisheriesAGM before making a final decision.The President stated that he was stilltrying to get information on the meeting.It was unanimously decided thatMr Stewart should continue in hisattempts to attend the forthcomingmeeting and report back to thecommittee.

The meeting then discussed the lease ofthe access road and slipway at the RiverLochay. It was clarified that the Clubwere responsible for maintenance and theterms of the lease allowed the Club tocharge for launching boats. Some workhad been carried out and estimates wereto hand for extending the slipway andinstalling a secure restriction to preventunauthorised use.

The meeting decided that the work wouldproceed. The charge would be set at£10 per boat for those who had the useof a seasonal mooring on the river and£5 per boat for daily launchings, both

charges subject to being reviewedannually.

There was agreement to new permits andmaps for visitors and larger referencemaps at sale points to indicate howvisitors accessed the fishing areas. Thecharges for membership and permitswould remain the same with juniors andsenior citizens paying half for troutfishing.

The office bearers were re-elected withIan Downie taking over as competitionsecretary. There was one resignationfrom the committee, with the remainderbeing re-elected. Expenditure for thefollowing year would include newpermits, slipway improvements, stockingand hatchery use and the repairs andpainting of the club boats. It was decidedto sell the 'cuddy' which was surplus torequirements at an asking price of £200.

The trophies were then presented and amini buffet enjoyed by the company. Themeeting closed with a vote of thanks toeveryone for attending and to the KillinHotel for their hospitality.

A J Stewart

1st Killin BrowniesThe Brownies had a successful year.We ran a coffee evening in Novemberwhich raised the sum of £171 for ourfunds.

We have 12 Brownies at the moment.If there are any girls wanting to join,we meet every Monday night between6.00 pm and 7.30 pm in the ChurchHall.

Annie MacNee, Guider

Curling ClubBreadalbane Province

At Acharn Pond on Hogmanay, aBonspiel was held for the BreadalbaneTee and Baird Cross. It was the firsttime for 12 years that this competitionwas held outside. Six rinks took part,Kenmore won.

The runner up? Johnnie Walker!!(See photograph on page 1.)

15

Crossword by Safarian

Solution to last crossword

Across: 1. choice 4. pewter 9. upstage 10. Rioja 11.set-up 12. tremble 13. conditioned 18. patriot 20. pound22. rhomb 23. ousting 24. antler 25. idlers. Down: 1.clumsy 2. onset 3. cramped 5.eerie 6. trouble 7. reader8. restitution 14. outpost 15. opposed 16. Sparta 17.adages 19. imbue 21. unite.

ACROSS

1. Sounding tiny, but actuallygreat in strength (5)

4. Another profit (5)10. See 5 down.11. This destroyer found in limits

of water creek all churned up.(7)

12. Keep going after this point (2,6)

13. Odds on the endless dudealias Murphy (4)

15. Can this jazz fan be found inTrad dictionary? (6)

17. So cold, cold beginning in thisbig truck. (6)

19. Have this band of dissentershad its nose put out of joint?(4)

20. Where rules McGregor, say,if methodic without it is allmixed up. (8)

23. Confused sea-bird might fly inthis direction. (7)

24. Where this bed might befound. (5)

25. No missing fear now isdisturbed to hold the slider.(5)

26. This sea-serpent can beviewed in southern skies. (5)

DOWN

2. Take the blame for Killincurling debacle in localmatches. (5)

3. Harvest sign of yore seen nomore ... alas. (8)

5. & 10 across. No U-turngrouchy Len likes raftingdown the river here. (4, 5)

6. The sink top split to make thismark. (7)

7. His sport is heading for thetops these days. (11)

8. Words fashioned so they canwound as well. (5)

9 Confused ramp enticed meinto this unpleasant situation.(11)

14. No serious match here itseems. (8)

16. & 21 down. But unlike 7 hiswork is going down. (7, 5)

18. Start showing how I neverexercise yet always sparkle.(5)

21. See 16 down.22. Nothing more than water. (4)

Winners of ChristmasPrize Crossword

We are pleased to announce that thewinners of the Prize Crossword, withsome 30 entries, were as follows: MrsM MacKenzie, Killin and Mrs IsobelCowan, Collieston, Arbroath. Each ofthem win £15 kindly donated by the Bankof Scotland, Killin.

Note: Mrs Cowan asked that her prizemoney, if she was a winner, be donatedto the Killin Tuesday Club. This hasbeen done and on their behalf. Thankyou Isobel.

VIC TROJANPlumbing, Heating, ElectricWork and General Building

Wester Lix, Killin PerthshireTel: 01567 820341

All photographs are copyright ofKillin News unless otherwise stated.

I CLEAN IT!Window CleaningGrass CuttingHedge TrimmingScrub ClearingWeedingRhone CleaningPath ClearingHandymanGreenhouse Cleaning

Neil J. Mackenzie15 MonemoreKILLINPhone, any time!(01567) 820555(Reasonable prices)

The Killin News is a free communitynewspaper produced and distributed everytwo months by volunteers to householdsand businesses in Killin and District. Theaim of those involved is to produce aninformative, accurate and entertainingjournal for those who live, work and visitin this area. Letters and articles publishedin the newspaper do not necessarilyreflect the views of the ProductionCommittee and the Editor reserves theright to shorten, edit, or not publish, anyparticular article or letter. Contributionswill only be published if accompaniedby a contact name and address. Shouldyou wish to make a donation or haveany suggestions on how to improve theKillin News, please feel free to get intouch with the Editor or any member ofthe Production Committee.

KILLIN NEWSProduction CommitteeSinclair AitkenFiona InglisJulia ThorntonJudy ForsterRichard Shand

EditorAsst. EditorTreasurerSec & AdvertsPhotographs

Angus Inglis, Allan Walker, DavidMardon, Jan Willison, Linda Fitzgerald,Kay Riddell & John Sinclair.

Address:Glebe Cottage, Main Street, KillinTelephone: 820358

16 This paper is published by Killin Community Newspaper Association. Artwork & printing by Stirling District Council's Community Resource Centre.