This booklet on the story of Linlithgow Curling Club

has been produced to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the formation of the club.

The etching above reflects a time when curling was

regularly played on Linlithgow Loch. It dates from around the time of the establishment of Linlithgow Curling Club in the form we know it today. With the Loch literally on its doorstep, Linlithgow was always likely to have taken up curling early in the development of the sport. We know from eighteenth century records that curlers from the “Linlithgow Club” took part in matches elsewhere. However, it was not until 22nd January 1820 that the Linlithgow Curling Club was formally constituted. It is remarkable that the Club has existed continuously since that time with a full record of its proceedings over the years.

The Club is celebrating its Bicentenary in 2020 with a Bonspiel involving sister clubs from around West Lothian and a formal dinner in the Burgh Halls where its 150th Anniversary was also celebrated. We also publish this commemorative booklet setting out the development of the Club over its 200 years. The booklet is largely based on a history of the Club written by Tom McGowran in 1995 on the occasion of its 175th Anniversary. I am grateful to the Linlithgow Civic Trust, who originally published the booklet, for allowing us to reprint Tom’s record. I hope that you will enjoy reading it.

George McNeillPresidentLinlithgow Curling Club

Foreword

The Roarin’ Game A brief history of Curling

Scotland, it is claimed, gave three games to the world - shinty, golf and curling. Of these, curling (essentially the irresistible temptation to skip a stone across a frozen pond) though latest to establish itself as a national sport, may be the most ancient in origin. There are reports of similar games being played, though later, in the 16th century in Holland, Germany and Scandinavia. Dutch paintings of winter scenes show a game in progress using as ‘stones’ what appear to be blocks of ice. None of these games survived and only in Scotland have both written evidence and ancient stones been found.

Curling, at first called kuting, may have had its origins in quoiting, popular on the

Scottish and English borders in the 14th century and banned by Edward Ill as a diversion from archery practice. Curling is the only game which was never banned by kirk or government, perhaps because it was played when nothing else was possible. Football was banned because it led to riot (so what’s new?). The transfer on to ice of quoiting’s simple principle - to get a stone nearest a mark - would be natural.

The earliest stones, found on dyke or bed of burn, were water- smoothed boulders, flat-bottomed and often triangular. Called loofies after the Scots word for palm of the hand where they fitted comfortably, they had a thumb hole cut in the top and finger grooves in the bottom. The earliest, dated 1511 was found at Stirling. They weighed from five to 25 lbs, the limit for a strong-armed man.

Later stones, fitted with handles are dated 1551 and 1611. The handle enabled heavier stones to be used and now began the hewing of stones into shapes as varied as the user’s notion. It also led to an increase in weight since heavier stones gained over the lighter ones, leading to the absurdity of a hundredweight stone - a sacrifice of skill to brute strength not abandoned until the imposition of the maximum of 44 lbs. The story is told of one of these massive stones breaking the ice as it flew on. The skip, with only his head above water, his chin on the broken edge and his eye still on his perfect shot and thinking his last moment had come cried “Pit that yin on my heidstane.”

The present circular stone, shaped like a Dutch cheese became the rule only after 1800. Made from whinstone or granite quarried mainly on Ailsa Craig

until the 1950s when quarrying began to fail.

Though it is asserted that James IV (1488-1513) was a keen devotee of the game it is not until 1541 that the first signs of organised games emerge from the records. The earliest report is from Paisley Abbey and was found in 1976 in the Scottish Records Office among the papers of a Paisley notary who records in Latin a challenge made by a Monk to the Abbot’s deputy to “throw stones upon the ice” - the earliest recorded “challenge” which later became so much a feature of the game.

It is not surprising that the game blossomed in popularity at this time for Scotland, with the rest of Europe, was experiencing what between 1500 and 1700 has subsequently been described as the Little Ice Age.

This brought drops in temperature not seen since the Ice Age itself, with seas frozen for miles offshore and the ground iron hard to such a depth that no work for farmers was possible. It was said that:

Save curlers theæs few who their faces dare shew to escape from the damp, cold smelly uncomfortable houses to the keen fresh air and stimulating company of fellow enthusiasts would be a blessing.

The game itself, however, was unconstrained by a uniformity of rules, perhaps because in a country devoid of roads, and requiring weighty equipment it would be no easy matter to arrange other than local challenges. It was nearly 200 years before the first clubs came into being and 300 before the first national body was formed. A country game beloved of farmers, it gradually extended its appeal to all strata of society

- a democracy of lords, lawyers and labourers, doctors and dominies and dyers, wrights and weavers and woodworkers, all participating in “the roarin’ game” - so-called because of the booming roar like distant artillery as the stones thundered down the ice.

But this social mix had its drawbacks and early clubs began to form to try to stabilise a game disrupted by the industrial revolution and the mobility provided by new roads - the rougher characters and rugged individualists found the discipline of rules being imposed. Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch led the way and by 1800 there were 42 clubs. Curlers courts were established to encourage the best interests of the sport, with a word and a grip and an initiation ceremony. The rest of the evening was a frolic of horseplay and a dinner of beef and greens.

The number of clubs grew and dealt as best they could with exceptions to the general rule of fair play. One incident reported: “Some of our opponents when hard-pressed have had recourse to the base expedient of dropping snipeshot before the stone coming up, thus very soon stopping its progress.”

But the need for a governing body to impose the more general rules was apparent. And so at last emerged the Grand Caledonian Curling Club. John Cairnie, born at Dunipace in 1769 was among the prime movers. He qualified as a Surgeon but having lost an arm while serving with the East India Company retired to Largs and took up sailing and curling. He noticed a treatise by Dr Broun which suggested forming an Amateur Curling Club to promote the game. But whereas Broun proposed an exclusive club made up of dukes,

earls, lords and baronets, entirely against the social mix which characterised the game; Cairnie, by the force of his personality, rallied the ranks and called a meeting in 1838 attended by 36 clubs at which the Grand Caledonian Curling Club was born. The “Grand” was changed to “Royal” when Prince Albert became patron. The Royal Club’s membership, originally 28, included the Linlithgow Clubs. Today 12 of the original members survive, among them Linlithgow.

By the end of the 19th century the number of Clubs associated in membership with the Royal rose to 655 representing over 20,000 curlers; a growth occasioned in part by the parallel growth of road, rail and postal services. In that time the Royal Club had imposed upon the game a national conformity and a sense of brotherhood, unique

in sporting annals throughout the nations where curling flourishes.

Among the uniformities established were the length of rink (46 yards), a width of not more than 20 feet, tees (or hacks) 38 yards apart, circular stones of not more than 44 lbs, and four-player rinks headed by a skip. It might be supposed that little skill is required in what appears an elementary game. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is skill in wielding the brooms to sweep clear and polish the path of the running stone to the cries of “Soop her up! Soop her up!” from the skip; of knowing when to desist with cries of “Up, up” (brooms off); and of any of a dozen tactics to improve the lie or subvert an opponent’s play.

But beyond all the subtleties and skill lies that most vital

element and characteristic - the brotherhood of the Roarin’ Game.

The Grand Match at Linlithgow

The 25th of January 1848 - a day which will long be pre-eminently memorable in the Curling Annals of Scotland - having been fixed upon by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club as that on which the Grand Match was to “come off” between the Curlers of the North and those of the South side of the Forth. Queen Mary’s Loch, a beautiful expanse of water in the immediate vicinity of the ancient burgh of Linlithgow, having been selected as the spot on which this great contest for the palm of superiority was to take place, a vast national gathering of heroes of the Broom- certainly by far the most numerous that ever congregated - assembled at this place. As regards its geographical and central position, its easiness of access

from all parts of the country, by means of railway connection; its ample and extensive capability to accommodate the large assemblage of Curlers and spectators who might be expected to turn out on the occasion, a spot more appropriate or better calculated for the purpose, could scarcely have been chosen.

At an early hour, and during the whole course of the forenoon, the Members of the Royal Club which now numbers in its ranks upwards of 8000, might be observed pouring from all parts of the country, into the quiet town of Linlithgow; every train, as it arrived at the station, disgorging some hundred combatants, fully accoutred with stones and besoms. Numerous vehicles all loaded with passengers, came rattling in through every inlet to the town.

Thirty-five Rinks from the North and the like number from the South, constituted the Grand Match between the North and South sides of the Forth. Numerous other Rinks were made up by amateurs. The whole field amounted in all to about 130 Rinks, so including the immense concourse of spectators to witness this interesting trial of skill in our favourite national game, there could not be fewer at one time, than 6000 persons scattered over the surface of the ice.

In the whole annals of curling, there never was a more propitious day, keener Ice, or a more interesting locality for the exercise of this truly national game. The mist which hung over the loch in the morning had given way to the glowing effects of a glorious sun whose golden rays refracted prismatically in the glittering and pearly fringe

work with which every tree and every shrub and every plant was luxuriantly adorned and shed a lustre and a brilliancy all around that was enchanting.

The loch, which was covered slightly with a sprinkling of dry powdery snow, just sufficient to enable the players to keep their feet and to give an occasion of employment to the “sooping department”, had been laid out and prepared for upwards of 150 rinks, and every precaution had been taken to provide against the possibility of accident from the Ice giving way, by distribution of life buoys, ropes and ladders, in every direction, under the charge of a detachment of police, specially engaged for the occasion. Presently the report of a gun from the ruined battlements of the ancient palace gave the expected signal, and in the same instant, the deep roll of a hundred ponderous stones sent

booming up the Rinks, mingling and dying away in the distance, with the receding echoes of the discharged artillery, produced an effect truly grand.

Taking a survey through the different Rinks you might here and there observe the titled peer and the hardy peasant, -

“Canny noo, Sir John, play canny and drap a gaird on this stane; the sorro’s in the man! he’s raging like a lion.” Another sharp-eyed carle cries out “Come up here, my Lord, between Tam Gladstane and the Cornel, ther’s plenty of room to draw a shot; - I like you man, I like ye, she’s bonny, bonny - weel dune, my Lord, ye’re the shot - ye’re a perfect pat-lid man”. “Be up amang them here, Doctor; I see ye’re keepin’ your pouther for the poopit on Sunday.”

And thus went on, all in perfect humour. The Rink which had the greatest number of bystanders was that which included the Duke of Athole,

the President-elect; and such is the genial influence of this manly game on the feelings of all engaged in it, that it would have been impossible from his Grace’s manner to know he stood a peer of the proudest title among the honest and independent but humble sons of industry with whom he was mated.

The Contest raged with “various success” over every portion of the ample loch from 12 till half past 3 o’clock, when another discharge of musketry announced the close of the game. The different Skips, according to previous orders, immediately repaired to headquarters to report the result of the game in their respective Rinks, and after a little time spent in summing up, the Secretary reported amid the shouts and huzzas of the victorious party, that the Curlers of the North had beaten their

opponents in the aggregate by a majority of 106.

The dinner took place in the Star and Garter Hotel, when about 170 Members sat down - the Duke of Athole in the chair announced that the Club was in a very prosperous condition, having risen from 128 Clubs in 1838 to 173 Clubs this year, comprising more than 8000 members. Mr Durham Weir, in giving the toast “Scotland’s ain grand game o’ Curling” showed that of all amusements invented since Jubal, father of such as handle harp and organ, down to the present, was none surpassed the manly pastime of curling: even Solomon, surrounded by his men-singers and women-singers with their flutes, harps, sackbuts, psalteries, dulcimers, never enjoyed the pleasurable emotions which they had that day experienced: that the inhalations of Simpsonian

chloroform, and all the anaesthetic agents put into operation, never could produce the delightful and exhilarating sensations of the roaring Bonspiel.

The famous painting of the Grand Match at Linlithgow Loch painted in oils by Charles Lees which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery and a print of which is exhibited in the Linlithgow Museum, is a composite portrait of many of the curling notables of Scotland, some of whom were not actually present on the great day. Prominently shown are His Grace, the Duke of Athole in kilted attire, and centre, in

top hat, the Earl of Linlithgow. Two Linlithgow characters are pictured: Adam Dawson Provost of Linlithgow for 1829-1848 and solicitor Robert Glen (of Glen and Henderson). Glen is pictured in a flat cap and Dawson is next to him (to his right) in a top hat. In the left hand corner can be seen stones of the single-soled variety. After the Match refreshments were taken in the field of Dawson’s residence, Bonnytoun House.

Image reproduced with the kind permission of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.

Linlithgow’s Curling Clubs

Linlithgow with its superb natural advantages and central location had long been an active participant in the sport - it was estimated at one time there were more curlers in Linlithgowshire than in Edinburgh (Edinburgh had at one computation 207 registered members and the County of Linlithgow had 285). But without a club it was open to anyone to get up a few rinks and claim to represent the town.

The attempts to impose order which prompted the rise of clubs elsewhere influenced certain prominent members of the Linlithgow community to take action and in January 1820 they decided to form themselves into a club. The full text of theminute of that first meeting is reproduced in italics below.

A meeting of the Curlers of the Town and Parish of Linlithgow, held at Linlithgow the 22nd of January 1820 in consequence of Public Advertisement.

Present; Alex Napler - Linlithgow Alex Boyd - there Thomas Miller - there William Napier - there William Gibb - there Thomas Liston - thereJames Miller - Hiltlie Archd Harvie - Lithgow Mill Wm Pollock - CauldhameJohn Gibb - LinlithgowThomas Baird - Ditto

The meeting considering that much misunderstanding and want of co-operation has of late taken place by reason of individuals taking on Bonspeals with Curlers of other Parishes without the knowledge of many of the Principal Players,

whereby the reputation of the Curlers of the Town and Parish at large was in danger of being compromised, Resolved to form a Society or Club of Curlers of the Town and Parish of Linlithgow to be denominated the Linlithgow Curling Club.

That the Club shall be represented by a Preses (president) and Committee to be annually elected consisting of five members. The Preses and two of the Committee being a quorum without whose knowledge and approbation no match or Bonspeal shall be taken on by any member of the Club and in case of taking on any Match the Players shall be named by the Preses and Committee.That Mr Alexander Napier shall be Preses and Messrs Alex Boyd, Thomas Miller, John Lawrie, John Gibb and Thomas Liston Members of the Committee

for the ensuing year. And the meeting empower the Preses and Committee to draw up a set of rules for the regulation of the Club both with respect to taking on Bonspeals and the laws of the game to be submitted to a future meeting for their approbation. That one general meeting shall be held annually on the first Friday of December and that the Preses and Committee shall have the power of calling other meetings as to them shall seem proper.

The following gentlemen being unable to attend this meeting have intimated their approbation of the object thereof and their wish to become members of the Club.

Original minute of the meeting held on 22nd January 1820 to establish the Linlithgow Curling Club.

Sir Patrick Baron - Seton of Preston Wm Cunninghame - LinlithgowJames Roberts - ditto Richards - dittoWilliam Boyd - ditto John Callender - dittoRobert Meikle - ditto John Glen - PardovanWm Johnston - FairnyhillJohn Lawrie - LinlithgowWm Boyd - Wilcoxholm

That the Preses and Committee shall have the power to admit other persons as members and to enrol their names accordingly.

A later meeting considered that the Club having hitherto had no Fund for defraying necessary expenses resolve that each member of the Club shall pay an Annual Subscription of one shilling and it is resolved that Funds of the Club never to be

applied to eating or drinking. Subsequent minutes in the next few years are mainly concerned with coaxing reluctant members to pay up and past Treasurers to cough up!

A Second Club Linlithgow was to have not one club but two, for those who felt themselves excluded, generally the younger element, decided that they too would form a club. This they did in January 1830, calling themselves at first The Linlithgow “Juvenile” Curling Club, though quickly changing this to “Junior”.

Their first minute reads: “19th January 1830: A group of local citizens having resolved in order to the encouragement of the noble and manly Game of Curling to establish a Club in the Burgh of Linlithgow under a proper code of Laws have for that purpose formed themselves into a club.”

Qualifications were that a person must be a resident in the Burgh or Parish of Linlithgow, of at least 18 years of age, of a respectable character and have

a competent knowledge of curling.

Other rules: That the matches be played on the Loch of Linlithgow; that all bets taken up must be paid; that the Treasurer produce a correct statement of his Intromissions with the funds under pain of being expelled for ever; that each member provide himself with a pair of good and sufficient Curling Stones and practice curling as much as possible; that a medal be procured in solid silver; that in order as far as possible to prevent the loss or endangering of human life on the Loch or such other place as the Club may meet for the purpose of Curling, the Club shall procure three wooden Ladders of at least … feet in length with … feet of one inch rope to each ladder. (It was subsequently asserted that the lengths were left blank until they knew how much expense they could afford)

Inaugural meeting 19th February 1830:

The following appointments were made: James Miller - President; John Aitken - Vice-President; Adam Aitken - Treasurer; James Hardy - Clerk. Meeting place: the house of Robert Thom, publican.

It can be imagined that the “Senior” Club did not immediately welcome the appearance of another club within its preserves and repeated challenges from the Junior Club were ignored. However, on 23rd January 1833, the President of the Junior Club laid before a meeting a letter from the President of the Senior Club accepting the challenge which had been again issued and fixing a match to come off on Friday the 25th instr. on the Loch at 10 of the clock.

The meeting was in high spirits on this communication anticipating some keen sport and paid off their sides to meet on the day and the time appointed. The match between the two clubs was played and after a keen contest the Junior Club was declared victor, the game standing thus: Junior Club 136 shots; Senior 121; Majority 15.

The same day being the AGM of the Junior Club and the anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s own immortal bard his memory was proposed in an eloquent speech by one of the members and received by all with that proud veneration and esteem which the talents of this great man universally command. The evening was spent in utmost harmony and conviviality, friendly deputations being exchanged between the rival clubs in proof of their mutual respect.

There were occasional moves to bring the two clubs together as this minute of the Junior Club notes: 17th January 1837. “The President stated that he had called this meeting at the request of several of the members to consider a proposition which had been mooted by several of the Gentlemen composing the Senior Club of the town viz to dissolve this club and thereafter form themselves in connection with the Senior Club into one United Club for the Parish and thereafter Mr Andrew Mickel moved that the Junior Club be forthwith dissolved with a view to a Union with the Senior Club which motion being seconded by Mr Gibb it was moved as an amendment by Mr John Hardy that as there had been no expression from the Senior Club as a body of their wish to unite with this Club and in the absence of any reason for a dissolution it was inexpedient

to dissolve this club and the amendment being seconded by Mr Robert Thom and put to the vote, the amendment was carried by a majority of eight votes to three, four members having declined to vote. “

A subsequent minute of the Senior Club reveals that efforts to foster the harmony were made on occasions: “Mr Roberts moved seconded by David Henderson Jr that Mr James Meikle, painter, be nominated a member of this club whereupon Mr Drennan moved seconded by Mr Landels that in respect it appears the applicant has just seceded from the Junior Club and as it is highly desirable that nothing should be done by the members of this club which could be deemed in the least disrespectful to the other or tend to disturb the mutual friendly feeling that now exists that therefore the motion be allowed to lie on the table to next meeting and that

in the meantime a committee be appointed to confer with Mr Meikle and communicate with the Preses of the Junior Club on the subject and to report to the next meeting.” The Committee made its report as to the reasons of Mr Meikle leaving the Junior Club and he was admitted.

That spirit of mutual friendly feeling did not always prevail however, since the Juniors consistently over the years tended to outplay their seniors. Rarely, however, did disharmony reach the point of public acrimony as it did in the following exchange of letters in the local Press:

Falkirk Herald January 16, 1864 To the Editor of the Falkirk HeraldTHE SENIOR v THE JUNIOR CURLING CLUB Sir - Be so good as permit me, through the medium of your

widely circulated columns, to ask my brother curlers of Linlithgowshire what they think of the following.

On Monday last, a match was arranged to come off on the loch between five or six rinks from each of the above clubs. I can certify that every effort it was possible to make was made by one or two others and myself to get the requisite number of rinks belonging to the Senior club on the ice, but from circumstances impossible to foresee, many of our best members were absent and three or possibly at a pinch, four rinks were all that could be mustered on the ice to meet the Juniors. Of course, we were all sorry at this, but, as one of our friends observed, we “couldn’t make men” and instead of turning tail, as we might with good grounds have done, we offered to meet the Juniors with the rinks we had. Will it

be believed - of even in Gath or the streets of Askelon - that the Junior Club actually shied the challenge, and respectfully, yes, I may say most respectfully, declined the competition, on the ground that they were prepared to meet us with five rinks, but no less. Now I put it to all the curlers who may read this, if it was either neighbourly, gentlemanly, or brotherly, so to stick to the very letter of the law, and spoil a good day’s sport, because we couldn’t meet them with the number of rinks agreed upon? We brought up all we could; the match was not for a medal or anything of that sort, it was simply a friendly game; and I can only surmise that, in the abject fear of being thrashed, the Juniors forgot the courtesy and forbearance due to brother curlers, and committed a mistake, for which I now know some of them are sorry.

However, should the ice continue, we will yet meet them

with five rinks and perhaps learn them to spell “defeat,” a word with whose precise orthography they will be none the worse, now and then, of becoming thoroughly acquainted with. - I am yours &c. AN OLD AND KEEN CURLER. To which the Junior Club replied: January 30 1864

SENIOR v. JUNIOR CURLING CLUB Sir, I have waited in vain for an answer to the pathetic appeal made in your paper of 16th inst., by “An Old and Keen Curler” to his “brother curlers of Linlithgowshire”, on the subject of the Junior Club of this town having refused, or as the old curler has it in slang, “shied a challenge” from the Senior Club here to play a match on our loch. But I presume the “curlers of Linlithgowshire”

have prudently waited to hear what the Junior has to say, and therefore I will now endeavour to lay their statement before the public. It is now about thirty-four years since the Junior Club hived off from the Senior and during that time there have been at least nine contests for the championship of the parish, and in eight of these the Junior was victorious, so that it seems almost an impossibility for the Senior ever to teach the Junior to spell “defeat” as the “old curler” would wish should be the case. Disguise the matter as my old friend may, there can be no doubt that the honour of the championship is coveted by both clubs and it was for this alone, and not for “a friendly game” that the two clubs have been so often pitted against each other. The match, like all the others which preceded it, was a club match for the championship and was arranged on the 9th for

five rinks a-side, to take place on the 11th inst; and the Junior Club mustered in strength at the time and place appointed but nothing of the Senior was seen for about an hour, and then they hirpled to the ice with fourteen men, or three and a half rinks. Now for a club which numbers in the present annual 34 regular and 35 occasional players, to make such a miserable muster was somewhat shabby, if not suspicious, more especially seeing that on former occasions the clubs were wont to meet sometimes with five, sometimes with six and once with eight rinks a- side.

On one occasion only, in January 1854, was the match played with four rinks a-side.; and to come down on the present occasion with only three and a half rinks was becoming “small by degrees and beautifully less” with a vengeance, and looked

as though they had picked their men and were determined to make a desperate rally for their lost honours. The Junior Club numbers in the present annual 32 regular and 15 occasional players; and the five selected rinks knowing that the honour of the Club was in their hands, and that the Club had accepted the challenge for five rinks a-side, they would not and could not, consent to play the match with less. But they offered more than once to play a friendly game with one, two or three rinks as might be agreed. This, however, was refused - indeed one man of the Senior Club, Mr Peter Duncan, skip, said he had come to the loch to play the match and would play in no other game that day. And so ended the attempt of the old curler to steal the championship, under the pretext of a friendly game, with a handful of the curlers on the roll of his club, - I am James Law, President of the J.C.C.

FEBRUARY 6, 1864. LINLITHGOW. THE SENIOR v. JUNIOR CURLING CLUBS. we have received another communication from “An Old and Keen Curler” in reply to the letter of Mr Jas. Law, which appeared Inst week, but from the many gross and glaring personalities it contains, We cannot give it insertion in these columns. We are sorry that an old brother of the “broom” should lose his temper about so small a matter. The secret, we suspect, is that he is in the wrong - and he knows it; and being beaten in argument, wishes to cover his retreat by a cloud of abuse and recrimination foreign to the question at issue, which he appears to forget, was first raised by himself. We are of opinion that the clear statement of facts embodied in Mr Law’s moderate and well-written communication is quite

greens in the Star and Garter, to be preceded by the traditional grace:

Beef and Greens, Tarry’ ou Sheep’s heid and saut sou Kail leeks, Hale breeks And a fine curlin’ day the morn.

But to go back in time to the earlier days of the Clubs, each took note in their Minutes of the proposal to form a governing body for the sport:

The Junior Club noted on 10th February 1838: The Committee having met for the purpose of taking into consideration an advertisement which appeared in the public papers of date July 7th calling a meeting of the representatives from the different clubs in Scotland “In order to participate and connect more closely the Brotherhood in this ancient national game”

satisfactory, and that the whole matter may, now, therefore, be allowed to drop. (Editor)

All seems to have been healed quickly, however, for a Minute of 11th February 1864 of the Junior Club reports that: The President stated that he had called the Meeting in consequence of a challenge he had received from Edinburgh intimating that 12 Rinks from the Linlithgow Clubs on the Linlithgow Loch on Saturday 15th current at half past ten o’clock am. The meeting resolved to accept the said challenge and 8 rinks from this club were to hold themselves in readiness to meet the Edinburgh Curlers, the Senior Club consenting to furnish the other 4. This match to be called “Match between the City of Edinburgh and the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow.” The meeting also resolved to have its annual dinner of beef and

it was unanimously agreed and resolved that the Preses Mr James Roberts and Mr Thomas Nimmo one of the members should be sent to represent the Curling Club Of Linlithgow at the above-mentioned meeting with full powers to sanction and approve of whatever measures may be proposed for furtherance of the object announced in the advertisement.

The Junior Club then noted on 23rd July 1838: “In consequence of an advertisement which had recently appeared in the North British Advertiser Newspaper, relative to a general meeting of Deputies from the various curling clubs throughout Scotland to be held in Edinburgh on 25th July curt. in order to perpetuate and connect more closely the Brotherhood in this ancient and national game, Messrs Andrew Mickel, John Hardy and William Greenfield be appointed to represent the club” This they did, and the Junior Club thus became one of the 28

founding members of the Grand Caledonian Curling Club, their certificate being NO. 15 dated 25th July 1838.

The Linlithgow Junior Club was one of the original founding members of the Grand (later Royal) Caledonian Curling Club.

The Senior Club were somewhat slower off the mark in joining the Caledonian (25th December 1838, Certificate No. 32). Their minute of 28th December 1838 recording: The Preses and Mr Paterson reported that they had attended a meeting of the Grand Caledonian Curling Club in the Waterloo Hotel and had been initiated in the word and grip which they then communicated to the meeting for the purpose of initiating all the members who had joined the Grand Caledonian.

Among the first proposals of the new Grand Caledonian (which achieved Royal status in 1843 when Prince Albert became its patron after having witnessed a demonstration by the Earl of Mansfield on the polished oak floor of the ballroom of his palace of Scone - which did nothing for the floor but a great deal for the future of the

game) was to try to organise a national Bonspiel. Success came finally when the winter of 1846/47 brought a three-month frost. The British Army had established that two inches of ice supported men spaced 6 feet apart, four inches a man on horseback, six inches horse-drawn waggons and ten inches an army. A bonspiel needs four inches and a Grand Match six. There was now an ample thickness for an army and the first Grand Match took place at Penicuik Loch on 15th January 1847. Three hundred curlers took part in a contest between the men north of the Clyde-Forth line and those from the south which the south won by 22 shots. The event was a huge success and it was decided that the following year Linlithgow would be the venue.

A minute of the Junior Club notes on 18th January 1848: “The Preses laid before the meeting - a letter dated 3 Jan from the Secretary of the Royal Club intimating that it was the intention of that club to hold a grand curling match on Linlithgow Loch between the clubs situated in the North and South sides of the Firth in the course of the present month and requested that this club will forward the number of rinks to join in the match with the number of skips and also a party to whom all communications on the subject be addressed. The meeting agreed to send six rinks to the proposed match.”

As previously recorded, the Annual of the Caledonian Club reported:

“Thirty-five Rinks from the North and the like number from the South, constituted the

Grand Match between the North and South sides of the Forth. Numerous other Rinks were made up by amateurs. The whole field amounted in all to about 130 Rinks, so including the immense concourse of spectators to witness this interesting trial of skill in our favourite national game, there could not be fewer at one time, than 6000 persons scattered over the surface of the ice.”

Yet despite this enormous success, Linlithgow was never again the scene of a national Bonspiel and the clue lies in the concluding sentence of the last paragraph of the report. “For despite the ladders and ropes and extra police, had the ice given way there could have been a national catastrophe of unexampled dimension, in particular since the main action took place at the deepest part of the loch.”

The safe way forward was shown inadvertently by the third Grand Match held at Lochwinnoch in 1850. Having been refused the main loch, the organisers flooded a mile-long meadow to a depth of only three feet - the first time a pond had been artificially made for such an occasion: it was to create a long-lasting precedent which led to the creation of the artificial pond at Carsebreck in Perthshire in 1852.

Linlithgow Junior Club, however, were averse to the idea of ponds. A minute of 10th August 1852 states that: “The Preses laid before the Meeting a circular from the Treasurer Of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club regarding a Great Central Pond which it is proposed to construct on the side of the Scottish Central Railway and requesting subscriptions towards defraying the expense of the said pond. The

meeting was of the opinion that there was no necessity for such a Pond and therefore declined subscribing anything towards the cost of it.”

They repeated their refusal in 1856 when the Royal Club requested 1/- from each member of this club, and 1/6d annually from each club for the pond rent.

They were not unaware of the safety aspect however and it is reported that the Chairman James Law called attention to the want of apparatus for saving life at the Loch and proposed that subscriptions would be raised to provide a boat on wheels and belts, the boat having been granted by Mr Hardy. The Senior Club, however, had taken earlier note of the ad- vantages of ponds both from the viewpoint of quick-freezing and safety and in a minute of 8th October

1853 it is recorded that Captain Stewart had kindly consented to allow them a curling pond in a plantation on his estate of Bormie (Balvormie) and they proposed to have it ready for the coming season.

Administering the pond was not without its problems: The Secretary was directed to intimate to the Bathgate, Torphichen and Bo’ness Clubs that as some misapprehension had persisted last year in regard to the use of Bormie Pond, this club wished it to be understood that the Pond was the exclusive property of this club and that no one was in future to use it without the previous permission of this club.

A solution seemed to be the appointment of an officer to look after the property and do the requisite duties, deliver all circulars and notices, remove

the snow, attend other club matches, and always be in attendance on the ice, for which he would receive one pound one shilling per annum. They did not seem to keep any one officer for long however.

Meanwhile the Senior Club was concentrating also on other matters. A minute reports that Mr Bartholomew, a member of the club, produced to the meeting a newly invented form of curling footwear, and explained in a clear and tradesman-like manner the advantages of his invention, the principle of which was that iron outsole (which was run in on a groove and held by a pin) could at any time be replaced without the necessity of applying to a shoemaker.

Doubts having been expressed as to the efficiency of the article exhibited, the Meeting then adjourned to the Courtyard

of the Hotel where Mr Bartholomew put on the shoe and would have completely established the utility of his invention and the correctness of his statements had it not unfortunately happened that he was unprovided with a spare sole and that the pin of the shoe was lost. It was however unanimously:

“resolved that an account of the invention be recorded in the books of the Club with the opinion of the meeting that Mr Bartholomew is deserving of every encouragement in the carrying out of his valuable discovery which he stated was applicable either to a man or a horse.”

The tone of the minute suggests that the Secretary at least had his doubts. Another invention is recorded: At this stage of the proceedings James Paterson (alias Hard Frost) Professor of Curling and

one of the oldest members of the club, joined the meeting with his besom in his hand and cheered up the meeting by prophesying a long and frosty winter. - He stated that his “Freezing Machine” had lately been put into a state of thorough repair and he would be enabled to supply ice at any time, on Bormie Pond for the Kirknewton Players upon five days’ notice.

But in matters of the game they took themselves seriously. Mr Dawson of Bonytoun’s rink having had the good fortune to be balloted against His Grace the Duke of Athole for the Grand Match, the Council cautioned the players against being beguiled to partake of His Grace’s Athole Brose, and expressed the hope that the rink might maintain the high character of the Club in the contest with so distinguished a curler as the Duke.

Amalgamation at Last A Succession of mild winters which on several occasions prevented the clubs from curling saw memberships fall and this more than any other contributing factor finally led to the uniting of the two clubs. A minute of the meeting of the Senior Club of 10th October 1884 reported that owing to the absence of John Frost last Winter there was nothing to chronicle in connection with the Club. On the motion of Mr Leslie, President, the Secretary was instructed to enter into communication with the President and Secretary of the Junior club with the view of bringing about an amalgamation seeing the state of the clubs at the present time.

It would take both clubs together to make a decent club. A joint meeting was proposed to be held in the Council Chambers

on Friday 17th. Five days later a general meeting of the Junior Club held in the Red Lion Hotel with James Bennie in the chair heard a similar proposal by Wm Scott and seconded by James Bennie that they meet the Linlithgow Senior Curling Club on Friday night the 17th inst. in the Council Chambers and that they agree to Amalgamate on condition that three regular members of each club meet and draw out a code of rules and by-laws to form a club and that code of rules to be laid before each club for approval which was unanimously agreed to. Messrs Bennie, Scott and R Philip with the Secretary Wm Philip should represent the Junior Club. It was then agreed that the Committee should meet on Thursday night in the Council Chambers.

The joint meeting duly took place on 17th October 1884. Mr F. V. Harper of the Senior

Club in the chair explained the purpose of the meeting. It would, he said, take them both to make a good curling club. He also stated that the Senior Club could get the site for a curling pond gratis which would be a great advantage for both parties if the junior club could see their way to join them. Both clubs agreed to proceed with amalgamation and a committee was appointed to consider the details. This met on the 21st October with Mr Harper in the chair. Mr Bennie moved and Mr Harper seconded that the new name of the Club be the Linlithgow United Curling Club to play under the rules of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. This was unanimously agreed and at the first meeting of the United Club on the 24th Mr F.V. Harper was appointed President, Mr W. Philip Vice-President, Mr I Mackie Secretary and

Messrs Leslie and Bennie, representatives.

Mr James Bennie, the moving spirit in the amalgamation, was the first generation, of a name that has had a long and distinguished association with the Club from the middle of the 19th Century. His son, Robert Bennie, was secretary and president after the First World War, and his grandson, James Bennie took over as secretary in 1950 and president in 1994. The Bennie Trophy commemorates this dynasty and is one of the main trophies of the Club.

The new Club was considerably exercised over the provision of an artificial pond and several proposals were considered - at the hatchery at the east end of the Loch, on land at Boghall Farm , at Hillhouse Farm near the Old Quarry and at Parkley Craigs. The latter site was finally selected

and at a cost of £48 (to which Lord Hopetoun contributed £5) was completed and opened on 30th December 1886 by W.H. Henderson of Nether Parkley who after throwing the first stone intimated “he would give a load of meal for behoof of the frozen-out field workers”.

Afterwards the annual beef and greens dinner was held in the Star and Garter when:

Round the table as round the tee In social crack did all agree With practice skill and steady aim To uphold the noble roaring game.

The United Club having addressed the twin problems of falling membership and the failing occasions of exercising their expertise, continued in steady progress, interrupted, however, by the call to arms as these notes in the minute book attest:

“It is deeply to be regretted that this valuable record of the prowess of the LUCC has been allowed to fall behind - the explanation is simple. The indefatigable Secretary having been fired with the desire to bleed for his Country went off to the wars and sweltering under an African Sun and up to his neck in sand heard occasional chaps of our progress while those who remained behind omitted to keep up the record. - It only remains to be stated that 1899-1900 was a good year for curling and resulted in such a boom for the whisky trade that even Pattisons Limited might have forged ahead if it had not previously gone to the bottom.”

“1901-02. There was little if any frost until after New Year. During January frost and thaw alternated in a most irritating manner that made even the Laird of Rockville chew his beard and mutter strange Winchburgh oaths. “

A further note claims: This is how the annual meeting foregathers: A curler strolls into the Star and Garter, goes to the small window, orders a “half ” and asks Polly Woodcock if anyone has come yet. She replies that W.Dougal is there but he is upstairs playing billiards. This demands an advance in open order on the Billiard Room. Ten minutes spent in admiring Rockville’s flukes and an adjournment to look for the meeting, fortified by another round of “halfs” at the bottom of the stairs. By this time it is probably 8.45 and as closing time is 10pm the meeting, called for 8 pm resolved to begin business. The members adjourn to the front room on the East side and after some complaints about the gas and a desultory conversation on local topics, the next business is the reading of the minute of the previous meeting which records

the names of those present and adds “and possibly some others whom it was impossible to see owing to the very indifferent quality of the gas. On the appointment of office bearers, each stoutly asserts that it is his inflexible intention to retire but nobody pays the smallest heed and they are re-elected en bloc. As no licensed minister could be found to undertake the duties of praying for the club’s salvation owing to the deplorable habit of swearing which had crept in since the club began to go to Bathgate, the office was left vacant. By now the meeting is weary of well- doing with one eye on the clock and closing time, and the meeting draws to an end.

Bathgate were frequently the butt of good-humoured comment, it being asserted on one occasion that they were up to their tricks and “had tried to

get us to play on the mixture of “snaw-broo and soot” which they call ice in the Bridgend dub they call by the high-sounding title of Boghead Pond.”

A tarmacadam pond in the playground of the old Burgh School off the Kirkgate was added to the club’s other venues in the early years of the new century, quickening the pace towards artificial ice and it was hoped that this new pond, later to be gas lit for play after dark, would prove a success in educating young curlers since whereas in former years the Club could turn out 8 good rinks they could now scarcely scrape up five even by digging out the old age pensioners.

The years of the First World War saw the club barely continuing under the shadow of the war. Notes on the season 1916- 1917 record the sense of

loss occasioned by the death at the Battle of Loos in 1915 of Lieut-Colonel Henderson, who had been Secretary of the Club for 17 years. He was the only member of the Club to make the supreme sacrifice during the war. About this time it was decided to change the name to Linlithgow Curling Club.

The inter-war years continued relatively without incident of great comment beyond the growing reference to indoor rinks, the first of which was built at Crossmyloof, Glasgow in 1907. Three more opened in 1912 - two in Edinburgh and one in Glasgow. This proved to be the salvation of curling which surged in popularity from 1927 onwards. In the 30s many more indoor rinks were added - the vagaries of the seasons were a thing of the past. Yet though techniques had changed the spirit of curling remained,

exemplified best perhaps by quoting this minute from 1917.

“Delightful reminiscences were then indulged in by several of the members. The president easily capped all these by telling of a truly wonderful victory secured against Ratho Club in 1895 and the meeting broke up with the feeling that they had succeeded as a Club to no mean heritage and resolved if only the opportunity were granted them to do doughty deeds and so pass on to succeeding generations a record of great games fought and won which might act as an inspiration to still greater things.”

The outbreak of war in 1939 saw the suspension of active curling at the Club but this was quickly resumed in 1946. The Secretary then noted that no subscriptions had been levied during the war years and that the Tar Pond was now in much disrepair. In 1947

the Club was represented at the opening of Haymarket Ice Rink and that year was allocated ice at the new rink and a Club league was introduced.

In 1949 Miss E B Henderson intimated to the Club that she wished to donate a trophy to the Club. The trophy was dedicated to her father and two brothers and bears the inscription “Gifted to the Linlithgow Curling Club by Elizabeth Bannon Henderson in memory of three keen curlers , her father William Horn Henderson b 1830 d 1901 Procurator Fiscal and County Clerk of West Lothian ,her brothers John George Bannon Henderson b 1870 d 1947 County Clerk West Lothian 1901 -1946 and Lieu. Col. Michael William Henderson 10th. Royal Scots 9th Black Watch b1871 d 1915”

The Henderson Trophy for 70 years the Club’s senior trophy

This trophy became the main trophy of the Club and was competed for for over 70 years until in 2019 it was donated by the Club to the Linlithgow Museum where it will remain on public display. Also donated was the Club’s cabinet of some 50 medals won over the years. Included are RCCC District medals, Province Medals, and the Club’s own medals. In addition to these trophies a pair of stones and a pair of crampits (for use on outside ice) were also donated.

By the mid 1950’s all the Club’s games were being played at the Falkirk Ice Rink but this closed to curling in 1977. The Club subsequently moved to the Stirlingshire rink at Williamsfield.

A dinner celebrating the Club’s 150 anniversary was held in the Burgh Halls in January 1970. The dinner was attended by

Lord Elgin, then president of the RCCC.

By the 1980s ladies had started curling with the Club but were not admitted as members. This became a bone of contention at Annual General Meetings until on a motion proposed by John Howie at the AGM in 1995 the Club formally agreed to admit ladies as members. In 2007 Sheona Erskine was elected the Club’s first Lady President.

The Club continues to prosper and now has two competitive leagues together with a number of bonspiels and a knock-out competition. To commemorate its Bicentenary the Club commissioned a new trophy from the artist/craftsman Scott Irvine. It will be known as the Bicentenary Trophy and will be awarded to the winning rink in the Club’s senior league. The new trophy features curlers on Linlithgow Loch with a background of Linlithgow Palace.

The Club’s cabinet of medals donated to the Linlithgow Museum

Two curling stones and a pair of crampits for curling on outdoor ice now in the Linlithgow Museum

The Bicentenary Trophy, made by artist Scott Irvine

Linlithgow Curling Club 2020

George McNeill (President) - Steve McKenzie - (Secretary) Bryan Woolsey (Treasurer) - David Hewitt (Match Secretary)

Alan Faulds - Mary Smith - Anne Mackintosh - Lyall Cormack - Alan Anderson - Jane Anderson -

Alan Birse - Harry Brodie - Michelle Brodie James Bruce - Chris Collen - Norman Cummings

Willie Erskine - Sheona Erskine - Les FerrisAllan Frickleton - John Henderson - Gordon Hogg

John Irving - Brian Kerr - David Lunt Chris Matheson Dear - Ross McIntosh - Edith Mikkelsen

David Oliphant - Clara Skuse - James SkuseKen Smith - Tony Smith - Colin Strachan

Sheelagh Ward - Bob Watson - Alasdair YoungStephan Wegner - Alan Manuel