Archive09 2008

A very happy birthday to Mrs Annie Harris who is one hundred years young this week!

We hope you enjoy your very special day. Congratulations from Rosie and John at the Armadale website.

Greetings to members of the 1st Armadale Girls' Brigade.

A big thank you from the many people whose bags were packed so skilfully on Saturday!

We are grateful to Davie Kerr for allowing us to publish his new poem, which commemorates the centenary of the award of the Lady Baillie Trophy by Lady Baillie of Polkemmet to Armadale Golf Club in 1908.

THE LADY BAILLIE TROPHY

by Davie Kerr, 2008

A hunder year ago this year,
oor gowf-club met ti clap and cheer
the winner in his finest gear,
at Tarraray,
where Lady Baillie wad appear,
to mak his day.

This braw new trophy she'd present,
ti mark the "champion" event
ti cheerin' crowds. 'Twas evident
the day went weel,
as she stood up an thereanent
made her wee speil.

Noo, tho' this tribute, fae the past,
has modern silverware oot-classed,
(its sturdy cast wis meant ti last
for gowfers gain),
God knows hoo mony ba's thae'll blast
in quest o fame.

At seasons start, guidwill's intendit,
frae gowfers, keen an weel connectit
wi drives, that should land where thae meant it,
but, in the huff,
thir's times thiv driven, hauf-dementit,
inti the rough.

As weel's thir spells o bunker pain,
thae'll try an try an try again
ti putt a ba', (that's no ti blame),
in ti the hole.
It's mair nor flesh an bluid an bane,
in truth, can thole.

Oor gemme's had mony ups an douns.
In Airmadale, its present gloom's
meant naewhere noo, within the toun's
gowf still in play,
an sae, till brighter prospect looms,
we'll mind the day.

Davie Kerr

Andy Anderson with the trophy, which was later known as the David Kerr Trophy

For the history of golf in Armadale, and the Lady Baillie Trophy in particular, see Gowff, written by Andy Anderson

The Baillie family and Polkemmet


Moon over Bathgate	View north down James Street towards The Goth

View north down Academy Street	Canty / Cantie / Canties ruin

Views from Gormyre Hill

Armadale Primary School 7b 1956

Teacher: Mrs. Robertson (nee Mamie Douglas)

Back Row: ? Weir; Alex Mackay; Willie Murray; Roger Strickland; Tommy Bishop; Jackie Ferguson; Zander Morton; Stewart Kerr; Ian Ellis; Maxwell Brown; Davie Cook
Middle Row: Mrs. Robertson; ?; James Dixon; Catherine Morris; ?; Isobel Fullerton?; Annie Leitch
Front Row: Eileen Dempster; Hazel Clark; Mary Brown; Norma Blain; Sheena Ferguson; Helen Christie.

from Maxie Brown 'forever a Dale boy'!

Letter dated 18th August 1945 from Tom Hanlin, novelist of Armadale

Tom Gordon, researcher of the Dale Boys, with the HAA chairman, Ron Dingwall

Mary McKendrick of West Lothian Family History Society with Mary Flynn of the History of Armadale Association

Linlithgow Players' performance at the recent West Lothian History and Heritage Fair held at Linlithgow Academy. More photos of the event

Tom Allan and Tommy Sneddon meet again after 50 years! See the Noticeboard

Have you memories of a special day? See Days Like This

Tarrareoch Court and Old Golf Course Road, Armadale (Larger images)

Armadale Primary School, Grade 6, 1956 Larger images Here

From Tom Allan

Armadale Primary School, Grade 4, 1956

From Tom Allan

Councillor Martyn Day, Chair of the West Lothian Rural Action Group, and guest speaker Minister for the Environment Michael Russell at the launch of the West Lothian LEADER Funding Programme at Oatridge College, Ecclesmachan, on Monday 10 November 2008. Funding of £1.05 million has been awarded to the rural West Lothian area, as part of the Scottish Rural Development Plan, aimed at promoting economic and community development within rural areas.

Simply: local people making local decisions about projects that affect them.



Above: photos from the first conference of Scotland's Rural Past at Birnam Arts and Conference Centre (and in the adjoining Beatrix Potter garden) on Saturday 15 November 2008. Bottom left: the Armadale display. Right: Highland Folk Museum craft workers