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Armadale Children's Gala Day 2010

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Armadale Children's Gala Days of the Past

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See also Armadale Camera Club, Official Photographers.

Two of a dedicated group of ACC members who are effectively creating a picture archive for future generations whilst significantly supporting the efforts of the Gala Day Committee.

 

Unofficial Armadale Website Images
Royal Proclamation and Street Fayre
Gala Day Parade  updated 29 July 2010
Crowning of the Queen updated 29 July 2010

 

Thursday 17 June 2010 - Everyone prepares for Friday  :o)   KAP

 

These are the principals in this year's Armadale Children's Gala Day on 19th June.
Photo shows (L-R) Lanna Meek (Flower Queen); Molly  McDonald (reigning Queen of Hearts); Rebecca McComb (Queen of Hearts-elect); James Black (Champion); and Taryn McCartney (Fairy Queen).
With them are the 1952 Queen, Mrs. Jessie Feeney and her Champion, Jack Drummond who will crown Rebecca in the ceremony in Watson Park. 
Photo courtesy of Armadale Camera Club
 

The website recently received a copy of the 1935 Gala Day photo.  The sender told us:

I have just learned that it is Armadale's 100th gala this weekend.  My mother was the queen in 1935, Helen Frew. 
Sadly she passed away 5 years ago, but was always proud of being the queen....
 
When I was a child we always came to the gala, I always wanted to be a fairy, but could not be one due to not being at an Armadale school.
I was stopped charging pennies to see my Mum as the Queen, I seemingly had all the kids in the street coming in to see the photo (I have the 2ft high individual one in a frame), in my defence I was very young.
 
Have a wonderful day, and well done, Armadale was always excellent.

Yours,

Marion Kelly
 
 
STOP PRESS!
A record of more than 50 people were collecting spruce on Sunday so we're hoping the town will look at its best for the big day.
A huge entry in the sports on Monday, with the Armadale Thistle canteen doing a roaring trade.  Queen Molly McDonald presented the medals.
Third and final pageant rehearsal was on Tuesday, and Annmarie Rickis' arrangements have come together very well.
Almost fifty Queens will be attending on Saturday as guests of the committee. 

The Committee's thanks go to the door-to-door collection team who covered every door for the first time in years: Karen Valentine; Karen Craig and sister-in-law Karen Craig; Diane Borthwick; Lorna Walker; Linda Black; Wendy McEwan; Julie Tonner; Lynne Fleming; Lorraine Wilson; Gillian Tipton; Tom Gordon; Anne Ross and Louise Rollo plus a number of children.

Gala Results so far

Armadale Sports Club held a very successful Gala Soccer Tournament recently.  Sports Club boys from the under 9s to under17s participated between Wednesday 26 May and the 4 June.  Guest teams were invited to each age group.  600 boys participated and each boy received a trophy.  Billy Drummond must receive special thanks for securing sponsorship and organising this event.

Annual Gala Quiz result, held at Tap o' the Brae, quizmaster Peter Cowan.

Winning team: The Wild West; Mick Rooney (captain), Fiona Cullen, Nicola Cullen, Aileen Borrowman and David Prentice. 
Special endeavour prize to Jim Wilson.
Many thanks to all who attended as well as donors of prizes.

Gala Sports Results at the bottom of the page.
 
 

Gala Arrangements and Key Dates

  • Programmes and food bag tickets now on sale at Rings & Things and other outlets.
  • The Marches Drive Residents' Association have donated a cup fior the best-looking street on Gala day. There is no need to register.
  • REMEMBER! the parade leaves Armadale Academy at 11 am this year.
  • All invited guests should be at the Academy no later than 10.30.
  • Tickets for the Gala Lottery are now on sale at Rings & Things.  Top prize: £1,000
  • Special commemorative medals will be present to parade participants.
  • 14 bands, including two marching bands, have been booked.
  • A new crown, orb and sceptre have been ordered.
  • There will be displays in Watson Park where the crowning ceremony will take place in a marquee.
  • Official Gala photographer for 2010: Armadale Camera Club.
  • The Army cadets have kindly agreed to help with this year's gala.

KEY DATES

Friday 18 June: Proclamation and Street Fayre (North Street from 6pm - 8pm.).  There will be live music, street entertainment and fun for kids, with 8 stalls.  Stalls are available free to local community and voluntary organisations.  There is no need to register but stallholders need to provide their own equipment.
Proclamation at Tollgate House, North Street, (6.15pm) and at Queen-elect Rebecca McComb's house (following North Street Proclamation) . Stalls are free to community and voluntary organisations. Stallholders should provide their own equipment. No need to register.
Saturday 19 June: The one hundredth Armadale Children's Gala Day:
    - characters' photo session, Armadale Academy from 9.30am (last photo 10.30am) - no obligation to buy; 
    - parade leaves Armadale Academy 11 am
    - parade arrives at Watson Park (approx) 12 noon
    - coronation pageant will follow immediately on arrival  at Watson Park
    - lunch for official guests
 

All participants in the Gala, including guests, are asked to be at Armadale Academy no later than 10.30am on Gala morning.  No parking at the Academy.

Parade leaves Armadale Academy 11 am. Parade Marshall Ian Mitchell

Parade arrives at Watson Park (approx) 12 noon
Coronation pageant will follow immediately on arrival  at Watson Park
Lunch for official guests
Park entertainment includes disco music, bouncy castle, trampolines, birds of prey, stilt walkers, juggler, face painting......
The shows 
 

100 Armadale Children's Galas - celebration

A commemorative booklet of photos, has been launched by Queen of Hearts Molly McDonald.  Molly is seen here with (L-R) Gala secretary Susan Rooney; principal sponsor Armadale station's Sandra Carter; and President Stuart Borrowman.  The booklet of photos is now on sale price £4 at Rings & Things and other outlets.

(photo supplied by Shelley White)

 
 

Gala Guests

Invitations have gone out to one hundred former Queens and Champions as well as former Presidents and Secretaries and other notables. Over forty former Queens have accepted the invitation to attend as well as all former presidents and secretaries.

The Gala Committee have invited Mrs. Jessie Feeney and Mr. Jack Drummond to crown the Queen at the one hundredth Gala next June.  Jessie and Jack were the first post-war Queen and Champion.
But the committee have chosen one of their own as guest of honour, Billy Cunningham.  Billy is retiring, twenty-seven years after joining the committee.  So, no unglamorous role for Billy this year, sorting out the park in the morning and handing out Gala bags.  Billy's legs will be on public display for the first time since primary school - he's wearing a kilt.  We can't wait!

Invited are Jim Sibbald, Jim Ellis and Nan Douglas (former Presidents) and Arthur Gardiner, Nan Devlin, Betty McLeish, Frances Faulds (nee Powley) and Anne Ross (former Secretaries).

Representatives of the local schools and churches; Mr. Joe McIndoe, chair of the Armadale Traders’ Association; Councillor Jim Walker from West Lothian Council; Mary Mulligan, MSP; local councillors; Mr. Andrew Smart, Vice-chair of Armadale Community Council; and Mr. Davie Kerr who was commissioned to write a special poem for the Gala are also on the list.
Two special guests from each of the older people’s homes in the town are to be invited.

 

The Gala Route

The Gala committee is delighted that discussions with the police at Divisional level mean that the original choice of parade route will be approved.

 
Armadale Academy > West Main Street > The Cross > South Street > Wotherspoon Crescent > Mayfield Drive > Calder Crescent > Lower Bathville > Bathville Cross > South Street > The Cross > North Street > Watson Park.
 
Many thanks to Chief Superintendent Liddle for his assistance.

 

The Gala Park Venue

The committee had made a decision to use Wood Park this year as this had been the park used from its opening in 1902 and for many decades thereafter.
However, a number of committee officials did a walk over of the site with the Council and concluded (i) that there are remaining concerns about the drainage of large areas of the park and (ii) the useable areas aren't sufficient to allow the pageant, park entertainment and shows to be kept together.
Accordingly, Watson Park will be the focus of the Gala in 2010.

 

Armadale Gala Day Characters 2010

Queen-elect Rebecca McComb will be crowned by Mrs. Jessie Feeney of Bathgate and Mr. Jack Drummond of Armadale, the first post-war Queen and Champion in 1952.

Due to continuing worries about drainage at Wood Park, the crowning will take place at Watson Park.


Armadale Primary School

Queen of Hearts Rebecca McComb

Chief Ladies in Waiting Coral Cole
Emma Todd

Ladies in Waiting
Molly McAllister Caitlin McClung Sarah Walker
Karrigan Ramsay Emily Martin Caitlin Robertson
Zoe Gibbons Adele Stevenson

Champion James Black

Heralds Jamie Tipton Grant Weir

Page Boys Sam Hughes Robbie McGrath

Guards
Jack Moffat Jack Fraser Shane Hunter
Mark Battison Ross Hyde Brandon McColl
Ronan Milne Ryan Wilson Scott Sievewright
TJay Cuthbert

Rainbow Girls
Kelsey Dunn Brooke Simpson Aimee Ferguson
Alex Carr Kaitlyn Thomson Naomi Skinner
Zoe Tait Lisa Lloyd Taylor Cuthbert
Melissa Middleton Teagan Cook Emily Maciejak
Jorja Bell Aaliyah Brogan Demi-Leigh Broughton
Charlotte Thomson Nicole Anderson Sophie Szulc
Erin McComisky Lucy Walker Morgan Robertson
Jasmine Davis Samantha Livingstone Nicola Brown
Sophie Duncan

Rosebuds
Hannah Leary Melanie Mckinnon Lily Hay
Amy Paterson Isabel McNee Dionne Gillon
Casey McLeary Emma McInulty Allie Dunbar
Libby Drummond Abigail Russell Alice McConnell
Rachel Scully Kate Anderson Keira Gibb
Amy Brown Kate Bolan Ellie Mackay
Abby Copland Charmaine Pritchard Ishbelle Thomson
Paris Skinner Chanel Wilson Elle Berry
Emily Johnstone Keiara Strachan Emily Royer


Eastertoun Primary School

Flower Queen Lanna Meek

Chief Ladies in Waiting Rachel Rintoul
Natalie Lees

Flower Maidens
Caitlin Murphy Charlie-Anne Hardie Charley Walker
Lucy Brown Hannah Phillips Hannah Caddell
Leanne McNulty Rebecca Hulbert Rebecca Burrows
Molly Welsh Alison Murray Ebony Jay Brown
Jennifer Fleming

Guards
Lewis Campbell Thomas Gordon Tylor Graham
Corey Neilson Adam Burns Ethan Caddell
Callum Crawford Corey Robertson Frank Speirs
Ross Watson

Seasons
Spring Eilidh Robertson
Summer Camryn Elliot
Autumn Gemma Craig
Winter Morgan Heffield

Nations
Scotland Holly Cairns
England Chloe French
Ireland Kayleigh Fairbairn
Wales Rachel Gillon

Rosebuds
Taylor Borthwick Annabella Brown Lauren Clark
Codae Kerr Erin Knox Mia Mackie
Rhiannon McCorrie Abbie McMaster Sophie Murray
Jodie Penman Lauren Reid Charlotte Rickis
Skye Stirling Rachel Swan Eve Waddell
Natalie Walker Abbie Woods Eilidh Black
Cerys Eveleigh Roxie Gibb Alena Meek
Emma Nimmo Rebecca Singer Emma Tait
Ella Webster

St. Anthony’s Primary School

Fairy Queen Taryn McCartney

Chief Ladies in Waiting Amelie Ross
Eva McFarlane

Fairies
Ellie Brady Katy Clark
Abby Cochrane Rachel Dunlop
Luisa Greenhorn Megan Linden
Eilidh McKeown Katie McLeish
Louise Smith Katie-Marie Robertson
Katie Tusler Alexis McConnell
Eva Finlayson Neve Buchan
Lynn Lin Jemma Spalding

Bower Girls
Chloe Spalding Teri-Eve Gibson
Kaitlin Leyden Charlotte Fleming
Colette Roy Kelsie Rodger
Niamh Tonner Amy McLellan
Stephanie Johnston Rachel Hamilton
Chloe Taylor Megan Smith

Guards
Liam Smart
Ben White
Owen Park
Jack Birt

 

Sponsorship and Donations and Offers of Help

Many thanks to Jean Duncan and the members of the former Methodist Church Haven Club who have donated a substantial sum towards the costs of the 100th Gala in 2010.

Also, Brodie's Funeral Service for a substantial donation recently. 

Other donations received before the Gala Day programme went to press are listed in the programme.

 

PRESS STATEMENT from ARMADALE CHILDREN’S GALA DAY COMMITTEE, Sunday 21 June 2009

Armadale Station Community Development  agrees to be principal sponsor for the

one hundredth Armadale Gala Day

Fresh from this year’s Gala and the crowning of Queen Molly McDonald, Armadale Children’s Gala Day committee is pleased to announce that the Armadale Station Community Development has agreed to be the principal sponsor for the special celebrations to mark the one hundredth Gala in June 2010.

The team behind the £200m development planned around the new Armadale Station has agreed to make a substantial financial contribution, helping towards the additional costs of the Committee’s ambitious plans.

With the new train station due to open in 2010 spearheading the regeneration of the south of Armadale, it promises to be an important year for the town.

Stuart Borrowman, President of Armadale Children’s Gala Day committee, said:

“The Children’s Gala Day committee is very proud to have the privilege of organising the 100th Gala next year and honouring all those who have gone before us.

“We want to make the 2010 Gala Day a particularly special event, which is why we are delighted that the Armadale Station Community Development has agreed to be our principal sponsor. With these funds in place and still a year to go, we have plenty of time to build on their help and put on a very special Gala.”

Sandra Carter, representing the Armadale Station Community Development, said:

“We so enjoyed this year’s event, we wanted to find a way to support the 100th anniversary celebrations and the sponsorship felt like the perfect opportunity. The development around the railway station will be as integral a part of Armadale as the Gala Day and we hope that our sponsorship will ensure that everyone has a fantastic 100th!”
  
It's now 20 years since John McLaughlin wrote in 1989's Gala programme:


"The Gala Day is the result of approx. ten months of hard work by an oft maligned committee as they struggle to raise funds, to find bands, seek out kindly owners for the use of cars, to arrange food bags and refreshments, see to the vetting of the guests, recruit the all but few workers, liaise with Police as to Parade and safety requirements, liaise too with School Teachers on the selection of Pageant Principals and ensuring that a mostly disinterested general public is kept informed for nine of those months already mentioned, (the other month is one during which Mr. Everyman is beginning to take notice, generally around late May - early June), the work of the Committee is endless and oh so very necessary....."


If you feel that you could lighten the load of the committee by contributing your skill / enthusiasm / presence / ideas, why not contact one of the office bearers named above? Offers of HELP are always welcome!

 

 

ARMADALE CHILDREN’S GALA DAY SPORTS RESULTS 2010

Pre-school flat girls 1 Keira Cairney 2 Sophie Brown 3 Erin McManus; boys 1 Adam Waddell 2 Warren Furness 3 Logan White sack race girls Erin McManus 2 Keira Cairney 3= Sophie Brown and Isaura Hughes; boys Warren Furness 2 Hugh Lynn 3 Adam Waddell; 3-legged girls 1 Isaura Hughes & Sophie Brown 2 Paige McKay & Hailey Innes 3Bronwyn Bonar & Beth Lynn; boys Jamie Innes & Kraig Todd 2 Dale Berry & Murray Coakley 3 Logan White & Cameron Swan; marathon 2 Sophie Greenhalgh 2 Erin McManus; boys 1 Adam Waddell 2 Warren Furness 3 Ewan Waddell;  P1 flat girls 1 Eve Waddell 2 Abbie McMaster 3 Emma Tait ; boys 1 Daniel Cadell 2 Sam Lees 3 Steven Gerskin; sack girls 1 Eve Waddell 2 Taylor Borthwick 3 Mia Mackie; boys 1 Sam Lees 2 Keiran Kirkland 3 Daniel Cadell 3-legged race 1 Channell White & Casey McLeary  2 Eve Waddell & Taylor Borthwick 3 Emma Tait & Rebecca Singer; marathon girls 1 Taylor Borthwick 2 Roxie Gibb3 Eve Waddell; boys 1 Sam Lees 2 Daniel Cadell 3 Liam Baillie;  P2 flat girls 1 Abbie Leyden 2 Orla Brown 3= Amber Blair & Lorrie Fisher; boys 1 Luke Kinnaird 2 Aiden White 3 Kyle Hughes; sack girls 1 Abbie Leyden 2 Jemma Findlay 3 Amber Blair; boys Briar Kerr 2 Cameron Waddell 3 Kyle Hughes; 3-legged girls Emma Currie & Jemma Findlay 2 Louise Dick & Laurie Fisher 3 Orla Brown & Abbie Leyden; boys Kyle Hughes & Aiden White 2 Adam Bass & Jack Lambie 3 Cameron Waddell & Luke O’Donnell; marathon girls 1 Abbie Leyden 2 Tiegan Smart 3 Orla Brown; boys Kyle Hughes 2 Aiden White 3 Briar Kerr; P3 flat girls 1 Erin McComiskey 2 Nicole Furness 3 Elyssa Rae; boys 1 Murray Arnott 2 Douglas Lafferty 3 Josh Anderson; sack girls 1 Erin McComiskey 2 Elyssa Rae 3 Latisha Lamont; boys 1 Josh Anderson 2 Jade McPhee 3 Matthew Rickis; 3-legged girls 1 Morgan Robertson & Brooke Simpson 2 Robyn Waddell & Latisha Lamont 3 Elyssa Rae & Caitlin Dick; boys 1 Josh Anderson & Ewan Pearson 2 Josh Greenhalgh & Drew Russell 3 Murray Arnott & Jamie McPhee; marathon girls 1 Erin McComiskey 2 Nicole Furness 3 Elyssa Rae; boys 1 Murray Arnott 2 Josh Anderson 3 Matthew Rickis; P4 flat girls Kerry Brown 2 Kaitlin Skippins 3 Chloe Benton; boys 1 Cameron Swift 2 Sam Waddell 3 Max Traill; sack girls 1 Nicola Lees 2 Kerry Brown 3 Kaitlin Skippins; boys 1 Max Traill 2 Cameron Swift 3 Owen Sweeney; 3-legged girls 1 Lauren Hastings & Kerry Brown 2 Toni Todd & Tiegan Robertson 3 Nicola Lees & Jordyn Borthwick; boys Kyle Findlay & Owen Sweeney 2 Max Traill & David McKeown 3 Cameron Swift & Sam Waddell; marathon girls 1 Kerry Brown 2 Hannah Fleming 3 Olivia Brown; boys 1 Max Traill 2 Sam Waddell 3 Tom Nisbet;  P5 flat girls 1 Eilidh Hunter 2 Camryn Elliott 3 Sian Robertson; boys 1 Ewan Ballantine 2 Calum Crawford 3 Frank Spiers; sack race girls 1 Ava Kerr 2 Carla Buchanan 3= Shelby Broughton & Sian Robertson; boys Adam Burns 2 TJ Cuthbert 3 Frank Spiers; 3-legged girls 1 Mikelle Shaw & Elise Marshall 2 Kloe McKay & Camryn Elliott 3 Shelby Broughton & Naomi Watson; boys 1 TJ Cuthbert & Rhys Beveridge 2 Ethan Cadell & Aaron Burns 3 Frank Spiers & Ewan Ballantine; marathon girls 1 Ava Kerr 2 Carla Buchanan 3 Sian Robertson;  boys 1 Ewan Ballantine 2 Calum Crawford 3 TJ Cuthbert; P6 flat girls first race 1 Ellie Gartland 2 Chloe Smith 3 Lauren Hannah; second race 1 Chloe Milne 2 Rona Arnott 3 Lisa Anderson; boys Luke Harley 2 Aaron Hughes 3 Cameron Brown; sack race girls first race 1= Ellie Gartland & Chloe Bell 3 Alex Meldrum; second race 1 Chloe Milne 2 Carrigan Kerr 3 Lisa Anderson; boys 1 Luke Harley 2 Jamie Traill 3 Ethan Rae; 3-legged girls first race 1 Chloe Milne & Shannon Hoey 2 Rona Arnott & Megan McDonald 3 Cindy Cosgrove & Caitlin Todd, second race 1 Laura Renton & Lisa Anderson 2 Stephanie Hosie & Erin Duncan 3 Ellie Gartland & Jennifer; boys 1 Luke Harley & Jake McDonald 2 Lee McKenzie & Aaron Hughes 3 Cameron Brown & Jamie Traill; marathon girls 1 Sarah Lindsay 2 Chloe Milne 3 Lauren Hannah; boys 1 Luke Harley 2 Ross Vance 3 Aaron Hughes; P7 flat girls 1 Kaitlin Leyden 2 Coral Cole 3 Charlotte Fleming; boys 1 Andrew Brady 2 Jordan Baxter 3 Andrew Watson; sack 1 Natalie Lees 2 Kaitlin Leyden 3 Lanna Meek; boys 1 Andrew Brady 2 Jake McKeown 3= Andrew Fleming & Brandon Watson; 3-legged girls 1 Emma Todd & Sarah Walker 2 Hannah Cadell & Alison Murray 3 Natalie Lees & Kirsty Lambie; boys 1 Andrew Brady & Jake McDonald 2 Lee McKenzie & Aaron Hughes 3 Cameron Brown & Jamie Traill; marathon girls 1 Kaitlin Leyden 2 Charlotte Fleming 3 Natalie Lees; boys 1 Andrew Brady 2 Calum McGuire 3 Jordan Baxter; Secondary flat girls 1 Jade Cosgrove 2 Alannah McKernan; boys 1 Darren Cuthbert 2 Christopher Syme 3 Gavin Cochrane; sack race 1 Chantelle Gillon 2 Jade Cosgrove 3 Alannah McKernan; boys Gavin Cochrane 2 Adam Sinclair 3 Jordan Smart; 3-legged girls 1 Chantelle Gillon & Chloe Muir 2 Shelby McNeill & Danielle Skippins 3 Hannah Cadell & Alannah McKernan; marathon girls 1 Alannah McKernan 2 Danielle Skippins 3 Jade Cosgrove; boys 1 Cameron Walker 2 Christopher Syme 3 James Marshall; Disabled 1 Leah Millar; Fathers 1 Stuart Findlay 2 Andrew Currie; Mothers 1 Jodie Miller 2 Sonia Forrest 3 Joanna Brown; schools’ championship 1 Eastertoun 2 Armadale 3 St. Anthony’s.        

Many thanks to the Armadale Academy pupils acting as adjudicators and to Armadale Thistle Supporters’ Club for the use of Volunteer Park.

 

 

 

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