1853 - 1854
December 1853
The first record of a plan to construct a curling pond in Nairn was recorded in the local press in reported Town Councl business.
The proposed site was near a saw-mill on the banks of the River Nairn near the Jubilee Bridge.
Two articles were published in the following two weeks issues of The Nairnshire Telegraph, prior to W.D.Penny registering the first Nairn Curling Club with the RCCC in 1854. The first is a general description of the game taken from "Chambers Information for the People"and the second is a full listing of the rules (all 20 !), as issued by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. The editor of the Nairnshire Telegraph introduced the transcriptions with the attached statement.
25th July 1854 Annual Meeting Of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club
The 'Annual' for 1854-55 carries a report of the Annual Meeting of the Royal Club, held in Taits New Royal Hotel, Edinburgh.
Proposed for membership of the Royal Club was Nairn, proposed by Mr M'George and seconded by Mr Paterson. The secretary of Nairn is named as W.D. Penny.
Also in the business of the meeting was the awarding of District Medals for competition the following winter. Nairn were drawn to play Inverness, the clubs to appoint their own umpire.