1935

NAIRN CURLING CLUB.

The annual general meeting of the Nairn Curling Club was held in the Royal Hotel, Nairn, on the evening of Friday last—Major D. Fraser in the chair. The office bearers for the season were appointed: President, Mr Robert Park; vice-president, Mr James Lamb ; ice master, Major Fraser; chaplain; the Rev. F. S. Gordon Fraser; auditor, Mr John Macgregor, and honorary secretary and treasurer, Mr D Michael. Skips. Messrs R. Park, D. Michael, D. Fraser, Joseph Mackay, J. Lamb, D. A. MacLean, Dr J. Innes Watson, and Alex, Joiner. Representative members, Mr Park and the secretary.

The secretary reported that the membership of the Club had been fully maintained. Owing to the absence of frost there had been less curling last winter than in any season since the club had started, but the ponds at Lodgehill Road were put in order for the coming winter and it was hoped there would be a full season's curling. A new set of gas lamps had been installed on the west most rinks and members would now have every opportunity of enjoying the game in the evening.

A vote of thanks was accorded to Major Fraser for presiding.

CURLERS PREPARE FOR WINTER PASTIME

The Province of Moray Curling Association held its annual general meeting in Forres last week, when representatives from various clubs in the area were present.

Sir A P Gordon-Cumming, Bart., of Altyre, presided, and office-bearers were re-elected as follows:- President, Sir A P Gordon-Cumming; vice-presidents, The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Moray, the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Leven and Melville KT., the Rt. Hon the Earl of Cawdor, Colonel Ian K Thomson of Burgie, and Mr Robert Park, Nairn; hon. treasurer and secretary - Mr H J Munn, The British Linen Bank, Nairn.

It was resolved to hold a bonspiel on the Loch of Blairs, Altyre on the first available ice, with a match, East versus West. The draw for the bonspiel is as follows, the east rink being the first in each case:- Forres no 1 v Dyke no 1 ; Rothes no 1 v Nairn no 1 ; Fochabers no 2 v Glenferness no 2; Mulben no 1 v Dyke no 2; Elgin no 2 v Cawdor no 1 ; Cullen no 2 v Glenferness no 1 ; Mulben no 2 v Ardclach no 2; Forres no 2 v Ardclach no1; Banff & Macduff no 1 v Nairn no 2; Cullen no 1 v Cawdor no 2; Altyre no 1 v Dulsie no 2; Fochabers no 1 v Auldearn no 2 ; Elgin no 1 v Nairn no 3 ; Rothes no 2 v Dulsie no 1; Altyre No 2 v Auldearn no 1.

Nairnshire Telegraph, 5^th Nov., 1935

COUNTY CURLING ASSOCIATION DRAW - The Right Hon. the Earl of Leven and Melville presided over the annual meeting of the Nairnshire County Curling Association at the Royal Hotel, Nairn, on Thursday. The office-bearers were re-elected viz: President, the Chairman; vice-president Mr W Swann, Glenferness Club; secretary and treasurer, Mr A J Mackintosh, Auldearn; Match Committee - Messrs Robert Park, Nairn and Mr Jas. M Mitchell, Ardclach, with the vice-president and secretary.

The bonspiel draw came out as under for first ice at Achnatone or Glenferness pond:- Auldearn no 2 v Nairn no 4 ; Dulsie no 1 v Nairn no 1; Ardclach no 1 v Cawdor no 1; Glenferness no 2 v Cawdor no 2; Glenferness no 1 v Nairn no 2; Dulsie no 2 v Nairn no 3; Ardclach no 2 v Auldearn no 1.

It was remitted to Messrs J McLeod Gordon of Cawdor Club, and Mr H J Munn of Nairn Club to arrange for the biennial provincial dinner.

Nairnshire Telegraph, 10^th Dec. 1935

NAIRN CURLERS IN ACTION - With several days of frost last week, curling was in progress at Nairn for the first time this season. The curlers were busy from Wednesday till Saturday, when friendly games were in full swing.

Nairnshire Telegraph, 17^th Dec. 1935

CURLING IN THE RAIN - With the return of Jack Frost local curlers were in their element at the Lodgehill Ponds last week. The ice was almost perfect and curling went on by day in bright sunshine and by gaslight at night.

One"hardy annual" game played at night in the rain proved one of the closest matches of the series, having been won with the skip's laststone. as one of the players remarked at the finish " rain or no rain, it was well worth it".

The Forres club sent a rink here on Wednesday afternoon and after a close match the local club ran out winners by one point. Forres, 13; Nairn - Dr D R Macdonald, A Joiner, Dr J I Watson and R Park (skip) 13. (as printed in NT)

Local curlers are going to hold their usual points game on Christmas day and to take park in the Moray Provincial Bonspiel to be held at Loch of Blairs. This consists of an East v West match, the Nairnshire clubs forming a greater part of the West team.

NAIRNSHIRE BONSPIEL - The annual bonspiel held under the auspices of the Nairnshire Curling Association took place on Friday. The Achnatone or Ardclach pond was chosen for first ice. All the clubs embraced were fully represented, viz, Ardclach, Auldearn, Cawdor, Dulsie, Glenferness and Nairn. A slight thaw was rather against high scoring but expectations were kept up at every rink by keen play. Glenferness Club came out winners, Ardclach, Auldearn and Dulsie were next, all equal in average. Mr Park handed over the challenge cup to Mr Swann, and the replica cup to MrAllan, as the most successful skip. Cheers were raised for the Glenferness Club on the call of Mr Park, also for those who carried out the arrangements.

Nairnshire Telegraph, 24^th Dec. 1935

CURLING. - Frosty weather with threatened thaws intervening, has prevailed during the past week and curling has continued in full swing at the Lodgehill ponds - day and night. The club sent two rinks to Inverness on Saturday afternoon to play the Highland Club at Kingsmills. When play commenced the ice was wet and druggy, but improved as the afternoon went on. The Inverness club ran out winners. The rinks were: Inverness No 1 - K Grant, A G Paton, K Junor, A Matheson (skip), 16. Nairn - G McL Gordon, Dr Watson, Major Fraser, R Park (skip), 10. Inverness No 2 - Col Methuen, J T Cox, J T Bookless, Alex Douglas (skip) 14; Nairn - W H Couper, J S Reid, Col Cram, D Michael (skip), 10. The Nairn Club are sending two rinks to Carsebreck to take part in the Royal Caledonian Curling Club's grand match today. The rinks are to be skipped by Mr Park and Major Fraser.

Nairnshire Telegraph, 31^th Dec. 1935

CURLING - The grand match of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club took place at Carsebreck on Tuesday last, when the Northern clubs beat the Southern by 5102 shots to 4266, a majority of 836. The challenge trophy was won by the Monzievaird Perthshire Club with the very high average majority of 28^1/₂ points per rink, Major Graham Stirling's rink being 44 shots up on their opponents. The two Nairn rinks were drawn against two Airthry Castle rinks and won both their matches, Mr Park's rink by 22 to 7 and Major Fraser's by 16 to 12. The match was played in a bitter cold wind and the thaw set in while the match was in progress with the result that the ice got drugged and play became difficult.