Embedded Files
29th January 1968 - Management Committee
Final arrangements for the dinner and court on February 2nd. It was estimated that approx 100 will attend. James Asher would be donating a 60th Anniversary Cake. Tom Walls intimated he was to meet the directors of the Inverness Ice Rink company.
6th February 1968 - Nairnshire Telegraph
CURLING
NAIRN CLUB'S 60th DINNER AND COURT
Nairn Curling Club's sixtieth anniversarydinner and court was held at the Royal Hotel, Nairn on Friday; Sandy Hay again presided at this most popular function and greeted nearly a hundred curlers, After the Chairman graciously toasted H.M. The Queen, there followed a list of speakers whose erudition more than favourably compared with an All-party meeting in the House of Commons.
In toasting Jack Frost, Col. David Brown sculptured a statuesque tribute to this perennial Winter Architect, at the same time losing no opportunity in offering helpful advice and constructive hints for maintaining the constitutional 'Brotherhood of the Rink.' The audience could almost feel the flying chips from David's chiselled tongue hammering the vital features, dispersing the superfluous, and moulding the whole, as it were, into a clear-cut sculpture worthy of an Apprentice of Michelangelo. One would have thought that David had been commissioned by a Borgia or a Medici but he was subordinate only to "Jack Frost."
R.C.C.C. PRESIDENT
The toast to the R.C.C.C., given by the Rev. Jack Cumming, and in similar vein to the previous speaker, entertained and. no doubt, enlightened all present, not the least, being the President of the R.C.C.C., Lord Bruce, who was. to reply. We shall all miss our Chaplain and again renew our esteem and fervently wish he and his family every happiness at Palmerston Place.
Lord Bruce was thoroughly humorous in his reply to the toast to the R.C.C.C. . It was understood by all, that the use of the broom in providing a clean sheet of ice was equivalent to a brush in any. establishment, sweeping away all imperfections. The President's journey to Nairn was greatly appreciated and we wish him every success when leading Scotland in Canada this year.
Ross Christie, well chosen to toast "Neighbouring Clubs" (being secretary to the. Moray and Nairn Province) promoted a unison of' feeling and thought for the continuance of friendly rivalry without which this great game would assuredly and inevitably suffer.
OUTDOOR CURLING
Jimmy Cattell, of the Dalcross Club, replying on behalf of Forres, Fochabers, Highland, Strathspey, Elgin, Cawdor and Ardclach, stressed the importance of outdoor curling in maintaining all their happy links with each other and suggested that the competitive game would be more apparent with the advent of indoor curling at Aviemore and the proposed rink at Inverness.
A very important toast, 'Young Curlers, was given by Dr John Grant who was in jovial and excellent form. From .Stornoway to Rome he outlined the great future ahead for all young curlers, nothing should prevent them from emulating and exceeding other well-known international curlers, no country was barred to them and no heights were unattainable — as one curler present remarked "in fact ascending Pontifical heights !
As a " young curler," James A. Craigie thanked the previous speaker and assured those present that the spirit of the game would be maintained and they would strive to reach the standard, if not outshine, the well-known curlers of today. This enthusiasm speaks well for the future and we must endeavour to encourage to the full, our younger generation.
HAPPY KNACK
Tom Walls gave the toast to “The-Chairman" in his customary and admirable way He thanked Sandy for the supreme handling of the night's proceedings, in fact Sandy had the happy knack of commenting most apposite of the individual whom he introduced . Our warmest thanks are due to Tom Walls himself, who conducted the ''Court" with severity blended with compassion, which is no easy task on such occasions.
Robert Mirtle, prior to rouping the Stoup, for which he abstracted a goodly sum, and a generous one from Walter Walker, recited an original ode to the "Curler's Wjfe" —a judicious and .timely obligation to every wife—and thoroughly endorsed by husbands and bachelors alike.
My Lord's Officers are thanked for their untiring vigil during the '"Court" and congratulations to the expert Group who presented the Initiates, without whom the. Court would fail in its attraction to all comers at this annual gathering. A bouquet to James MacMorran at the piano and to Sandy Tulloch for his talent in giving us two splendid solos on the fiddle.
SYMBOLIC CAKES
To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Nairn Club's admission: to the R.C.C.C., James. Asher kindly I donated two cakes, symbolic of curling stones and brooms. He and his staff deserve praise indeed for their undoubted craft. Initiates at the Court, who also receive the congratulations of all curlers, were —from Cawdor Club : Walter Allan, jnr. and James A. Craigie; from Strathspey Club: David Ross and Nigel Grant; and from the Nairn Club: Alex Erskine, Doug Florance and Reg Pole.
A memorable night for all and one hopes and looks forward to many more. The dinner was again excellent and Mr and Mrs Walker and their catering staff, as always, did a splendid job.
16th February 1968 - Management Committee
Eric F Brown was included in the Aviemore team to play against Aberdeen for a place in the Scottish Finals in Edinburgh. The Town v. County Match was arranged for Aviemore on 16th March.
The american film "This is Curling" would be shown on 18th March at 8pm in the Invernairne Hotel, admission 3/6. There would be a free showing for juniors at 5.30pm.
The meeting noted that Inverness Ice Rink would be open for curling from September 30th 1968 for five sessions per day. Morning sessions would be 8/- per head and other sessions 10/-.
12th March 1968. - Nairnshire Telegraph
CURLING
COUNTRY CLUBS WIN
The annual match at Aviemore Ice rink held recently saw seven rinks from Nairn play opposition from Cawdor and Ardclach Clubs. The county clubs claimed victory over the town curlers for the first time. The occasion was a rewarding one for the Ardclach Club when the cup for the highest up rink was presented to S. A. Macarthur, the other members of the rink being Stanley Brown, John Fraser and George Macarthur.
The results, with the Town skips given first, were J. Macfadyen 2, S A. Macarthur 14; T. Walls 9, D. Macarthur 7; J. Asher 10, S. Urquhart 8; R. A. Fraser 5. A. Wood 9; A. B. Read 9, W. Stewart 7; E. F Brown 4. A. Mowatt 9: A. Hay 10, W. Allan 11.
22nd March 1968 - Management Committee
Forty-two had attended the successful film show held on 18th March. Four rinks were chosen to play a District Medal match against Highland on the 24th of April.
It was agreed to book Inverness Ice Rink on a Tuesday early in December from 7.15pm until midnight at a cost of £40.
22nd April 1968 - Annual General Meeting
Club funds were £151:8/8 in the general account and £103:13/5 in the reserve account. 10 days outdoor curling were reported during the 1967-68 season. The retiring President congratulated various prize winners, including Harry Lamb, winner of the Jubilee Shield and Eric Brown, winner of the Club League, for which a new shield had been presented by an anonymous donor. Robert Mirtle's rink had won the Park Cup.
Jim Webster was elected president with Donald Fraser as vice president and Rev John Taylor chaplain. One rink was entered for the RCCC Rinks Championship – J Asher to skip.
Three rinks were to be entered for the Province League competition to be held at Inverness.
17th May 1968 - Management Committee
It was agreed to re-spray ponds 3 and 4 and re-seal the sleeper edges with bitumen. The rings were to be repainted, and the hoses checked. Weedkiller had been succesfully applied. Tom Walls gave a report on the ice rink at Inverness under construction, and which it was hoped would open with a bonspiel in September1968.
28th July 1968 - Opening of Inverness Ice Rink
The Inverness ice rink opened with a full page "advertorial" in the local edition of the Aberdeen Press & Journal, a copy of which can be seen here. The Northscot advertisement promised much.
6th August 1968 - Nairnshire Telegraph
NOTED IN PASSING
NAIRN CURLERS have, for manv years, travelled long distances to take advantage of the facilities for indoor ice-rinks. At one time it was chiefly to Perth and Aberdeen that they went and many are the stories recounted of these winter jaunts. More recently Aviemore has been the Mecca but the moorland roads could still be a worry in bad weather. Now, however, our local curlers and skaters have an easier alternative in the new rink at the Bught Park in Inverness and it wasn't just the champagne which I enjoyed as a guest of Mr Angus Macleod and his fellow 'Northsport' directors at the recent opening ceremony that made me view this new amenity with an appreciative eye. Not quite so vast as the Aviemore rink, which is reputed to be one of the largest in Europe, the Inverness rink is constructed on broadly similar lines with a glassed-in club lounge and bar at one end above the usual facilities. There is also a spacious restaurant and as the rink adjoins the Bught caravan site I should imagine that this will help to ensure that both skating and catering facilities will be well patronised during the curlers' 'silent' season. Indeed Provost W. Smith when opening the rink emphasised that the project provided a valuable new amenity for visitors as well as residents. Another good point, I felt, was made by Development Board-Chairman Professor Grieve who said that if young people were to be retained in the North they needed social activities as well as jobs. Costing £150,000 and providing 35 iobs for Inverness people the project Has had financial assistance from the Highlands and Islands Development Board and also the cooperation of Inverness Town Council in finding a suitable site, etc. I would say that all concerned are to be congratulated in turning out an extremely ship-shape job in the short. period of 34 weeks and that the rink might well form a substantial nucleus for further development as a sports and social centre.
The opening of the new ice rinks in Aviemore and Inverness were watershed moments in the history of Nairn Curling Club. The upkeep of the Lodgehill ponds was expensive . The bases of the ponds had to be kept clean of weeds and debris winter and summer. An ice-master had to be on hand during the winter to ensure the ponds were ready for play . The dilemma for the club was whether to continue the lease of the land from the Nairnshire Farming Society or to transfer all curling to the new indoor ice-rinks. The future of the Lodgehill ponds would be debated over the next few years.
8th Aug 1968 Management Committee
Congratulations were extended to Tom Walls on his election to the RCCC Council, and all the work he had done for Highland Curling was acknowledged. It was agreed to send £5 to the RCCC as a contribution to the fund to purchase offices at 2, Coates Grescent, Edinburgh.
Clarification had been sought from the RCCC re the practice of “walking” a stone to the hogline before delivery. It was agrred by the RCCC that this was not an “uninterrupted delivery” as per Rule 58.
20th Sept 1968 Management Committee
EF Brown agreed to organise a whisky tasting and curling film show in the Nairn Golf Club clubhouse.
21st Nov 1968 Management Committee
It was reported that the Points competition which had been arranged for October 17th at Aviemore, had had to be cancelled due to lack of interest. The whisky tasting at the golf club, sponsored by Johnny Walker, had been a great success.
A grant of £10 was approved to James Asher towards his efforts with junior curling.
November 1968. - Allander Trophy
24th December 1968 - Nairnshire Telegraph
OUTING TROPHY WON
The Annual Outing of Nairn Curling Club took place on Wednesday evening Dec 18th, when ten rinks travelled to Inverness Ice Rink. The Annual Outing Trophy was won by J Asher(skip), T Hastie, A Erskine and P Green.
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