![\"ad2013group\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/ad2013group_1.jpg\" "\\"ad2013group\\"") <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nThe Howff Club\u2019s 124th<\/sup> Anniversary Dinner celebrating the birth of Robert Burns was held at the Globe Inn, Dumfries on Thursday, January 24. This evening brought together 80 Howffers amid the hallowed atmosphere of Burns\u2019 favourite inn. There is perhaps really nowhere else to be on this special evening and Howffers were very much aware of their privileged status.<\/p>\n Chairman was Ian McIntyre, president of the Howff who had the undiluted pleasure of introducing a variety of songs, recitations and toasts performed with style and flair by leading enthusiasts of Burns.<\/p>\n The evening started with a rousing performance of \u201cThere was a Lad\u201d led by Howffer Frank Curran, which was soon followed by the haggis being piped in by Pipe Major Callum Watson and addressed by the chairman. After dinner, the immeasurable talents within the club could not be suppressed. John Caskie\u2019s melodious voice was at its best with \u201cAy Wauking O\u201d while world-class accordionist James Coutts from Fife took full advantage of the exhilarating ether within the Globe to entertain the company.<\/p>\n A highlight of Howff anniversary dinners is the greetings from kindred clubs that are read in parts with some witty mischief and a measure of the apocryphal by club secretary David Smith. Salutations had been received from dozens of Burns clubs in England, the US, Australia and Europe.<\/p>\n The chairman introduced folk singer Jimmie MacGregor and invited him to deliver the toast to the Immortal Memory Now, at the age of 82, he has a shock of white wavy hair, retains the cheeky smile and has an infectious warmth that was born in Glasgow.<\/p>\n MacGregor recalled how in his earlier days the vast repertoire of songs by Burns had not really been fully appreciated and taken advantage by the folkies. His works were in the domain of tenors and sopranos but today all folk groups have a few Burns\u2019 songs in their performance.<\/p>\n He believed that Robert Burns saw himself as part of an ancient Scottish tradition, owing a debt to much older poets such as Ramsay and Dunbar. Burns also demonstrated his consideration for Robert Fergusson \u201chis elder brother in misfortune\u201d, who died at the age of 24, by commissioning a headstone in Canongate Churchyard.<\/p>\n This was an act that MacGregor felt was particularly poignant and it revealed Burns\u2019 compassion for a neglected talent and the revulsion for unmerited privilege, which was a recurring theme in the poet\u2019s life.<\/p>\n During the last years of his life, in failing health and struggling financially, Burns devoted his time \u201cbuilding and refurbishing\u201d many traditional songs. The sheer sweat of this unpaid work was remarkable and the notion that Burns was merely an \u201cinspired rustic\u201d was nonsense. The rewriting, corrections, punctuation of manuscripts was the work of a man with considerable talents.<\/p>\n MacGregor continued his journey on a musical theme opining that \u201cA Man\u2019s a Man for a\u2019 That\u201d should be Scotland\u2019s national anthem. It would be one of the rare anthems that didn\u2019t proclaim violence and aggression.<\/p>\n He closed with a parody on \u201cAuld Lang Syne\u201d but before that he summed the poet up in the words of Byron, a notorious harsh critic of fellow poets, \u201cWhat a mind, tenderness and roughness, delicacy and coarseness, sentiment and sensuality, soaring and grovelling, dirt and deity all mixed in one compound of inspired clay.\u201d<\/p>\n Piper Callum Watson played a lament but spirits were soon raised when Les Byers led the company in \u201cA Man\u2019s a Man\u201d.<\/p>\n The programme was temporarily punctuated when Bert Hastings, a Howffer for 25 years and president in 1994, was presented with honorary membership. Proceedings resumed with songs from well-known Scottish folk music artist Ian Bruce and a dramatic recitation of Tam o\u2019 Shanter by Donald Shamash.<\/p>\n Former MEP, Alasdair Hutton gave a witty toast to the Lassies O\u2019 in rhyme, which was followed by Howff club librarian Gordon Johnston with a cocky and swaggering recitation of Burns\u2019 \u201cThe Inventory.\u201d<\/p>\n Several songs and musical interludes from the artistes were well supported by Howffers who were still, despite the passing of midnight, in good and lively form.<\/p>\n Junior vice-president, John Clark gave a fitting appreciation of the singers and musicians and the chairman was thanked by past-president Frank Manson. And as the final fading chords of Auld Lang Syne drifted upwards into the heavens, the Globe Inn was left in peace with its resident ghosts in raucous harmony.<\/p>\n Charnwood Lodge Burns Lunch<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n A record number gathered for the annual Burns celebration provided by the club on 27th January for residents of the care home. This year, the event was a Burns Lunch rather than a supper and staff transformed the foyer with flags and bunting into a tartan grotto, complete with portraits of the Bard.<\/p>\n After the traditional Scotch Broth, the President addressed the Haggis with gusto and the company consumed the haggis, tatties and neeps with some enthusiasm. Jean Armour\u2019s Meringue Nest was a succulent dessert.<\/p>\n The programme got underway with the Loyal Toast proposed by the Chair and Bill Welsh set the scene with a song, followed by a recitation from Gordon Johnston and music on the accordion from the talented Lee McQueen. The toast to the \u201cImmortal Memory of Robert Burns\u201d was submitted with quiet authority by Ian McIntyre and a haunting lament on the bagpipes from Callum Watson tugged at the emotions. Bill Welsh brought a lighter note with a Scottish air and the \u201cLasses, O\u201d was toasted with wit by John Clark who included a verse or two of \u201cMy Luve, is like a Red, Red, Rose.\u201d Following another recitation from Gordon, Bill and the entire company raised the roof with the \u201cStar o\u2019 Rabbie Burns\u201d.\u00a0 One of the residents, Mrs. Pat Walsh, proposed a hearty vote of thanks and a spirited version of \u201cAuld Lang Syne\u201d brought a happy and enjoyable gathering to an end.<\/p>\n Waiting List Soiree<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n The club\u2019s Waiting List for membership has 21 applicants, the earliest dating from December 2007. In order to assure them that they were not forgotten, a soiree was held in the clubroom on 15th March to which all were invited. Eight applicants together with their sponsors and seconders turned up and were welcomed by president Ian McIntyre and other office bearers.\u00a0 Ian explained the club\u2019s history, traditions and programme and took a number of questions before an informal night of harmony with contributions from members and applicants alike.\u00a0 A feature was the arrival of haggis pies, kindly donated by past president Kerr Little and consumed with gusto accompanied by Mrs Brown\u2019s mushy peas. Lee McQueen supplied music.<\/sup><\/p>\n It is encouraging that members- in- waiting are enthusiastic and talented and hopefully some vacancies will occur soon.<\/p>\n Seated. Graham Trickey, Andrew Wood, Lex Muir, Don Moffat St Andrews Night Supper at the Globe Inn<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Callum Watson, Tom Clark, Godfrey Bedford, John Glover, Gordon Johnston, Neil Johnston, John Clark, David Smith There was an international flavour at the Burns Howff Club\u2019s annual St. Andrew\u2019s Night Dinner held in the Globe Inn o One of the guest artistes, Misha Pavlov from St. Petersburg, Russia, thrilled the company with the aria, \u201cLargo al Factotum\u201d from Mozart\u2019s \u201cMarriage of Figaro\u201d.\u00a0 Misha, a graduate student at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire, later sang from Bizet\u2019s \u201cCarmen\u201d and followed up with Burns\u2019 \u201cFetch to me a pint o\u2019 wine\u201d and \u201cO wert thou in the cauld blast\u201d with accompaniment of the harmonica. Earlier, members and guests were welcomed by President Ian McIntyre who introduced the principal guest, Brian Taylor, the BBC Scotland\u2019s Political Editor. After dinner, Mr. Taylor proposed the toast to \u201cAuld Scotia\u201d and took the company on a tour of \u201cScottishness\u201d with passing references to the \u201cScottish Cringe\u201d or the fear of failure, the glories of the Scot\u2019s culture of the past, to the resurrected Scottish Parliament as a vehicle for Scot\u2019s identity. Describing Robert Burns as an 18th century polymath, the speaker claimed that the poet was fully conscious of his intellectual powers which enabled him to take his place as an equal in Edinburgh literati of the 1780\u2019s.\u00a0 Mr. Taylor asserted that it was acceptable to reach back to the past while living in the present to cherish our authentic \u201cScottishness\u201d.\u00a0 The speaker received a standing ovation and accepted an inscribed commemorative tankard.<\/sup><\/p>\n Contributing to a stellar entertainment programme was David Pool from the \u201cMuckle Toon\u201d of Langholm with patriotic songs.\u00a0 Les Byers gave a stirring recitation of Bruce\u2019s address to his troops before the battle of Bannockburn, \u201cScots Wha Hae\u201d and later, a poetic version of the true story of SS Politician, which, laden with whisky, foundered off the Island of Barra during the war and its cargo was liberated by islanders. The tale was turned into a best seller, \u201cWhisky Galore\u201d, by Sir Compton Mackenzie and became a blockbuster film in 1949. Lt. Col. Farquhar McFarquhar, of the Catering Corp., in the guise of honorary member John Glover delighted the company with an anglicised rendition of Burns\u2019 \u201cAddress to the Haggis\u201d and later appeared as George Formby with a selection of old favourites.\u00a0 Club Piper, Callum Watson continued the international theme with a Russian medley on the bagpipes.<\/p>\n Community singing led by club songsters John Caskie and Frank Curran brought to a close a night to remember.<\/p>\n Junior Vice President John Clark proposed a comprehensive Vote of Thanks. The accompanist was Willie McRobert.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2012 Halloween Supper in the Globe Inn<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Hallowe\u2019en was celebrated in style in the Globe Inn by the Burns Howff Club. President Ian McIntyre welcomed a capacity gathering of members including guest speaker Mr. Bill Nolan of Irvine. A free-lance PR Consultant, Mr Nolan was formerly head of PR and Communications for Tennent\u2019s Scotland and confessed to having many happy memories of travelling worldwide in the 70 and 80\u2019s with the famous \u201cTennent\u2019s Lager Lovelies\u201d. After dinner, the speaker took the company on a highly entertaining tour of the origins of the Celtic Beltane festival of New Year, marked by the lighting of bonfires and certain rites, still believed to be kept by modern Pagans. Hallowe\u2019en, exported by the Scottish and Irish diaspora, has many guises in cultures throughout the world. Hallowe\u2019en or \u201cAll Hallows Eve\u201d was traditionally the day when the spirits of the dead were said to come back through the veil between their world and ours and converse with the living although this was something best avoided. Mr Nolan was thanked by the president and accepted an inscribed tankard.<\/p>\n Contributing to a stellar entertainment programme were the award winning pair Andy Kain and Craig Paton on the fiddle and accordion who brought their instruments alive with selections old and new. Making his first appearance at the Globe Inn was Willie Dick from Ayrshire whose droll recitations from Burns and others delighted the company. Other guests were the Iain Smith trio from Kirkcudbright who with their guitar accompaniment sang from Burns\u2019 \u201cMerry Muses\u201d. Club members John Caskie and Frank Curran enlivened the gathering with old favourites from their songbook and led the company in a raucous spell of community singing.<\/p>\n A comprehensive vote of thanks was proposed by junior vice president John Clark and a memorable night was brought to an end by a lively version of \u201cAuld Lang Syne\u201d.<\/p>\n Jean Armour Dinner<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Inclement weather did not dampen the spirits of members of Dumfries Burns Howff Club when they gathered for their annual ceremony to honour the memory of Jean Armour Burns at the statue to the wife of the National Bard, erected by the club in 2004.<\/p>\n A good turnout of members and friends was welcomed by President Ian McIntyre who placed a floral tribute on the plinth and invited Past President David Miller to deliver a brief appreciation of the poet\u2019s widow and of her<\/p>\n Later, a celebration dinner was held in the Globe Inn followed by a toast to \u201cJean Armour\u201d eloquently proposed by honorary member and past president Peter Kormylo who spoke of Mrs Burns\u2019 life and times in Dumfries after the death of her husband in 1796 and who outlived him by 37 years in the red sandstone house in what is now Burns Street.<\/p>\n A toast to \u201cThe Other Women in Burns\u2019 Life\u201d was submitted by another honorary member of the club, Wilson Ogilvie, who touched on the numerous female admirers of the poet from the taverns of Mauchline to the Drawing Rooms of Edinburgh\u2019s New Town. Robert, Mrs Burns had said, should have had two wives.<\/p>\n Contributing to a stellar entertainment programme was special guest artiste, Holly Little, winner of the local SSCBA Schools Competition whose lovely voice brought to life favourites \u201cBy yon Castle Wa\u2019\u201d and \u201cThe gowden locks of Anna\u201d to great acclaim.\u00a0 Avril Kerr\u2019s recitations were delivered with passion and club members John Caskie, Les Byers and Bill Welsh were in top form with songs old and new.<\/p>\n Delegates from Dumfries Ladies Burns Club No. 1 and Annan Ladies Burns Club were welcomed by the president and brought fraternal greetings from their respective clubs.<\/p>\n Following a lively spell of community singing, junior vice president John Clark moved a comprehensive Vote of Thanks before voices were raised in \u201cAuld Lang Syne\u201d at the conclusion of one of the most enjoyable gatherings in recent years.<\/p>\n The accompanist was Willie McRobert.<\/p>\n Annual Club Outing to The Royal Yatch Britannia<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Club visits the Royal yatch at Leith by coach then goes to Edinburgh to take in some of the atmosphere of the fringe<\/p>\n 25th April 2013<\/b><\/p>\n The final Winter Club Night for the season was another visit to the Sulwath micro brewery at Castle Douglas when 14 members and friends were conveyed by another member, Colin Craig, in the customary luxury minibus. Members took full advantage of the opportunity to buy from a selection of cask beers of all strengths, including the recent \u201cGrace\u201d blend, brewed for the 2009 Homecoming Year <\/p>\n 28\/03\/2013 – Peter Westwood<\/b><\/p>\n Peter Westwood, former editor of the Burns Chronicle, was guest at the March meeting and enthralled the company with a talk on Robert Burns family and descendants. 25\/11\/2012 – Peter Kormylo<\/b><\/p>\n Past President and honorary member Peter Kormylo brought the study of Scottish history into the 21st century during his talk on the national Education Scotland initiative.\u00a0 Peter took the member through the newly relaunched website and explored some of the links and resources which the web provided for studies of Scots history and culture,<\/p>\n 25\/10\/2012 – Rab Wilson<\/b><\/p>\n The second of our winter club nights we were delighted to welcome Rab Wilson who spoke on the struggle which the Scots language is going through compared to the funding which gaelic is receiving.<\/p>\n 27\/09\/2012 – David Collins <\/b><\/p>\n The season opened for the Burns Howff Club with the first Winter Cub Night in the Globe Inn on 27th September when President Ian McIntyre welcomed a pleasing attendance of members and friends and introduced guest speaker, Mr. David Collin from Kirkcudbright.\u00a0 Mr Collin, a retired architect and current 2012 to 2013 club activities Howff Anniversary Dinner 2013 The Howff Club\u2019s 124th Anniversary Dinner celebrating the birth of Robert Burns was held at the Globe Inn, Dumfries on Thursday, January 24. This evening brought together 80 Howffers amid the … Continue reading |
![\"ad2013jm\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/ad2013jm_1.jpg\" "\\"ad2013jm\\"")
of Robert Burns. MacGregor needs little introduction in Scotland, his fame coming from the regular television appearances with Robin Hall and latterly with his MacGregor\u2019s Gathering radio programme.<\/p>\n![\"ad2013guests\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/ad2013guests_1.jpg\" "\\"ad2013guests\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"cl2013a\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/cl2013a_1.jpg\" "\\"cl2013a\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"cl2013b\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/cl2013b_1.jpg\" "\\"cl2013b\\"")
President Ian McIntyre introduced the top table which consisted of John Clark JVP, Gordon Johnston, Librarian, Bill Welsh, past president, Callum Watson, club piper, Lee McQueen, accompanist and David Smith, Honorary Secretary who intoned the \u201cSelkirk Grace\u201d. In his introduction, the president said that this function was an important event in the club calendar and members looked forward to coming to Charnwood each year.<\/p>\n![\"waitinglist\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/waitinglist.jpg\" "\\"waitinglist\\"")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n![\"stann2013a\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/stann2013a.jpg\" "\\"stann2013a\\"")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n![\"misha2013\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/misha2013.jpg\" "\\"misha2013\\"")
n 30th November.<\/p>\n![\"stann2013b\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/stann2013b.jpg\" "\\"stann2013b\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"Halloween12s\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/Halloween12s.jpg\" "\\"Halloween12s\\"")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n![\"jad12a\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/jad12a.JPG\" "\\"jad12a\\"")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n![\"britannia\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/britannia.jpg\" "\\"britannia\\"")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n![\"clubn240413\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/clubn240413.jpg\" "\\"clubn240413\\"")
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n![\"ClubN0313\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/autogen\/ClubN0313.jpg\" "\\"ClubN0313\\"")
![\"wcn0912\"](\"http:\/\/www.burnshowffclub.org\/assets\/images\/wcn0912.JPG\" "\\"wcn0912\\"")
author gave an illustrated talk on the schooner \u201cPrince of Denmark\u201d, built on the Moat Brae at Kirkcudbright in 1789. Mr. Collin is publishing a book on the remarkable history of the \u201cPrince\u201d whose disappearance from the records for the 33 years following her launching is explained by her early service as a Revenue Cutter and speculation is made that Robert Burns, who was an Excise Officer at the time of her construction could perhaps have been preset at her launching.\u00a0 Her reappearance in official records in London in 1822 is detailed and relate to her early voyages to Australia and New Zealand when the thirst for exploration, new lands and new opportunities characterised the early 19th century.\u00a0 David\u2019s narrative covered the visionary colonists, whalers, sealers, Maoris, botanists, butchers, missionaries, coopers, cannibals, convicts, aristocrats, confidence tricksters, explorers and seamen of many nationalities, linked to their contact to the \u201cPrince of Denmark\u201d.\u00a0 Following her shipwreck off the Chesterfield Islands in the Pacific Ocean in 1863, the ship\u2019s carpenter rebuilt a smaller schooner from the wreckage named \u201cHamlet\u2019s Ghost\u201d. All of which is verified in detail by the ships logs and contemporary records. The voyages of the \u201cPrince of Denmark and \u201cHamlet\u2019s Ghost\u201d highlight the courage, skill and vision of men and women who experienced hardship, danger, adversity, duplicity and skulduggery in their quest for riches in colonial lands of supposed plenty.