St Andrews in Focus Issue 53 Jul Aug 2012

St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

July / August 2012 Issue 53, £2.00

the award winning magazine for St Andrews www.standrewsinfocus.com

Linda Paton is delighted to win this year’s Art Club Competition.

Looking over the Rooftops to the Old Cathedral I have always loved to draw and paint for as long as I can remember. I came to live in St Andrews when I was eleven years old, when my Dad was employed as Head Gardener at Kinburn Park. I first became a member of the St Andrews Art Club in the mid-seventies, and continued with this until I got married. When I had my two girls I didn’t have much time to paint and therefore gave up my membership of the Art Club.

I worked as a window dresser in Cairds, in Bell Street, and other fashion shops throughout the town, but I missed painting and only dabbled in it when I had the time. However, fate had a hand to play when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis over four years ago. I had to give up working because of my condition and I then turned to my painting and drawing again as a way to keep my mind occupied and active.

I was fortunate to be able to join the Art Club again with the help of Barbara Forrester and have enjoyed every minute of it since then. I have made many very good friends; with the help of Alan Stephens I feel I have steadily progressed with my painting. I like to paint in any medium, but I enjoy painting in oils the most. My good friend Anne Dunlop persuaded me to hold an exhibition with her in Elie last year. This gave me a great deal of pleasure talking and describing my paintings to the many visitors. I enjoyed this so much that we are going to hold another exhibition there again this July.

I chose this particular scene to paint as it is not the normal one that you usually see of the Cathedral. It is painted from down Gregory Lane looking over the rooftops of Gregory Place towards the cathedral. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed painting it.

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St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more

From the Editor About 61BC in ancient Rome, Cicero said that, “The cities of Greece were taken, not by Philip, but by Philip’s gold.” Substitute “Europe” for “Philip” and “Euros” for “gold” and the same situation applies today, or almost. It seems to me that in the wider world gold, i.e. money, forms today’s morality, overriding even common sense. (I hope, though, I’ve got it wrong!). However, in St Andrews itself, there is no lack of kindness and collaboration. The old values of politeness and consideration are still with us. They give our town that quality of timelessness (our students call it ‘the Bubble‘), which is so much worth preserving as a beacon of decency. No wonder, once experienced, people always return to this Auld Grey Toon by the Northern Sea – it is, indeed, very special. Have a great summer!

Flora Selwyn

******** The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor.

JULY / AUGUST 2012 EDITOR Flora Selwyn Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com DESIGNER University of St Andrews Print & Design (printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk) PRINTER Winter & Simpson (ken@trendellsimpson.co.uk) DISTRIBUTER Elspeth’s of Guardbridge PUBLISHER (address for correspondence) Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9YZ. Tel: 01334 472375 Email: editor@standrewsinfocus.com SUBSCRIPTIONS St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year.

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Contents FEATURES • The Community Council • Only in St Andrews!

• Lady Ann Erskine • Hamada’s trees • Laughter therapy • Wemyss Ware Pottery • Luggage • Can you help?

• Ask the Curator • Being at Sea • Younger Hall revisited • Reviews: – Books to win – Out and About Poetry – Overview – Roodica the Rude SHOPS & SERVICES • The Merchants’ Association • Cheese and health • Sporting chance?

• Hannah Markham has the answer • Letting a house or flat • Roving Reporter • Eating Out: – Grizzly Gourmet at The Dining Room – Relaunch of the Road Hole Restaurant – The Grange Inn

4 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 9 9 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 20 21

ORGANISATIONS • Parkrun at Craigtoun • The AHSS • From Rotary District 1010 • Safety Panel

22 22 23 23

TOWN & GOWN • St Leonards Junior School • Marine Week report • Charity Polo Tournament • Cinema, St Andrews

24 25 25 26

EVENTS • Competition winners • A Festival of Walking • Selected Events

27 27 28

OUT AND ABOUT • Hidden gems (in plain view) • Limerick • Quis custodiet...

• Nature Notes • Toonspot

29 30 30 31 31

NEXT ISSUE – Sept/Oct 2012 COPY DEADLINE: STRICTLY 28 JULY

All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space.

Cover: Looking over the Rooftops to the Old Cathedral – An original oil painting by Linda Paton

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FEATURES From Kyffin Roberts, Chairrman of the Community Council & Henry Paul, Treasurer

Have you ever considered Volunteering?

One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area.

With cutbacks in local authority budgets all councils have to make financial savings across all of their services.

Consequently, there is an increasing number of opportunities for people to help in a variety of ways. The following are some of the organizations actively seeking volunteers in St Andrews: Gardening: St Andrews in Bloom – the organization that is responsible for the majority of the floral displays in town. The Botanic Garden has two gardening groups that meet on a Tuesday and Wednesday morning, and there are plans to use volunteer gardeners (under supervision) to help in the main gardens. Also at Craigtoun.

Family Support: Homestart (pre-school-age children) and Families First – offer families support with one-to-one befriending; befriending groups; a Primary/Secondary School Transition Group; Holiday Activities; and Breakfast Clubs.

House Bound/Elderly Support: Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WVRS); Pilgrim Care; Parish Nursing, the Trinity Community Project, are three projects that offer similar services.

Volunteers provide transport and assistance to individuals who cannot otherwise get out and about to carry out their personal business. Complementing the transport provision, volunteers

also provide companionship, assistance, and support to individuals – this could come in the form of a helping hand, a listening ear, or simply a comforting presence.

Community Council: The Community Council has several vacancies and its aim is as follows, “The general purpose of a community council shall be to ascertain, co-ordinate and express to the local authorities for its area, and to public authorities, the views of the community which it represents, in relation to matters for which those authorities are responsible, and to take such action in the interests of that community as appears to it to be expedient and practicable.” — Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. Furthermore, the Community Council arranges a number of events during the year, including the Senior Citizens’ Treat at Christmas; Bandstand Concerts during the summer; a garden Competition in August; a Civic Reception in the Autumn; and several coffee mornings throughout the year.

These are only a small sample of the organizations that are looking for volunteers. There are lots of other opportunities to volunteer, from working in charity shops; helping with riding for the disabled; to helping at the St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum.

If you would like further details of any of these activities please contact Kyffin Roberts, 07906 127 129.

Flora Selwyn gratefully thinks….

Only in St Andrews...!

On the way to lunch with a new friend, your editor posted a carefully-chosen birthday card for her grandson. On reaching the restaurant she suddenly realised she’d forgotten to put a stamp on it. Two hours later, wondering how best to warn her grandson, she had a brainwave and phoned the sorting office in the town. To her utter amazement and joy, not only was her call answered, but a postman was despatched, her letter retrieved (and duly stamped). The postman said it was not the first time such an extraordinary service had been provided, though unofficial.

I said I would tell the whole of St Andrews how lucky we are. Let us all give, ‘Three cheers for our kind-hearted posties!!’

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FEATURES An affectionate celebration by Flora Selwyn of

Lady Ann Erskine flown out to Arromanches and got towed out Lady Ann first of all recalled attending as a young woman a Gilbert & for D-Day, appeared out of the water! Quite Sullivan opera at Cambo House performed by the large family of her extraordinary!” [In order to facilitate the landing future husband, David Erskine. Lady Ann’s own grandmother used also to on the beach, concrete blocks and old boats invite her and her sister to Edinburgh to enjoy Gilbert & Sullivan operas; a from Britain were fascinating musical link!

Born in 1920 in Aldourie Castle, “a pink for her 90th birthday Lady Ann first sunk as a breakwater; ships castle”, on the shores of Loch Ness, Lady Ann gathered all her family around were then scuttled once Arromanches was told me “we used to stay at Balcaskie quite a liberated on 6 June, 1944.] lot”, near St Monans in Fife. On one of these her in her old family home to Lady Ann told me about the famous fire visits, invited to Cambo House, “it was winter enjoy a week-long celebration which gutted the original Cambo House in 1878. time”, they were taken to the top floor by “all Apparently, while the owners were away in these massed girls, they seemed an awful lot!”

London, staff held a party. Someone went down to the cellar to get more They turned off the lights and played “murder! I don’t think we’d ever been beer, leaving behind a lighted candle on a wooden strut. A groom “went so miserable in our lives!” Nevertheless, the Erskine family were firm gallopy, gallopy to St Andrews to get the fire machine, and when they got friends. there in the middle of the Much later, at the night, one of the horses outbreak of war, Lady that pulled the machine Ann was visiting her was having a foal. So grandmother in Edinburgh they had to run round when David Erskine St Andrews in the middle happened to be there of the night looking for too. They were soon another suitable beast. engaged to be married.

And gallopy, gallopy rather However, Lady Ann had slowly, back to Cambo. Of joined up, becoming a course, there was nothing communications expert much left! Quite amazing!” in the 21st Army Group, When Lady Ann’s a key part of wartime elder son, Peter, married operations, and since “life Catherine, they lived just wasn’t normal at all”, Embroidery Chair by Lady Ann for some years in South she was determined to America. Eventually, in put off marriage till after their turn, they moved the war. Asked what her into Cambo House, while wartime role was, Lady Lady Ann and Sir David Ann surprised me by moved into West Newhall her answer – “I planned Farm on the Estate. A D-Day!” – in London. Later, beautiful former tenant in Brussels, she was in farmer’s house, it too has charge of the Gestapo a long history. It is filled HQ building, “the Gestapo with memorabilia of a must have left in a frightful happy and eventful life. I hurry, because their discovered, for Lady Ann breakfast was on the table. hadn’t mentioned them, Must have been a very framed pictures painted quick get away!”

by Lady Ann. A most Once demobbed, accomplished artist, as Ann married her David, Sculpture (plaster) Bathroom wall painting (detail) well as needlewoman, moving into Cambo House. she recently took up sculpture. Fife’s marriage “Luckily it was no problem to me because I had guidance service (now Relate) was started lived at Aldourie. It was not quite as big, but still

by Lady Ann at a time when it was expected big”. For a while Lady Ann was able to run both that couples had to muddle along as best they houses, “I had plenty of energy.” But, “It took could, but “family is so important.” This led to me three years to discover I didn’t have quite the training of guidance counsellors all over enough energy to do all that”, and Aldourie was Scotland, involving a great deal of travelling sold. Fortunately the new owner is passionate around the country. “Now you get guidance about preserving Highland culture. The House is if your cat dies,” remarked Lady Ann with a in immaculate condition, available for hire. So, twinkle. She also mentioned that she and Sir for her 90th birthday Lady Ann gathered all her David at that time became progressively so family around her in her old family home to enjoy busy in different directions that they actually a week-long celebration – “I wrote to every single had purposefully to set aside one day each one, and they all came! It was such fun, and week entirely for themselves! nobody fought!” Many live in far countries, since, Lady Ann now has another family gathering as Lady Ann pointed out, Highland fortunes have to look forward to, this time to celebrate her sadly not been sufficient to support families in sister’s 90th birthday. Included will be “all Scotland. Although her mother had kept in touch the great-grandchildren”. I took my leave of with all the family, Lady Ann herself met quite a Lady Ann feeling very privileged to have been few of them on this occasion for the first time. allowed to share her memories. I wish her most “A lovely thing happened to me”: her grownsincerely, many new joys and much happiness. up grandchildren invited Lady Ann to show them the beach she landed on when she served in (Photos by Flora Selwyn.

Normandy in the war. “They thought it was pretty ‘Coming out’ portrait courtesy Peter Erskine) funny having a Granny as a Normandy veteran!

But anyhow they were madly interested. It was the greatest fun!” As the tide was very low, to their amazement “all the bits that had been

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FEATURES Anna-Kate Putter

Hamada’s Trees On my walks around the ancient city in which playwright; and he was a fanatical golfer. As an arguably consequential I grew up, I’d seldom fail to notice – albeit on result, his fanaticism extended to St Andrews. a virtually subconscious level – the unusually Hamada’s numerous visits to St Andrews – and the generosity vivid nature of spring, exclusive to St Andrews, of his gifts to the people of the town as a whole, which were later to caused by seemingly overwhelming amounts come – displayed dedication and a healthy dose of old-fashioned of pink blossom littering the streets, and gathering in the gutters like an courtesy as a guest, a businessman and as a representative of his excess of confetti. This distinctive blossom falls from the town’s cherry native country in the so-called Home of golf. In the late sixties and blossom trees each spring, at approximately the same time each year as early seventies Hamada established The Hamada Trust in Scotland, the Japanese celebrate the Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Festival throughout to further his interests and to consolidate what he hoped would be a their native country. lasting connection between St Andrews and Japan. While here on his Those who inhabit St Andrews are no strangers to the concept of visits, his main liaison and Scottish representative was Mr Ian Joy, still living their everyday lives surrounded on all sides by a deeply rich history; a well-known St Andrews businessman and photographer. all too often of which we find ourselves unaware.

Hamada planned and funded the creation of a But as I discovered in recent months, sometimes full-scale replica of the St Andrews Old Course in Zenya Hamada was a it only takes one small line of enquiry, a small his home city of Tokyo. Already a surreal concept, business entrepreneur, personal endeavour to find out a bit more, to tap into but Hamada was unabashed when investing something rather bigger and more bizarre than you to amaze. The boundary of the replica course and an absurdly may expect. was edged with large artificial hills, designed to successful one at that My own line of enquiry started off when I looked appear like a series of giant upturned Japanese at something in my Dad’s living room which I’d often rice bowls. Hamada simultaneously embarked on seen, but which had never actually registered in my thoughts. the construction of a second golf course, this time based on an original In a corner of my Dad’s living room were several pieces of fine design by American Open Golf champion Jack Nicklaus. china in the traditional Japanese style, each of which bore a sample In the early nineties, Zenya Hamada disappeared in circumstances of his somewhat renowned historically researched illustrations. In this which left no satisfactory answer regarding what happened. instance they depicted the typical St The Hamada Trust is still run in Andrean golfer of the years preceding the his continued absence, with Hamada’s Protestant Reformation (also referred to millions still contributing each year to as St Andrews’ ‘Golden Age’) playing what a variety of benefactors, most notably was then the Great Street Game of golf, as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (which they would then have done, en masse, in Hamada reportedly had wanted to buy!) the streets, and with a solid beech-wood Another consistent benefactor is the ball typically weighing in at a respectable St Andrews Botanic Garden, for which 85 grams.

Hamada apparently had great fondness I disturbed Dad (Jurek) in the almost as an amateur botanist. reverent silence of the kitchen – also his It’s only fitting that a man who most often preferred work area – carrying thought big and seldom spared any the largest of the Japanese dinner dishes, expense should end up leaving and asked about the story behind them.

St Andrews with a gift that years later The story was, of course, one as played is still enjoyed today across the town, up to a certain degree from my father’s especially each spring. perspective, with Hamada as the enigmatic As a final thank you to the St Japanese billionaire, whom he had met Andreans for their hospitality after his on a number of occasions. Hamada had final visit in the mid-seventies, Hamada been so taken with Jurek’s exhaustively had one thousand Japanese cherry researched pieces of history-made blossom (Sakura) trees flown direct art (of medieval St Andrews and all its from Japan to Prestwick. After six inhabitants), that a series of meetings had months of careful care in the Botanic been arranged which resulted in, amidst Garden, they were freely distributed to other things, the Japanese china I was the residents of the town from several holding. collection points and on a first-come, Bill Glover’s painting of Baker Lane, Jurek advised me to upturn the oblong first-serve basis. inspired by the cherry trees dish to view the underside, which bore Hamada’s trees remain not only the legend The Tom Morris Company, visible, but startlingly so, each year as Tokyo, Japan. There above was the familiar image of Old Tom Morris, the warmer weather advances to defrost us all. I’ve come to see them the renowned Open champion. The whole thing was surreal, but then not just as exotic trees in an incongruous setting, but as the tangible there are so many odd stories and incongruous connections in this evidence of remarkable events, remarkable wealth, and at the centre of cosmopolitan town in this otherwise ordinary little corner of the world. it, a remarkable mystery which remains unresolved; to date, Hamada’s Zenya Hamada was a business entrepreneur, and an absurdly whereabouts remain unknown. successful one at that. He was also reputed to be something of a

Ted Brocklebank has provided

An Update

As one - I believe - of only three surviving trustees, I am grateful that the editor has allowed me space to update readers, and potential applicants for grants, on the fate of the former Hamada Trust. As Anna-Kate relates, Mr Hamada departed with his millions in somewhat mysterious circumstances. As a result, over the years, the Trust he set up had become so depleted

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financially that my co-trustees and I agreed that what remained of our funding should be integrated into a new charitable trust with very much the same aims as the Hamada in other words to support charities and good causes in the St Andrews area.

The Kinburn (St Andrews) Charitable Trust has considerably greater funds at its disposal than the Hamada. Along with

former Hamada trustee colleagues I have now become a trustee of the new body.

Indeed, Alan Caithness, former Secretary at the Hamada Trust is now Secretary of the Kinburn (St Andrews) Charitable Trust.

Applications for grants can be made via him at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews.

FEATURES Clifford Hughes on

The Therapeutic Value of Laughter I recently read in our Parish Magazine a to cancer. Bargaining; Blame; Depression; cheerful piece entitled: Risus Paschali – the Despair. My voice had been my life. Can’t Easter Laugh. It made me think again about speak – might as well be DEAD. my own experience of the therapeutic value The Apostle Paul moved a step beyond of laughter. Those of us who frequent Italian Acceptance when he said: “in whatever state restaurants will know that the dessert menu I find myself, I have learned therewith to be offers a selection of gelati. Gelato ( singular ) is content.” He uses the paradox: “when I am a type of whipped ice-cream weak, then am I strong... often decorated with fruit and the power of Christ working Gelatology is not, nuts and liberally doused within me”. He spoke too sadly, the study of with amoretto, or some other of “the thorn in my flesh luscious liqueur! Gelatology is to torment me”. Could it Italian ice cream, but not, sadly, the study of Italian have been his mother-incontinuing research ice cream, but continuing law? More likely malaria he research which reveals that picked up on his missionary laughter releases chemical endorphins in journeys. Psychotherapists today have the brain promoting good health by reducing developed or modified Elizabeth Kuebler-Ross’ stress, increases oxygenation and circulation, theses and add 3 As: Acknowledge; Adjust; aids one’s immune system, encourages Adapt. communication and, generally, improves one’s In recent years, my close working quality of life. association with others coping with a wide Having enjoyed three voice-centred careers range of communication challenges within as Teacher, Singer, and Preacher, to wake up in Communication Forum Scotland and Inclusive the Intensive Care Unit after surgery to remove Communication in Scotland (both backed laryngeal cancer and find myself unable even to by the Scottish Parliament), I’ve come to the whisper, I passed through the perfectly natural conclusion that many folk in the community see and predictable bereavement reactions... us in 3D: Disbelief: it can’t be true. It’s just a bad dream.

Can’t speak: must be DEAF I’ll wake up and it’ll be alright again. Anger: Can’t speak must be DAFT Why me ? If Jesus could cry out on Calvary, Can’t speak must be DRUNK “My God, my God, why...?” so can I. And I ....Oh ! It happens! I promise you. Readers, Be did! Blame: Come on. Every student in the Warned!

50s and 60s smoked something or other ? Or One of my earliest therapeutic Limericks was it genetically engineered? Father, mother, was a self-parody. I’d been the only Scotlandone of my two younger sisters, all succumbed based member of an Oxbridge Choir which travelled to entertain in post-World War Two refugee camps in Austria. Wearing my secondhand box-pleated Gordon Highlander kilt, I was quickly nick-named Hairy McKnees !

A tenor called Hairy McKnees Used to soar to top Cs with great ease; But his laryngeal op Caused his voice-range to drop To Basso Profundo low Ds! When I had my second knee replacement at PRI, I composed the following for the nurses and physios who had looked after me so well: The wonderful nurses at Perth Go at it for all they are worth !

Now, don’t get me wrong: Not wine, men and song Bur care, with compassion and mirth.

I’ve exchanged hilarious emails with a woman with breast cancer and a man who had suffered what at first seemed a catastrophic stroke. The woman living with breast cancer had been told that she might also have osteoporosis. She was not best pleased: They tell me it’s osteoporosis !

This lassie in no way morose is.

She says “I feel well; Let the quacks go to hell !

Stuff them and their daft diagnosis”.

I’d had a recent tightening in my gullet. Her limerick was a challenge.

From deep down inside my oesophagus Emerge rumblings and burpings cacophanous; Is it merely a question Of acute indigestion Or a plot in the local sarcophagus?

My stroke victim friend, another former minister, needed close supervision. His wife was loath to leave him, but eventually she accepted a brief consultancy job in northern Canada. He’d cope during the two weeks she’d be away. He responded, in an email to me: It’s a bit of a howdy-ye-do When one’s wife’s pied-a-terre’s an igloo; I imagine it’s nice To sip gin with one’s ice But where does one go for a poo!

I wonder if the Apostle Paul had known something of the Limerick art form whether he might have re-written 1 Corinthians 13: To rejoice with one’s family and friends Is a practice which Scripture commends To the Corinthian church Paul passed on his research I tell you, folks, love never ends!

Another therapy is music. I’ve discovered that I can catch a bus from Crook of Devon to St Andrews, free of charge, to get me there in time for a lunchtime recital. Ah! But that’s another story !

(Photo courtesy Clifford Hughes – taken on the occasion he was presented with an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. The first “service user” to be so honoured “for services to the College and to people with communication impairment”)

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FEATURES Griselda Hill is pleased to announce that

Wemyss Ware® Pottery is creating a Historic Commemorative Goblet for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee The Griselda Hill Pottery Ltd, makers of Scotland’s most famous historic The Fife pottery closed in 1932 pottery, Wemyss Ware®, have continued the rich legacy of the original owing to the Depression, but Wemyss by making a brand new commemorative piece for Queen Elizabeth’s Ware® continued to be produced on a Diamond Jubilee. They have produced a limited edition hand-painted small scale in Bovey Tracey, Devon, goblet based on one made in 1887 at the old Fife Pottery to mark Queen

by Joseph Nekola, Karel’s son, and his Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. trainee, Esther Weeks. On Joseph’s Started in 1882, Wemyss Ware® is the only Scottish Pottery surviving death in 1952 Esther continued as Head from the time of Queen Victoria; it is believed to be the only Pottery in Decorator until the Bovey Pottery closed Jubilee Goblet the whole of the United Kingdom to have made a commemorative piece in 1957. The price of the Ware started for the present Queen based on one produced for the earlier Queen’s to rise on the antique market, in part due to a number of very discerning Diamond Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth is Queen Victoria’s great-greatcollectors, such as the Queen Mother, and, later, Prince Charles, and granddaughter.

Elton John.

The beautiful earthenware goblets are each Griselda Hill, a trained artist and teacher, Esther Weeks, now in her painstakingly hand painted in the Wemyss® tradition moved to the rural village of Ceres in east Fife eighties, was delighted to learn by skilled painters who have worked at the Pottery in the early 1980s, soon becoming aware of of the revival of Wemyss Ware® for at least twenty years. The design of the new the beautiful local pottery displayed in Kirkcaldy goblets has been subtly altered to include symbols Museum. By then, prices for antique Wemyss of all four nations of the United Kingdom, the Scottish thistle, the Irish Ware® were very high, and she saw an opportunity to re-create the vibrant shamrock, the English rose, and a leek for Wales. Included, is also a designs and quirky shapes for a new market. She decided to market wreath of Royal oak leaves and two sprays of forget-me-nots, a tribute to her own brand of Wemyss Ware®, always carefully differentiating it from Queen Elizabeth’s mother.The Queen Mother was a great admirer and the original by signing it on the base, ‘Griselda Hill Pottery’. The first collector of Wemyss Ware®; the forget-me-not was her favourite flower. pieces were sold in Kirkcaldy Museum in December 1985. From then The Pottery will present Queen Elizabeth with the first goblet made. the business has not looked back. Starting as a ‘one woman band’, The The Queen already has a collection of Wemyss Griselda Hill Pottery now employs six people, Ware® dating from the early Kirkcaldy Pottery to producing anything from individual commissions the present day, including three vases made for to large orders for export. Everything is made and Balmoral Castle in 2006. Griselda commented, hand painted in the Ceres pottery, situated in the “It seemed a fitting tribute to the Queen to create middle of Ceres in the former manse steading, a Wemyss® commemorative piece based on one among beautiful gardens.There is also a four-starmade for her forbear. I bought one of the Victorian rated Visitor Centre where the potters and painters goblets for us to study. The few design alterations can be seen working. we have made will, I hope, only add to the historic Esther Weeks, now in her eighties, was nature of the goblet.” delighted to learn of the revival of Wemyss Ware®, The Pottery is creating and hand painting sixty and gave her support and advice to the decorators. goblets (one for each year of the Queen’s reign), She visited the Griselda Hill Pottery on several each costing £395. The goblets stand 15cm high occasions, teaching the painters the secret and 10cm in diameter. Every goblet is marked on the techniques of painting, passed down to her by base with its individual limited-edition number, and Joseph Nekola. The renowned Fife business has comes with a certificate signed by Griselda Hill. featured on several BBC antiques programmes such as The Antiques Show (1999), Flog It (2003), Background and The Antiques Road Trip (2010 with several Wemyss Ware® was first produced in Kirkcaldy, repeats). Griselda Hill Pottery Ltd acquired the Fife, in 1882 by Robert Heron & Sons, Fife Pottery.

Trade Mark in 1994. Now, with over twenty-seven Elaine Syme at work painting the goblets It was the brainchild of Robert Methven Heron and years in business, it is well established as the his head decorator, Karel Nekola, named in honour successor to Kirkcaldy’s Wemyss Ware® Pottery. of the Wemyss family of Wemyss Castle in nearby East Wemyss, who were early patrons.The style, which immediately became very successful, Early Royal Connections was unique, admired by rich and poor, young and old. The pottery was Millicent Wemyss (1831-1895) was the granddaughter of William IV, thus hand painted with bright colours in exuberant designs which could cheer a cousin of Queen Victoria. She married James Hay Wemyss, laird of anyone up. Many commemorative pieces were designed and made to Wemyss Castle in East Wemyss, Fife, in 1855, and had five children, mark Royal occasions, such as the Jubilee in 1897 and later Coronations. including Dora, and Randolph (1858-1908), a local philanthropist, father of Michael. On the early death of her husband in 1864, Millicent successfully took over the running of the estate for thirty years. Queen Victoria occasionally stayed with her at Wemyss Castle Dora Wemyss (1856–1894), (later Lady Henry Grosvenor) of Wemyss Castle, in East Wemyss, was a supporter of many causes including Robert Heron’s Fife Pottery in Kirkcaldy. She was an early patron of Wemyss Ware® which was named in honour of the family in 1882. Several Wemyss Ware® shapes originated from pieces in the Castle. Wemyss Ware® became an immediate success, partly thanks to Millicent and Dora’s patronage. Dora was a friend of Princess Louise (1848–1939, a daughter of Queen Victoria who married the 9th Duke of Argyll).

Lady Victoria Wemyss (1890-1994) was born into the Royal circle: her father, the 6th Duke of Portland, was Master of the Horse to Queen Victoria; her mother became Mistress of the Robes to Queen Alexandra.

Lady Victoria, probably the last surviving godchild of Queen Victoria, was for 57 years an Extra Woman of the Bedchamber to her cousin Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). She died at the age of 104. The Queen Mother became a great admirer and collector of Wemyss Ware®.

Elaine Syme, painter, with the new goblet and Griselda Hill with the Victorian example

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(Photos courtesy Griselda Hill)

FEATURES Lillias Forbes

Luggage What shall I bring with me Insistent cadence of a poem?

Yon prattling rivulet, my once poetic stream?

This gaudy necklace, boasting Sham glamour from the market-place?

I need no truck with you, nor spurious display Between the untrammelled stations of my day: Ah, how I rode them, those spurts of tasselled spray Challenging the wrath of pinnacles!

And for companions, I shall choose Echoes of long-unpeopled places Remembered avenues of sweet encounters, Glimpses unfolding from my mind’s recesses Moments when dawn illumined Every bud at my heart Every note of a song Every syllable of a poem.

(Illustrated by Jacqueline Skeldon)

Jennifer Reid, Curator of the Preservation Trust Museum

Answers Your Questions

Q. Bassaguard is now a small industrial site near the Botanic Garden. What is the history of this area and what is the origin of the name Bassaguard?

A. The name Bassaguard is derived from the Gaelic, and means ‘farm of the priest’. According to the priory acres plan of 1843 an alternative name for the area was ‘Gaupyshade’. The name now survives as that of a small industrial site just off the Largo Road, but in the past it used to stretch for over 50 acres, half of which is now occupied by the Botanic Garden, which was developed in the 1960s. Some St Andreans remember playing in the area when it was just fields; they recall that there were swings to play on.

Q. What was the “Cursis Apri Regalis”?

A. The “Cursis Apri Regalis” translates as “the run of the royal wild boar”. This run was a piece of the land south from St Andrews to where the village of Boarhills stands today. About 6,000 years ago, St Andrews was known as Muckross, which is Pictish for “headland of swine“ or “land of the wild boar”.

The wild boar was to become, with Saint Andrew himself, an emblem of St Andrews and survives today in the Coat of Arms of the Community Council.

(Image courtesy the Preservation Trust)

Can You Help?

Lawrence Mackie gave permission to print the email he sent to the magazine: “Good morning. My second cousin has sent me issue 48 of your magazine containing the article on Rachel Reid. She was my grandfather’s sister and we have been trying for sometime (unsuccessfully so far) to find out the circumstances for which she was mentioned in dispatches.

Can you help? By the way the photo captures her enthusiasm for and enjoyment of everything she did. Look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards.”

If you have any information the Editor will be pleased to forward it.

John Cameron’s thoughts on

Being at Sea In the 1970s I was a Royal Navy popular. It demonstrated that cruising, Reserve padre attached to Tay Division not only for the rich and famous, and went on many cruises in our inshore could be enjoyed by ordinary people. minesweeper under the legendary Gradually all manner of different trips Captain Tony Hardy. With their shallow became available. The Caribbean, the draught, these little ships are skittish Med and the Norwegian fjords were and bounce about like a cork in heavy always popular. It also became possible seas, but Hardy was noted for his ability to visit the Arctic and Antarctic, often in to handle the craft in all conditions. ships of doubtful seaworthiness. Over I recall delightful fortnights around time the cruise industry launched ever the British Isles, off the European larger ships resembling floating hotels Atlantic coast from Scandinavia and carrying over 3000 passengers as to Gibraltar, also in the sunny well as the large staff needed to take Mediterranean as far as Malta. Small care of them. Ironically in the Titanic’s ships have no room for padres unless centenary year, evacuation procedures they are willing to do something else, are still a major concern and, as the so I took the navigator’s course and Concordia demonstrated recently, stood my watch as well lifeboat design has as serving as supply barely moved on I could never really see officer. since 1912. the attraction of the After government Whatever the modern vacation cruise. cut backs forced the outcome of the division’s closure I inquiry, that accident transferred to the Black Watch and while highlights these behemoths are hard that was also a great experience, my to steer and evacuate, vulnerable to heart remained with the ‘senior service’. side wind, and list badly if they take in Sea running is exhilarating as long as water. Of course cruise ships are most one is working, but time hangs heavy famous for their amazing cuisine served between watches, and I could never 24 hours a day; a week-long trip usually really see the attraction of the modern requires at least 15 tons of beef and vacation cruise.

50,000 eggs! Therefore it is no surprise For centuries ocean-going that a recent survey found the average passenger ships transported passenger puts on a pound for every immigrants and wealthy travellers. day at sea: so a fortnight’s cruise will Today, however, such vessels rarely see you over a stone heavier! It has perform that function, but are filled with become such a feature in recent years holidaymakers. At first, trans-Atlantic that a key member of staff on all cruise vessels would take people on southern ships is a tailor whose sole function cruises in the winter. If my memory is to adjust passenger clothing that serves me right the first ships doing has become too tight. It appears sea so were the Hamburg-America Line. cruising is actually a euphemism for sea The major break through came with gorging, and many regulars actually the Princess Cruise Line’s “The Love carry a complete replacement of largerBoat”, a 1980s TV series I thought was sized clothing in which to travel home! absolutely dire, but which proved very

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FEATURES Gavin White contemplates

The Younger Hall Younger Hall, on North Street, is the Graduation Hall of the University of in New York, the Chrysler Airflow car, the streamlined toaster, all claimed St Andrews, and architecturally it is out of character with the rest of the to be art deco. In St Andrews there are garish traces of it over H & M town. It is a chorus girl amongst the dowagers. It looks like nothing on on Market Street, on the building society at the corner of Market Street/ earth, or nothing in St Andrews, which many regard as much the same Greyfriars, and over W H Smith on South Street. It was all the rage in thing. the 1920s. On the Younger Hall it is used to have the two wings swoop Its story is told in Julia Melvin’s recent and fascinating biography of in great curves towards the centre. But above this, in a lighter-coloured James Colquoun Irvine, the Second Founder of the University. “Since long stone, the Egyptian temple is perched as if the art deco underneath did before the Great War, the University had desperately lacked a fine hall not exist. Nor is this all. On the roof of the whole thing is an Italianate in which to confer degrees. So many famous people cupula, though it is not visible from the street. And now came to St Andrews to receive honorary degrees.” above the door are stone urns with stone flames But whatever it is, Of course students received degrees too, but never issuing from them; these are attributed to Alexander it cannot be called dull Carrick, the sculptor of so many war memorials, the mind them. There was no money until relief came in “the person of James Younger, whose great wealth teacher of Hew Lorimer, and other famous workers came from brewing.” “Cynics might say that his interest in building had a in stone. It cannot be said that they enhance his reputation; they have further purpose: their daughter’s father-in-law was the London architect all the air of Hollywood vulgarity. And beneath them are three names; Paul Waterhouse...”. And Waterhouse got the job. That he needed the job Irvine, Haig, and Nansen. Irvine was Principal, Haig was Chancellor, his is unlikely; he was the son of the Waterhouse who designed the Natural reputation not yet having been questioned at that time, and Nansen was History Museum in London and much else; he was related to the artist Rector, the Arctic explorer famed in Arthur Ransome stories as “Fridtjof of the same name who specialised in damsels contemplating lilies, and Nansen with the sealskin pants on”, lauded for his work with refugees. he had a flourishing business designing insurance offices, banks, and Inside, the building is dominated by heavy pillars, the windows on the east university science laboratories. Graduation halls were not his line, but he with a Union Jack motif in them, while those in the west have not. This was an architect of original talent, and perhaps genius. may signify that the empire in the west had been lost, while that in the We have been told by the late Betty Willsher that Younger presented east had not, or not yet, but it may signify nothing at all. the plans to Principal Irvine “for information and not discussion” – in other But is the building ugly? Not in itself. Only in its situation. Of course words, take it or leave it. And Irvine did not consider the interior suitable an architect should consider the site in designing a building; if the for a graduation hall. Betty Willsher also quoted someone as saying it was Younger Hall were on a hilltop, approached by a long driveway, it would the ugliest building in any British university. Julia Melvin’s book only says be considered handsome. Unfortunately it would not be much use to the that “the building, both aesthetically and in the detail of all it provided, was University, though if students had to trek up to the top of the Lomond of an elaboration that did not please the Principal. His efforts to influence Hills to take their degrees, their graduation ceremony would be more the design so that it would become something that would enhance the memorable! intimate collegiate atmosphere he so much wanted to reinforce were all Paul Waterhouse did not live to see the Younger Hall completed, the in vain.” The best that the Principal could do was to have the building set last work was done by his son Michael Waterhouse. In 1929 the Duchess back from the street. of York, who was to be Elizabeth the Queen Mother, visited St Andrews As for the building itself, it combines two totally different styles. The after what Julia Melvin calls a “gruelling six months tour of Australia in lower half is art deco; the upper half is an Egyptian temple. The name art 1927” (did the Australians know she found it gruelling ?) and duly opened deco comes from an exposition in Paris, supposed the Hall. St Andrews has had it, for better or to echo the design of Tutankhamun’s face worse, ever since. But whatever it mask, with sinuous lines. The Empire is, it cannot be called dull.

State Building (Photo by Flora Selwyn)

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FEATURES: REVIEWS

Books to be won!

If you’re a fan of S J Parris or C J Sansom then the Hew Cullan Mysteries should be right up your street. Just out in paperback, Time & Tide – the third Hew Cullan Mystery by Shirley McKay, published by Polygon – sees sixteenth-century lawyer Hew investigating not only the ownership of a windmill washed ashore with a wrecked boat in St Andrews harbour, but the string of murders which follow in its wake. Hew will travel far into danger to find the truth, but it might turn out to be closer to home than anyone thought.

St Andrews in Focus has five copies of Time & Tide to give away to the first received correct answer to the following question: What have a wrecked boat and a windmill got to do with each other, and who will investigate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Send your answer by email to: editor@standrewsinfocus.com or by post to Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd, PO Box 29210, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9YZ Don’t forget to include your name, and address. The deadline is 28 July.

Eleanor Livingstone, Reviews

Out and About Poetry, Mainly from the East Neuk, Fife

By Gordon Jarvie Published by Harpercroft, 2012 ISBN 978-0-9572014-0-8 Price £5.95.

The title of the latest publication from Gordon Jarvie makes it very clear what lies between the smart maroon and white covers. Out and About Poetry Mainly from the East Neuk, Fife. As he explains in ‘Moving to Fife: a sain’, Me and the wife have flitted to Fife to live the life of Riley However, living the ‘life of Riley’ suggests much less activity than surely has been the case here, for since this flitting from Edinburgh, the Crail-based writer and publisher has produced no fewer than six collections of his own verses. Many of the poems in this chapbook were written in response to the places and people, wildlife and weather which he adopted wholeheartedly when he decided to make his home here; his poems describe scenes very familiar and particular to this area. Anyone who in January or February has driven north out of one of the coastal villages from Elie eastwards will recognise the landscape in ‘Winter ploughing, Kingsbarns’:

Now that the trees are naked and bereft, and all the corn’s been gathered into sheaves, and stubble rows are all that’s left to show, and the northern hills carry their dusting of snow; But there are other warmer, even sun-lit lines as Gordon Jarvie’s poems skip backwards and forwards across the seasons. So, after winter comes autumn, and the gentle philosophy of ‘Planting late bulbs’. On the point of apologising to bulbs which, due to his tardiness nearly ‘missed the boat’, he realises the real loss would have been his: … the blaze of next year’s tulips and the hyacinths’ blue-scented glow.

As well as scenery, we are introduced in these pages to an astonishing diversity of animals and birds. Sunbathing Tay seals wave from their sandbank at trains passing overhead.

Jarvie offers his readers ‘Herons near Fife Ness’, ‘Fulmars at Crail’, shags on the rocks along the Caiplie shore, blackbirds, rabbits, deer, and ‘Two old bulls at Kinkell’ chewing over

memories of past glory.

Perhaps earlier than expected “the year’s first ladybird/ appears in Kellie Castle garden”, and shoppers and shopkeepers alike in Crail’s High Street pause, crane their necks upwards to watch a skein of geese – … flying high, flying fast flying noisy as they passed.

In one of several poems written in Scots, a puffin observed on the Isle of May is addressed by its Shetlandic name of Tammie-Norrie. Even less likely, Gordon Jarvie has also rounded up here a pair of cygnets rescued from Morrison’s car park, two peacocks proudly stepping out beside Balcomie dump, and a beached whale’s historic and fatal encounter with the local minister.

This updated version of the earlier 2007 Akros publication gathers together an engaging selection of poems with a strong local flavour which are sure to find a keen readership amongst both residents and visitors to the East Neuk.

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FEATURES: REVIEWS Overview of

Digital Disruption: Cinema Moves Online Co-edited by Dina Iordanova & Stuart Cunningham Published by St Andrews Film Studies, 2012 Available to order from http://stafs.org/ Hardback, price £50. Paperback, price £19.99. Kindle, price £9.99.

This academic book of essays by international researchers is part of a twoand-a-half year project funded by The Leverhulme Trust. It brings together data on the influence of the digital media on traditional film distribution. The wave of new technologies has overwhelmed many industries, such as postal services, and even Amazon, where traditional books are being outsold by electronic ones on Kindle. For the present, film studios still remain in control of box office revenues, with distribution methods largely intact. However, cinema is being experienced in novel

ways, and more and more often people view films online. New businesses and circulation models affect intellectual property rights, necessitating a rethink. New ways of viewing films will also enable rare footage and previously obscure material to be seen more widely. Early days, yet the film industry, if it wishes to survive, must project itself into the future to ready itself for the technological revolution.

Dina Iordanova is Professor of Film Studies in the University of St Andrews; Stuart Cunningham is Professor in the Queensland University of Technology, Australia.

Maureen May gives an overview of

Roodica the Rude – Party Pooper

By Margaret Ryan Published by Catnip Publishing Ltd. 2012. Available at all good bookshops, price £4.99.

Party Pooper is the fourth book in the Roodica the Rude series for younger readers. The first book was recommended by Richard and Judy in the launch of their Children’s Book Club in 2011.

Roodica, a distant relative of Queen Boudicca (!), is a little Celtic princess who lives at Maiden Castle with her older sisters, Foodica and Woodica, and their mother, Queen Goodica. Goodica is good and wise and everything a proper queen should be. Foodica is good with food and makes tasty stews using wild herbs. She is everything a proper princess should be. Woodica is good with wood and makes chairs and stools, always adding a distinctive, little carved mouse. She is everything a proper princess should be. Roodica is good at being rude, is untidy, and unruly. She is nothing like a proper princess! She is seriously miffed that the Romans have invaded Britain, ordering everyone around in the country, and in her settlement. Her mother and sisters do their best to lead a quiet life without upsetting the Romans. Not so Roodica. She would really like to get Will, the blacksmith, to make her a big sword, to fight them, but she’s not allowed. So, with the help of her dog, Fleabag, her horse, Plodette, and her long-suffering friend, Gideon, she finds other ways to fight back. Especially against Fatius Guttus, the Roman tax collector, and his sniveling son, Copius Mucus, who try to give her family a hard time.

In Party Pooper, Roodica is planning her birthday party and has invited all the settlement children. Foodica has woven fine cloth for a new dress for her. Woodica has exchanged a carved stool for a bronze belt for her, and the Queen has a surprise present for her too. But then an invitation arrives from the Roman governor, Magnus Maximus, to his birthday party on the same day. The Queen says they must attend that party as they cannot afford to annoy the Romans. But Roodica is

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annoyed. She has promised the settlement children a party. She is just wondering what she can do about it, when Copius Mucus appears wearing an amulet to ward off bad luck, and she discovers how superstitious the Romans are. She finds out more from her teacher, Druid Big Brain, giving her an idea.

With the help of a black cat, a flask of oil, and a cockerel, can she disrupt Big Max’s party, having her own instead?

The title Party Pooper was chosen by the children attending the Roodica the Rude event at last year’s Edinburgh Book Festival. Party Pooper will be featured by Margaret Ryan at this year’s Edinburgh Book Festival on Monday, 13 August.

To see Margaret Ryan talking about the Roodica books, go to: www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning Click on the CPD section and go to interviews. This is a useful resource for schools.

Catnip Publishers are pleased to offer 5 free copies of Roodica the Rude, Party Pooper, by Margaret Ryan, to the first 5 lucky readers to contact them. Please email: louisestothard@aol.com with ‘Roodica the Rude’ in the subject line, or write to: Catnip Publishers, 14 Greville Street, London EC1N 8SB. Good luck and Happy Reading!

SHOPS & SERVICES From Jude Innes

The Merchants’ Association The Merchants’ Association has been representing businesses in St Andrews since 1903, and today it has over 70 members.

We have representatives on the Partnership, Community Council, and St Andrews in Bloom.

Our aim is to help promote St Andrews to our visitors and look after our local community alike.

We work closely with the Hotels Association and Visit Scotland to promote our town globally.

For the last 36 years we have produced the Official Map and Guide to St Andrews, over 70,000 printed this year and already it’s proving a valuable tool for visitors; it makes a wonderful memento of their time spent here.

In these hard financial times the executive committee has decided to form a “love our shops” campaign. This will be primarily to promote the wealth of choice and services our members have to offer to visitors and locals. In a recent poll conducted for the Partnership it was discovered that the third highest reason for people coming to St Andrews was to visit our unique and varied shops.

We are keen to promote our good customer and our after-care service, something not always found online, like a welcoming smile! We want to reward our customers for spending locally by giving them choice, service, and a wonderful experience.

Not to forget that in these green times shopping locally cuts down on your carbon footprint! All of us have sourced our products from both the UK and worldwide to offer you more choice and individuality on your doorstep; making sure we have the Best of British too!

Look out for our posters counting down the top ten reasons why we would be so grateful if you shopped locally.

Please follow our campaign as it grows, we started with a very successful Easter Egg Hunt, which was well supported by both local and visiting families – the feedback was wonderful, and hopefully those involved will take home happy memories of hunting for chocolates in our shops and guest houses.

The next event we organised was a Jubilee window competition, did you look out for the shops participating on the run up to the Jubilee weekend?

We have lots of ideas for enticing visitors and locals to take advantage of what is on offer here in our fabulous town. We have all chosen to run our businesses here because we love this historic, unique little city, and care passionately for it – we love our locals – we would love it if you ‘loved your local shops’ too!!

• Let’s take pride in our town.

• Like us on Facebook to see what we are up to, any special offers, and to hear your views.

• Love Our Shops St Andrews.

And look out for our Love Our Shops Video – coming soon!

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SHOPS & SERVICES Svetlana Redpath demystifies

Cheese and Health At my work I often hear comments about cheese being unhealthy for one reason or another. I could not disagree more. In the following I will take a look at the positive health attributes of cheese (provided it’s consumed in moderation) and try to dispel some common misconceptions about this product.

When you think about it, essentially cheese is concentrated milk. For that reason it inherits a whole range of beneficial attributes from milk.

Consequently, cheese is an excellent source of protein, good fatty acids, microelements (calcium and phosphorus) and vitamins (A, D, B, and E). The calcium content is rather high, almost enough to satisfy one’s daily need in that microelement. Together with phosphorous, it plays a central role in building and maintaining healthy teeth and bones. Thus cheese consumption is especially recommended for the young and the elderly.

its residual lactose, because lactose tends to break down during maturation. Soft cheeses do have some lactose left in them. Consequently lactose-intolerant people should avoid soft cheeses, while they could try mature and extramature cheeses, such as Gruyère, Comté, Beaufort, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Cheese and Lipids (Fat) Nowadays, many people have been scared by the media into believing that fats are completely evil. But in fact fat has an important role to play in our health, and should be included (in limited amounts) in our diet for the following reasons: – Lipids are important for the healthy functioning of the brain. People whose diet is completely deprived of fat are prone to brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s; – Many types of vitamins, namely vitamins A, D, E, and K, are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be transported and absorbed with the help of lipids; – Lipids help to regulate body temperature and to maintain correct cell functioning; – Glycerin, which is the product of lipids break-up, is an important source of energy.

Daily fat consumption should be 25% of the total daily calorie intake (for normal life style) and 35% (for active life style).

When it comes to understanding the fat content of cheese, I feel that a lot of consumers are misled by percentage figures on the

Cheese and Protein The word protein is derived from the Greek word proteios, meaning “primary”, “in the lead”.

It explains the importance that proteins have as building blocks needed by our bodies. Proteins, when digested, are broken into essential amino acids which our bodies cannot produce and can only get from food. These essential amino acids are important for building and maintaining our muscles. Cheese is full of these amino acids.

Cheese and Lactose Milk sugar, or lactose, is almost fully removed from the cheese curd during cheese making.

It is especially true for firm and hard cheeses.

The longer a cheese matures the more it loses

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packaging. What one has to keep in mind is that, for instance, the figure 45% on a box of Camembert de Normandie shows the fat content in dry matter, meaning, when all the moisture has been removed from cheese. Since Camembert is a soft cheese (and consequently contains a lot of moisture) this figure can easily be halved to get a better estimate of the cheese’s fat content. Firm and hard cheeses will obviously have less moisture and more solid matter, but again the fat content percentage should be slightly reduced.

In order to defend cheese against accusations of being a major fattening food, I would like to point out that people have been eating cheese since time immemorial, while such health problems as coronary disease and obesity have been around excessively for only a century or so. Those health issues are probably more likely to be caused by the invention of processed and genetically-modified foods (among other things), but certainly not cheese!

And finally, last but not least about cheese: (of course I’m talking about proper farmhouse and artisan cheeses that are made from raw or only lightly-treated milk) the most important health benefit resides in the fact that these cheeses are a live product. Consequently they act in a similar way to probiotic food supplements, meaning they promote natural functioning of the stomach without poisoning the body with any unnecessary toxins that industrial cheeses may have in them due to animals’ poor diet. So my message to all cheese lovers is, “Eat farmhouse and artisan cheeses regularly, but in moderation, and you will be happy and healthy!”

(Photos courtesy Svetlana Redpath)

SHOPS & SERVICES Jonnie Adamson

Sporting Chance?

With the Olympics just around the corner and in otherwise. I, for one, am saddened that the associated influx of the world’s sporting elite tax laws are influencing these decisions. One descending upon London it makes you realise could argue that they are wealthy enough how fortunate we are to have regular access to and should make their decision to participate the cream of world sport. However, could things purely on a sporting basis, but the chance be better? to see these competitors A number of years ago in action is limited enough The only other HM Revenue and Customs without further barriers won a tax case against being placed in their way. country in the world Andre Agassi, which meant The broader benefits that has a similar that when he visited the to our society are not policy is the USA UK he was not just taxed restricted to watching on his winnings when the athletes in action. As playing in the UK, but on a we are aware from living proportional share of his worldwide income from in St Andrews, the financial rewards from endorsements based on the number of days he hosting high quality sporting events can be played in the UK, even though he did not live in highly beneficial to both the local and national the UK. As such, a sponsorship deal between a economy. Given that the expected tax take US company and a US citizen was being taxed from such a policy is relatively small, is the here! HMRC now seek to apply this same ruling overall picture being overlooked, or is this to all foreign sportspersons. another case of the left hand of Government The only other country in the world that not being aware of what the right is doing? has a similar policy is the USA. This tax Thankfully, the Government has allowed treatment has already stopped Ussein Bolt an exemption from the above ruling for and Raphael Nadal from competing in events the Olympics (and may not have secured in the UK that they would have participated the games had they not relaxed this and

other tax rules on participants and ruling bodies). They had also waived this treatment for the Champions League finalists playing at Wembley last year, and have also proposed similar rules for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014. Perhaps it is time for all major sporting events to benefit from similar exemptions to ensure we have the strongest possible chance of attracting the world’s best to showcase their skills on our shores.

For further information on this, or other matters, please consult: Henderson Black & Co. 149 Market St St Andrews Tel: 01334 472 255

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SHOPS & SERVICES Hannah Markham, Principal Osteopath of St Andrews Osteopaths – Providers of effective treatment since 1998,

Has the Answer!

Q. What is Sciatica and how can I get rid of it?

A. Sciatica simply means irritation or inflammation of the Sciatic Nerve. The Sciatic nerve leaves the spinal cord at several levels in the low back, and then joins to form a single larger nerve that travels through the muscles in the buttock, the back of the thigh, the calf and under the foot to the toes. Any irritation or inflammation of the nerve can lead to pain (which at times can be severe), tingling, numbness and occasionally weakness of the muscles. The pain can be experienced anywhere along the length of the nerve, but usually only affects one leg.

There are multiple causes for Sciatica, the most common of which is a disc injury leading to a “trapped nerve”. Other common causes are restrictions to the joints at the base of the back or tightening of the muscles in the low back or buttock.

If you have a question that you would like to ask the Osteopath, please e-mail: osteo@standrewsosteopaths.co.uk or call 01334 477 000.

The New Picture House Winner of the RAAM Independent Cinema of the Year Award for Excellence Enjoy a pre-show drink in our lounge or book an exclusive function or children’s party with a private screening

www.nphcinema.co.uk

117 North Street, St Andrews Tel: 013334 474902

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The first thing to do to help to get rid of Sciatica is to get a diagnosis to determine the cause of your pain. As an Osteopath, this is a condition that I see on a very regular basis, but the good news is that the majority of cases can be helped with conservative treatment. This will vary for each person, but usually consists of massage and stretching to help relieve the tension in the muscles of the back and leg, and manipulation of the joints of the spine.

When I ask people about the cause of their pain, they can’t always think of a specific event or trauma that has brought it on. More often than not, sciatica results from a build-up of lifestyle factors, such as slouching on the sofa, lack of exercise, and sitting too much at work and at home. Addressing these factors and getting some treatment, along with appropriate exercises, will help you back on the road to health.

Hannah Markham is the principal osteopath at St Andrews Osteopaths and Natural Health Clinic on South Street. She has been in practice for 15 years and has vast experience in treating a broad spectrum of injuries in patients of all ages.

SHOPS & SERVICES David Adie. This Article is intended to give only very general advice and is no substitute for taking full and proper advice, taking into account your own circumstances.

Letting a House or Flat I recently had occasion to advise a client on letting a house simply because the client, unable to sell her house, had bought another one, and decided to let her existing one.This brought home to me just how much is involved in letting a simple house or flat.There is a lot of letting going on at present because of the very slow, indeed in some places perhaps, a dead market for buying and selling.

Most people use an agent when letting property; this is probably a good idea because it puts an extra layer between the landlord and the tenant and avoids day-to-day hands-on involvement. I would strongly recommend that appropriate credit checks are done against any prospective tenant, and also references obtained. It may be advisable to obtain a guarantee in some cases. For example, if a student, who probably has no real assets, is the tenant, a Guarantee from the parents might be appropriate.

The main documentation involved is a Short Assured Tenancy document, which is not unduly long, but nonetheless must comply with the requirements of the appropriate legislation to make sure you can regain possession at the end of the Lease. Short Assured Tenancies are normally for a year, but must be for a minimum of six months. Often landlords in St Andrews reach an arrangement whereby the tenant leases the property for the whole year, but is allowed so many months rent free over the summer. This gives the landlord an advantage; although not collecting rent, and not having the property occupied over the summer, Council Tax is not payable because technically the tenant, exempt from Council Tax, will be liable.

Note the following points: 1. Before you enter into a Lease it is important to have a form called an AT5 sent to the Tenant and acknowledged by the Tenant. This is a pre-requisite of creating a Short Assured Tenancy.

2. A standard letter has to be sent out to tenants providing information about the Landlord ensuring that the house meets the repairing standard during the Lease.

3. It may be necessary to serve a Notice indicating that the property is subject to a mortgage and the tenancy could be ended if there is a repossession.

4. It may also be necessary to serve notice if the property was previously the Landlord’s own residence.

5. The Landlord will have to get a Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate.

6. It is advisable to have the electrics in the flat checked and possibly a Certificate produced by an electrician.

7. The Landlord should give the Tenant an Energy Performance Certificate indicating how energy efficient the property is.

8. Very importantly, the Landlord must register as a Landlord with the Local Authority.There is a fee for this and applies even if there is only one property let on a short term basis.

9. Any furniture in the property should be fire retardant and comply with the appropriate regulations.

10. Most properties will be subject to mortgage and you should inform your Insurers to make sure that they are aware the property is let.

There may well be a loading on the insurance premium. You might also wish to consider insuring loss of rent, if they will cover that.

The Bank, or Building Society, with whom the mortgage is held may impose further conditions on the letting and may in fact increase the interest rate.

As always, it is important to take proper professional advice. One has to ask, given the amount of hassle involved, is it worth it? On one view there is far too much legislation affecting landlords and the Law is rather one sided, assuming the landlord is always the baddy. Landlords are certainly a problem in the big cities, but in a place like St Andrews, by and large, the standard of accommodation in the last 20 years has only increased and we are now perhaps reaching saturation point and legislation overload.

To add insult to injury, the latest requirement is that a deposit cannot be held by a landlord, but towards the end of this year there will be a separate deposit scheme set up whereby there will be deposit holders.

This is to ensure that return of deposits is dealt with on a fair basis. How much this scheme will cost to administer no-one knows, but I suspect it will be far in excess of the number of lost deposits or disputes over deposits.

This article is intended to give very general advice and you should seek specific legal advice from a Solicitor before committing yourself.

FOR OUT OF TOWN LEGAL ADVICE Wills / Inheritance Tax Planning / Executries / Powers of Attorney / Guardianship Conveyancing / Commercial Property / Business Law

We can consult locally

ADIE HUNTER Solicitors and Notaries 15 Newton Terrace Glasgow Telephone: 0141 248 3828 Fax: 0141 221 2384 email: enquiries@adiehunter.co.uk

17

SHOPS & SERVICES

18

SHOPS & SERVICES

From your Roving Reporter 1. Jane Torvaney contacted Reporter to tell him about her new work in St Andrews. She explained: Structural Integration (nicknamed ‘Rolfing’), is a form of treatment which involves hands-on bodywork and movement education.

Originating in the USA in the 1960s, Structural Integration has become a mainstream therapy there, used to treat a wide range of conditions such as low back, neck, and shoulder pain, repetitive strain injury, breathing problems, jaw tensions, headaches, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It also supports athletes, dancers, and other sportspeople, such as golfers, to improve their posture, movement, and performance. Structural Integration involves manipulation of the connective tissue system (myofascia) which makes up about 70% of the body, forming an interconnected river system throughout, protecting and supporting all muscles, joints, the lymphatic, vascular and nervous system, and every single organ. The connective tissue has a strong influence over the harmony, posture, and movement of our body; thus the gentle hands-on techniques to mobilise and stretch tight tissue aim to restore function, bring balance, and fluidity of movement to the entire body. Movement and awareness education is included to give you tools for sustaining the work that we have done together during a session. Jane Torvaney is a Chartered Physiotherapist and a practitioner of Structural Integration. She practices each Monday from Kingdom Chiropractic Clinic, South Street. For more information you can contact Jane directly on 01382 552 181. Email: jane@structuralharmony.co.uk See also: www.structuralharmony.co.uk 2.

*****

Management this July. We married in St Andrews on 1 April 2011, after getting engaged in Hong Kong the previous year. The everasked question, ‘What are you going to do once you finish school?’ most people do not know how to answer. To be honest, most young adults never get a real chance to think about it, but are rushed into a decision they did not truly contemplate. We both strongly believe in being true to ourselves, the dreams and plans inside us. Our shop “Embrace life” birthed out of a passion for dreaming big, living our life to the fullest. It is an idea that took 2 years to develop, not an easy journey, but it has certainly caused us to grow as people. We love St Andrews, want to continually offer the best original, quirky gifts and products around. We are always looking for new, innovative design, to show and support other people’s work. This has been largely a family effort on both sides. We are very excited for Thomas’ parents to come over in July for his graduation and to see the shop. You can find us here, Monday to Saturday 9.00am – 5:30pm”. Reporter wishes this young couple all the very best.

*****

3. Reporter met Mark Garland, new owner of The Best of Fife. Mark has recently taken on The Best of Fife, which had been dormant for two years following the retirement of the previous franchisee. The Best of Fife is a national marketing franchise that works at a local level to promote great local businesses.

Previously it never expanded out of Kirkcaldy and the surrounding area, however Mark has already taken active steps to bring this great service to the North of Fife. The Best of Fife helps small businesses spread the word about themselves, provides them with a powerful web presence and generally offers a unique way of differentiating them from the competition. Contact Mark by phone: 01383 641 013 mobile: 07714 342 333 or email: fife@thebestof.co.uk

*****

Reporter met Alex & Thomas Chan, owners of the sparkling new Embrace Life at 5 Church Street, St Andrews, tel: 01334 478 952. This is their inspiring story: “Our journey together started at St Leonards School in 2004. Thomas came from Hong Kong when he was just 13. I was born and raised in St Andrews. We were together throughout school, both moving to Leeds when we left. I studied Leadership, while Thomas graduates with BA (Hons) Business and

4. Elie, down the coast, is the venue for an original art exhibition run by two members of St Andrews Art Club, Anne Dunlop, & Linda Paton (whose winning painting is on the cover of this magazine). Anne told Reporter that their first collaboration last year was so successful they decided to have another one. Sharing a passion for painting Fife, they use all mediums. Anne has recently “completed a commission, 6ft x 3ft, of the Five Sisters of Kintail” in a private house. Paintings, prints, and cards will be on sale at The Old Post Office, Links Place, from 9.30am – 5.00pm. Friday, 19 July -Thursday, 26 July.

Anne and Linda will be delighted to see you, says Reporter.

THE St Andrews pet shop!

Stocking the widest range of pet foods, accessories.

Anything not stocked we can order.

78 South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JT Tel: 01334 470 873

Quote this number, RCD15, for 5% discount.

OFFER ENDS 31 AUGUST

19

SHOPS & SERVICES: EATING OUT Hugo D’Bere, your Grizzly Gourmet, visited

The Dining Room 11-13 Crails Lane, St Andrews

The first Chinese meal I ever ate I always feel that sweets are not the thing with Chinese meals and was in St Andrews – I will not say other than fruit, such as lychees or ice cream, there is really not much of where the premises were, nor how an option. Frankly, I never feel like a sweet at the end of a Chinese meal old I was, because that would give and finished off this one with green tea. too much away! Suffice it to say the The whole thing was washed down with Tiger Beer from Singapore. premises were on a corner at Market Street and at my tender age at that Ah well, it appeared to be from Singapore, but on reading the label it was time I was not impressed by Chinese cuisine.This is certainly not the case actually brewed by Heineken in Edinburgh. Nonetheless, it was a good with the Dining Room.The menu is frankly enormous and there is a very accompaniment. good value lunch and early evening menu.

Muffy was not with me because she was at a I visited with my Chinese panda pall, Ho Hum, conference in London ( woods and their uses). Ho Hum, there is a very good and enjoyed an à la carte meal. To start, there were however, declared his meal, in fact identical to mine, value lunch and early complimentary prawn crackers with a mayonnaise and a equally successful. separate sweet chilli dip. I started with prawn toasts, not A word now on the décor. Old St Andreans may evening menu the sort of breaded sesame seed-covered prawn toast you remember this many, many years ago as Pepita’s. In get in Marks & Spencers food, but whole prawns dipped in some ways the whole layout and décor has not changed something and deep fried. They were very succulent! too much. I am sure I spotted a piece of artex which was there in Pepita’s The main course was crispy duck with ginger and spring onion. The time. It does, however, have a cosy feel and a definite Chinese flavour flavour was very subtle and it was served with egg fried rice. I really gave with the Chinese artefacts round about. up on the chop sticks and had to use a knife and fork, but the method of What would I give it for marks out of 10? 7½ or 8. There are certainly presentation was very attractive and the portion was certainly ample. so many items on the menu you could probably dine there every night I found the staff helpful, attentive, and very polite. and have something different for a month!

Flora Selwyn was invited to dine in the relaunched

Road Hole Restaurant – Old Course Hotel

Organic tomato tart

East Neuk crab

Forced rhubarb parfait

20

Visiting The Old Course Hotel when I started this deliciously with the described seasonal leaves. magazine more than eight years ago, Manager The size of the tart was just right for me. No doubt then Jonathan Stapleton told me that he hoped he someone with a larger appetite would have added could “reconnect the Hotel with the town.” one of the Sides on offer (Scottish asparagus, Relaunching the Road Hole Restaurant in Purple sprouting broccoli, or Mixed spring salad).

May has brought that vision full circle. Simon Being a Dessert Person it took an effort to Whitley, Master of Culinary Arts, Director of Food & choose from this selection! I’ve never forgotten the Beverages, who joined the Hotel in 2010, explains, three-star Michelin restaurant in France that my “The exciting changes to the fourth floor herald a husband and I indulged in long years ago, where completely new era for the Hotel – opening The the dessert plate was huge with little indentations Road Hole Restaurant to a wider audience with all round it to accommodate samples from each new menus created by our award–winning chefs dessert available. Sheer greed I know, but wouldn’t to showcase the very best seasonal, Scottish it be nice to copy it here? Where was I? Oh yes, produce. Lunches and dinners will be served seven I had the Forced rhubarb parfait, custard and days a week, not only to our Hotel guests, but also crumble. What a surprise that was! Look at the to our local customers, so that all can enjoy this photograph and wonder! It was delectable, though exquisite dining destination.”

I’m not too sure I tasted rhubarb. I finished with Key to the renewal is the local an espresso coffee and petit fours. sourcing of the very best produce.

Another surprise – the coffee was The meal was a From Puddledub in Auchtertool will served along with a glass of warm true paean to the come pork, as well as buffalo products; water. culinary arts. from Balgove, beef; from Fletchers The meal was a true paean to the of Auchtermuchty, venison; from the culinary arts. Although three courses East Neuk, seafood; from Drumcarro, organic lamb usually leave me feeling rather full, this time I was ‘travelling less than seven miles from farm to plate’. just comfortably replete. At £31 (without the wine, There will be fruits and vegetables according to but including coffee) it was remarkable value. In fact the seasons. Head Chef Ross Marshall, Young the most expensive item on the menu at £21 was Scottish Chef of the Year, and Simon have made Black Isle beef sirloin, creamed spinach and wild every effort to develop good partnerships with mushrooms. The wine menu was something else! reliable suppliers and producers throughout With the additional attraction of that stupendous Scotland. view over the West Sands and the Bay, (as well as The dinner menu is mouth watering. It was a bird’s eye view of all those golfers on the Links difficult to choose from 8 options for Starters, below!) the Road Hole Restaurant is definitely 9 for Mains (with 3 Sides), 6 for Desserts. I ‘worth a detour’, as the Michelin Guide puts it! eventually decided to start with East Neuk crab tower with sorrel and cucumber. It was light Stop Press!! Since writing this article I and tasty, all blending together without any one learned that the Road Hole Restaurant flavour predominating. Two incredibly thin, almost has been voted Best Hotel Restaurant in transparent bread slices were balanced on top Scotland, by the Scottish Hotel Awards. making me marvel at the delicate touch of the chef!

Warmest congratulations! St Andrews, guard To follow I plumped for the Organic tomato tart well and enjoy your treasures! and seasonal leaves, since I’m not a meat-eater, and I felt like a change from fish. The pastry was (Photos by Flora Selwyn) exquisitely crisp, and light, the tomatoes blending

SHOPS & SERVICES: EATING OUT Sandy Mitchell introduces his relaunched

The Grange Inn The Grange Inn, perched on the outskirts winners of the Open of St Andrews overlooking the town and the championship played harbour, was closed for winter, re-opening at St Andrews. Whilst its doors in April. This charming old building, most may have heard with its fascinating history, was converted to of four of the five its current use in 1962 by the then-owners.

(Tiger Woods, Jack It has remained a favourite destination for Nicklaus, James Braid, locals and travellers, who have enjoyed its J H Taylor) the other hospitality and unique views ever since. multiple winner (1876 There have been some significant & 1885) was a local changes during this winter; the Grange is now caddie and clubmaker called Bob Martin. open seven days a week with food served all By remarkable coincidence Bob, known day, in the spirit of a traditional country inn. affectionately as ‘the Shepherd’, used to tend The current custodians have undertaken a his flock on the land where the Grange Inn refurbishment of the interior, replacing most of stands. the furniture and carpets that had seen their In making the decision to open every day, best days far behind them. the Grange has also carefully considered The welcoming bar retains its open its food menus. In addition to those fireplace, with the rooms themed on the restaurant dishes the Grange has always life and legacy of one of St Andrews’ most been associated with, it has now added a accomplished sons, Old Tom Morris. A more substantial all-day bar menu with classic pub modern addition to the hospitality, however, favourites including Fish & Chips, Burgers & has seen the installation of Sky television, Grange Pies, with everything home made. allowing the Inn to show In opening the Grange all the live sporting events, Inn all day to a much including this summer’s wider public the owners European championships and, Grange is now open have acknowledged that of course, the Olympic games. it is important to offer a seven days a week As the name suggests, broader range of dishes the Grange has now also at affordable prices and with food served all been restored as a functioning has also developed a day, in the spirit of a Inn with its four letting substantial children’s menu, rooms refurbished for weary traditional country inn youngsters under twelve travellers and visitors to the eating free! town.

The Grange has also Recently graded by Visit started to use the wonderful Scotland with a three star rating, the Grange garden areas with much more outside seating provides ideal accommodation for visitors available to take advantage of the nicer days looking for a special place to stay. The rooms that we occasionally get in St Andrews. On a have continued a golfing theme, with each summer day there is simply no better place to of the rooms dedicated to the five multiple enjoy a cold drink and a bite to eat!

*****

Your Editor was invited to test the new menus. What she had was excellent, thoroughly recommended! To start, from the Inn menu she chose Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup. It was enlivened with a touch of crème fraiche, and an inspirational spot of balsamic vinegar to complement the sweetness – a totally delicious blend. Sandy was certain your Editor wouldn’t be able to finish her follow-up course, but he was proved wrong! A mixture of greed plus old-fashioned dislike of waste made sure that the Fish Pie was all eaten up. I admit it was substantial. However, with its mix of haddock, smoked and fresh salmon, and prawns, topped with puréed potato it was just too good to leave any. You do need to be hungry to order it though! My punishment was having absolutely no room for the day’s dessert, which was a shame. The soup was £4.40, and the pie, £9.95, a very reasonable total of £14.40.

It took a long time to choose from the extensive menu, which differs between the Inn and the Sweet potato soup Restaurant. The Inn is couthy, with a huge fire in inclement weather, while the Restaurant has a picture window overlooking St Andrews and For more up-to-date information on its Bay. On fine days the view from the garden what’s going on at the Grange Inn, is breathtaking and I’m told the previous wasp and its latest menus, see the website: problem has been dealt with! Well worth a visit www.thegrangeinn.com and you will not be disappointed! Oh, and there is a large car park.

Fish pie (Grange photos courtesy Sandy Mitchell, the food by Flora Selwyn)

21

ORGANISATIONS Jen Kelshaw and Rhiannon Harrison (Event Directors)

‘Parkrun’ at Craigtoun With funding from the St Andrews Community Trust and Council, and the Parkrun sponsors, the seventh Scottish ‘Parkrun’ kicked-off at Craigtoun Park, St Andrews on Saturday, 21 April. A free, weekly and timed 5km walk/jog or run, ‘Parkrun’ offers runners of all abilities – from those taking their first steps, to Olympians – a regular event held in pleasant parkland surroundings. Events take place across the country (and across the world, with runs in Australia, Denmark, even Camp Bastion in Afghanistan!) every Saturday morning. All Parkruns are organised by volunteers, with a strong focus on the post-run coffee and cake!

Henry Paul and Judith Harding from the St Andrews Community Trust were at the first St Andrews Parkrun to see at first hand how the Trust’s donation was being spent. Henry Paul, chair of the Trust, said, “this is exactly the kind of people-centric activity that the Trust wishes to support. We are also extremely pleased to see so many people enjoying Craigtoun Park. Hopefully this is only the first of many new initiatives to encourage people to come and enjoy this fantastic community asset.”

Seventy-five runners, joggers, and walkers took part in the first volunteer-organised, free, weekly, timed event. The 5km timed course offers a reasonable distance for seasoned athletes, but it is also a great opportunity for those who are just starting out running, or who want to improve their fitness; with the added bonus of post-run treats and chat,

the event also aims to bring more folk to Craigtoun Park at a time when its future is in the balance.

“We were looking for a venue for Parkrun St Andrews and Craigtoun was perfect! If we can help make people aware of this wonderful local amenity, also get them out improving their health, as well as socialising on a Saturday morning we’re happy, really capturing the spirit of Parkrun”.

For more information on ‘Friends of Craigtoun’ please see: http://www.standrewscc.net/craigtoun.php You can sign up for Parkrun at: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/standrews/

Peter N Davidson, Cases Panel for N E Fife

The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS) If you’re fond of heritage there’s never been For decades, a shortage of organisations to join. From the responsibility for North APRS founded in 1926, the NTS in 1931, to The East Fife lay with St Andrews Preservation Trust – the first of its kind Glen Pride, the muchin 1937. Many societies started with quite specific respected architect aims. In the sixties Edinburgh University began and author of a bestthe redevelopment of George Square. A group selling architectural was formed to try to preserve this early eighteenth guide. Glen has passed century example of townscape. So the Scottish this duty on to me, Peter Davidson, retired dentist, Georgian Society came into being. truly an architect manqué, and member of the Only part of the square was saved, but AHSS for over forty years. Help is provided by the outcry stimulated public interest. The SGS other members with local or expert knowledge. continued in being, but on a national basis with If you care, if you value, the distinctive branches all over Scotland. Because its interests qualities that make where you live special and covered buildings of all periods, different why not join with us? The including modern structures, it subscription is £30. Send your The Society changed its name to Architectural organises lectures, cheque to AHSS, The Glassite Heritage Society of Scotland. It’s Meeting House, 33 Barony Street, study tours, and easier to say, AHSS! Edinburgh EH3 6NX visits to properties The Society organises lectures, The next local event is a study study tours, and visits to properties. visit to Collessie with a tour of Members receive the AHSS Magazine and Kinloch House, owned by a member and about to the annual Journal. Throughout the country undergo an imaginative restoration. I hope to see Cases Panels scrutinise planning applications, you there! commenting where change might damage the (Photos courtesy Peter Davidson. character of a building or townscape.

Cover – Spring 2012 Magazine)

Print & Design

We welcome commercial enquiries – the services we offer include: Colour Digital Printing • Graphics & Pre-Press • External Display Banners St Katharine’s West, 16 The Scores, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AX. T: (01334) 463020, E: printanddesign@st-andrews.ac.uk www.st-andrews.ac.uk/printanddesign The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532

22

ORGANISATIONS This is an abstract from a Press Release dated 19 March 2012 from

Rotary District 1010

Rotary, whose enthusiastic members are Currently the world’s largest privately active volunteers, is a global organisation of funded international scholarship programme, more than 1.2 million business, professional, Ambassadorial Scholarships, is another and community leaders. With 33,000 Rotary major project. To date nearly 38,000 men and Clubs in more than 200 countries, the women from some 100 nations have studied organisation is non-political, non-religious, abroad under its auspices, through grants open to all cultures, races, and creeds. The totalling roughly £270m. main objective is service in the community, Since 1917, Rotary has its own charity, the workplace, throughout the world. British The Rotary Foundation, which funds health and Irish Rotary started improvement projects, in Dublin in 1911, closely educational support, In partnership with many followed by London and poverty alleviation and charities worldwide, Rotary runs Manchester in the same others to provide a countless humanitarian projects year decent living all over In partnership the world. with many charities The newest worldwide, Rotary runs Rotary Club here countless humanitarian in St Andrews is projects. The eradication Canongate RotaKids. of polio is one of the Since April 2011, adult key ongoing projects. members of the Rotary Since its launch in 1985, Club of St Andrews reported cases of polio Kilrymont have been fell dramatically from a high of 350,000 per working with classes P6 and P7 of Canongate year, to 1,000, some 2 billion children having Primary School to organise litter picks in the been immunised. Polio still threatens in Botanic Garden; bag packing in Tescos etc, to Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan, just raise money for a variety of projects. Among 4 countries out of the original 125. these is the purchase of LifeStraws, portable

water purifiers for Africa to help prevent common diarrhoeal diseases; 25 cms long x 29mm in diameter, requiring no power source or spare parts, these LifeStraws can be hung round the neck like a necklace!

RotaKids have to promise, “to be fair to all, to serve my community and to show respect for others.” Once committed, they are given a certificate and a badge.

These are just some of the activities undertaken by Rotary; serious purposes carried out with the maximum enjoyment. If you would like to join, or wish to find out more, please contact: the Secretary, Mr Will Aitken, Tel: 01334 470 066 or the President, Mr Ranald Barrie, Tel: 01382 770 095.

(Images courtesy Rotary)

Stewart Davidson, Minutes and University of St Andrews

St Andrews and District Community Safety Panel – What We Do . . .

Living in or near St Andrews has many benefits. It is of course a membership of any organised group or St Andrews & District mediaeval town full of history and attractive buildings with miles of association is not a requirement. The Panel Community Safety Panel glorious beaches, unspoilt views to sea and for those so inclined, plenty meets in the evening every four months to of green spaces over which to whack that small white ball! Visitors identify initiatives and activities in which its enjoy its compact, but cosmopolitan feel, thanks to the University with members can either be directly involved or contribute to in some other our wide array of international students; despite the odd grumble about way. Recent examples of the Panel’s work include a personal safety upturned bins and unlit cycles, it’s a pretty safe, pleasant place to stay, course particularly aimed at women; a campaign to encourage the visit, or work in. use of lights when students purchase bicycles; Police statistics tell us that reported crime is low crime prevention leaflets for visiting golfers; the Panel members can contribute with few signs of the sort of urban decay you see in provision of personal attack alarms; the recent by both identifying issues and other towns and villages, some of which are not so supply of high visibility pouches to newspaper looking for ways to resolve them delivery people. We work closely with the local far away. Importantly within St Andrews, there is a strong will to keep things that way – why wouldn’t police, but most of these ideas and initiatives we? Of course the police have a significant part to play in keeping our come from the Panel members who are well placed to know what is of communities safe. In law, police officers have been given powers and most concern in their area. authority to act on our behalf, so there is a mutual reliance, also many The Panel raises money and receives part-funding from community ways in which we as residents of the town and surrounding area can sources. Its real success, however, is measured in the interest and help. Safety – whether in the home, street, or workplace – is not just a energy shown by the members to do their bit on behalf of us all to keep concern for the police or fire service, it’s important to us all and that’s St Andrews and District a safe place for everyone. where local community safety panels come in to play – whether the issue is around streets that seem too dark, speeding vehicles, personal safety or, yes, those perennial issues of dog fouling and irresponsible So, that’s what we do. Can you help? We are always on the cyclists. Panel members can contribute by both identifying issues and lookout for new members with new ideas; if you are interested, looking for ways to resolve them. drop an e-mail: sgd1@st-andrews.ac.uk and we can tell you more In St Andrews, elsewhere in Fife, and across Scotland there will be about when the panel meets. Come along to a meeting and see a Community Safety Panel. The St Andrews and District Community for yourself what we do.

Safety Panel has members representing the community council, victim support, residents’ groups, the University, and the police, although

23

TOWN & GOWN Graeme Mutch, PR Officer for St Leonards School reports

St Leonards-New Park is dead.

Long live St Leonards Junior School – and its brand new building!

In the past year, the School retained In the past 12 months St Leonards-New Park its charitable status after meeting the has been replaced by St Leonards Junior public benefit requirement of the Charity School, complete with a brand new building on Test. It welcomed primary schools from the way. across Fife to take part in the annual St Since the end of June 2011, work has been Leonards Techno Challenge, and received progressing on a £2.5m project to provide a visit from a member of the House of enhanced facilities for the renamed primary Lords. In addition, ever keen to do their school, which currently has over 170 boys bit for charity, children at St Leonards and girls aged 4½ to 12. Funded by the New Junior School raised £6000 for LEPRA. Park Educational Trust, the project is seeing There was success on the sporting front the existing Early Years wing demolished, to with a highlight being a gold medal-winning be replaced by a brand new, state-of-the-art performance from the St Leonards team structure and a refurbished Hepburn House, in the boys 14-15 age group relay race accommodating Years (P) 4-7. New classrooms at the Scottish Schools Cross-Country are being provided, as well as a new hall, Championships. new reception area, new offices, and new Meanwhile, the School’s musicians activity areas, in addition to new lavatories and provided uplifting entertainment throughout cloakrooms. Aided by an unusually mild winter, the year with a varied series of concerts; the builders, Central Building Contractors, talented young artists used the School’s are on track to finish work by the beginning public art exhibitions to show off what of August on the Morris and Steedman they had been creating in the studios; Associates design. Regular site visits have kept drama students across the School wowed the School’s pupils bang up-to-date with the audiences with polished productions project’s progress; as the end of the Summer of Grease, Anansi, and Shakespeare term approached they had an almost complete Unbound. picture of the fantastic new facility awaiting “At St Leonards we pride ourselves them on their return from their holidays. on providing not only a straight-through Andrew Donald, Headmaster of St education from primary to sixth form, Leonards Junior School, says, “We are very but a holistic one at that,” explained Dr much looking forward to taking over our new Carslaw. “Aside from fulfilling their academic building. All the children have visited the site. potential, our students are encouraged to They are excited about all of the new facilities, make the most of their talents, the wonderful particularly the new classrooms and the brand opportunities that are available to them at new hall.” In a nod to its past, the redeveloped the School and in St Andrews itself. I think area within the St Leonards campus is to be that is reflected in the fantastic array of known as New Park, but it’s very much to the activities and achievements which have taken future that Mr Donald is looking. “Although place this year. Of course though, academic it has been interesting seeing the building matters come first at St Leonards. In that develop we are now planning to move in to regard we are delighted that what will be a wonderful new our IB students are benefiting facility,” he says.

As ever, things from the appointment of our Dr Michael Carslaw, don’t stand still at third Associate Researcher, Headmaster of St Leonards St Leonards St Andrews PhD student School, says, “The completion Philip Kao, to provide our sixth of the redevelopment is a huge formers (S5 & S6) with a link to the research milestone in the development of St Leonards. community at Scotland’s oldest university. As It will provide state-of-the-art facilities for our always, our IB2 (S6) students have received junior children for years to come. The renaming offers from top universities across Scotland, the of the Junior School last summer represented UK and beyond, while our GCSE candidates the bringing together of St Leonards as one, look forward to moving on to this worldenabling us to provide a continuity of highleading qualification. The growing reputation quality education from our youngest pupils of the School as a centre of excellence for to the oldest, who have just finished taking the IB was demonstrated by the visit of a their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma delegation from Norway whose members exams.” were keen to benefit from our knowledge With the IB exams marking the drawing and experience of the qualification.” to a close of the academic year, their mention As ever, things don’t stand still at provides an opportunity for reflection on another St Leonards, and Dr Carslaw is already busy 12 months at St Leonards. Aside from looking towards the next academic year. the redevelopment, as Dr Carslaw explains, “Demand for places continues to grow. plenty has been going on at the School, which, We have a number of events to look with a roll of 530 pupils, is now approaching forward to. During the Summer we will capacity. “From one of our teachers – Elizabeth soon be launching our new website; our Semper – winning the German Embassy’s students will make a welcome return German Teacher of the Year award, to one of to the Edinburgh Fringe, after an absence of our talented young golfers – Alasdair McDougall several years, to perform Billy Liar. We will also – competing in the Dunhill Links Championship, be marking several anniversaries, including and one of our pupils – Harry Campbell – the 500th anniversary of education beginning receiving a message from the International on the St Leonards site. So 2012/13 looks like Space Station, it’s been an exciting time at St being another busy year,” added Dr Carslaw.

Leonards,” he says.

24

Project plans

Starting

Progress

Young site ‘in

spectors’ (Photos courtesy St Leonards School)

TOWN & GOWN Report from Sian Tarrant, just ended his 3rd year in Marine Biology, who organised

St Andrews Marine Week

Scotland is home to a fantastic array of marine appeared to St Regulus and told him to take life, from bottlenose dolphins to jewel-coloured as many of St Andrews’ bones as he could to beadlet anemones. St Andrews Marine the end of the Earth for safe keeping. When week aimed to celebrate our local marine St Regulus was shipwrecked off the rocks environment, its diversity and all there is to of the Fife coast, Scotland was close to the learn from it, to recognise the people whose edge of the known world at that time, so he livelihoods rely on the seas, and the damaging came ashore to what is now St Andrews. things we are doing. Marine Week saw a Thus St Andrews’ foundation is steeped in host of events and activities, with the aim to its ties with the sea. During the middle ages, engage people with our marine St Andrews was a market town, environment and the issues it known for its fishing industry.

St Andrews’ currently faces. The festivities Roger, from the Scottish Fisheries foundation is took place over a week during the Museum, gave an interesting talk steeped in its ties schools’ Easter break, with film on the history of fishing in Fife and with the sea showings and talks every evening.

I’m looking forward to making a True to Scottish weather, it rained visit to the Museum this summer. every day that week, putting a damper on some The Gatty Marine Laboratory’s origins are in the of our outdoor activities. Then the sun reared St Andrews Fisheries Laboratories, founded in its head towards the end of the week for the 1884. The Gatty Marine Laboratory was opened rockpool rambles, beach clean, and marine in1896 and has since built up strong research fayre. For me, the highlight of the week was groups, receiving a large number of research taking children out for the rockpool rambles. grants. The Sea Mammal Research Unit moved To them, the 50th starfish that they found from Cambridge to the Gatty in 1996, giving was just as exciting as the first; it was great them access to local seal populations. The to see enthusiasm from both the children and University of St Andrews is now renowned their parents to learn about all the mysterious for its excellence in marine science, and we creatures we found in the pools along the rocky had some fantastic talks by researchers here shore at East Sands. at the University. Dr Luke Rendell spoke The idea for a marine week in St Andrews about how sperm whales communicate; Dr came to me at the end of my 2nd year. I was Dave Thompson talked about Scotland’s seal surprised that despite St Andrews’ strong populations; and Ursula Tscherter shared historic ties with the marine environment, there her passion for minke whales. Humans have was nothing for the students and the local unique features, such as complex language people which celebrated it. I set out to put on and culture. Dr Rendell explored how whales events that would encourage people to learn and dolphins use complex communication, more about why we should want to protect the explaining how they appear to have widespread sea, and what everyone can do to help. social learning, which is a simple form of Historically, St Andrews’ connection with culture. In sperm whales, there are long-lasting the sea dates back long before the University social groups that use distinctive vocal dialects. was founded. According to the fable, an angel Dr Thompson asked the question, “how are

the seals doing?” He spoke about how seal populations have changed over the last 50 years in Scotland; how grey seals are still on the increase, whereas harbour seals are facing decline.

Ursula Tscherter discussed animals she had known for over 10 years during her work with The Ocean Research and Education Society (ORES). Their minke whale research in Canada is crucial for developing conservation and management strategies for today’s rapidly changing marine environment, in order to protect its diverse and rich life. Whales are excellent tools for sparking public interest in conservation issues, as ‘flagship species’.

This became very apparent when over 20 people came to Ursula’s talk on whales, and all promptly disappeared for the talk by Kenny from the Scottish Fisheries Federation. Both issues were of huge importance, but it’s these flagship species that get people’s attention; a shame for those less known or unattractive species that are facing the same problems, or sometimes even worse.

It made me realise that in order for Marine Week to get the public’s attention on the really important issues, such as sustainable fishing and plastic pollution, you have to reel them in with the animals and issues that they’re naturally interested in. It was a huge learning curve, which will be a great tool for next year’s marine week events.

To keep up-to-date with St Andrews Marine Week, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter: www.marineweek.wordpress.com @StAMarineWeek

Sarah Middlemiss President of the University Polo Club, reports on the

St Andrews Charity Polo Tournament On Sunday, 29 May, University of St Andrews Polo Club once again held a hugely successful charity polo tournament in aid of Help for Heroes. Despite the adverse weather in the run-up to the event, the rain held off and nearly 500 spectators braved the cold winds to enjoy a great day of polo, picnicking, and Pimms. The bar was fully stocked

by Rascals while Gorgeous kept everyone well fed and warm. Fox & Bhut and R&J Polo provided shopping opportunities in between chukkas; our faithful steed, the multicoloured wooden horse, allowed everyone to give it a go on the sidelines raising money at the same time.

The day kicked off with six teams battling it out in the final of our novice tournament where the Made in St Andrews team narrowly beat The One Under polo team in a closely fought match. Primrose Miller of Windy City Polo Club scooped up Most Valuable Player award.

After a rousing performance from the Tayforth Universities Pipe Band, teams from Edinburgh and St Andrews rode into battle for the University Varsity Match. This old rivalry brought out the best in the teams, with St Andrews taking full advantage of the very vocal support from the home crowd. It was a fast and furious match showcasing the best talent in both universities. Despite a gallant effort from George Mackintosh – who sacrificed himself with a run-in with a goal post in pursuit of a goal – it wasn’t enough to stop the home side running ahead to victory 6-1½. A capella group The Other Guys kept spectators entertained in between chukkas with crowd pleasers such as the now Youtube sensation ‘St Andrews Girls’.

The finale of the day was the thrilling exhibition match: Scotland vs England. Some of the best players in the country put on a fast and furious display that kept the chilly spectators on tenterhooks throughout. The match was incredibly close, but Scotland just clinched it in the end winning 3½-3.

The Polo Club would like to thank all of the local businesses who have supported and sponsored us, and especially EFG, without whom we could not have put on the tournament and raised lots of money for Help for Heroes. Let’s hope the sun shines even brighter next year to make next year even bigger and better, and raise even more for charity!

(Photos courtesy the Polo Club)

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TOWN & GOWN Tom Rice, Lecturer in Film Studies, University of St Andrews

Cinema, St Andrews On Thursday 22 August 1895, The Marquess St Andrews, using the town as a case study to of Bute opened ‘A Grand Fancy Bazaar’ on the explore cinematic developments over the past grounds of the United College. This University one hundred and twenty years. Research from event was intended to raise money for the the project is housed on a new website: Students’ Union and included, as The Citizen http://cinemastandrews.org.uk which termed it, ‘Edison’s three latest marvels – the also contains audio interviews, rare Phonograph, Kinetoscope, and Kinetophone.’ photographs, and newly digitised historical The Kinetoscope housed a moving series of materials. The website is divided into five photographs inside a box viewed privately categories; exhibition, production, movie by individuals through a peephole, while the audiences; cinema culture; and stars Kinetophone connected the Kinetoscope to a http://cinemastandrews.org.uk/movie-audiences phonograph audio player.

The history of film exhibition in St Andrews New research from the Department includes accounts of cinemas during the war of Film Studies suggests that this event (when war meetings and represented not only religious events were held the first appearance of at the New Picture House), the moving image within and tales of the earliest St Andrews through travelling showmen in Edison’s Kinetoscope, but St Andrews delivering film also the first appearance of shows to pensioners at the what we might understand turn of the century. The first today as ‘sound film’ ‘fixed’ site of film exhibition within the United Kingdom, in the town was a former through the Kinetophone.

Roman Catholic Church, While the prominent which was dismantled and transferred position of St Andrews in the development across town in 1909 (see picture). The venue, and early history of photography is now widely known locally as the ‘Tin Tabernacle’ continued acknowledged, the town’s role in early film to be used as a skating hall even after it began history has not previously been recognised. showing regular ‘cinematograph’ shows in The Grand Fancy Bazaar would mark the December 1910. Despite its new function, the advent of the town’s interest in the moving venue still emphasised its religious heritage. image; an interest that over the Hymns were reportedly sung next 117 years has seen film before screenings while The The Project will played in strange and wonderful Passion Play was shown on at organise a series places, from a converted church least three separate occasions to of events over the to purpose-built cinemas. Film capacity crowds. societies have grown and Next year marks the next year, and disbanded. Film stars, from centenary of St Andrews’ first needs your help Douglas Fairbanks to Michael purpose-built cinema, The Douglas, have paid visits to Cinema House, which opened on the town and filmmakers, both amateur and 4 December 1913 with a screening of Lorna professional, have used the town as a location Doone (and The Amateur Plumber). To mark for their films. The town has an immensely rich its Golden Jubilee in 1963, the cinematic heritage, a heritage now preserved cinema screened a double bill and examined within a new archival project at with historical footage of ‘old the University of St Andrews.

St Andrews’ playing alongside The Cinema St Andrews project examines Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. the history of cinema within St Andrews from The screening invited a number the medium’s origins to the present day. It of locals who had attended the also examines the history of cinema through opening performance in 1913.

The historic footage shown on this occasion, which dates back to 1916, is one of a number of films produced within the town, which have been located and acquired by the Cinema St Andrews project. These include amateur films, newsreels, early student productions and professional films, shot in and around the town. Chariots of Fire is, of course, the most famous example here, but more recent productions filmed around St Andrews include Never Let me Go (2009), and the Bollywood film, Mausam (2011). A number of figures involved in the film industry have also had a strong connection to St Andrews. Jan Read, an alumnus and resident, shot footage of the town in the 1930s and would later move to Hollywood, where he became friends with Fritz Lang. His screenwriting credits include the Ealing classic The Blue Lamp (1950).

Cedric Thorpe Davie, Professor of Music at the University, wrote the scores for an array of films, including the 1947 film The Brothers (staring Will Fyffe, who died in St Andrews later

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that year) and the 1953 Disney production of Rob Roy. Insights into audiences can be glimpsed from reviews, advertisements, and reports.

Indeed, a passage in O Douglas’ 1926 novel, The Proper Place, contains a brief entertaining account of a cinema trip to St Andrews. In order to learn more about cinema going in the town – the composition, behaviour, and experiences of audiences – we have produced a questionnaire, which can be obtained from the St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum, or filled out online at: http://cinemastandrews.org.uk/questionnaire Connected to these audience studies are the reports on the many film societies.

These include the Dundee and St Andrews Film Society, which was established in 1935, the Minor’s Club of the 1960s, and various University societies. Film is now an institutional part of the University, since the inception of the Film Studies’ department in 2004. Yet, the study and promotion of film has a much longer heritage in St Andrews. For example, in 1967 the British Film Institute ran its famous summer school at Hamilton Hall. While offering further evidence of the vibrant film culture fostered between town and gown, anecdotal evidence suggests that St Andrews was chosen, not because of its love of cinema, but because the conference organiser saw an excellent opportunity to play some golf during the summer!

Golf has always brought film stars to St Andrews: for example, Bing Crosby’s appearance in the British Amateur Golf Tournament in May 1950. Crosby lost his first round match to a local man, Jim Wilson, but the two struck up a friendship, playing each other again on Crosby’s visits to the town in the early ‘70s.

The Project will organise a series of events over the next year, and needs your help.

Whether you have old cinema programmes or memories of going to the movies, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us at: cinemastandrews@gmail.com or at the Department of Film Studies, 99 North Street.

We look forward to hearing from you!

(Photos courtesy St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum; University of St Andrews Special Collections; The Citizen.)

EVENTS

Competition Winners Chapterhouse Theatre Company are happy to announce the winners of their competition (in Issue 52): • John McAleese, of St Andrews, won two tickets for A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Castle (in June).

• Iris Domingos, of St Andrews, won two tickets to Romeo and Juliet, but was able to swap them for A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Congratulations to both, and hope you had an enjoyable evening!

Richard Cormack is involved with

A Festival of Walking, Writing, and Ideas To be held in King’s College Conference Centre, Old Aberdeen, 28-29 August 2012.

It will begin at 6.15 pm on 28th with a talk

by Tim Ingold, followed by the opening of a Photographic Exhibition: 10.30am-5.30pm.

Admission is free.

On the 29th there will be talks by Raja Shehadeh, Robert Macfarlane and Andrew Greig, incorporating readings from and discussions of their new and recent books. This is ticketed @ £20 (£15 concessions) for the entire day. Tickets can be purchased from the Aberdeen Box Office: 01224 641 122.

The photographic exhibition continues into September, comprising, “Walking in Scotland’s North” by Richard Cormack, and “Photographs from the Palestine Walking Group” by Bassam Almohor.

For further information contact: Professor Peter Davidson: 01224 272 618 (Photo by Richard Cormack, Pots of Gold.

This will be used for the Festival poster)

Invite you to visit a hidden treasure in the heart of St Andrews OPEN DAILY ALL YEAR ROUND

Sunday August 5th OPEN DAY – FREE ENTRY Entertainment for all the Family Activities for Children, Craft Stalls, Live Music Ceramics & Paintings for Sale in Gatehouse PLANT SALES AREA Open till end of September TO JOIN THE FRIENDS AND SUPPORT THE GARDEN CONTACT MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Tel: 01334 476452 Charity No. SC006432

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EVENTS

Selected Events Tuesday, 3 July to Friday, 31 August – 2.00-5.00pm (Tuesdays & Fridays). Bell Pettigrew Museum, Bute Buildings, Queen’s Terrace, St Andrews. Free admission to the extensive 19th century natural history collections. Contact: museumenquiries@st-andrews.ac.uk Till Sunday, 2 September – 10.00am-5.00pm daily. St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park. Fabric of Life exhibition of East of Scotland textile industries. Also S J Peploe (1871-1935), the French Connection, exploring the inspiration behind this Scottish colourist’s work. Free. Contact: 01334 659 380.

Till Sunday, 30 September – 2.00-5.00pm daily. St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum. North Street. Wheels, the story of motoring in St Andrews. Free. contact: 01334 477 629.

*****

Sunday, 1 July – 11.00am-4.00pm. Madras School grounds, South Street. St Andrews Vintage Car Rally. Free Entry. To be attended by Sir Menzies Campbell to sign the Austin Ten Drivers Club National Touring Scroll at Midday. All vintage and classic cars welcome. For further information please contact: 01334 475 716 or www.scottishvintageaustinenthusiastsclub.co.uk/

Saturday, 7 & Sunday, 8 July – King & Queen of the Beach – Beach Volleyball Championships. For information contact: info@stabvc.co.uk or search for St Andrews Beach Volleyball Club on Facebook.

Tuesday, 10 July – 6.15pm Younger Hall, North Street.

Opening Gala Concert of the World Saxophone Congress.

Continuing until Sunday, 15 July at various venues in the town – for details please see: info@wscxvi.com or: www.wscxvi.com/main.php or Younger Hall.

Saturday,14 to Sunday, 29 July – St Andrews Art Club Rooms.

14c Argyle Street. Summer Exhibition. Free. Contact: standrewsartclub@yahoo.co.uk Saturday, 14 July – 10.30am-12 noon. St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park. Flower Power! Workshop with artist Sophie McKay: make flowers from unusual materials. Ages 5 -7 years.

Admission £3. Contact: 01334 659 380.

Tuesday, 17 July – 2.00pm. Craigtoun Park, by St Andrews. Tea in the Park – family fun organised by the Friends of Craigtoun.

Free admission. For details: www.friendsofcraigtoun.org.uk Wednesday, 18 to Saturday, 28 July – Crail Festival, East Neuk.

Including Children’s Festival. Full programme: www.crailfestival. co.uk Contact: Mrs Jennifer Gowans: 01333 450 108.

Friday, 19 July to Thursday, 26 July – 9.30am – 5.00pm. The Old Post Office, ELIE. Art Exhibition, Anne Dunlop & Linda Paton.

Contact: anne@dunlopa.fsnet.co.uk or lindapaton19@aol.com

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Friday, 27 to Sunday, 29 July – Town centre, Inside Out Festival. Contact the Byre Theatre: 01334 475 000 or: www.insideoutfestival.com – 7.00pm. The Old Coal Yard, 66 High Street, PITTENWEEM. Preview, St Andrews Photgraphers (Arts Festival). Exhibition continuing till Sunday, 5 August, 10.00am – 5.00pm daily. See: www.standrewsphotographers.com Saturday, 28 July – 10.00am-3.00pm. Church Square, St Andrews. Home Baking and Bric-a-brac Stall, in aid of St Andrews’ Episcopal Church Organ Fund, and Mothers’ Union Overseas Fund.

Contact:admin@stastachurch.plus.com – 6.30pm. West Sands. Chariots of Fire Beach Run. Bring dry socks & shoes! Meet at Car Park, West Sands. Fife Athletic Club Affiliated £20 / unaffiliated £22 for 5 races. Contact: fifeac@talktalk.net Sunday, 29 July – 10.30am. Station Park, Old Guardbridge Road, St Andrews. Highland Games. Contact: ig2@st-andrews.ac.uk

Saturday, 7 July – 9.00am-1.00pm. Argyle Car Park, St Andrews. Farmers’ Market.

– 10.00-11.30am. St Andrews Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens.

Coffee morning in aid of the St Andrews branch RNLI. – 2.30pm. Glasite Hall St Andrews Church Hall Complex, King Street, DUNDEE. Carry on Up the Tigris – the experiences of British & Indian soldiers in Mesopotamia 1914-1918. A talk by Alan Wakefield, of the Imperial War Museum, for the Tayside Branch of the Western Front Association. Entrance free (donations welcome). Contact: Bob Paterson, 01382 775 000.

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Wednesday, 25 & Thursday, 26 July – 7.30pm. Cambo Estate, Kingsbarns. Deadly Dilemma. A Victorian drama by Red Wine Productions. For more information, and to book visit: www.crailfestival.co.uk

*****

Wednesday, 1 August – 2.00-3.00pm. MUSA, The Scores, St Andrews. Tour. Free. Contact: 01334 461 663 or: rjb54@st-andrews.ac.uk Saturday, 4 August – 9.00am-1.00pm. Argyle Street car park.

Farmers’ Market.

Thursday 9 to Tuesday, 14 August – Town centre. Lammas Market & Fair. Contact: 08451 555 555 x 440608 or: Keith.Jackson@fife.gov.uk Friday, 10 August – 6.30pm. The Guid Cheese Shop, Burghers Close, St Andrews. France: Tour de Fromage. Explore French regional cheeses & wines. Book early – £20! Contact: 01334 477 355 or: info@guidcheeseshop.co.uk Friday, 17 August – 8.00-11.00pm. Botanic Garden, Canongate, St Andrews. Moth Trapping & Identification, an illustrated introduction with an identification session next day at 10.00am.

Contact: 01334 476 452 or: standrews.botanic@fife.gov.uk Friday, 24 August – 6.00pm. The Guid Cheese Shop, Burghers Close, St Andrews. New World Wine meets Old World Cheese, taste outside the box!! Book early, £20. Contact: 01334 477 355 or: info@guidcheeseshop.co.uk Sunday, 26 August – 8.10am – 5.00pm. Madras College, Kilrymont Road, St Andrews. Sportive St Andrews 45/65/80 mile cycle rides, £25. Contact: 07597 487 297 or: sportivestandrews@gmail – 2.30pm. Cambo Estate, Kingsbarns. The North American Prairie Design; Construction & Management. Talk by Elliott Forsyth – Head Gardener, how to make a North American Prairie, based on the one at Cambo. Tickets £15 – Friends of Cambo & RHS Members £12.50 (Coffee and shortbread included). Contact: 01333 450 054 cambo@camboestate.com www.camboestate.com

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OUT & ABOUT Arlen Pardoe uncovers more

Hidden Gems in St Andrews (in plain view)

Following on from the incised letter P that could be found at or below eye level, this time you are going to have to look upwards to the tops of our local buildings, to see the skilfully-carved faces looking down on you as you pass by. Just take care to stop when you look up, else you might walk into trouble!

Grotesque Faces In general terms a grotesque is a fanciful carving of a face, an animal, or vegetation. The name has Latin roots, associated with decoration of caves or grottoes. St Andrews has a goodly selection of grotesques on various buildings in the centre of the town. Indeed, if the faces featured here were all you ever saw every day it would be a pretty scary place to live in! You will, for the most part, only see them when you look upwards, so they are less obvious than they otherwise could be. Why are there so many, and why are they there? The early examples of grotesque faces were said to ward off evil spirits; a suggestion to the forces of darkness that ‘we can be as bad as you’. Grotesques found at the cathedral, or on churches, could be for this reason, though in modern times we may not see such ideas as being compatible with religion. Perhaps they are there to warn of the dangers of the outside world, to suggest the sanctuary to be found inside the church.

Tradition has it that witches were ‘tested’ by water ordeal at the Witch Lake in St Andrews until the late seventeenth century, though in fact it is better documented that witches were burned or hung in Scotland. Many of the St Andrews Presbyterians were outraged when the Statutes against witchcraft were repealed in 1736. With such fear of the unknown it is not surprising that grotesques became popular and acceptable.

What are these faces doing on buildings erected here in the 19th and 20th centuries? Is it a coincidence that most are concentrated at the seats of education – Madras College, and the University? Perhaps they are to keep the pupils and students in order. All we can say today is that they are unusual, decorative, and attract attention. Some of the faces are humanlike, others feature animals or mythical creatures. A feature seems to be that no two are the same, certainly as observed here.

Whyte-Melville foutain

Holy Trinity Church

Market St / Church St

Holy Trinity Church

St Mary’s College

Cathedral

Younger Hall

Hopper, Albany Place

Gargoyles Some faces include a water spout, designed to convey water from the roof of a building – these are correctly described as gargoyles. Buildings in St Andrews that have gargoyles include Holy Trinity Church and Madras College. The Whyte-Melville fountain in Market Street has faces with water spouts, but as they are not on a building to convey water from a roof, can they be called gargoyles? The building that was part of the United College on the east side of St Salvator’s Quad, just off North Street, has over 40 grotesque faces. Many have open mouths, but do not convey water from the roof, so are properly called grotesques. On the other hand the ten faces around the main 1833 building of Madras College in South Street do have spouts and do convey water, so are true examples of gargoyles.

A final thought Some of the human faces are done as likenesses of actual people, an early form of cartoon work in stone. Perhaps the grotesques on the main Madras College building are caricatures of the founder Andrew Bell.

If you compare them with his picture in the Madras College Magazine of 1907 there is a resemblance. The benefactor is looking down kindly on his pupils.

Grotesques are, of course, different to realistic carvings with normal human features, which can be found in a variety of places in St Andrews, for example Holy Trinity Church, or on houses in Queens Gardens. We will look at some of these at another time.

(Photos courtesy Arlen Pardoe)

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OUT & ABOUT In commemoration of the recent 200th anniversary of Edward Lear‘s birth, here is an original but anonymous St Andrean limerick!

Limerick

Alistair Lawson, Field Officer, ScotWays

‘Quis custodiet custodies’?

Dedicated to our American guests, who stress the Saint of St Andrews, as well as the last syllable, St Andrews!

There was an old man of Saint Andrews, His golf he played in tartan trews.

With ease he filled his day, This member of the R&A, His golfing partner,

He did wear plus twos

And very highly polished shoes!

St Andrews & District Community Safety Panel For more information about your local panel please contact PC Paul Buttercase, Community Safety Officer Tel. 01334 418745 EMail paul.buttercase@fife.pnn.police.uk

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Sometimes – just sometimes – one reads In his Scotsman article, Fordyce something in the newspapers with which one Maxwell cites a memorable experience, can wholly identify, and which very nearly when he witnessed, over a period of ten persuades one to forgive journalists for their minutes or so, seven huskies being put otherwise endless stream of inanities, factual through their obedience training by their inaccuracies, and tendentious posturings. owner. They were required to sit still or to I had just such an experience a couple make set moves between markers on the of months ago, on turning to the farming grass, and he recounts that not one of them page in The Scotsman, where I found put a paw out of place during the whole time the admirable and he was watching them. dependable Fordyce Impressive!

There is a temptation to Maxwell writing on the Going back to turn one’s initial wrath on insensitive owners, subject of insufficientlytrained dogs. He knows responses, on the dogs, but, of course, their the subject from the being challenged, are it is really the fault of the fatuous, “Oh, he’s a standpoint of one who writes about the working nice dog really”; “He lazy owners world of the farmer; doesn’t mean any I know it from the harm”; “You needn’t standpoint of the innocent countryside user be frightened” (gee, thanks); “He’s just a who is too often charged, chased, barked puppy”; “He’s so excitable”; “He’s not used at, threatened, pawed, scratched, slobbered to runners” – none of which cuts any ice over, or otherwise subjected to unwanted with me whatsoever! One wonders what attentions by insufficiently-disciplined dogs. panic and what emotional scars these There is a temptation to turn one’s untrained mutts cause when they bark at, initial wrath on the dogs, but, of course, it and charge at, toddlers, or at the aged and is really the fault of the lazy owners, who infirm? simply haven’t taken the time or the trouble Fordyce Maxwell’s point of view, to train their dogs not to do any of the above and mine, are backed up by the Scottish anti-social things. Admittedly, I manifest Countryside Access Code (known in the non-standard countryside behaviour, in that trade as SOAC), which specifically enjoins I run – which maybe excites latent hunting dog owners to ensure that their charges do instincts in dogs, because most recreational not cause fear, alarm, or inconvenience to countryside users walk, to which dogs are other, innocent, countryside users. more accustomed. No excuse! Dogs must Canine psychology is, according to be able to accept and not over-react to all Fordyce Maxwell, based on the desire to be normal(ish) recreational activities. A few boss (top dog!) and, as shepherds and dog years ago, one woman even had the gall trainers know, that has to be resisted from to shout at me to get off my bike, because an early stage. Dogs do actually respect her mutt was spooked by bikes! I have also leadership and control; if the owner doesn’t been tripped on more than one occasion by assert these qualities, the dog will move in dogs doing figures-of-eight around my feet, and fill the vacuum, after which the battle and I can point to teeth marks in the back is lost. of my old and trusty trainers where a dog I could write about dog droppings and took a nip at my heels. If that nip had been about sheep-worrying, but enough’s enough a few millimetres higher up, that could have for one day. been the end of my Achilles tendon and a I shall be interested to hear from other premature end to many enjoyable decades readers as to the extent to which the above of running. While I disapprove in general of behaviours either are, or are not, seen in the litigation culture, I would have been very East Fife. tempted to pursue damages from the lady owner of that dog.

(Photo: Denis Bell’s dog in the snow)

OUT & ABOUT Tony Hardie’s

Nature Notes – May 2012 If one’s garden is such that it is a Spring Tibetan foothills. In the evening the aroma of garden, if you have reached my age, the lovely the old-fashioned wallflower fills the border, show of April and May is over so quickly! The akin perhaps to a favourite coffee – exquisite! garden has boasted magnolia in full flower, The wisteria clings to the gable wall, coiling like a chandelier with a hundred around the down-pipe with a lamps that point to the sky. The thousand drooping flowers the lovely show of pear blossom, white as snow, the and fresh leaves to match the April and May is pink-tinged blossom of the apple colour of the old St Andrews trees, the gean in flower, have stone. The hardy climbing over so quickly! all delighted those that come clematis, so graceful, is to be this way. The primroses look seen on many walls. It is called from shaded corners. The primulas and orchids “montana”, reminding us that we are subjected are pressing on; still to flower, the Himalayan to the weather of northern climes, as if we need poppy, that master of blue, through the petals reminding! of which the sun can shine, show with their There is room in the garden for some first flowers their delicate promise. They were wild flowers. The lovely white wood anemone first described by a soldier on leave in the provides ground cover, while the wild violet, a favourite of the bumble bee, will flower under shrubs that come into leaf later. In certain crannies the foxglove will grip a hold, a bold and colourful flower that demands so little of the soil.

Fledglings emerge to be fed by the parent birds. The young blackbirds are so demanding, bellowing to be fed, but never satisfied. The robin, more discreet, but soon we shall see the young, speckled as a thrush, not yet red-breasted.

Bullfinches chose one day to devour the Foxglove Magnolia

Mecanopsis blossom of the gean tree. But as it is a big tree it can well stand this. Is there nectar at the base of the petal which, after an initial tasting, it then spits away with disdain? – I understand the fruit gardener’s resentment at such a visit. A house sparrow is nesting in the eaves of the adjoining cottage and whilst I have written of boring songs there is no such song to beat that of the cock sparrow. He sings his heart out from the telephone wire or the cottage rhone – one note repeated twice or thrice is all he can muster and he tries so hard. Edward Lear described his song thus, “I heard you cough, I heard you sneeze.” Nowadays there are many fewer sparrows, so one values their cockiness and their busy life. They are urban dwellers, happy enough and like the starling need that quality of cockiness for survival, though it must lead them into trouble on occasions.

As I write our deciduous trees are coming into leaf. The shades of green, yellow, and red reflecting the sunlight, augur a time of the year to be enjoyed while it lasts – here’s hoping!

(Photos courtesy Tony Hardie)

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KK ele c t r i c s Along with our new energy efficient adventure, here at KK Electrics we are proud to be announcing that not only can you buy your kitchen appliances from us, we can now design and

install new fitted kitchens to house your appliances in! We will do everything for you!

Leave it all to us and we will make sure you get your dream kitchen!

We have teamed up with local kitchen designer Marcel, who has been designing kitchens for 20 years and enjoys every minute of arranging people’s kitchen ideas and says “I treat my kitchen designs like a rubik’s cube, solving customer’s kitchen dreams! It’s like a hobby to me and it’s great I get to enjoy

my work so much!” For more info on how you could get your dream kitchen drop by our showroom and see for yourself kitchens Marcel has designed for us! 158 South Street, St Andrews or call us on 01334 475204.

158 South Street Tel: 01334 475204 www.kkelectrics.co.uk