No 3 1938 — 75th Anniversary — 2013 July 2013 Chieftains Message Here we are again, coming into the busy period for the committee. The Winter Ceilidh is only a few weeks away and everything is in place to ensure it is a good evening. We are using a new venue for the society for this event. The Stirling Bowling Club, situated on Jones Street, Stirling. A number of the committee have visited the venue after it had been mentioned at a committee meeting and they have had nothing but praise for the high standard of the premises. They have a huge dance floor which should make the dances that "Alba Gu Brath" much more enjoyable. Don't forget to return your application forms to the Treasurer as soon as possible. COMMITTEE 2012-2013 The St Andrew's Day Ball is also fast approaching. Again the committee Chieftain are working hard to make this an event to remember. If anyone has any suggestions on how we can make our 75th Anniversary event Brian McMurdo something special, please do not hesitate in contacting any of the committee, who ensure that your ideas are heard at the next Immediate Past Chieftain committee meeting. Ken Suttie On Saturday July 6th, my wife Alice and I along with another 9 Vice Chieftain members of the Society had pleasure in attending the Bunbury MacAussies Ceilidh. I certainly admire the organising committee for Doris LaValette the efforts they put in with not very much support from the local community. However we still managed to have a great night. Well Hon Secretary done John and Ellen. Darian Ferguson Other members of the Society have to be thanked for showing the Hon Treasurer flag at other Scottish events. Some of these include, The Scottish Diana Paxman Masonic Charitable Tartan Ball held at the Hilton Hotel. Clan Donald luncheon held at the SAS Barracks, Swanbourne and the Kirkin' of Members the Tartan, held at the RAAFA Village, Bullcreek. Well done to you Cameron Dickson all. Mike Haines Now let's get those tickets purchased for the Winter Ceilidh , so that Cheryl Hill we can get some practise for the Ball. Eoin Kennedy See you all soon. Jeff LaValette Brian McMurdo Reggie McNeill Chieftain Email: [email protected] Editor at Large The Saltire’s usual editor Ken Suttie is currently on an extended Website visit to Scotland so he is not responsible for any errors or omissions http://saintandrew.org.au in this edition. Safe return Liz and Ken. Michael Haines Page 2 http://saintandrew.org.au Great Scots Last edition of The Saltire had a feature on Saint Andrew as a sometime new feature Great Scot. To make a sublime to the ridiculous leap this edition we highlight The Bay City Rollers when Les McKeown joined as lead singer and Kohn Devine joined as guitarist. In early 1974 Remember was hastily rerecorded with the new line-up and heralded the explosion of their popularity. A string of hits was released including Shang-a -Lang (UK No.2), Summerlove Sensation (UK No.3) and All Of Me Loves All Of You (UK No. 4) in 1974, as well as their first LP, Rollin’. By the end of 1975 after a successful UK tour, that prompted headlines of ‘Rollermania’ , and a 20 week TV series called Shang-a-Lang, the band was one of the highest selling acts in the UK. The band had chart success with singles in 1975 with Bye Bye Baby and Give A Little Love, both No. 1 UK hits, and 3 LPs. The year of 1975 saw the “Rollers” at the peak of their popularity and comparisons were made with The Beatles. Despite intense research the results of this comparison are allusive. Bay City Roller fans also started to wear dis- tinctive clothes that emulated their heroes, in- cluding calf length tartan trousers and tartan The Bay City Rollers started out as a band scarves, a selection of images of these accom- called The Saxons, who formed in 1966, with pany this fan song. a line-up of Alan Longmuir on base, his The band was very popular in Australia where brother Derek Longmuir on drums and Gor- they appeared on Countdown in 1976, a year don ‘Nobby’ Clark as lead singer. The name where they were their most prolific with 7 sin- they became known by was chosen with a gles, but the strain was also telling and their map and dart which landed near Bay City popularity began to wane. Michigan. A drip of recordings continued into the eighties With a record contract the band’s first hit was with Japan being the place where their popu- Keep On Dancing (UK No. 9 1971) and with larity lasted the longest with the release of this success they appeared on Top of the Piece Of The Action in 1983, although in 2008 Pops. Wider European success then fol- fans in Los Angeles celebrated Bay City Roll- lowed with Manana, a song that won a Radio ers Day. Luxembourg sponsored song contest. The Bay City Rollers may not have been every- After several non-charting singles including one’s dram of Scotch but there will be some Saturday Night Clark became disillusioned out there who have been reminded of their and left the line up at the end of 1973. This Yesterday's Heroes . coincided as their latest single Remember Sources: Wikipedia had zoomed up the chart to No. 6. The YouTube ‘classic’ line up of the band was in place 1938 — 75th Anniversary — 2013 Page 3 From Sláinte to Kanpai The Story of Japanese Whisky’s Glasgow Roots the shock of adjusting to her new life with a new language and an entirely new culture proved hard. Masataka was asked to oversee the building and management of Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka. Six years later he made history by overseeing the production of the first ever Japanese Whisky, Sun- tory Shirofuda (White Label). Masataka, still on a quest for the authentic taste and quality of Japanese Whisky is popular worldwide and Scotch, left Suntory and started his own dis- seeks to challenge Scotland as industry lead- tillery on the Northern Island of Hokkaido er. where he had a good supply of water, barley, Japanese Whisky has been produced for al- peaty soil and a cool climate. He even plant- most a century but its history began in ed heather on the site for more authenticity! He started producing Nikka Whisky in 1934. GLASGOW! In the early 20th century Japanese distillers Masataka died in 1979 but the techniques he wanted to replicate the taste of real Scotch popularised are still in evidence today and and the Settsu Shuzo Company sent a Japanese Whisky has won many medals around the world. young man called Masataka Taketsuru to Scotland to learn the process. Sources: University of Glasgow Avenue He enrolled at Glasgow University where he Magazine Suntory Whisky attended lectures on distilling techniques. He also served an apprenticeship at Hazel- Written by Doris LaValette burn Distillery in Campbeltown where he ac- quired first-hand experience. After a year Masataka returned to Japan, not CALENDER OF EVENTS 2013 Winter Ceilidh 17th of August Stirling Bowling Club, Stirling Ball Dance Classes each Monday 23rd of September to the 25th of November Leederville Town Hall, Wembley St Andrew's Day Ball only taking his new-found knowledge but al- 30th of November so a new wife whom he married in a secret Hyatt, Perth ceremony at Calton Registry Office in 1920. 2014 Her name was Rita Cowan, a Doctor’s th daughter from Dunbartonshire. By all ac- Burns Supper 25 of January counts they had a happy marriage but for Parmelia Hilton Hotel Perth Page 4 http://saintandrew.org.au New Forth Bridge to be called Queensferry Crossing The new bridge to be built across the Firth of Forth is to be called the Queensferry Crossing. The bridge is due to be completed in 2016 at a cost of £1.6bn. Queen Margaret in the 11th Century introduced a ferry to carry pilgrims across the Forth leading to the com- munities on either side of the Firth being called North and South Queensferry. Queen Margaret was the Queen Consort of Scotland and married to The new bridge will replace the current Forth King Malcolm III Canmore and was later can- Road Bridge across the Firth of Forth because onised to become Saint Margaret of Scotland. of worries over structural issues. The Myths & Legends of the New Members The society welcomes Scots Peter and Jayne Duncan Bagpipe Wrestling Hugh and Elaine Nicol Allan and Margaret Saunders THE HOUSE OF TARTAN PERTH KILT HIRE Special Ball Package Kilt, Sporran, Jacket, Waistcoat, Shirt & Tie, Ghillie Brogues, Hose & Flashes Usually $220 Now virtually unknown, bagpipe wrestling was Saint Andrew Society Ball only $175 once a hugely popular sport at Highland Games. Owners would keep "stables of Please order early to secure your outfit. trained fighting bagpipes" and pit them against champions from around Scotland. The bag- Ph: 9371 2211 pipe is a ferocious fighter and the wail of a de- 314 Walcott Street, Menora 6050 feated bagpipe is terrible to hear . www.the-house-of-tartan.com.au E-mail: [email protected] Like St Andrew Society on Face Book Perth’s Leaders in Kilt Hire and Kiltmaking Page 5 1938 — 75th Anniversary — 2013 The Good Giraffe’s Kindness Armstrong Baillie, 32, has taken to donning a giraffe suit his mother has made him and travelling to different places to random acts of kindness. Originally from Glasgow he now lives in Dundee with his girlfriend and daugh- ter.