The St Andrew Society of York Newsletter - Easter Special
Keeping you informed during this period
of lock-down and staying at home
Sharing members news and stories
Edited by Jim Murison www.yorkscot.org.uk April 2020
Secretary’s Update Easter has been quite strange this year, and we have all had to adapt to the circumstances facing us at this difficult me for the country. I hope you managed to celebrate Easter in some meaningful way. Anne and I were able to listen to a special service online from our local church in Boston Spa. Normally at this me of year we would all be thinking about our AGM, but regre ably this is on hold un l such me as we can all meet together. Nevertheless Council is s ll planning for the future and we will send out informa on to you on a regular basis. I am pleased to report that our incoming President Alison Paton has confirmed that Alf Deuchars has agreed to be our President for year 2021—2022. [see profile of Alf, page 4] There are vacancies to serve the Society on Council and nomina ons may be sent to me at any me. A formal no ce of the AGM will be sent to all members when the coronavirus pandemic restric ons are li ed. It is certainly hoped that the events in late summer/autumn will take place as planned, so hopefully we may be able hold the annual BBQ in Copmanthorpe. The annual conference of the Burns Federa on in September and the rearranged Yorkshire District Tartan Ball in October should go ahead. Please take care and look a er yourselves (by staying home!). Jim Murison
To Aileen Minns’ Mum, Be y who celebrated her100th birthday on 1 st April and Frank Paterson who turned 90 on 5 th April
Remember to let us know if you have a special birthday or anniversary during this me of restric on so that we can share your celebra on.
-1- ‘THE GOOD LIFE’ By Moira & Alf (1st instalment) Having to find things to do is not a problem when you have an allotment. Barbara and Tom eat your hearts out. It seems a few of you have taken the ini a ve to grow vegetables this year in your gardens.
At the moment we have sown, carrots, beetroot, parsnip and swede along with potatoes. The greenhouse is full of everything else which will be planted out when large enough. One has to watch out for slugs and snails, rabbits, moles and pigeons. Loads of manure has been dug in so looking forward to good crops. Looks as if watering might be needed too. Good luck with all your own vegetable growing.
Quiz In the last newsle er we asked you if you could name 19 towns or ci es in Scotland that end with a ‘Y’ – so here they are:- Aberfeldy, Auchtermuchty, Ardgay, Banchory, Beauly, Dalry, Denny, Grantown-on- Spey, Huntly, Inverary, Kelty, Kirkcaldy, Newport-on-Tay, Paisley, Pitlochry, Queensferry, Rothesay, Stornoway, Whi ng Bay WHERE IN SCOTLAND QUIZ EXAMPLE: Where in Scotland will you find the truth? ANSWER: Anstruther Where in Scotland will you find a ….. 1) Road 2) Gun 3) Rod 4) Lens 5) Bell 6) Loch 7) Lash 8) Rug 9) Car 10) Mint 11) Anchor 12) Belt
Answers in the next issue [Thanks to Robert & Sue Marshall for this]
-2- Clans & Tartans A response to last month’s short piece about the clan Anderson, by David Waterton-Anderson
To the Editor: Elizabeth and I much enjoy reading the Society’s newsle er which helps us to keep in touch with friends in these awkward mes. Of par cular Interest to me was the piece on the Clan Anderson. If you and my fellow members would excuse my temerity, as Chairman and founder of the “Anderson Associa on” and a member of council and Pursuivant of the Clan, I would like to offer an update. I was asked to write the sec on on Clan Anderson for the “Sco sh Clan & Tartan Encyclopedia” by George Way of Plean & (the late) Romily Squire of Rubislaw, published in 1998 in which I was able to elucidate the misconcep ons of earlier years. For many years, it had been considered that Andersons/MacAndrews were a sept of Clan Ross. In the light of new research, it is now clear that this is not the case. This assump on was based on the ancient name of Clan Ross which was “Clan Ainreas,” plus an account in la n of a minor clan reloca ng from Moidart to Badenoch in the “Kinrara Manuscripts,” called Clan Leandrish. It is now thought that this assump on was made in error due to transla on difficul es as neither Ainreas or Leandrish can be translated as ‘Andrew’ - the basis of the name (in Gaelic; MacAindreas). The name Anderson (in various forms) turns up throughout Scotland (and England) in many early documents due to devo on to Christ’s disciple Saint Andrew and a simple patronymic naming system. The largest of these groupings with a known history, are from the north-east of Scotland in Aberdeenshire, Banffshire & Moray, yet the clan has never had a known Chief. Amongst the collec on of manuscript books now kept at the Lyon Court in Edinburgh is a manuscript compiled from about 1566 called the “Workman M/S.” It contains many contemporary depic ons of the arms of Scots who were prominent at that me. Among them is a rough depic on of a coat-of-arms ascribed to “Anderson of that Ilk.” It is unclear whether this manuscript ever formed part of the official records of the Lyon Court and it is not possible to state with certainty that this drawing referred to any par cular individual. However, the cap on would suggest that the arms belonged to one who had been recognised as Chief of the arms & name of ‘Anderson.’ Despite the fact this same coat of arms also appears in several other contemporary manuscripts in repositories as far distant as London and The Hague in Holland, we do not even know the first name of this character. However, in ‘Privy Council’ records (James V, 2nd April 1526 ), one James Anderson was made “Carrick Pursuivant of Arms.” He was further given le ers of protec on in 1529 as “James Anderson of Sterheuch, our Carrick Pursuivant" and in this posi on at the Court of the Lord Lyon, not to have borne and used arms is inconceivable. There is strong evidence that he, and the mysterious “Anderson of that Ilk,” were one and the same. A descendant line of this James rose to prominence as Anderson of Westerton & Ardbrake who registered arms and crest in 1673 and in more recent mes it has been their crest of “An Oak Tree Proper” with the mo o “STAND SURE,” that has been generally accepted by Andersons as their clansman’s crest badge. My father’s line is a scion of the Westerton & Ardbrake family who in 1691 acquired a property in the Laich o’ Moray called Kinneddar. I am proud to say that my own armorials display the Oak Tree and mo o “Stand Sure” as did those of my ancestors. Any member who wishes to read more on the Clan Anderson might care to access the website at < clan-anderson.org.uk >
[Editor—Many thanks David for this detailed report on your clan Anderson and we look forward to further insights into Sco sh Clans & Tartans and a follow up on Munro, see page 4]
-3- Introducing our President-Elect - Alf Deuchars
Alf and Moira joined the St Andrew Society in 1994 and Alf became President 2004-2005 whilst s ll working. Today offers another challenge to see the Society prosper in the me ahead as, now re red but s ll very ac ve, it is especially relevant due to the disrup on caused by the virus. Alf and Moira are both from Dundee and spent 25 years of married life raising a family in Monifieth, whilst Alf spent 40 years working for the railway in a wide range of clerical and managerial roles. Educated at Morgan Academy and Dundee College of Commerce, Alf worked in many local areas of Scotland’s East Coast before commu ng to BRHQ Glasgow when the railway structure was changing to sectors. From incep on, Alf worked for InterCity but within 5 years priva sa on was on the cards. By 1994, our daughter finished secondary educa on and moved on to Aberdeen University. That was the moment Alf was invited to come to York and assist with East Coast which later became Great North Eastern Railway. Re rement came in 2007 and have never looked back. Alf and Moira became Council Members of St Andrew Society for a number of years and in 2004-5 became president with over 200 members. There have been so many memorable moments and events, therefore it is my target to achieve a vibrant future for the future society. Our principal interests are gardening, fruit and vegetable growing, wine making of many popular types of wines and holidays. Today we grow some 38 varie es of vegetables, 10 different types of fruit and large collec on of flowers at the allotment near the house combined with our home garden. [see ‘The Good Life’, page 2] I look forward to my year and will fully support Alison during her unusual year. Despite all the current global problems, let’s hear of any of your ideas that can make the Society very interes ng. Keep safe and healthy! Alf Deuchars
More on tartans : Munro (from President Marlynn)
I am sure that several members of the Society have puzzled over my surname and could not fit it in with any Sco sh connec on! My connec on is in my maiden surname - - Munro (cue for amusement as you put my Chris an name and my maiden surname together giving a very glamorous screen star!!) Reading through some of the history we have always been a figh ng clan. Being a highland clan and I had made the assump on that we would be Jacobite – nothing farther from the truth. We were involved in one of the companies to patrol the Highlands on behalf of the Government in 1725 and were unofficially known as ‘Black Watch’. To this day the seat of the clan is at Foulis Castle in Dingwall. Clan Crest : A Perching Eagle Mo o : Dread God -4-