St AndrewsISSN 2514-409X in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more Issue 91, £2.00 the award winning magazine for St Andrews, Scotland November/December 2018 www.standrewsinfocus.com St Andrews in focus • shopping • eating • events • town/gown • people and more From the Editor I have learned a delightful new/old word, Contents ‘concinnity’. It’s been around since at least the mid-16th century, so Google tells me – “from Latin FEATURES concinnitas, from concinnus ‘skillfully put together’” • Community Council 3 and it means: “The skilful and harmonious • Eleanor Gunstone remembered 4 arrangement, or fitting together of the different • 80th Anniversary, the Kinder Transport 5 parts of something; also, studied elegance of literary or artistic style.” The bibulous among you • Uncle Charles 6 will be pleased to know that the Merriam-Webster • John Matthews 7 dictionary further explains that the Romans • ‘Lest We Forget’ 8 apparently enjoyed a cocktail called cinnus, that gave rise to the verb • Cairngorm Seedlings 8 concinnare, and so on. Allow me, therefore, to wish you all, wherever you • ‘Albany’ 9 may be, a most concinnitous Christmas and New Year! • ‘Out of Focus’ 9 • Reviews: Flora Selwyn – J & G Innes recommends 10 – On & About Poetry 11 • Story time: * * * * * * * * – What to do with Mr Tottle 12 TOWN & GOWN The views expressed elsewhere in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor. • Volunteering 13 © St Andrews in Focus (2003) • The New Silk Road Project 14-15 • John Cameron’s column 16 • Special Feature: University Strategy for 2018-23 17-20 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 SHOPS & SERVICES EDITOR Flora Selwyn • Why ‘Fairtrade Town’? 21 Tel: 01334 472375 • Electronic Wills 23 Email: [email protected] • The Trusted Trader Scheme 23 DESIGNER • Roving Reporter 25 University of St Andrews Print & Design ([email protected]) ORGANISATIONS PRINTER • Community Safety Panel 26 Winter & Simpson • Cats Protection 26 ([email protected]) • Memory Café 27 DISTRIBUTOR • Signs of the times 27 Drop 2 Door ([email protected]) EVENTS PUBLISHER • The Archaeological Society 28 (address for correspondence) • Youth Theatre interview 28 Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., • Car Free Day 29 Suite 160, 15 Bell Street, • The Heisenberg Ensemble 29 St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9UR. Tel: 01334 472375 • The Solheim cup 30 Email: [email protected] • The St Andrews Play Club 30 SUBSCRIPTIONS • There will be light! 31 St Andrews in Focus is published 6 times a year. • Selected Events 31 Subscriptions for 6 issues are: OUT & ABOUT £15 in the UK (post & packing included). • Tim Hardie’s Nature Notes 32 Please send cheques to: Local Publishing (Fife) Ltd., • Autumn in Aberdour 33 Suite 160, 15 Bell Street, • Hidden Gems 34-35 St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9UR. £27 overseas (post and packing included). Please use PayPal account: NEXT ISSUE – Jan/Feb 2019 [email protected] COPY DEADLINE: NOTE: please pay with a Personal Bank Account, as credit cards incur a 3.9% charge. STRICTLY 28 NOVEMBER REGISTERED IN SCOTLAND: 255564 All contributions welcome. The Editor reserves the right to publish copy according to available space. THE PAPER USED IS 100% RECYCLED POST-CONSUMER WASTE Cover: an original photo of the Cathedral by Heike Neukirch 2 FEATURES Callum MacLeod, from the Provost’s Chair The Community Council At the end of September the paintings was used for the cover of the one on top of the other more than 600 years it was my pleasure to host last edition of this magazine. ago. From the top of that tower one can see a Civic Reception for the In welcoming the Mayor, I remarked the world-famous links, where golf was first Mayor, and Members of upon how both our ancient burghs – ours played well over 600 years ago. the Conseil Municipal, still Royal, their regal status removed during Only a few months ago we remembered of our twin town Loches, the French Revolution – measured our long the consecration of the Cathedral 700 situated in the Loire Valley of France. histories by the century. years ago in the presence of King Robert Twinning such an international town as Only last year, St Andrews was the the Bruce, not long after the Battle of ours, with its place on the world stage as only place in the United Kingdom to be Bannockburn. This month we will solemnly the Home of Golf, was always going to be a accorded European City of the Reformation remember with gratitude the passing of controversial step; indeed, I confess to have status, as part of the commemorations to another century, that since the end of the been at best lukewarm about the idea myself mark the 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran First World War – another, more sombre over the decades it had been discussed. Reformation, one of the catalysts being John link between our two countries. Soon Nevertheless, after a protracted Knox preaching to remarkable effect in our after, and perhaps somewhat ironically, courtship lasting several years, the decision Town Kirk. Brexit will come into effect (though, after was taken to enter into a formal twinning Our University, often appearing in the my authoritative statement about the arrangement, with my predecessor, Howard top hundred rankings of higher educational Community Council election in the last Greenwell, one of the signatories to the establishments in various league tables, edition of St Andrews in Focus, don’t trust Twinning Agreement made a couple of years recently completed the celebrations to mark that statement too much!). ago. Before, and since that date, there its 600th Anniversary by announcing that Whatever your views of the rights and have been many links established between £100m had been raised by its Anniversary wrongs of that process, what is certainly true St Andrews and Loches, ever greater Appeal. This sum allows it to begin to is that cultural links and friendships between numbers of St Andreans and Lochois having refurbish some well-loved buildings, as the peoples of the countries of Europe will visited each other’s towns, cementing with well as build new ones fit for the teaching, become ever more important in breaking pride friendships and cultural links. learning and research requirements of the down barriers, while twinning arrangements I myself have not yet had the privilege of 21st century and beyond. such as ours will play a vital role in this. visiting Loches but, like many, I was able to Looking out of the window of the Council As ever, I welcome hearing from you on gain a flavour of the place from an exhibition Chamber of the Town Hall during the Civic any matter at: [email protected] or at of paintings and photographs held over the Reception we could see the tower of Holy 01334 478 584. summer in the Byre Theatre. Indeed, one of Trinity Church, the stones of which were laid dum spiro spero 3 FEATURES This warm tribute was submitted by John Gunstone, who wishes to thank family members, Elspeth Wallace and Elizabeth Riches for contributions Eleanor Eineen Gunstone (née Hill): 9 September 1926 – 7 July 2018 Eleanor was born in Liverpool, the only child of Sydney John Hill, and and Fife Council from 1986 till Florence Eleanor Hill (née Mylchreest – a name of Manx origin, that 2007. Following her retirement has been handed down as a middle name to one of her sons, and one as a Councillor she continued of her grandsons). Eleanor’s father and mother were a printer and a to be involved with the Liberal bookkeeper respectively. She grew up with her parents in Loreburn Democrats as Treasurer, then as Road, Liverpool – with her maternal grandparents, Ma and Pa, next door Honorary President. She made – and her paternal grandparents, Granny and Grandpa, not far away in sure she met the new prospective West Kirby. parliamentary candidate in June of She attended Mosspits Lane Infant School, Dovedale Road Junior this year. School, and the newly-built Childwall Valley High School, where she was In parallel with work and head girl in her final year. In recent years Eleanor made copious notes family life, Eleanor gave an about growing up in Liverpool, including memories of holidays in the Isle immense amount of time of Man, engagement in the Girl Guide movement, the opening of the to Scottish Athletics, Cross Mersey Tunnel, air raids and evacuation from Liverpool during the war, Country, and Road Running. and attendance at both Sunday School and youth club at Elm Hall Drive Her involvement started when Methodist Church – to mention just a few. Penny showed promise in After leaving school Eleanor went to Liverpool University to study middle distance and endurance maths and science, but was unable to complete her course due, in large running. Along with others, part, to the huge numbers of young men returning from the war being she was instrumental in prioritised for university places. She subsequently had a number of jobs, establishing an athletics club in Eleanor including working in a pharmaceuticals manufacturer’s laboratory, in a St Andrews in the early 1970s, privately-owned analytical laboratory, for British Airways at Speke (now which eventually became Fife AC. Over the following decades she John Lennon) Airport, and as a receptionist in a pen factory, where she was heavily involved in the governing bodies of both Women’s Track made birthday announcements and played ‘music while you work’ over and Field, Cross Country, and Road Running, holding posts including the loudspeakers. Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer; Eleanor had met Frank Gunstone while she was also a representative on the British playing tennis at the church youth club. Amateur Athletic Board. When the Scottish They were married on 20 March 1948, then In 2014 Eleanor was presented with Athletic Federation was formed Eleanor was moved to Glasgow, where Frank had been a an award by UK Athletics recognising appointed Convenor of the Road Running and university lecturer for about 18 months.