Guild celebrates 70th birthday
Last updated 21:54, Wednesday, 28 May 2008
On Tuesday the 11th instant His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch’s fox hounds, along with Beattie the indefatigable huntsman, met about a mile above Langholm Lodge in the river Esk.On Saturday a match was played here between Newcastleton and the Liddesdale Rovers.Miss Isa D. Stewart, who for many years was telephonist at Langholm Telephone Exchange, was displaced by the opening of an automatic exchange a fortnight ago. She has since taken up a similar appointment at Annan.Westerkirk Woman’s Guild held a small party recently to celebrate their 70th birthday at the home of the President, Mrs. D. Brisbane Jones-Stamp, for present members of the Guild. Mrs Alastair Cameron, daughter of the Founder President, Mrs John Gilles cut the birthday cake which was made by Mrs.J. Dickson.
OTTER HUNT IN ESK
There was a good muster, and amongst them several keen sportsmen.
In the course of a few minutes the dogs found a bouncing otter, which took down the river to nearly Langholm Lodge – back again to Milnholm and several times up and down the river; however after thus dodging for upwards of an hour and a half, his existence was finished at the top of the Kiln Pool.
Near the same place about an hour afterwards, Lord John Scott’s terrier, a brave little birkie, between 8 and 9 pounds weight, a most extraordinary animal for otters, to the utter astonishment of the sportsmen, unearthed from a drain about 60 yards from the river, the two monster sized otters, one of which was permitted to escape to form sport some other day, while its less fortunate companion, after a long and splendid run, was killed in the middle of the Esk near the Lodge.
It was allowed by several experienced hunters that this day’s sport was decidedly the best that had been witnessed in Esk for many years.
NEWCASTLETON – FOOTBALL
The Rovers who were at full strength, played a spirited game, and we express the hope that if they play with the same determination in future as was shown on Saturday they may be rewarded with success – one goal each.
MISS ISA STEWART’S PRESENTATION
A few weeks ago, after a meeting in the E & L Office, a committee was formed to collect subscriptions to make a presentation to Miss Stewart in order to acknowledge the valuable help rendered to the community by Miss Stewart during her service at the Langholm Exchange.
The culmination of the efforts of the committee and subscribers took place at a small function in Ashley Bank Hotel, Langholm, on Thursday evening, when the members of the committee waited upon Miss Stewart.
The presentation was made by Mrs G. W. Masheter, Georgefield, wife of the vice-chairman of the committee.
Mrs Masheter said: The making of this presentation to Isa, on behalf of those who have subscribed, is a terrible ordeal (at the moment) which I know will be just as much pleasure to look back upon, though had I known what was in store stage fright might have got the better of me and I would have stayed in Kintyre instead of travelling over 200 miles to be there. (lttr).
We would not be here if we were not fully aware that Isa is no ordinary switchboard girl: her friendly interest which prompted her to call out the police, doctor, or friend - whichever seemed appropriate in various emergencies – and her willing help and cheerfulness at all times have given her a large circle of friends many of whom would probably not even know her by sight but are missing her presence in the exchange rather acutely.
I do thank the committee for allowing me to have the honour of handing over these mementoes, and with them our thanks and best wishes to Isa.
We hope you will soon find lots of friends and pleasant associations in Annan, and that this watch will do as well for you as you have done for us – and as long. (app). Mrs Masheter then presented Miss Stewart with a beautiful gold cocktail wrist watch with gold strap and a wallet of treasury notes.
Until that night she had no idea that she had so many friends and it saddened her to think that she had now to lose contact with most of them. She would like simply to say thank you very much indeed for their very generous appreciation of her humble effort.
She tried to make herself believe that she had been worthy of their gifts. (app).
GUILD’S 70TH BIRTHDAY
Others in the photograph are: back row (l. to r.) Mrs. M. Dalgliesh (Delegates for Social Responsibility), Mrs. J. Henderson, Mrs. Brisbane Jones-Stamp, Mrs. Cameron, Mrs. A. McCord, Mrs. Dickson (Treasurer 1962), Mrs. M. Burnett (Delegate Home Mission; Sitting – Mrs. N. Paterson (Founder Member) and Mrs. C. Jack (Secretary 1973-1983).
