Last updated 21:54, Wednesday, 09 July 2008

RAILWAY matters have assumed a very different aspect since our last.LANGHOLM is doing some little share in missionary work, and the Home Mission claims the honour of training a number of these.SIR, – As a “neutral” observer for the first time of the preparations for the forthcoming Langholm Common Riding and the enthusiasm engendered by the anticipation of the great day, one must admire the efforts and the pride of the Langholmites in ensuring the success of their annual event.LANGHOLM Town Band and Langholm Pipe Band had their longest marches of the year so far – variously stated to be five miles, four, three and a half, but actually about 2.8 miles – at Maryport Carnival in West Cumbria on Saturday.

Railway bill

Then we wrote in high hopes of an immediate termination of the long pending struggle, which we confidently anticipated would issue in the Committee of the House of Lords passing the Hawick, Langholm, and Carlisle Railway Bill; now we write, we cannot deny it, in deep disappointment.

The astonishment of the whole country interested can be more easily conceived than described, when the news arrived that the Lord’s committee had found the preamble of the Bill not proven.

The contending Railway schemes will again have to start a fresh on the field of battle, unless Sir James Graham’s proposal of a new scheme to satisfy all parties, shall prove something more than usually results from the “expediency moves” of the Right Hon. Baronet.

There is one remarkable feature in Sir James’s proposal; we take it only as a fortunate coincidence, that by it both sides of Sir James’s property will be accommodated.

Of course this never occurred to the worthy Baronet when he made the proposal.

We could imagine nothing so selfish coming from Netherby. Oh, no!

Our prospects for the future are not less hopeful than before, and it remains only for the local supporters to stand firm and united in order that we may yet obtain a through line of Railway from Hawick to Carlisle via Langholm.

MISSIONARY FROM LANGHOLM

The latest addition is Miss Agnes Byers, daughter of the late Mr Andrew Byers, late leader and secretary of the Langholm Home Mission. She has been accepted by the Zambesi Industrial Mission, British Central Africa, one of the few of these excellent missions which well-nigh support themselves.

She will go out in August to assist in hospital work for twelve months, and afterwards to be married to Mr J. S.Ferguson, of this town, who preceded her a twelvemonth ago, and is now in charge of a station named Nombli.

Miss Byers farewelled in Langholm last week-end by rendering some beautiful solos in the Market Place on Sabbath night to a very large and appreciative audience, as well as in the Temperance Hall, where special reference was made to her and her family’s connection with the Home Mission, who now claim to have six missionaries in the field – Dr and Mrs Young, in China; Mr and Mrs Tom Cairns, Mr J. S. Ferguson, and Miss Byers in the name of the Mission and other Christian friends, accompanied by many earnest prayers and the singing of “God be with you till we meet again”.

COMMON-RIDING

One feels that a large measure of the Common Riding Day’s success must inevitably depend on the attraction of visitors to the town – not only to see the events but to enjoy the beautiful panoramic view of the whole area.

As can be deduced from the pages of the E. & L. Langholmites take a great pride in their town and its immediate surroundings, and this can well be understood.

The history and romance of the area is second to none and indeed when one reads of the various happenings around the Borders some hundreds of years ago one almost wishes to be taken back in time to take part in some of the stirring events of those days.

No doubt, hundreds of years hence (hydrogen bombs permitting) the citizens of Langholm will be reading with awe and admiration of the lives and doings of the Langholmites of 1958.

I wish all success to the Common Riding of 1958 and “lang may your lum reek”. – Yours etc., INCOMER.

TOWN BAND WINS AGAIN

Some ten other bands also took part in what has now become the biggest festival of its kind in North West England.

It was hot work playing up and down the hilly streets of the town surrounding the old port, but both Langholm bands were popular with the vast crowds.

The Town Band, disdaining conventional march music, had the spectators clapping, singing and dancing to popular tunes such as “Hello Dolly”.

The Town Band played in the contest held in connection with Annan Riding of the Marches recently when it won the first prize of £50 and retained the challenge trophy.

They beat bands from Annan, Dumfries and Sanquhar to win.