FIFTY years after the launch of Apollo 11, Langholm enjoyed the countdown of the launch of the rocket which took two men to the moon for the first ever moon landing.
To commemorate the event AfterMoon Tea was served at the Buccleuch Centre to just under 100 people and what a tea it was.
Along with delicious sandwiches and cakes, everyone enjoyed varied entertainment from the talent of Eskdale.
Billy Young was compere and Iain Bell, after having welcomed everyone to the centre on the bagpipes, played Commander Neil Armstrong’s Moonsteps, composed by John A P Irving, better known as Jock of the Hollows, in 1970.
Hayden Goodfellow, the town’s own astrophysicist took the floor and talked about space travel and the journey Neil Armstrong and his colleagues took to prepare to go to the moon.
At 2.32pm the audience heard the countdown to lift-off.
Hayden’s ability to put across complex science is second to none.
Slides and film footage were used to illustrate his talk and he described how Armstrong, the dark skies of Cronksbank and science had inspired him to study astrophysics.
Jamie Telford took his seat at the grand piano and gave us the very fitting 1972 Elton John composition, Rocket Man.
Jamie came for the dressed for the occasion in one of Elton’s own red suits.
Iain played Riding with the Armstrongs – even to the Moon, one of his own compositions for this year’s anniversaries: the moon landings and that of Gilnockie Tower.
Grace Brown told us in a humorous way about Armstrong the man and her experience of organising his visit to Langholm and of the paparazzi.
A self-penned composition Prisoners of Gravity was sung by Jamie before Billy Young sang the apt Moon River, accompanied by Cornet Jeffrey on the piano.
John Hammond, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries, gave a vote of thanks to all who had contributed to the event to close the afternoon.
We really had been to the moon and back and were left in admiration of the skills, knowledge experience and musicianship of Langholm’s own talent.
To the moon and back for tea
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