Your community magazine

Issue 19 - Spring 2010
Bridge OF Allan
T imes
Your community magazine
Redwing at Airthrey Castle -Photo by Peter Hancock
Distributed free to all households in Bridge of Allan and available worldwide at www.bofatimes.co.uk
Reflexology - Therapeutic Massage
Foot Specialist
Dr James McGee
Allanwater
Chiropractic Clinic
74 Henderson Street
Bridge of Allan
FK9 4HS
Telephone 01786 831994
www.AllanwaterChiropractic.co.uk
British Chiropractic Association, General Chiropractic Council
British Chiropractic Sports Council
▪Sports Injuries ▪ Back Pain ▪ Headaches ▪ Neck Pain ▪
▪ Soft Tissue Injuries ▪ Repetitive Strain ▪ Prevention ▪
Think You’re Tough Enough?
A 10-kilometre road race, billed as the
“Toughest 10k in the UK”, will be held in and
around Bridge of Allan on Sunday 18 April. The
course, which starts at the Sports Club on
2
Mine Road, goes through the grounds of the
University before heading up “The Killer Mile”
of Logie Kirk Road. From the Sheriffmuir Road
it drops down before climbing again up
Pendreich Farm Road and thence back to the
Sports Club.
The Henderson Street-based Running
Company (www.therunningcompany.co.uk)
are involved in staging the race.Profits will go
to Bridge of Allan Primary School for sports
development projects. For further details
contact Eve Kidd on 01786 833322.
Community Council
BY SANDI GRIEVE
Elections have just taken place for members
of the Community Council.Gavin Drummond
will take over the chair from Les Ferguson,
who was warmly thanked at his last meeting
for all his work over the last few years.
During this time the Community Council has
worked hard with Stirling Council and other
funders to bring about a number of changes:
the renewed Paterson clock, the new War
Memorial and the beginnings of improvements
to the Memorial Park, the cleaning of the
Arch, new seating, yellow lining, the woodland
clearance and paths, and many more.
At present a great deal of effort is going into
the re-establishment of the toilets in the
Provost’s Park. Hopefully that will also mean
an improvement to the garden area there.
Work on the Memorial Park will continue.
Unfortunately there still doesn’t seem to be
much improvement in the tennis courts on Keir
Street, but that is still on the agenda.
There will also be discussions on flooding in
the near future. A Community Plan is in its
Auditions for
Snow White
Following last year’s acclaimed macrobert
production, Sleeping Beauty, macrobert is
now holding open auditions for young
people for next year’s Christmas show,
Stirling’s traditional family pantomime,
Snow White.
Each year the Christmas pantomime offers
young people the opportunity to work
alongside and learn from professional
actors. This year auditions will take place
on Sunday 18 April at macrobert.
To audition to join the cast for this year’s
Some of the members of the Community Council
Back row, from left - Claire Gibbons, Liz Rankin, Sam Shortt, John Gil
Front row - Ian Anderson, Gavin Drummond, Desiree Ashton
embryo stages, and a very successful Friends
group is trying to improve the appearance of
Bridge of Allan.The hanging baskets, planters
and the work on the Memorial Park last
summer were a great improvement. More
people are always needed to assist or to help
fund this. Please contact Liz Rankin 832292 for
details.
Christmas classic and the opportunity to be
part of a professional company, young actors
must be between 10 and 17 years-old and
enjoy singing, dancing and acting.
Audition places are limited so you are
advised to book your audition slot early.
To register for an audition please e-mail
Helen Doherty at
helen.doherty@macrobert.org
with your name, date of birth,
address and telephone number.
The Community Council meets on the third
Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm in the Allan
Leisure Centre. All are welcome.
The deadline for registering for auditions is
Friday 26 March.
You will then be provided with
full details and dates in
advance of your audition,
which will be confirmed by
letter. You can alternatively
call the admin office on 01786
467155.
Bridge of Allan Times - Your Community Magazine
We hope you enjoy this edition of your
community magazine. The publication is
produced entirely by volunteers and is
funded by our advertisers, to whom we are
grateful. Distribution is by local residents,
who willingly deliver in all weathers
Allan Brown, Editor
Sandi Grieve
Alison Logie
Peter Meech
Ian McLaren
Douglas Stuart
We want you to have your say: please get
in touch if you wish to comment on
anything you read here or wish to raise any
other issues. Contact any committee
member from the list by phone or by email
to news@bofatimes.co.uk
If you would prefer to write, our address is
Bridge of Allan Times
10 Abercromby Drive
FK9 4EB
..
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
832981
833255
833631
833639
833465
833935
The views expressed by the contributors are
their own and do not necessarily represent the
views of any members of the committee.
Distribution, transmission or re-publication of
any material from this magazine or from the
website www.bofatimes.co.uk is strictly
prohibited without the prior written permission
of Bridge of Allan Times. For directions on
material re-use, website comments, questions
or information contact the editor.
www.bofatimes.co.uk
3
Readers get in touch
Dear Editor
I just wanted to say well done and thank
you for this month’s great issue. I really
enjoyed the piece on Dr Paterson. I love
reading about the history of the village and
am proud to live here.
Thank again
David Inglis
david@inglismail.co.uk
Dear Editor
I was really pleased to read in the recent
issue of the magazine that I am not the only
person to have encountered an otter in my
Watch Your
Mouth!
BY DR JAMES ARNOT BDS
Bad breath, bleeding gums, loose teeth? If
you recognise any of these symptoms it’s
likely you are suffering from gum disease.
Periodontal disease (as it should be called)
is inflammation or infection of the tissues
supporting the teeth. There are two main
types of the disease: gingivitis and
periodontitis.
Gingivitis is where there is inflammation of
the soft gum tissue only and the gums
around the teeth appear red and swollen.
They often bleed when brushing. Children
and teenagers who are poor at brushing
their teeth often present with this. If
gingivitis is left untreated it will progress to
periodontitis.
In periodontitis, the inflammation not only
affects the gum but spreads to the bone
holding the teeth in place. As a result the
teeth lose their support and become
mobile. In time they will fall out.
Surprisingly, more adults lose teeth through
periodontal disease than from tooth decay.
Periodontal disease progresses slowly and is
usually painless. As a result it can
sometimes be quite advanced before you
realise something is wrong. The most
common symptoms are: red, swollen gums;
bleeding gums; bad taste in the mouth; bad
breath; gum shrinkage; loose teeth or teeth
drifting apart.
With gum shrinkage the teeth appear longer
than they have done in the past. This is
where the expression “long in the tooth”
derives from.
4
garden in October of this year. It would be
most interesting to hear if there have been
any more sightings, as I found it amazing
that an otter would appear in such a builtup area and I would love to know where it
might originally have come from. My only
experience of seeing one of these fantastic
creatures has been at our house near Oban.
I look forward to hearing if he (or she) has
been seen recently.
I would also mention how much I like and
appreciate the Times - keep up the good
work.
Mrs M. Cooper
“Highchesters”
Bridge of Allan
The main
cause of
periodontal
disease is
plaque,
which is a
film of
bacteria that
forms on the
surface of the
teeth and
gums every
day. It is soft
and easily
removed by
tooth
brushing or
by using a
cleaning aid
between the teeth such as floss or
interdental brushes. If the plaque is not
removed, the bacteria it contains are free
to cause their damage.
Sometimes the plaque mineralises and
becomes a hard deposit called calculus (or
tartar). Most adults at some point will find a
small amount of this chalky substance
behind their lower front teeth. Once it is in
this form it can only be removed by a
dentist or a hygienist. Other factors that
can alter your susceptibility to periodontal
disease include genetics, smoking, diabetes
and pregnancy.
Usually your dentist is the first person to
pick up the signs of periodontal disease, in
which case you will likely be given an
appointment with the hygienist at the
practice. Hygienists concentrate on the
treatment of gum disease by thorough
cleaning to remove all the plaque and
calculus that has formed. This is done with
a specialist ultrasonic scaler and hand
instruments. As this procedure can be quite
sensitive, a small amount of local
anaesthetic can be used to numb the area.
The hygienist will also show you how to
remove the plaque effectively from your
Bridge of Allan 100 Years Ago
Territorials
The officer commanding the 6th Black
Watch offers 6s for each recruit secured,
the money to be paid to the noncommissioned officer or man bringing
forward the recruit. About a dozen men
are still required to bring the Company up
to the regulation standard, and unless
these are obtained the members may be
attached to some of the neighbouring
Companies. “H” Company, as far as Bridge
of Allan is concerned, would then cease to
exist, and it is hoped that the young men
of the village will support the movement
and so prevent what would be nothing
short of a calamity.
Stirling and Bridge of Allan Reporter,
February 26, 1910
teeth using toothbrushes, floss and special
interdental brushes.
Your susceptibility to periodontal disease
never disappears but its progress can be
halted. This is achieved by meticulous home
cleaning and regular visits to your dentist
and hygienist.
There has been a lot in the press recently
linking periodontal disease to a number of
conditions such as coronary heart disease,
stroke, diabetes and low birth weight
babies. Researchers have found that people
with periodontal disease are twice as likely
to suffer from coronary heart disease than
those without it. One explanation of the link
between the two is that oral bacteria enter
the blood stream and attach to fatty
plaques in the coronary arteries, thereby
contributing to clot formation. Blood clots
in the coronary arteries restrict the amount
of blood and therefore oxygen getting to
the heart, which can lead to heart attacks.
Additional studies have pointed to a
relationship with periodontal disease and
stroke.
So, next time you are at your dentist be
sure to ask about the health of your gums,
not just your teeth.
Bridge of Allan Primary School will shortly
have an imaginative and exciting allweather trail. Starting at the back of the
building, the 350-metre long and two-metre
wide Adventure Path will loop around the
outside of the existing playing field. At
intervals there will be obstacles, such as
stepping-stones, balance beams and leapfrog posts, designed in the first instance for
use by primary age school children.
The project, by landscape designer Judi
Legg, should encourage children of all
abilities to become more active, to improve
their general fitness, to hone their balance
skills and to boost their overall confidence.
But it also has an ‘inter-generational’ aim,
meaning that everyone in the village will be
welcome to experience what it has to offer
outside school hours.
The project has been masterminded and the
funding acquired by F.A.S.T. (Families And
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
of the local Primary School?
What’s a quarter of a mile
long and snakes around the grounds
School Together), the school’s Parent
Council. Its Chair, Bella Black, says: “We are
delighted that our fund-raising efforts have
proved so successful and are sure the
Adventure Path will be a great asset to the
school and the wider community”.
Funding has come from various sources: £5k
from the school, a further £5k from the
Clackmannanshire and Stirling Environment
Trust, £8.5k from the Community Council,
with the final £9.5k from the UK Lotteryfunded Awards for All.
The path forms part of a wider project to
regenerate the grounds of the school.
It thus complements the existing Wildlife
Garden, which has been rejuvenated in
recent years with help from Bridge of Allanbased Sue Pringle.
Work on the path itself and the landscaping
is expected to start this April, followed by
the installation of the equipment. It’s hoped
this will all be completed by May, but the
Adventure Path should definitely be in place
for the start of the new school year in
August.
Bridge of Allan 100 Years Ago
A Memorial to Mrs Whitelaw
A stained glass window has just been
erected in Bridge of Allan Parish Church in
memory of the late Mrs Whitelaw, Alangrange. The window, which is of “Kempe”
glass, is of three lights, the
subject being “The Crucifixion” in the
centre light, with St Mary and St John on
either side…
Stirling and Bridge of Allan Reporter,
February 26, 1910
5
“One of the most beautifully situated country houses in Scotland”
In the first of two articles Frances Hamilton explains the significance for Bridge of Allan of Westerton
House and its owners.
Over time, some pieces of architecture become
changed, disguised, developed, and so forgotten.
Westerton House (1803) in Upper Bridge of Allan
is one such. The building and the people who
lived in it are an integral part of the history of
the village: Henderson Street, Alexander Drive,
Westerton Drive, the Westerton Arms, Mayne
Avenue, Pullar Avenue and the Pullar Memorial
Park all derive their names from the residents of
Westerton House. Difficult to see unless you
know where to look, the building is now
surrounded by modern houses, virtually covering
the fields where cattle grazed just 35 years ago.
On the periphery are architectural clues to the
original gardens and grounds. Two lodge houses
mark the south and east entrances: one is where
Alexander Drive and Well Road meet; the other is
tucked away at the east end of Sunnylaw Road.
Beside the latter, going north and west, is the
15-foot high stone boundary wall, which
sheltered the kitchen gardens.
Hidden in the woods immediately above the
lower lodge house, topped by a 20-foot beech
tree, is the intact ice house, similar to the one in
Kew Gardens and still reachable with a pair of
boots, nettle-proof trousers - and imagination.
Ice was stored in straw here to keep provisions
cool in the House in the days before fridges. It
was cut in blocks from the curling pond in the
grounds and, when required, was carted through
the iron gate still standing in the south-west
6
corner of the garden, beside
the “kissing gate”, where the
maids said farewell to their
sweethearts. Still at the front
of the House is the mounting
block with two iron rings,
where horses were tethered so
the ladies of the House could
mount with ease.
Westerton House is listed in
The Buildings of Scotland and
is described in The Illustrated
Architectural Guide to Stirling
and the Trossachs as “a calm,
Classical mansion built for the
estate of Westertoun of Airthrey,
1803, perhaps by William
Stirling. The five-bay facade, in pink ashlar, has
no pediment but is fronted by an uncomfortably
broad Ionic porch shading a Regency door screen
and fanlight”. Scottish Country Life Magazine
(1929) went further, describing it not only as
“the leading house in Bridge of Allan”, but as
“one of the most beautifully situated country
houses in Scotland”.
Its origins, however, precede the present house.
Legal documents attest to the granting of the
lands of Westertoun of Airthrey to James
Henderson and his two sons as early as 1682.
There is also mention of an old house built
somewhere in the present grounds, a house
raided by Rob Roy, who
carried off the Laird as
prisoner to Kilmahog. (He
escaped by plying his captors
with Atholl Brose.) The
Sasines show Hendersons
succeeding Hendersons till
the 19th Century, with John
Henderson (d.1822) a naval
surgeon, being particularly
noteworthy. The main part of
the present house had been
built by then, but it is to him
that we can attribute the
round, leaded windows
reminiscent of a captain’s
cabin, visible at the back of
the House, the frescoes of sea
nymphs, and the exquisite
carved walnut panels of seacreatures and shells, each
unique, which lead into the
“Cabin”.
Following the death of Dr
Henderson, Westerton House
passed to his nephew, Major
John Alexander, who adopted
the name of Henderson. He it
Westerton House
was, together with Sir Robert Abercromby of
Airthrey, who turned Bridge of Allan into “The
Queen of Scottish Spas”. Henderson’s ambitious,
but largely unfulfilled, plans can be seen in the
illustration (1851) - a whole network of terraces,
gardens, ponds, fountains, shops and churches.
The following year his friend William Roger wrote
in A Week in Bridge of Allan: “In the village … on
the lawns of Westerton, fountains played
unceasingly, and a large one, of very lofty
dimensions, is in the course of being erected …
which the gallant Major … has designated the
Fountain of Nineveh”.
As well as building the fountain, Henderson was
also responsible for holding in the grounds of the
House the first Bridge of Allan Games in 1852 and
meetings of the West of Scotland Archery and
Rifle Clubs. He revived “tilting at the ring” (see
illustration), constructed a skating and curling
pond and the local cricket pitch. He also laid out
paths through the woods to facilitate access to
the Spa, built lodging houses in the village with
piped water, gas street lighting and substantial
roads; and was responsible for the first bowling
green, a reading room and a statue gallery.
No wonder the Royal Hotel in 1852 held a “public
breakfast” in his honour, where he was presented
with a dinner service, “the gift of One Hundred
Friends in token of their estimation of Major
Henderson’s devotedness to the public welfare;
and in recognition of his unceasing efforts for the
social comfort, the recreations and the general
convenience of the numerous visitors to Bridge of
Allan”. The ladies of the village, “as separate
testimony of their regard”, presented him with a
grand piano. Unmarried, he was succeeded in
1858 as Laird of Westerton by his brother,
General Sir James Edward Alexander (to whom
we shall be devoting a future article. Ed).
If you have any anecdotes or family memories of
Westerton House, please get in touch at 01786
833002.
John Murphy
Stirling County and Central Region, John
wrote the definitive history of Scottish Social
services, British Social Services – The
Scottish Dimension (1992). More recently,
he led a team to record the centenary of
Cornton Vale’s establishment, soon to be
published. Among his many other
commitments he served on the board of,
and subsequently chaired, the Bield Housing
Association for 20 years.
BY PETER MEECH
The village has lost one of its characters in John
Murphy, who died of a heart attack on 28 January,
just five weeks after the death of his beloved
wife Margaret. They had lived in Stanley Drive for
over seven years and at White Chalet, the house
they built on Glen Road, for the previous 40
years.
The esteem in which John was held and the
affection he inspired were demonstrated by the
large attendance at the celebration of his life at
the Royal Hotel. Speaker after speaker, including
Sir William Macpherson of Cluny and the Lord
Provost of Glasgow, Bob Winter, paid eloquent
tribute to John’s many achievements and
personal qualities.
Born in Slamannan in 1917, John originally
studied Classics at Glasgow University, becoming
a teacher in Alva after war service with the
Tank Regiment and then the War Office
Selection Board, as a commissioned
psychologist at HQ, where he worked with
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Tel. 01259 217009
Anyone meeting John could not help but be
struck by his acute mind, his curiosity, his
humanity and his sheer love of life. These
qualities, together with a formidable
memory, a facility with words and a
mischievous sense of humour, he was
fortunate to preserve till the end.
many renowned psychiatrists and
psychologists. In 2007 the British
Psychological Society published a major
article by him on the work of the War Office
Selection Board.
A former HMI for Approved Schools in
Scotland and first Director of Social Work for
Going Forward With
Bridge Of Allan
Stroke Group
This is a new group, affiliated to Chest
Heart and Stroke Scotland, starting up in
late March for survivors of strokes and
meeting weekly in the Chalmers Hall,
Keir Street.
It is hoped to provide activities of
interest and benefit in a sociable
atmosphere. We need to build up a pool
of volunteer helpers for Thursday
afternoons.
John’s memories of the village were
published in two parts in issues 17 and 18 of
the Bridge of Allan Times. When the first of
these was judged Best Article in the 2009
Community Newspaper of the Year Awards
organised by Stirling Council, John boasted
of having won the Young Journalist of the
Year prize - aged 92.
We shall miss him and send his family our
condolences.
Second Open Lecture in
Bridge of Allan
Parish Church
The Very Rev. Dr John Miller will be
coming to Bridge of Allan Parish Church on
Wed. 21st April at 7.30pm to give a lecture
on “Poverty”. Dr Miller is a distinguished
and compelling speaker and many will
have heard of him as a former Moderator
and long-time parish minister in
Castlemilk, Glasgow.
If you can help, or indeed if you or
someone you know might benefit from
joining such a group, further information
can be obtained from Dot Collie, tel.
831608 or Jennifer Cameron at
832228.
He is now working in Zimbabwe, which
should add extra richness to his
presentation. We are very fortunate he
has agreed to come to Bridge of Allan
during his short break back in Scotland and
look forward to a large audience.
The talk should last about 30-40 minutes
followed by questions and tea or coffee in
the church.
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
7
Church News
ST SAVIOUR’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Wednesday - 11.00am Said Eucharist
Sunday - 8.00am Said Eucharist
10.00amSung Eucharist (Young Church
and Crèche meet at the same time)
The Church is open during the week for quiet
and prayer.
Lent Study
In February, March and April “The Heart of
Christianity by Marcus Borg” is being studied.
The meetings are led by Dom Ind and Sister
Isabel and meet on the following
dates:2,10,16,& 24 March; 13,21 April.
Sunday 14 March
10.00 Mothering Sunday Family Eucharist.
Sun 21 March
18.30 Healing Service
Holy Week Services 2010 :
Sunday 28 March
10.00 Sung Eucharist starts in St Saviour’s
Hall.
19.30 Interfaith evening (Central Scotland
Interfaith Group ) meeting in St Saviour’s Hall.
Monday 29 March
19.30 Said Eucharist
Tuesday 30 March
21.00 Candlelit Choral Night Prayer
Wednesday 31 March
11.00 Said Eucharist
Thursday 1 April (Maundy Thursday)
19.30 Sung Eucharist & Watch
Friday 2 April (Good Friday)
14.00 Solemn Liturgy followed by Hot Cross
Buns in the hall
Saturday 3 April (Holy Saturday)
20.00 Easter Vigil
Sunday 4 April (Easter Day)
08.00 Said Eucharist
10.00 Sung Eucharist
Bridge of Allan 100 Years Ago
Sleeping at the Gasworks
Before Sheriff Mitchell at Stirling Sheriff
Court on Tuesday, a labourer named John
Duffy pleaded guilty to sleeping at the
Bridge of Allan Gasworks the previous night.
His explanation was that he was drunk, and
wandered inside the works. He was fined 2s
6d, or one day in prison.
Stirling and Bridge of Allan Reporter,
April 16, 1910
8
Sun 2 May (Easter 5)
10.00 Family Eucharist
18.30 Choral Evensong
Sunday 23 May (Pentecost)
08.00 Said Eucharist
10.00 Sung Eucharist
Other dates to put in the diary –
Friday 5 March
World Day of Prayer (venue and time to be
advised)
Child Protection evening in St Saviour’s Hall
Saturday 6 March
Christian Aid Ceilidh in Bridge of Allan Parish
Church Hall
Saturday 13 March
Diocesan Synod at St Ninian’s Cathedral Perth
BRIDGE OF ALLAN PARISH CHURCH
As winter gives way to spring, we rejoice in
the lengthening of the days and all the signs
of new life in nature.
Winter has been long and harsh, bringing with
it dark days which have been, for many,
difficult days. The long spell of exceptionally
cold weather with snow and ice meant that
many felt shut in for days and, in some cases,
weeks on end. With the coming of Spring we
look ahead with anticipation to longer,
brighter days and to enjoying again the sight
of snowdrops, bluebells, crocuses, daffodils
and the many other signs of new life.
At Bridge of Allan Parish we join the
worldwide Church in celebrating the new life
which comes at Easter as we remember the
events of Holy Week, the crucifixion and the
resurrection of Jesus and the subsequent
promise of new life which this offers.
Everyone is welcome on Sundays at Bridge of
Allan Parish Church where we gather at 11am.
As a family of all ages we meet to worship
God and to give thanks for the gift of life and
His love.
Especially at Easter we invite you to join us at
our services :
Thursday 1 April at 7pm we celebrate
Communion, sharing bread and wine,
BRIDGE OF ALLAN TOWN COUNCIL
Repainting Memorial Clock
The Works Committee, in a minute,
recommended the Council that the
Paterson Memorial Clock be repainted.
Bailie Turnbull said the clock was getting
into shabby order, and he thought they
ought to get it repainted.
The Provost – It is in a deplorable condition
at the present moment. I don’t think it has
ever been repainted since it was put up [in
remembering this was what Jesus did with His
friends the night before he died.
Good Friday, 2 April there is a service of
reflection and meditation also beginning at
7pm.
Easter Sunday, 4 April, we gather at Airthrey
Loch at 9.00 to welcome Easter morning.Later
at 11.00 we worship God in the Parish Church
and afterwards share a short informal service
of Communion.
All of these services are open to everyone, all
are welcome regardless of who you are and
where you come from, for we believe the love
of God is for everyone and so we extend a
warm welcome to all.
LECROPT KIRK
Sunday Worship every Sunday at 11.15.
Children are welcome at Lecropt and worship
with the adults for the first part of the
service before going off for age-appropriate
teaching for children from birth to 16 years.
Evening Service is on the first Sunday of the
month from September to May at 18.00.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion is
celebrated on the first Sunday of March,
June, September and December.
The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated as
required.
During Lent there will be a Study Group
meeting, with the alternative of meeting on
Sunday evening at 19.30 or Monday afternoon
at 14.30. This group is open to anyone who
would like to attend.
Palm Sunday
Family Service 11.15
Maundy Thursday
Communion Service 19.00
Good Friday
Service of Reflection 19.00
Easter
Morning Worship 11.15 “He is Risen!”
Evening Service 18.00 “ On the Road”
1898]. The Provost added that he thought
they should get glass in front of the clock.
If they had a fall of snow from the east or
west, the hands of the clock became
hidden. He did not think it would cost a
very great deal.
It was agreed to repaint the clock, and to
leave the other suggested improvements in
the hands of the Works Committee.
Stirling and Bridge of Allan Reporter,
March 5, 1910
The Names Behind The Streets: Rutherford Court
Our former village doctor, John Rutherford, was perhaps a trifle too close to the dealings of the notorious
Burke and Hare. Peter Gordon, his great-great-great nephew, tells us more.
Nestling on the left-hand side of my mantlepiece is an ancient piece of needlework
(below). The seamstress was a young
Susannah Rutherford, my great-great-greatgrandmother, and the period of its
completion was the Napoleonic. The
sampler is a beautiful piece of work, and,
despite the passing of two centuries, is
remarkably well preserved.
The large initials at the top are of
Susannah’s parents: D.R. for David
Rutherfoord, her father, and M.B. for
Margaret Black, her mother. Underneath
Susannah’s name are the initials of her
brothers and sisters. At the time, along with
the McVicar family, the Rutherfoords were
arguably the key family of Keirfield.
Both David Rutherfoord (he preferred the
“foord” spelling - the rest of the family
used “ford”) and his wife are recalled in the
annals of the “Bridge’s” history. David was
described as “one of the village's most
remarkable men” in an address by
Alexander Morrison, the Town Clerk, and
Margaret was in the counsel of the national
Bard – Rabbie Burns. Margaret’s sister, Betty,
was in the days of her glorious youth one of
Burns’s very own Mauchline Belles.
Susannah’s two brothers were to become
key figures in the village: John Stewart
Rutherford, the beloved village doctor, and
Charles Neil Rutherford, apothecary,
librarian and packet steam-boat agent.
John went on to study medicine at the Royal
College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, and, after
examination in Anatomy, Surgery and
Pharmacy, received his Licentiateship to
practise on the 24 March 1829. This was
exactly one month before his 21st birthday.
One of the stories that has come down
through the family over
the years is that
Margaret Stewart
Rutherford was a
daughter of Dr John
Stewart Rutherford of
Bridge of Allan, “a
Doctor on a ship, who
married a Spanish
woman who died in
childbirth and she was
raised by her
Grandmother and an
uncle who was an
apothecary in Bridge of
Allan.”
This daughter was later
traced in the 1841
census to Millrow,
Dunblane, a few doors
William Burke, left, and William Hare. Burke was to hang for his part in
down from her aunt,
the murders; Hare was offered immunity from prosecution for confessing
dear Susannah
and testifying against Burke. Which may explain why he’s smiling.
Rutherford. In 1850
Margaret and her
man and his body was put inside, Hare
husband left for Australia. It was their
reopened it and took
daughter who retold stories of her
grandfather, “the doctor”.
Easily the most fascinating of her
recollections placed Dr John Stewart
Rutherford amidst the gruesome and murky
shenanigans of Burke and Hare. Robert Louis
Stevenson was later inspired by their true
story to write The Body Snatcher (1884). It
was as a sickly youth that that he regularly
visited the Strathallan Pharmacy in Bridge of
Allan once served by the doctor and his
apothecary brother.
William Burke and William Hare perpetrated
the so-called West Port murders between
1827 and 1828, selling the corpses of their
16 victims to the Edinburgh Medical College
for dissection. Their
principal customer was
Edinburgh doctor
Robert Knox.
By 1827, Burke and his
mistress, Helen
MacDougal, were
regular tenants at
Hare's lodging house in
Edinburgh. It is not
known whether the two
knew each other from
an earlier common
employment on the
Union Canal. When one
of Hare’s tenants, an
old army pensioner
called Donald, suddenly
died, it left Hare
feeling cheated,
particularly as the old
man still owed him £4
rent. So when the
coffin came for the old
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
out the body, which he replaced with bark
from the local tannery. Donald was placed
in a sack. Burke and Hare then proceeded to
the College of Surgeons, where a student
directed them to 10 Surgeons Square and
Professor Robert Knox, the leading
Edinburgh anatomist. Here they met three
young gentlemen, associates of Dr Knox.
Burke told them that they had a body for
sale and the three men said to come back
when it was dark but “did not ask them any
questions.”
Burke and Hare returned later that evening
with the corpse and went to see the three
young men, who instructed them to bring
the body up the stairs and lay it on the
dissecting table, which they did. At this
point Dr Knox entered and told his assistant
to settle with them and named a price of £7
10s; and he also did not ask where the body
came from. This first meeting with Burke
and Hare occurred at a time when Professor
Knox was at the peak of his anatomy career
with 500 students in his domain. John
Stewart Rutherford, by then approaching
the end of his training, would have stood in
awe of the distinguished and lofty professor.
I cannot help wondering if my great-greatgreat uncle was part of what went on at
that time. If so, there was all the more
reason for him, after graduating in 1829 and
a year after the hoo-ha of the body
snatchers, to take off, positioning himself
on a ship as its doctor.
By this means he would have escaped the
scandal and allowed memories to fade, only
later returning to Bridge of Allan.
9
UNIVERSITY NOTES
BY ANDY MITCHELL
The University has appointed a new
Principal and Vice-Chancellor in succession
to Professor Christine Hallett, who is
retiring after five years in the post.
Professor Gerry McCormac, one of Northern
Ireland’s leading academics, will join us in
May.
On Friday 23 April, retired academic Helen
Beale will give a lunchtime art lecture on
“The Place(s) of Sculpture in the University
of Stirling Art Collection”. Her talk will look
at the various types of site in which
sculpture is displayed: indoor gallery space;
open air courtyards recently re-designed as
sites for sculpture; and the emergent
outdoor Sculpture Trail across the campus.
For further information, or to reserve a
place, call 01786 467055 or email
externalrelations@stir.ac.uk
During the Easter and summer vacations the
University Sports Centre runs a range of
classes for children aged 3-16, providing
instruction in swimming, tennis, golf and
trampolining and an introduction to a wide
range of other activities such as canoeing,
badminton, squash and orienteering. They
range from a one-hour daily sports class to a
week-long full-day activity session. For
further details of times and dates please
contact the reception in the sports centre.
And don’t forget that the University sports
facilities are open to all the community, so
why not check out what the campus has to
offer?
Currently at Queen’s University Belfast, he
said: “Stirling has lived up to its founding
motto of innovation and excellence; it has
produced first-class graduates for Scotland,
it has become one of the most respected
universities in the UK, and it has established
a global reputation for the quality of its
research and teaching.
“Now, more than ever, Scotland needs
Stirling and its distinctive contribution to
society: enterprising graduates with the
skills to drive its economy forward; first
class research which can be turned into
jobs; and a commitment to the community
which ensures that education and the
advancement of knowledge is shared for the
good of all.”
On Monday 19 April, the 2010 Hetherington
Lecture will be delivered by Ramzy Baroud,
the Palestinian-American editor-in-chief of
the Palestine Chronicle. He will speak on
“Gaza’s Untold Story: Journalism in the
Middle East conflict”. The annual
Hetherington Memorial Lecture is held in
honour of the late Alastair Hetherington,
who was Emeritus Professor in the
Department of Film, Media & Journalism
and previously a distinguished editor of The
Guardian and Controller of BBC Scotland.
10
Great Yellow Bumblebee in particular
trouble. We very much hope it’s not a case
of 'One in, one out….'"
Gardeners can make a significant difference
to “the plight of the bumblebee” by growing
the right kinds of flowers throughout the
year – many fancy varieties are of little use
to wildlife. Cottage garden plants and wild
flowers are best. For more information visit
www.bumblebeeconservation.org or phone
BBCT on 01786 467818
Behavioural scientist Betsy Herrelko and the
chimpanzees of Edinburgh Zoo recently
became stars of the screen in a BBC Natural
World documentary. The 11 chimps
experienced video streaming for the first
time, learning how to use touch-screen
technology and were even given a chimpproof camera to shoot their own footage.
The documentary explored the extent to
which the chimps are aware of what they
are seeing and filming and, for the first
time, we are able to see the world through
a chimp’s eyes.
Betsy explained how the chimps react to
this new experience: “The Chimpcam
Project was designed to let the chimps take
us on a tour of their minds. We created
studies and activities, but what happened
after that was completely up to the chimps.
We were along for the ride, hoping to learn
a bit more about how they viewed the
world. Being able to view life as the chimps
see it is something that I will never forget.”
Betsy is undertaking a PhD in the
Department of Psychology under the
supervision of Dr Sarah-Jane Vick and
Professor Hannah Buchanan-Smith.
Originally from Ohio, she came to Stirling in
2008 after conducting research with the
Gorilla Foundation in California.
Conservationists are buzzing at the
discovery of a new bumblebee species for
Scotland – the first for fifty years. The
Southern Cuckoo Bumblebee was identified
at St Abbs in Berwickshire by Bob Dawson of
the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT),
which is based at the University.
The Trust’s director, Ben Darvill, noted that
a good news story was long overdue: “At a
time when bumblebees up and down the UK
are struggling due to a lack of flower-rich
habitat, it is heartening to see that at least
one species is expanding its range.
Sadly many other species are threatened
with national extinction, with Scotland’s
Girlguiding Airthrey District
celebrate their Centenary Year with new Rainbow and Guide Units
BY AUDREY BROWN
It was into a male-dominated world that on
the first Saturday in September 1909 some
determined girls gatecrashed the first Boy
Scout Rally at Crystal Palace in London and
demanded “something for the girls”. Just
months later the Guide movement was
formed.
100 years on, 6,000 girls returned to Crystal
Palace last September to mark the launch of
Girlguiding UK’s Centenary. The event was one
of 640 held across the UK the same weekend,
involving over 326,000 Girlguiding UK
members.
Tens of thousands of Guides, Brownies and
Rainbows up and down the country are now
busy celebrating the centenary event. Both
Bridge of Allan Guide units are taking part in
several of the centenary adventures nationally
and locally.
They will be “Getting away to Alton Towers” in
September, when they will camp on the lawns
of the theme park, along with 5000 others
from around the UK. They will enjoy exclusive
use of the Waterpark on site, before bedding
down for the night in their tents so as to be
the first in the queue in the morning for an
action-packed day at the theme park.
Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section
from Bridge of Allan will attend a county
centenary weekend camp in June at Fordell in
Fife.
A few lucky Guides will join a week-long
centenary camp in July at Netherurd, near
Peebles, in the Scottish Borders, where they
will take part in many activities - abseiling,
climbing, water sports, art, music, dance,
drama, creative crafts, traditional camp
activities, backwoods cookery, pioneering,
community action, media reporting and much
more. Brownies will have a wonderful day
when they take a trip on the Bo’ness steam
railway as Girlguiding Forth Valley takes over
the tracks in June as part of the Brownie
Centenary Adventure.
Some of the new 2nd Bridge of Allan Rainbows at their first meeting
Hypnotherapy & Counselling
Rainbows will “Go
Wild” in April when
they visit
Auchengarrich Park
near Comrie along
with many others
from around the
county. Senior
Section girls will be
“Going Ape” on the
high wire walk at
Aberfoyle and
taking part in all
the camps and trips
as well.
Here in the village
the demand for
places for 10–15
year-old girls
wishing to join
There was more cause for celebration when
Rachel Kentley, Hannah Bairner, Ellie Marr and
Hannah Marshall completed the Baden Powell
Challenge – the highest award in the Guide
section. They were presented with their Awards
last week. The girls are now Young Leaders and
helping with Rainbows and Brownies.
Guides resulted in the forming of 1st Bridge of
Allan Guides last September. This month, a
new Unit, 2nd Bridge of Allan Rainbows, were
formed to help give girls aged 5-7 an
opportunity to experience being a Rainbow
Guide.This Rainbow Unit was full within a few
days of being advertised.
With more adult volunteers we would be able
to extend the Guiding experience further,
including a much needed additional Brownie
Unit. If you would like to help or are
interested in finding out more about any
section, please email
airthreyGG@hotmail.co.uk or phone
01786 832981.
With a qualified and insured local practitioner
Sandra McDerment BSc. MBACP (Accredited) MBSCH
Help with: stop smoking; anxiety; sleep problems; pain control;
fear of flying & other phobias; stop nail biting;
relationship difficulties etc.
British Society of Clinical Hypnosis
Please see my website at:
www.wellminds.co.uk
20 Fountain Road, Bridge of Allan. Tel: 01786 831985
Email: sandra@wellminds.co.uk
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
Ist Bridge of Allan Guides, the new Guide Unit
11
Bridge of Allan, Garrison Town?
Did you know that many British and Allied soldiers were stationed in the local community during the
Second World War? Douglas McCreath explains.
The restored War Memorial in Pullar Park is
again a fitting tribute to those Bridge of Allan
men who gave their lives abroad in two World
Wars. There is, however, another story the
Memorial does not tell, one that concerns the
thousands of troops based here during the War
and their impact on home life in Bridge of
Allan.
My father, a Glaswegian, was conscripted into
the 7th Battalion of the Scottish Rifles. The
7th Cameronians were part of the 52nd
Lowland Infantry Division, a first-line
territorial division mobilised in 1939. After a
short spell in France as part of the second
British Expeditionary Force, the 7th
Cameronians were stationed in Bridge of Allan
in November 1940. They remained until
October 1941, before moving to Crieff,
allowing plenty of time for romance to
blossom between members of the military and
local girls.
Cupid aimed his dart at my mother and father.
They dated - meeting at the Paterson Clock and the rest is history. So my two brothers, my
sister and I owe our very existence, in part, to
Adolf Hitler’s imperialistic ambitions.
When my father was demobbed, my parents
lived initially in my grandparents’ home in
Cawder Road and then in short-term rented
accommodation throughout the village. They
had married in Lecropt Kirk, where I was
christened. My first school was the old Public
School. Though my folks moved back to
Glasgow, our ties with the village, through
relatives, have remained strong. My father’s
ashes were interred in Lecropt churchyard. My
mother now lives in Dunblane, and my brother
and his wife have returned as residents to
Bridge of Allan.
Like many of his generation, my father was
reluctant to speak of his war experiences. It
was only through the recent (2007) re-printing
of Mountain and Flood: The History of the
52nd (Lowland) Division 1939-45 that I was
able to understand better the Cameronians’
links with the village.
What I had not appreciated was that they were
not the only unit to be posted to Bridge of
Allan, nor were they even the first. The Argyll
and Sutherland Highlanders had that honour.
They had arrived on 10 January 1940 and were
billeted in the Museum Halls. Other units
arrived in July and were accommodated at
first in the village’s Church Halls, the Public
School in Union Street and Keirfield Hall in
Inverallan Road. Various houses “up the hill”
which happened to be unoccupied at the time
were requisitioned by the military authorities.
Towards the end of October 1940 the army’s
physical presence became even more apparent
through the erection of military huts on the
12
Left to right:
Front row - A. H. Noble, R. Eliot, D. R. Reid, T. Anderson, J. Andersen
Second row - J. Drysdale, T. Turnbull, D. Haggart, D. Brown, J. Gauld, D. R. Drummond M. R. Haldane,
P. Buchanan, W. Robertson
3rd row - S. Robertson, G. Hogg, J. Miller, G. Muirhead, D. Meiklejohn, D. McDonald, J. Johnstone,
T. Wardrop, E. Hopkins, J. D. Graham
4th row - B. Wimberley, A. Anderson, H. P. Hendrie, R. Allan, D. J. Munro Jr, J. Cheetham, J. Petrie,
M. Mackenzie, J. McLaren, D. Munro
5th row - J. B. Stewart, J. P. Menzies, R. S. Leishman, A. McDougall, H. Manuel, A. Carmichael,
W. A. Sutherland, J. A. Dewar
field at Station Road (now Cawder Gardens and
Inverallan Drive); in Stanley Park (which lay in
the area bounded by Mayne Avenue, Airthrey
Avenue and Forglen Road; at Logie Aston in
Kenilworth Road; and in the grounds of the
Allan Water Spa (now the Vecchia Bologna
restaurant).
During the early months of 1941 agreement
was reached to establish a further camp on the
western side of Westerton Estate (near John
Murray Drive and Hopetoun Drive). The initial
bell tents and marquees which housed the
soldiers gave way to corrugated roof Nissen
huts, which were more suitable and
comfortable for the winter months. A
succession of units - British and Allied - were
stationed in the village, including the 1st Royal
Marines, the Lovat Scouts, the 1st Norwegian
Brigade and the 2nd & 4th Polish Rifle
Battalion.
As well as lodgings, office premises were
required by the army command. The HQ of the
7th Cameronians, for example, was established
at Viewforth on Kenilworth Road. The
Regimental Aid post was located at Craigievar
in Henderson Street and a NAAFI café in
Henderson Street opposite the Royal Hotel (in
today’s Fotheringham Gallery). My mother
worked there before starting work in Harland
Engineering’s Alloa factory assembling
electrical cable harnesses for armoured
personnel carriers.
In addition, from the commencement of
hostilities, calls went out for Local Defence
Volunteers (later re-named the Home Guard),
first-aiders, air-raid wardens, auxiliary firemen
and special constables. My grandfather,
Duncan Haggart, was one of Bridge of Allan’s
special constables (see photo - second front
row, third left). Sergeant Gauld, the Billet
Master, is in the centre of the second row. His
son, Jimmy Gauld, was Chairman of
Strathallan Meeting (organisers of the
Strathallan Highland Games) for over 30 years.
Relations between the military and the
volunteers apparently were fairly amicable, as
revealed by the following anecdote: “During
the autumn and winter of 1940-41 … the Home
Guard was invited to join a battalion of
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in a church
parade and march past. After the service the
salute was taken outside the Royal Hotel. All
very impressive, until it is remembered that
the Cameronians were a Rifle Regiment which
marches at 140 paces to the minute instead of
the normal infantryman’s 120. The Band
played the Regimental march, the Riflemen
with rifles at the trail stepped briskly along,
and the poor old Home Guard, rifles at the
slope, did their utmost to keep up with the
fast-disappearing Cameronians.”
Sadly, as those with first-hand experience of
the events of those war-torn days are fast
disappearing, it’s important for future
generations that their memories are
preserved. I write both to share my family’s
story but also in the hope that some Bridge of
Allan Times readers might share their stories
and photographs.
The Taxation
Bombshell:
January 2012
Advertising Features
BY ROY HOGG
We have just got to the end of another tax return
season with the 31st January deadline a little over
a month ago.
The end of January can be a time of nasty
surprises as far as tax liabilities are concerned,
particularly for those whose taxable incomes are
rising and who have been late in providing their
financial information to their accountants.
The way the tax system operates is for payments
to account to be made in January and July of
each calendar year towards the final tax liability
for that fiscal year, i.e. payments made in
January and July 2010 are towards the final
liability for fiscal year 2009/10.
The payments to account are based on a
taxpayer’s previous year’s liability. Thus if tax
liabilities are similar from one year to the next,
there are no significant balancing payments which
fall for payment in the following January.
However, if profits are rising, then the catch-up
payments can be significant.
As far as future tax liabilities are concerned, with
the country in the midst of a recession and a
Government which has significantly overborrowed, the one thing we can be sure of is
increased taxes in future years. The Chancellor
has already announced changes (to Personal
Allowances and a new rate of tax at 50%), which
come into effect from 6 April 2010. These will
have a significant tax knock-on effect for
2010/11. In terms of tax payments, this means a
knock-on effect in January 2012.
The table below indicates how three levels of
taxable income will be assessed in the fiscal year
just past, the current fiscal year and the next
fiscal year. The final two columns indicate the
additional tax liabilities and payments which
simply arise out of the tax changes announced by
the Chancellor.
2009/10
2010/11
100,000
30,626
29,930
29,930
150,000
50,626
49,930
52,520
2,590
200,000
70,626
69,930
77,520
7,590
Additional tax
liability arising
Nil
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
Roy Hogg
Partner
Campbell Dallas Chartered Accountants
March 2010
CAMPBELL • DALLAS
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
AND BUSINESS ADVISERS
15 Gladstone Place
Stirling FK8 2NX
Tel: 01786 460030
Offices in Bearsden,
Paisley, Perth and Stirling
Increased
payment in
January 2012
Nil
3,885
www.campbelldallas.co/uk
11,385
When you use a chartered architect you are
employing someone who has undertaken
seven years’ architectural training, the
longest in the building industry, according to
an extract from a Royal Incorporation of
Architects in Scotland publication.
After working for several years for a
practice in Alloa, Claire Gibbons recently
set up T Square-Architects. She has a
They can guide you through the complex
procedures of planning permission and
building regulations and monitor the
builder’s programme of works through to
completion. Members of the Royal
Incorporation of Architects in Scotland are
obliged to carry professional indemnity
insurance. Anyone can alter a building - it
takes an architect to do it with flair,
imagination and style.
Undertaking a building project, whatever
the scale, can be a daunting experience,
but the same basic criteria apply, be it a
simple house extension or a large office
development.
The January 2012 bombshell is two years away
but the basis of calculation of that liability starts
on 6 April 2010. So, the time for action is now.
The obvious question perhaps is “Can anything be
done to soften the blow and reduce the tax
burden?” The simple answer to this is “yes”, and
higher rate tax-payers should be speaking to their
2008/09
Architects can provide a service that
extends well beyond producing a set of
drawings. Adept at identifying the needs
and aspirations of their clients, architects
bring their special skills, knowledge and
experience to a project.
In particular, any higher rate tax-payers operating
within a partnership structure ought to fully
consider incorporation (i.e. transferring the trade
into a limited company). There are other options
regarding the format of the entity (such as LLP or
a corporate partner), but this needs detailed
advice from a specialist accountant as to what is
most appropriate for your personal
circumstances.
The tax impact, therefore, is going to be
significant, particularly if combined with
increased profits in 2010/11.
Taxable
income
Why use an
Architect?
accountants with a view to discussing the options
available.
reasonable knowledge of this area, having
been brought up in Bridge of Allan and
educated locally. She is now living, working
and bringing up her own family here.
Claire provides a range of services from
obtaining planning permission for new
replacement windows to designing and
completing small extensions, large
conversions or individual houses.
ARCHITECTS
T SQUARE-ARCHITECTS
CLAIRE GIBBONS RIAS
mobile - 07596906412
claire.gibbons@tsquare-architects.co.uk
www.tsquare-architects.co.uk
39 Allanvale Road, Bridge of Allan, Stirling FK9 4PA
EXTENSIONS,
ALTERATIONS,
CONVERSIONS,
CONCEPTS
13
Green Finger Tips
Advertising feature
Bridge of Allan residents Jill Barnes and Michael Burt discuss their favourite garden
trends for the coming year.
As memories of the ice and snow we
experienced in January melt away, our
thoughts naturally switch to the spring and
summer ahead and enjoying the outdoors
again. So with the dawn of a new decade,
it’s time to think of new ideas for our
gardens for 2010. Here are some of our
favourite trends this year.
Vertical gardens have been talked about a
lot for the last couple of years, but do you
really know what they are or how you can
incorporate them into your own garden?
Green walls are an exciting way to clothe
your boundary. French designer Patrick
Blanc pioneered the horticultural
technology that keeps these living walls
thriving, panels made up of felt “pockets”
in which plants can grow.
If being eco-friendly is your thing, other
ideas for 2010 include:
•Creating a living driveway. Grow plants
either side and in-between a track for
tyres. It can look lovely and reduces the
level of water run-off, which affects
flooding.
•Putting a living roof on your garden shed.
It looks much prettier, and wildlife love it.
It also helps absorb rainwater.
•Creating a
wildlife tower
(right), as seen at
last year’s
Chelsea Flower
Show. No longer
does a wildlife
haven need to be
a forgotten pile
of leaves or
wood. Make it a
feature of your
garden.
•Getting creative and recycling unwanted
materials to create something beautiful
for your garden. Old chimney pots or boots
can be filled with plants. An old metal
funnel can be planted in the garden as an
abstract sculpture. Or take some old
unwanted tiles and create a mosaic.
A living wall done in three panels
A living wall can be a great place to
experiment, just like in a garden.
Bergenias, an old-fashioned herbaceous
border favourite, are a good choice for
vertical gardens.
Or try tough-as-old-boots sedums, a popular
choice for green roofs. Other good plants
for living walls include actinidia,
cotoneaster and clematis as well as ferns
and moss.
If you are looking for somewhere to sit and
relax in your garden this summer but don’t
fancy the idea of a “normal” deck, why not
consider one with a difference? There are
simple ways to give it a designer look
without costing the earth. Why not lay your
deck boards on their edge rather than flat
for a completely different look at a
reasonable price?
Or think about how you can incorporate
some really wow lighting. Large glass blocks
that lie flush with the deck boards
immediately set your deck aside from the
norm.
Due to obvious issues with access, it helps
to rely on greenery rather than flowering
plants to minimise maintenance.
14
Pantone have announced that the key colour
for 2010 is turquoise. As they explain:
“Turquoise transports us to an exciting,
tropical paradise while offering a sense of
protection and healing in stressful times”.
Of course, translating this into gardening
isn’t straight-forward, as turquoise flowers
can be hard to find. As an alternative,
incorporate some turquoise containers and
fill them with exotic flowers to create your
own corner of tropical paradise. Contrast
with red, hot pink, coral, chocolate, green,
yellow or grey for an eye-catching display.
There is still plenty of time to transform
your garden and create a haven to escape to
this summer. If you want to discuss ideas,
contact Jill or Michael on 01786 834621.
Their business, Vialii Garden Design,
specialises in creating stunning gardens
across the central belt. Or, if you just need
some help taming your lawn or maintaining
your garden, they can do that too.
Bridge of Allan 100 Years Ago
Evergreen ferns and shrubs, such as the
glossy leaved fatsia, keep the wall fresh all
year round. As well as looking great,
masking unsightly views, reducing sound and
creating a nice backdrop, vertical gardens
are a sound eco-choice too.
They reduce pollution and rainwater runoff, insulate buildings and provide habitat
for wildlife.
Bring the indoors outside for 2010 with lots
of ways to brighten up your garden.
Garden art is popular. Instead of having the
same old lattice trellis this year, think about
a trellis (above) which is beautiful even
before it is covered in the climber of your
choice. Outdoor sofas and bean-bags are
widely available, so you don’t need to sit on
your old plastic garden furniture any more.
You can even get outdoor rugs to brighten
up your patio.
Use decking boards on their edge.
Bean bags look great too.
Airthrey Spa Bowling Club
A letter was read from the Sheriff Clerk
stating that the Airthrey Spa Bowling Club
were to apply for registration as a club. It
was agreed that no objections be raised
to the application.
Stirling and Bridge of Allan Reporter,
March 5, 1910
Be a Friend to Bridge of Allan
BY IAN MACLAREN
Have you noticed an improvement in the
appearance of Bridge of Allan this spring:
the lines of daffodils fluttering and dancing
beside the road down from Lecropt; the
explosion of snowdrops around Pullar Park;
the newly-tidied trees and shrubs around
the walks in the Park; the replaced or repainted benches around the village?
All of these improvements in our natural
surroundings are evidence of the work of
the Friends of Bridge of Allan. In only a year
they have made marked progress in
achieving their aim of “protecting the
environmental quality” of our village.
So who are these Friends? They are a group
of volunteer residents who, aware of the
increasing restraints on Council spending,
decided to see what could be done to make
Bridge of Allan an even more attractive
place in which to live.
Led by their enthusiastic Chair, Liz Rankin
(treasurer), Gavin Drummond, Chris Turner
(secretary) and another nine committee
members, they have gradually evolved a
strategy to meet their aim. Last spring, Dr
Bowler of Lecropt allowed a team of
volunteers to transplant thousands of
snowdrops from his land to be planted
around the village. Murray Airth kindly
offered his expertise as a horticulturalist,
and volunteers like Iain Anderson added
their practical skills.
There had to be a longer term plan too, so
the Community Council were involved;
advice was sought from a similar group who
had brightened up Dunblane, and contacts
set up with Stirling Council’s Streetscape
organisation, who have agreed to cut grass
in public areas four times per year rather
than only twice.
Good communication links have also been
made with various departments within
Stirling Council, who have been very
supportive and helpful.
Pullar Park best illustrates the new
approach. The Friends want to see it
transformed into a garden park where
colour, smell and texture could be provided
all year round.
The Council funded the original clear-out of
the overgrown park, but they only have
limited staff numbers and face increasing
restraints on their budget. So volunteers
from the Friends set about tidying the beds,
regenerating and replacing shrubs, repairing
and repainting the benches.
Bridge of Allan Times Spring 2010
Some of the Friends of Bridge of Allan
A public survey confirmed that longer-term
work was also required, so the Friends are
due to meet the Council to draw up a longterm plan to improve the drainage and the
paths in the park.
Cooperation has also been established with
the local Merchants’ Association to develop
further the number of hanging baskets and
flower tubs along Henderson Street, as well
as involving volunteers to use “Sheila”, the
mechanical watering machine, to keep them
well-watered during the growing season.
Bridge of Allan station has been “adopted”
by the Friends under a scheme whereby
Scotrail will fund plant purchases if local
volunteers maintain these. So the station
now has heather beds, and climbers have
been planted all along the bare metallic
fences which line the station.
As a result of all this, the Beautiful Scotland
scheme has awarded the village a merit
award. Ambitions are high for further
awards this year.
So how can you help? Well, if you enjoy
exercise in the fresh air, you are welcome to
join Liz and the others, who meet at 10am
in the Memorial Park every Thursday to
review progress.
Alternatively, you can help to fund the
purchase of plants by becoming a Friend for
a minimal annual subscription of £5. Or
even better, why not set up a direct debit
mandate? For details of how to join or to
set up a direct debit mandate, please
contact Elizabeth Rankin at 1, Anne Drive,
Bridge of Allan, FK9 4RE or pick up a
membership application form from the
Library.
Bridge of Allan 100 Years Ago
BRIDGE OF ALLAN TOWN COUNCIL
A Public Necessity
The Burgh Surveyor reported that since the
public convenience, erected in Blairforkie
Road, had been opened ten weeks ago, £1 0s 4d
had been collected, showing that 244 persons,
at 1d per head, had used the public
convenience. This was considered highly
satisfactory.
Stirling and Bridge of Allan Reporter,
June 11, 1910
Bridge of Allan Dental Care is your local
dental practice that works hard to deliver
consistent, high quality dental care to the
people of Bridge of Allan and the
surrounding area. When our patients
attend for their dental health exams the
gum condition is always assessed. If the
gums are not as healthy as they could be
then appropriate treatment is provided by
the dentist or the hygienists to bring their
gums back to health.
Each Friday morning in March we are
offering the readers of The Bridge of Allan
Times a FREE gum assessment at our
practice in Union Street. Measurements
will be recorded and advice on treatment
will be given. If you are interested then
please call Julie, our practice manager, on
01786 832 331. Book soon as places are
limited.
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The Nature Page
BY ROY BAKER
Harsh winter weather brought flocks of redwing
and fieldfare to gardens in Bridge of Allan,
seeking berries to eat. On 4 January there were
18 redwings briefly resting in our willow tree. A
few days later Peter Hancock took the excellent
photo on the front cover of a redwing near
Airthrey Castle, on the University Campus.
Inchmahome Priory, Lake of Menteith
But there have been some fine sunny days to
enjoy being out in our local area. On 6 January
we walked on the frozen Lake of Menteith over
to the island of Inchmahome. Later in January
we enjoyed a walk from Balmaha to Strathcashel
Point beside Loch Lomond.
I climbed Ben Ledi on 11 February and had
tremendous views of Arran and the Firth of
Clyde, 56 miles distant, and Ailsa Craig 77 miles
away! But the nearer views over Loch Katrine,
Loch Arklet and the “Arrochar Alps” make a
better picture.
On 22 February,
after travelling
to Tillicoultry on
a 62 bus from
the University, I
climbed the Law,
then onto Ben
Cleuch, the
highest hill on
the Ochils. There
is a view
indicator at this
summit with
most of the
mountain peaks
named. The
Cairngorms were
hidden in distant
mist but the
Loch Katrine, Loch Arklet and Arrochar Alps from Ben Ledi
nearer Munros,
and another fish that had been in the pond for
such as Schiehallion and Beinn a’ Ghlo, stood out
several years were taken. Then 15 perch which
well. I met up with a young man here and we
had been put in the pond to test their suitability
walked back together over Ben Ever, Woodhill
for a fish farming project - all these fish were
and down to Alva. We seemed to be the only
taken within two weeks. They expected the
ones on the hill that day. Thence back to the Uni
culprit to return, so Iain, a zoologist, set up a
on a 63 bus. (The 62s and 63s run every 20
special camera that could be triggered by an
minutes.) An excellent day out on the Ochils
animal crossing a beam of infrared light.
without having to use the car.
In the last Bridge of Allan Times (Winter 2009) I
reported that an otter had been seen late one
night in Allanwater Gardens. I included a photo
of one taken at the Safari Park and asked if
anyone else had seen one so far from the river.
Not long afterwards there was a sighting of an
otter in a garden in Kenilworth Road (see page 4)
even further from the river.
Loch Lomond , Inch Fad and Glen Luss from Craigie Fort, Balmaha
Not far away, the
Forglen Burn runs
beside Pathfoot Drive
and it was at a pond in
a garden here that Dr
Malcolm Dickson and
his son Iain got a photo
late one night on 23
November last year.
This followed several
nights when all the fish
were removed from the
pond and there was
evidence of them being
eaten nearby and a
secretion often left by
otters. First a goldfish
Although the resulting photo (above) shows only
the body of the animal, the fur is so similar to
that of the Safari otter that there is no doubt in
my mind that the animal that raided this pond
was an otter. Iain also told me that he had seen
it in Logie Lane during daylight hours, probably
on its way back from the Airthrey Loch. Malcolm
Dickson has just sent me an email to say “An
update on the otter situation - it looks like he’s
survived the winter - the pond was all stirred up
this morning indicating that he came for a swim
during the night”.
Will he come visiting other ponds again?
Please let the Bridge of Allan Times know if you
see him.
STRATHALLAN PHARMACY
65 HENDERSON STREET
BRIDGE OF ALL AN
FK9 4HG
TEL: (01786) 832313
OPENING HOURS
Monday – Friday : 9.00 - 13.00 14.15 - 17.45
Saturday : 9.00 - 13.00
SERVING THE BRIDGE OF ALLAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1851
The inn, built in 1710, has been tastefully restored to its
original stone-walled state. It offers a relaxing and
memorable lunch or supper venue. • Private parties
welcome • 2 Inverallan Road • Tel. 01786 833335
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