Features ⋆ Ross and Cromarty Heritage

Strathpeffer Features

Attribution: unknown (The ruin of Free Church in Jamestown)

Strathpeffer Station

At the end of 2016 Strathpeffer’s former railway station received a much-needed facelift and the results were revealed to the public early in January 2017.

William Gray Ltd refurbished and made safe the platform canopy through new timber and glazing, repaired drainage pipes and repainting.

A local group, led by Susan Kruze of ARCH, in a year-long project, researched the history of the station and, through facts and images from the Highland Archive Centre and the Highland Railway Society, plus people’s recollections, produced new interpretation panels which are situated on the exterior of the station building. In addition, the group has produced a leaflet, an online blog, and there is a folder with all the research material on view in the Highland Museum of Childhood.

Attribution: unknown

St John the Baptist well

Located on the lower slopes of Knockfarrel above Fodderty Cemetery. Wells such as these can be found throughout the Highlands and relate to Pagan times when well-worship was prevalent. On the arrival of the early Christians, there was a tendency not to antagonise the local population by discouraging well-worship, but instead dedicating certain wells to Saints, thus Holy Wells.

Originally, the water supposedly cured sickness and mental disorders, but recent analysis shows it to be beneficial for heart disease. The sites of the ancient chapels of Fodderty and Inchrory are in the vicinity.

Attribution: unknown

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Strathpeffer » Strathpeffer Social » Strathpeffer Burns Club

Burns Cover

The photographs and text which follow concern the annual Burns Nicht Celebration which took place in the Strathpeffer Hotel on Friday 21st January, 2000. The picture below is of the cover of the programme of events of 'The Nicht's Ongauns' The programme was sponsored by Andy Henderson and printed by the Inver-Ross Printing Co. Ltd. Dingwall There are also photographs of the proceedings from the 29th Anniversary Dinner - 23 January 1959

Burns Photo

29th Anniversary Dinner - 23 January 1959

29th Anniversary Dinner - 23 January 1959 In May 2019 RCHS received the undernoted photographs of a 1959 programme from Mrs Hazel Thomson whose husband's grandfather, Andrew Macleod of Kinettas Cottages, a local postman, had attended the dinner.

29th Anniversary Dinner - 23 January 1959

Guest

Strathpeffer Burns Club

Friday 21st January 2000 was the night that the members of Strathpeffer Burns Club had been looking forward to for many months - the 70th Annual Celebrations of the Bard to be held by the Club. To mark both the Millennium and the 70th Anniversary, a record attendance for recent years - ninety members and guests - assembled in Strathpeffer Hotel.

Guests

Bob Wilkie

Guests

Strathpeffer Burns cover

The President (Jock Watt) and principal guests

Guests

Piper

Addressing the haggis

Addressing the haggis. After a sumptuous meal purveyed by Sean Kennedy and his staff, the President gave his welcoming address during which he had made special mention of the fact the celebration was being photographed by Dr Kerr Yule for the benefit of the Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society's Millennium project. He also thanked member George Thomson for the gift to the Club of a beautiful table lectern which had belonged to his late wife, the Rev Morag Thomson. In concluding his remarks, President Jock Watt alluded to the fact that since 1958, member Leon Radin had served in every office, had proposed all the various toasts, had sung at many celebrations and finally, had, for many years, served the Club as President. In recognition of his faithful service, dedication and commitment to the Club, Leon was presented with Honorary Life Membership of the Club.

Receiving the haggis.

Speeches

Guests

strathburnsclub022b.jpeg

Hamish Polson

Guests

John Crawford and Alexander (Sandy) Glass

Jock Watt doing some last-minute homework?

Guests

Catherine O'Rourke

Fiona Larg, Alistair MacCallum, Leon Radin.

Donald MacKillop piping the President, Jock Watt and the principal guest, Ian Morrison, to the top table

The night got off to a stirring start with Donald MacKillop piping the President, Jock Watt and the principal guest, Ian Morrison, to the top table and returning shortly after to pipe the Haggis, which was borne aloft in the customary manner by James Matheson, to the top table. The tempo was maintained by the President who addressed the Haggis in his own inimitable style much to the delight of his audience.

Fiona Larg getting instructions?

Fiona Larg getting instructions? Responding to Bill MacAllister's excellent Toast, Fiona Larg, Group Business Manager with Cap Gemini, very capably equalled Bill's humour putting the men folk firmly in place. She questioned whether today's men possessed the same charm that Robert Burns obviously possessed - again illustrating her theory with much wit. Fiona concluded by making the observation that if the three wise men had been women, they would have got there on time, helped with the birth, cooked a casserole and would have taken sensible presents. Again, a standing ovation was the order of the day as the audience expressed their delight at Fiona's response to the Toast of the Lassies.

Bill MacAllister

Bill MacAllister That well known journalist and broadcaster, Bill MacAllister was then called upon to Toast the Lassies. A speech, full of the native wit alluded to by Alastair MacInnes earlier in the evening, had the audience in tears of laughter before moving to a more serious examination of Burns's love of women quoting appropriately from many of his love poems. Bill concluded with his own ode to the women folk, reaping a standing ovation to his endeavour.

An animated Stewart Macpherson with Hamish Menzies in the background.

Hugh A Mackay

Hugh A Mackay Hugh Aberach MacKay, one of the north's foremost Burns orators himself, very eloquently proposed the Toast to Our Club and Artistes.

Strathpeffer Features

Strathpeffer Station

St John the Baptist well

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The Secretary, Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society, Tigh na Cadalach, Hawthorn Road, Muir of Ord. IV6 7RL.

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