THE ARRAN BANNER 20 YEARS AGO

Saturday July 22, 2000

Captured on canvas

Two years ago Corrie put on an exhibition in the village hall of artists, craftsmen and writers who had lived and been influenced by the village and its environment.

Through the decades Corrie has been the home of artists and writers such as John Mclaughlan Milne, Robert McLellan, Margo Sandiman, Avril Paton and Alistair Hetherington. Jessie M King and Joan Eardley spent a considerable amount of time in the village, and many other artists have been influenced by their stay in Corrie, notably Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who attended a summer school here.

Two paintings in the 1998 exhibition were by Tony Rampton, who died in 1993. It was only by chance viewing of a catalogue of his work that Tony’s existence became known and an approach was made to his wife Joan to exhibit a few pictures for the Corrie Past and Present exhibition.

The Ramptons owned a house in Corrie which they used whenever possible and Tony was a prolific painter of Arran landscapes.

It was a complete surprise to most of the local people who visited the exhibition to see just how proficient an artist Tony was and because of this Joan has been approached again to host a full exhibition of his work. Joan has agreed to this and an exhibition of more than 50 of his works will take place in the Corrie Village Hall next week.

Maiden voyage

The four-foot long Eilean Mairi was launched in the Brodick sand quarry last Wednesday. And while sounding rather of little importance at first, the event was a small celebration with a heart-warming story behind it.

The scale model boat was built by Dave MacLellan of Altardoch and later Lamlash. Dave got as far as building the hull before he took ill and then, four years ago, he died. The hull sat there for a while and then his widow May approached John Moore of Whiting Bay who also builds boat models. Could John do anything about it? John was pleased to oblige and he set about getting every single detail correct from the lifeboat davits to the ventilators to the hatch covers. And each item he made himself from bits and pieces he had around the workshop.

The name he has given it comes from a rocky islet off the mouth of the Lagg Burn. He began 15 months ago and last week it was complete. Therefore it had to be ceremoniously launched in company, with May MacLellan and her daughter Fiona. The model looked the part and operated perfectly and is a fitting memory to Dave MacLellan.

01_B29tweYE01 The Summer Play, as Whiting Bay has called its holiday entertainment for the last 34 years, might be a more apt name for this year’s offering with the impossibly long name of We found love and an exquisite set of porcelain figures aboard SS Farndale Avenue. Pictured dancing are actors Morven Hedley, Sheila Nicol and Bob Fisher.

01_B29tweYE04 The under-sixes fancy dress competitors line up for the judging during the Lamlash Gala Week which enjoyed a spell of fine weather.

01_B29tweYE05 Betty McKelvie of Blackwaterfoot receives a painting from Gery McInally, area organiser for the RNLI, for her 14 years of service to the Ladies Lifeboat Guild.

01_B29tweYE02 All of the fun of the Lamlash Gala Week. The Heather Queen’s parade, led by Fiona McClure, makes it way through Lamlash.

01_B29tweYE03 Participants in this year’s sports fun during the Kildonan Fun Week discover that the four to a sack race is far more difficult than it appears.