Spotlight on Brechin

Brechin, in Angus, can be termed a city, on account of its medieval cathedral. The cathedral is famed for its tall 11th Century round tower which is one of only two such towers surviving in Scotland.

The town has a rich and fascinating heritage and visitors can enjoy the steam and diesel locomotives at the Caledonian Railway and can find out about its links to the Harley Davidson family at Netherton Cottage, their original home.

Those with an interest in history can visit the Townhouse Museum, an 18th Century building telling the story of Brechin and its people.

If being outside is more your thing, Brechin Castle Centre is a 70-acre country park.

The first of our photographs, on the left, shows members of Brechin City FC’s team of 1965. Names which may be familiar to fans are McLevy, Harrier, Tocher, Dunn, Rennie, Lough, Irwin, Donnelly, Sneddon, McIllwraith and McMurdo.

The picture, top right, was taken in 1985 and shows Mr Will Mowatt, a member of Brechin Civic Week committee, who made the old-style cradle for fund-raising for the Tayside Whole Body Scanner.

The image, bottom right shows Bob Ewart, 55, Trinity, Brechin, who lovingly tends his 1920 model Triumph on which he won the Roy Wilson Cup in 1963.

At the time, he said that he was getting to like his machine and was giving up hill scrambling.

Bob was a member of the Montrose and District Motor Cycle Club. He had another bike, the Bitza Special, which he built “from bits of half a dozen machines” and it took him first past the post many times.

A motor cycle mechanic with a firm at Brechin, Bob described motor cycling as the best sport in the world.

Do any of these photographs bring back memories? If so, we’d love to hear them, Please email craigie@thecourier.co.uk

This photograph shows members of Brechin City Football Club in September 1965. There doesn’t appear to be a complete list of the personnel in the picture, but those that are named are as follows: back row, from left to right, McLevy; Harrier; Tocher; Dunn and Rennie. The middle row shows, left to right; Lough?; Irwin; Donnelly; Sneddon; and the trainer who is unnamed, although his first name might begin with a J. The players in the front row are McIllwraith on the left and McMurdo.

An old-fashioned cradle made for a good cause.

Bob Ewart, Trinity, Brechin, with his 1920 model Triumph.