Happy Hogmanay!
Reader Margaret Mather remembers a very special New Year’s Eve in her native Scotland
Y“ou’ll love it,” Mum said. Y
“There’s nothing like a good old shindig to get the party started!” I wasn’t so sure, but went along anyway – to the Hogmanay night dance at our local Royal British Legion club in Bridge-ofWeir, Renfrewshire.
Along with a local band, we were to be entertained by a well-known Scottish duo called The Alexander Brothers. Their single, ‘Nobody’s Child’ sold more in Scotland than the Beatles, when released in 1964.
The place was packed when we got there and luckily my aunt and uncle had reserved seats for us all. I had no idea that in the midEighties, the Alexander Brothers were still so popular. The audience was of a certain age and dressed for the occasion; men in kilts, ladies in their best dresses. My husband, cousin, her husband, and myself were the youngest there.
When they took to the floor, it wasn’t long before I found myself singing along to the songs – they evoked such happy childhood memories. The crowd clapped and cheered as Jack sang and Tom played his accordion. Songs like Roamin’ in the Gloamin’, The Northern Lights of old Aberdeen and of course Nobody’s Child, which we knew all the words to!
At the interval, my mother asked who would like a sandwich! I laughed, thinking she was joking but no, out of her bag came chicken sandwiches followed by a generous slice of individually wrapped Christmas cake. After all the dancing, the food was most welcome!
‘There, fully assembled in the room only used for special occasions, was a garden shed’
The second half of the evening started with more dancing – there were Eightsome Reels, The Dashing White Sergeant and Strip the Willow.
Being a Warwickshire lad, my husband had never witnessed these dances before, but my cousin was not going to let him sit them out. She pulled him to his feet and shouted instructions over the music: “Right, left, now right again, twirl the lady on your left…” I was helpless with laughter.
The night ended at 11.30pm in time for everyone to get home for the bells. We saw the New Year in at my parents’ house then walked to my aunt and uncle’s with a lump of coal and a bottle of whiskey.
More songs, sandwiches and sausage rolls followed then around 4.30am, my uncle asked if we’d like to see what he’d built in the lounge. Intrigued, we all trooped along and there, fully assembled in the room that was only used for special occasions, stood a garden shed.
He said it was a Christmas present and just wanted to see how it went together… Having had a few drinks, most of us agreed that it was a sensible thing to do!
Leaving their house around 7.30am, we headed home for a cooked breakfast and then bed.
This was the best New Year’s Eve I had ever experienced and the memory will stay with me forever. Sadly, the Alexander Brothers are no longer with us, but their music lives on.