UNUSUAL ADDRESS
New president’s tale of adventure
A well-known Paisley personality was installed as the chairman of the town’s Rotarians for the 1950/51 session.
Archibald Campbell, a tobacconist with premises at The Cross, took over the reins from Thomas Lamont, who had just presided over a successful period.
Mr Lamont expressed pleasure in passing on the badge to a worthy man who would maintain the high standard of his predecessors.
Having taken the chain, amidst the plaudits of members, Mr Campbell assured Mr Lamont of the club’s gratitude for his year’s service and gifted to him a Past President’s badge.
Mr Campbell said that it was usual for a president taking office to remind the members of their rights, their privileges and their obligations.
He didn’t propose to do that. What he had to say didn’t contain any moral, or any message.
He hoped to entertain them with a story of a voyage round the world in a tramp steamer which he took part in years ago.
The story revolved round Donald MacCaskill, the Highland skipper, and
Humphry McCall, the second engineer from Maryhill; and it was the story of their work and adventures at sea, and ashore in America, Norway, Italy, China, Argentina and a whole host of other places.
The period was the early 1920s, when life moved at a slower pace than it did ‘today’. There was more time then for kindness and humour and sentiment than there was now.
The story brought out the unfailing cheerfulness and adaptability of the British merchant navyman under all kinds of torrid conditions.
The address finished with the ending of the 18-month voyage at Leith docks and, with Rory McKenzie, the carpenter, playing his bagpipes as usual.
Mr Campbell Horsburgh voiced the club’s thanks to the chairman for his racy, character picture of quaint and noble men who were typical of the Scots who went down to the sea in ships.
The list of new office bearers was – President: Mr Campbell, Vice-president: Mr Campbell Horsburgh, Secretary: Mr RF Balnave, Treasurer: Mr A Bedworth, Members of Council: William Aitchison, James Cassels, Jas Cowan, John Craig, Alister Gardiner and Clark Hunter.