Clyne Heritage Society

nickl · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:26 pm Post subject: Opening Night Report

Clyne Heritage Society Annual Summer Exhibition 2007 - Opening Night

Sixty five members of Clyne Heritage Society and invited guests attended the Society’s Annual Summer Exhibition opening in Brora Library last Wednesday. The 9th successive annual exhibition staged by the Society is this year entitled ‘Churches in Clyne’, and was officially unveiled by special guest, Hetty Cunningham. The exhibition is now open for all to see during normal Library opening hours.

The range of photographs and archives on display covers all of the five denominational churches in the parish: Church of Scotland, Free Church, Roman Catholic, Episcopalian and the United Free Church (now amalgamated with the Church of Scotland), and considerable assistance had been given by Ministers and members of their congregations.

The stunning centrepiece tableau involves all of the churches again, in different aspects of their functions, mainly worship, birth, marriage and death. Dominating the stage from the rear wall is a brilliantly backlit life-size stained glass window, meticulously and artistically created by Betty Faassen de Heer, as was the rest of the stage set.

Clyne Heritage Society Chairman, Nick Lindsay, welcomed the audience to the opening and thanked the contributors to the exhibition. He also applauded the continuing generous support of the people of the village and the members, without which the exhibition could not take place and went on to report that the membership was actually up on last year’s record. Dr Lindsay also explained how the ecclesiastical idea for the exhibition had been instigated. It had been pointed out during a conversation with Rev Ian McCree of Clyne Church of Scotland about two years before, that his Victoria Road church building was celebrating its centenary, the previous place of worship having been at Clynekirkton. The committee had decided to incorporate this commemoration with a general celebration of all of the churches in the parish and the result was for all to see that evening.

Further praise was given by the Chairman to the main creator of the exhibition, Betty Faassen de Heer for her astonishing design and dedicated work on the spectacular stage display, and also to Betty’s husband, Bill, for his stalwart support and effort. Thanks were also extended to Jacqui Aitken, Morag and Norman Gibson and Bill O’Brien for their contributions to the photographic and archive work and also to Chris Hoyle for the evening’s music and the catering. Special thanks were also given to John Macleod, who had given up many hours for the cause of electrical and lighting matters.

Introducing special guest of honour, Hetty Cunningham, as a local treasure, a very special person and an example to us all, Dr Lindsay handed over to the well-known and popular nonagenarian, although her introduction, in reality, was entirely unnecessary! Mrs Cunningham spoke about her fond memories of her long association with the United Free Church and later the Church of Scotland. She went on to give a short history of the 9 ministries she had served under since she was baptised by Rev Tolmie in the United Free Church, what is now Highland Council’s TEC Services office in Victoria Road, and ended by emphasising the value this grounding had given her for life. With tumultuous applause and presented bouquet of flowers in hand, she declared the exhibition open.

The guests filed through to the exhibition area, to be met by the towering stained glass window above the masterfully choreographed central stage display of life-size mannequin models depicting themes from the different churches and their functions. The display includes a Free Church preaching scene, a Roman Catholic christening, a Church of Scotland wedding and an Episcopalian Minister and choirboy. The death scene is non-denominational and features Old Father Time, sickle in hand, warning an unsuspecting whisky drinker that he might end up as Jock MacTavish (deceased), as depicted on the headstone on the adjacent grave!
Lining the perimeter of the exhibition area, the display boards holds a selection of the fascinating photographs collected by the Society and loaned and donated by members and friends of the Society. A display of beautiful present day photographs of all of the parish places of worship and burial grounds, by Morag Gibson, sets the scene and some of the most interesting of the older images are of the huge gatherings which occurred for the church Sunday School picnics around a century ago. Featuring in one of these groups of around 100 children and accompanying adults from 1927 at Loth Station, is a young Hetty Cunningham and Rob Wilson, both current members of the Society.

There are photographs of Sunday School sports days at Gordonbush and outings to places such as Dunbeath in the 1950s, in which many people present that night delighted in pointing themselves out, as did younger members from more recent Sunday School outings. There are photographs of Church celebrations over the years and potted histories of all of the local churches.

The beautiful pair of brand new display cabinets holds a host of important and fascinating artefacts, both donated by parishioners and also held by the Society, including communion tokens, goblets, plates and bibles.

The guests had had a real trip down Brora’s memory lane, and many reminiscences had been re-awakened by the exhibits and photographs on display. There are still some gaps in the texts on the photographs, so the committee would appreciate any further information about these. Also any further additions to the exhibition are always welcome. Contact can be made via the Society’s website (clyneheritage.com) or direct to the library. The exhibition is open for all to see during normal library opening hours (tel: 01408 621128) and will run continuously until April 2008.
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Nick Lindsay
Chairman, Clyne Heritage Society, Brora