The Edinburgh Angus Club

The Edinburgh Angus club

Instituted 1841

SC 005236

President: Mr Allan Scott BSc MRICS

Treasurer: Mr John Colquhoun WS

Lady Secretary: Mrs Irene H. Callaghan MBE MPhil BSc

Dr T S Callaghan MD MSc FRCP, Hon. Secretary, the Edinburgh Angus Club, The Mary Acre, Argyll Street, Brechin, Angus DD9 6JL

 01356 624725 

September 2011.

The 2011 Edinburgh Angus Club Autumn and Winter Newsletter.

As your Secretary writes this epistle, he recalls how, when crafting the Spring and Summer Newsletter 2011, he was lamenting the unseasonal weather. Outside my study window, the weather is entirely seasonal if rather more appropriate for the early winter than late summer; positively Baltic here in the chilly North-East of Scotland.

The main Club event so far this year was our Annual Summer Reception and Awards Ceremony. This was held this year, for the first time for the Club, at the Burn House, just beyond Edzell, on the banks of the North Esk in spectacular policies. The Burn House was deeded in 1948 to the Goodenough Trust, London (Patron, her Majesty the Queen)by the late Mr & Mrs Herbert Russell in memory of their son and heir, James, who was tragically killed in action in 1944, aged 21. The Burn is a holiday and study centre for students, graduates and academic staff from around the world. We were made most welcome by Mr David Wood, Bursar, and his staff, who simply could not have been more accommodating, and who provided a superb venue and refreshments and made the high turnout of members and guests most welcome. The Earl of Dalhousie, Lord Steward of the Royal Household, and Lady Dalhousie were the Principal Guests. The Governors would like to extend their appreciation to all who contributed to a very happy and memorable afternoon, and photographs of the event can be viewed on the website.

The next major event is, of course, the Annual Dinner, and I believe that this is the 170th anniversary of the Club’s Institution by Royal Warrant. The dinner will be held once again atThe New Club, Princes Street, Edinburgh, on Friday 11th November 2011, foregathering from 7 pm with welcoming drinks and followed, at or about 7.30 pm, by Dinner. Depending on the turnout of members and their guests, the dinner will be held in the Castle Room, the New Club, with spectacular views towards the Castle. Should, however, the numbers exceed the capacity of the Castle Room, then we shall have dinner in the main Dining Room, redolent of history. The menu is attached, and as you will note provides considerable choices which should please the most discerning palates. The cost of the dinner reflects the general increase in costs of which we are all too aware, but your Secretary and the Club have so arranged matters so that all drinks are included in the cost per individual. The wines have not yet been selected, but an elegant sufficiency of excellent sparkling, red and white wines will be provided. I do hope that as many members and their guests as possible will attend this most convivial and enjoyable evening.

Turning to general Club matters: we extend our sympathies to the families of those members who have passed away, and welcome into membership the new members who have joined our ranks, over the past year. As always, members are reminded that new members are always most welcome and will be the future life-blood of the Club; these should be like-minded individuals with sympathies for the objectives of the Club; encouraging and rewarding academic or outstanding personal excellence in students proceeding to Higher or Further Education, and with Edinburgh and/or Angus connections. If you wish to recommend such an individual or individuals for membership, please do so and contact your Secretary either by letter or e-mail (above) giving their contact details and I or the Lady Secretary (for new Lady Members) will follow up this intelligence.

And, as I close, may I remind our Members that donations to the Edinburgh Angus Club are always most welcome. Your donations – with a kind Gift Aid donation from our generous Chancellor where you indicate that your gift is from taxed income – facilitate the on-going charitable activities of the Club. The recently-instituted Lady Members’ Prize, to a student proceeding to Further Education at the AngusCollege has been very well supported by the Lady members and, as you will see overleaf, if you wish your donation to be used for that purpose our Treasurer will so notate the gift.

On the following page is the Booking Form for the Annual Dinner; I would be grateful if you would complete the names of those attending, their menu choices, and, where appropriate, your preferred Dinner companions: please return this to me, with appropriate payment, to my address (above). The Lady Secretary will formulate a Table Plan using these choices to facilitate the serving of meals: as we leave for Orkney next week, the tables will be named after islands in that archipelago. Your Secretary, and the other Governors, look forward to meeting you at the 2011 170thAnnual Dinner of The Edinburgh Angus Club.

T S Callaghan, Honorary Secretary