Plans fixed for Newtongrange Gala
1950
Newtongrange and District Children's Gala Day Committee have made the final arrangements for Saturday's celebrations and crowning ceremony - one of the oldest and most picturesque gala pageants in the district.
The principals and court attendants, who have gained their exalted positions by virtue of their high educational attainments, are as follows:
Newbattle School Court:
King - Peter C. Allan;
Dux Girl - Margaret S W. Moffat;
Herald - Alan Brunton;
Chief Maid of Honour - Annie W Craig;
First Lord - Richard H Wylie;
Maid of Honour - Margaret Dudgeon;
Lord in Waiting - John R Sharp;
Crown Bearers - Edward G Fox, James R. Haldane;
Page - Peter M Weighand;
Yeoman - David McLaren;
Halberdier - John J Dickson;
Ladies of the Court - Elizabeth Campbell, Jane W Russell,
Margaret G Thomson;
Bower Girls - Henrietta H Shaw, Mary B Petigrew, Catherine
R D Hutchison, Dorothy B Brownlee;
Flower Girls - Mary K. Paul, Elizabeth N H Jack, Jane C.
Clark, Jean A Scambler.
Newtongrange School Court:
Queen - Moira I.N. Grant;
Maid of Honour - (Joint Dux of School with Queen), Evelyn
A E Gardiner;
Lord in Waiting - (Dux Boy) John B Reid;
Ladies of the Court - Alice R B Walkingshaw, June P H Thomson,
Jane R Aitken, Mary H S Dickson,
Catherine D R McDonald, Alice S Philip, Jane R Barton;
Halberdiers - Edgar McLaren, George Smith;
Flower Girls - Sheila M.B. Moore, Margaret R Robertson, Jeanette
E Horsburgh, Rosemary M King, Joan Gillies,
Isabella H. W. C. Lockhart, Roseanne Dubickas.
Newtonloan School Court:
Maid of Honour - Margaret McDonald;
Lord in Waiting - Walter Drummond;
Halberdier - William Dougal;
Ladies of the Court - Ann Mclntyre, Delys Cosgrove;
Flower Girl - Rose Holland.
The Gala Day Dux Championship Shield will be handed over to Margaret Moffat and presentations will be made to the King and Queen to mark the occasion each child will receive a new sixpence. Alternative arrangements in the event of inclement weather have been made, the principal alteration being the crowning ceremony, which will take place in the local Picture Palace, and distribution of bags, milk, etc. in the schools.
1950 One of the oldest and most picturesque Gala Day coronation ceremonies in the country was held on Saturday when Newtongrange and District Children's Gala Day celebrations took place in dull, but dry weather. Unfortunately, the low clouds and dull skies gave way to heavy showers later in the afternoon, and the sports events took place in a constant, disagreeable drizzle. Despite this, few of the many spectators left the ground until the final races had been run.
On this occasion the King was Peter C Allan, top boy in the qualifying class at Newbattle Junior Secondary School and the Queen was Moira L H Grant, joint Dux Girl at Newtongrange School with Evelyn EA Gardiner.
Assembling in the Square Park, and headed by the Newtongrange Lothian Silver and Newtongrange Lothian Pipe Bands, the King and Queen and members of the court entered gaily decked cars, and followed in procession order by their 1800 loyal subjects , drove slowly through the principal streets of the village, densely lined with onlookers, to the local Welfare Park. Alighting from their cars, the royal couple and court marched majestically to the impressively decorated platform and the raised coronation dais, to the music of the Coronation March, rendered by the Silver Band. Councillor Andrew Ross, Chairman of the Gala Day committee, presided over the assembled children and several thousand adult spectators.
In a short address, Councillor Ross stated that all present on the platform had gained their position by their educational attainments. He congratulated them on their success, and hoped they would continue their educational advancement. To the loud cheering of their enthusiastic 'subjects', the King and Queen were crowned by Margaret B W Moffat, 3 Tenth Street, Dux Pupil of Newbattle Junior Secondary School. After homage had been paid to 'Their Majesties' by the court, Councillor Ross handed over a number of savings certificates to the King, Queen, Evelyn Gardiner and Margaret Moffat. He also presented the Gala Day Dux Championship Medal to the latter. Telegrams of congratulations were received from last year's King and Queen. The remaining 48 members of the court also received gifts.
After the crowning ceremony the children received a bag of eatables, milk and a new sixpence. An excellent physical training display was given by pupils of the Newbattle School, under Mr Norman, physical training instructor. Displays of Highland Dancing were provided by Miss Etta McIntosh's pupils and the Brownlee School of Dancing, and musical selections were rendered by the bands. During the afternoon donkey rides were an added attraction to the youngsters, while the introduction of a snack bar proved highly successful. The celebrations concluded with a sports programme comprising 30 events, when some fine running was witnessed.