1971
One of the oldest and most colourful Children's Gala Days crowning ceremonies in the East of Scotland was held at Newtongrange on Saturday afternoon, when the celebrations were held in cloudy and cold weather.
Under the supervision of Mr.Robert Dow, the recently appointed Headmaster of Newtongrange Primary School, the children assembled in the Square Park; to wait the arrival of King and Queen elect and their Royal Court. This year's Royal couple was Derek Allan and Valerie Cummings.
The Court:
King - Derek Allan
Queen - Valerie Cummings
Chief Maid of Honour - Jane Lockhart;
First Lord - Christopher Herriot;
Maids of Honour - May McIlreavy, Linda Dolan;
Lords in Waiting - David Hogg, Richard Hurst;
Herald -Wilson Wishart;
Crown Bearers - David Shalliday, John Dolan;
Halberdiers - Bruce Ferguson, William Robertson, George Reid,
Alexander Trench;
Ladies of the Court - June McMillan, Elizabeth Paxton, Karen
Stirling, Susan McKenzie, Lorraine Sharp, Rhona Trail, Patricia McNab, Linda
Stobbart;
Bower Girls - Alison Kinnear, Heather Murdoch, Jennifer Stirling,
Carol Forrest;
Yeoman - Bryan Forrest;
Flower Girls - Elspeth Sygierycz, Janet Smith, Lorraine Stobbart,
Heather Mclntyre, Diane Meek, Gail Lawton,
Eileen Robertson, Theresa Green;
Pages - Archibald Lockhart, Steven Williams, David Robb,
David Roe.
The Crowning ceremony was again under the auspices of Councillor John McGuff. In a short address he referred to the increasing difficulty in financing the Gala. Costs had risen by 35% during the past year.
Gala Titbits: Mrs Moffat, Secretary of the Gala Day Committee, was taken to the Royal Infirmary. Councillor McGuff hoped she would make a speedy recovery. Miss Annie Melrose stepped into the breach as Secretary.
Councillor McGuff, on behalf of the Gala Committee presented watches to the King and Queen and an individual gift to the Royal Court.
Entertainment: Cancellation of Morris Dancers from England at the last moment. A display by the local Moffat School of Dancing. Trampoline display by the Newtongrange Boys Brigade. Trifle eating competition was won by James Bishop, Mansfield Road. Tug-of-War competition between the Dean Tavern and the Abbey Inn was won by the Abbey Inn by 2 pulls to 1.