Living history of Aboyne Games found in attic
June 2009
by Ian Scott
Carefully preserved in the bank at Aboyne is a small, leather-bound book. A priceless book, as it contains the minutes of the public meeting which gave birth to the Aboyne Games, especially significant in this year of Aboyne’s first ever Clan March.
The book came to light recently when Peter Nicol, who had been secretary of the Aboyne Games in the early Eighties, decided to get rid of his extensive library of old books on the subject of Magic.
Peter picks up the story: “While browsing through the older volumes I came across a small, leather-bound book with an inscription on the cover. To my surprise, it was the first Aboyne Games Minute Book. I hot-footed it up to Ian Scott, our chairman, with my precious find”.
The first entry in the Minutes Book reads thus:
“Huntly Arms Hotel, 27th July, 1867. Public Meeting.
At a numerously attended meeting of the inhabitans of Aboyne and surrounding districts held here to-night, the Lord Provost in the chair, a unanimous wish was expressed to get up athletic games on the Market Stance of Aboyne. At the same time the following were appointed a committee (with power to add to their number) to arrange all preliminaries:
George Paterson, Deeside Lodge, convener; Lord Provost of Aboyne; Donald Dinnie, Birse; James Esson, jun., Dess; Robert Walker, Drumgesk ; George Young, Birsemore; William Grant, Mill of Coull; Alex. Milne, shoemaker; John Milne, Glentanner; Alexander Gray, b’smith, Aboyne; George Middleton, Balnagowan; Joseph Grant, Aboyne; Luban Dinnie, Birse; David Todd, Aboyne; Chas Cook, Hotel, Aboyne; Dr Keith, Aboyne; Jno. Gordon, clerk.”
The minute is signed, ‘William Mackintosh, chairman.’
This was the inception of the Aboyne Games which, but for the two world wars, have continued uninterrupted ever since.
Shortly after the first meeting four more people joined the committee: David Couper, Provost of Glentanner; James Taylor, jun., Ferrar; Francis Elmslie, Dalwhing and John McWilliam, Aboyne.
Prizes for Lord Huntly’s tenants
Work started in earnest and the date of the Games was agreed – 31st August. Lord Huntly gave permission to use the Green and promised his full support. He also gave prizes to be competed for by his tenants.
Events included light and heavy hammer; light and heavy stone; caber; running and standing high leaps; running long leap; vaulting with pole; hop, step and leap, and wrestling.
There was a short race (100 yards), a long race (450 yards), a hurdle race, and a boys’ race. Dancing included Highland reels, Highland Fling and Ghillie Callum. There were prizes for bagpipe players and for the best-dressed Highlander.
Entry cost sixpence for each event, and first prizes went from 15 to 25 shillings.
There were two rules. There must be more competitors than prizes, and ‘in the running any competitor taking hold of any other, or tripping or knocking him down wilfully, will be disqualified for that race.’
Subscriptions rolled in. Ninety people subscribed a total of £67.13.6 which, with entry money, made a grand total of £72. After all expenses and prizes had been paid, there was £1.8.5d left over, a very satisfactory result.
Donald Dinnie takes nine ‘firsts’
The chief honours were carried off by Donald Dinnie, who took nine firsts and one second. The first minute of Aboyne Highland Games shows the famous Highland Games athlete to be a founder subscriber and committee member. His subscription of five shillings was a sound investment. The cashbook at the back of the Minute Book shows the shrewd north-easter Dinnie recovered £10. 2s.6d in prize money from light and heavy events.
Next best was James Young with three firsts, a second and a third, while T.S. Douglas won all three dancing events.
In 1869 the committee included the Marquess of Huntly, W.E. Nicol and J. Dyce Nicol who became chairman. This marks the beginning of the association of the Ballogie family with the Games Committee, an association which continues to this day. Another well-known committee member was Joseph Farquharson, the eminent painter.
At first admission to the Games was free, but in the accounts for 1870 an item appears, “per policeman for seats, £1.16.6d”. Presumably the ladies in the picture (at the top) had paid for their seats.
By 1872 there were prizes for violin and bagpipe music, and in 1873 for a velocipede race – well worth the watching. A new item appears that year in the accounts – gate and entry money – but as the takings were only £8, the admission price cannot have been very high.
In 1874 it was resolved to ask for tenders for the work of the Games, the amount not to exceed £2.2s, and 5/- for the Games day itself.
A Games Ball was held, for a ticket price of 5/-shillings for a lady and gentleman; this was later reduced to 3/6d. Discontinued in 1910, the Games Ball was revived four years ago.
The missing 18 years
What happened in 1881 remains a mystery. A minute dated 6th August records that the committee “after discussion, unanimously agreed to postpone the Games for one year owing to circumstances over which they have no control”.
Luckily for posterity the same committee met 11 days later and decided that “owing to circumstances it was resolved to hold the Games after all”.
The original book ends here, and the minutes for the next 18 years are missing. The records re-open with a meeting on 25 July 1899 in which W.E.Nicol of Ballogie was in the chair.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a Leopard reader were to come forward with the missing books?
A Banff loon, Ian Scott moved to Deeside with his parents in 1960. Following a career in Banking and Finance, he retired to Aboyne in 1997. He is chairman of both the River Dee Board and Trust, and was appointed chairman of Aboyne Highland Games in 2007.
This is an article from the June 2009 edition of Leopard Magazine. To read much more like this every month, see our subscription details.