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The letter began: "It has been suggested that an effort be made at
the present time, when there is a plentiful supply of Army Huts, to secure one
suitable for Recreation and Public purposes, for erection in the vicinity of
Grantshouse village", and went on to ask for voluntary subscriptions.
Within the next
three weeks about £140 had been either raised or promised and by the end of
February 1920 this amount had risen to £208. On 28 February an army hut was
purchased from the K.O.S.B. depot at Berwick for £240 and Captain Stirling-Cookson
of Renton House offered to provide a site for this hut at the nominal rent of
one shilling per annum. The £32 difference between the cost of the hut and
the amount raised, together with a sum of money sufficient to cover the cost
of furnishings and equipment, was loaned by the Y.M.C.A.
The
original club, named the 'Red Triangle Club', which was formed to run the
hall, consisted partly of ex-servicemen and was conducted under the
Constitution and Rules of the Y.M.C.A. Red Triangle Clubs.
During the first 18
months or so of its existence the hall was known as the Red Triangle Hut, the
red triangle symbolising the physical, intellectual and spiritual activities
of man.
The opening ceremony took place at the end of July 1920 and the
occasion was celebrated with a concert and dance. About 75 couples took part
in the dancing.
The hall was put
to good use. During its first year there were whist drives, concerts and
dances. On two separate evenings in January 1921 John Stelling of London
presented character sketches from the works of Charles Dickens. The 1920
children's Christmas party was also held in the hall and it was reported that
almost 200 presents were given out to children in the district.
On 28 July 1921 a
team of women organised a sale of work to raise funds to pay off the debt to
the Y.M.C.A. and improve and extend the building. The patrons of the sale
were:-
The Earl of
Home,The Hirsel, Coldstream
Mrs Stirling-Cookson, Sen., Hotel Belvedere,
Bordighera, Italy
Sir Thomas
Clement, Blackburn
Major &
Mrs Ranken, Renton House
Capt. &
Mrs C. S. Stirling-Cookson, Shawbraes, Reston
Robert C. Cowe, Butterdean
Thomas
Murray, BrockholesWilliam
Fullerton, Howpark
Robert Millican, Renton Barns
James
Murray, Springbank, RestonJames
Wight, Greenwood
Ninian
Sanderson, Harelawside
L. B. Moss,
20 Rankeillor Street, Edinburgh.
The
stallholders were - China
& Fancy Goods
Lizzie
& Magdalene Fair, Grantshouse
Mrs Brotherstone, Blackburn
Miss
Oliver, Brockholes
Mrs Cowe,
Butterdean
Mrs
Davidson, Argyll Villa, Grantshouse
Cake
& Candy
Mrs Young,
The Manse, Grantshouse
Mrs Inch,
Quixwood
Mrs
Millican, Renton Barns
Mrs Gillies,
Grantshouse
Mrs Scott,
Station House, Grantshouse
Produce
Mrs Wight,Greenwood
Mrs Boyd,
Renton Schoolhouse
Miss
Wallace, Grantshouse Mill
Plain
Work
The Misses
Morrison, Atton
Mrs Bell,
Westwood
Miss Mathieson, Grantshouse
Mrs
Campbell, Grantshouse
Jumble
Edward
& Alex Fair
Tea
Stall
Mrs C. S.
Stirling-Cookson, Shawbraes
Miss Ida Stirling-Cookson, Torquay
Mrs
Davidson, Houndwood Manse.
The stallholders
were assisted by Mrs Ponton, Mrs Rosher, Miss A. Utterson, Miss B. Ponton,
Miss Mack, Mrs R. Duncan, Mrs Brown, Miss G. Duncan, Margaret Fair, Miss
Hunter, Miss Wilson, Miss Wight, Mrs J. Wight, Mrs Sanderson, Messrs J. Wight,
R. Millican, N. Sanderson, R. C. Cowe, R. P. Cowe, W. Davidson, David Elder,
James Morrison, jnr., Edward Fair, A. Litherland, P. Dickson, J. Dougall and
Robert Hay. Sports and games were organised by Messrs Brown, Yorston and
Wallace.
Prize
winners were
Pedigree
Cumberland Boar (given by Mr Millican, Renton Barns) – Wilson Fullerton,
Cockburn
Lamb (given
by Mr Fullerton, Howpark) – W. Houliston, Bow, Coldingham
Pig (given
by N. Sanderson, Harelawside) – Mrs Kinghorn, The Crossing, Grantshouse
Lamb (given
by Mr Cowe, Butterdean) – W. J. Kennedy, Shirrafield, Yetholm
Pig (given
by Mr Wight, Greenwood) – Mr Moore, Ale Mill
Vases –
Mrs Urquhart, Edinburgh
Cake – C.
W. Calder, Billiemains
Drake –
May Patterson, Whitehall
Tobacco –
Alice Denham, South Renton
Rabbits –
Ella Sanderson, Harelawside
Eggs –
Jean Milne, Renton House.
Over £300 was
raised, one of the fund-raisers being a black dog from Renton House which had
a collection box strapped to its back with the appeal: "Please give me a
penny".
Jim
Crosbie - October 2002
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