Facts & Fancies: Old Aberlady in Poetry & Song

by John Pringle Reid

Copyright (c) Aberlady Conservtaion Society 2008

In Memory

Facts – THREE PAINTINGS – dedicated to the memory of JPR’s father, village grocer and photographer, James Reid, who died when JPR was still a young boy.

Facts – I WONNER WHAUR THEY – on looking at a photo of his old village school friends

In Celebration

Facts – THE ABERLADY RACE – a tribute to ‘the Race’, the precursor to the modern Gala Day. Another account of ‘the Race’ may be accessed here.

Facts – THE KIRN– an account of the night-long kirns of the past.

Romance

Facts – The Milk Errand – when the young laddies and lassies on summer nights past vied for their fancie’s attention while collecting milk from maids in the ‘Coo Park’. Crummie frae the kye:0)

Facts – Rural Courtship – a colourful and lively tale of rustic and earthy romance.

Of The School

Facts – THE AULD SCHULE BELL – memories come to mind at the sound of the ‘squeek-clink’ of the bell of Aberlady Public School in the village Main Street.

Of the Auld Kirk

Facts – JAMIE SMITH – the ghost of the central character in The Skipper’s Daughters confronts JPR in the auld kirkyard. The planned renovations to the auld kirk are wanted only by Lord Wemyss and, as the spokesman for the rest of the interred, the ghost warns that if plans to flatten the kirkyard are also carried out, some haunting will be done.

Of Nature and our Countryside

Facts – TO THE PEFFER BURN – an ode by JPR to his dear Peffer Burn