LANARK LANIMER DAY
An ancient celebration held within the Royal Burgh of Lanark on the Thursday between the Sixth and Twelfth days of June annually since the year 1140.
 

Mid-winter Relections on an Ancient Festival holden annually at Lanark on the Thursday falling between the 6th and the 12th day of June since the 12th Century

I would wish to place on record my deep appreciation of the invitation to write this article for the Lanimer brochure. I am not a Lanarkian myself but my family connections have been closely bound up with the well being and growth of Lanimer Week and, as I sit in my window many miles from Lanark and gaze out upon a very wintry scene with the whole countryside under a mantle of snow, it would appear that nature itself is dead, but my mind moves forward to the glorious month of June, allowing me to anticipate the joy and excitement of Lanimer Week 1969.

In my mind I re-live the memories of past Lanimers and recall the many courtesies which have been bestowed upon me by everyone responsible for the presentation of Lanimer Week, and I marvel at the continued growth of the annual spectacle.

Lanark is a progressive town and its progress commercially has been matched by the progress of the "Lanimers".

As we are frequently reminded Lanark is a Royal Burgh (not a housing scheme with a shopping centre) with its wynds and vennels opening out on to the very picturesque High Street, dominated by St. Nicholas Church. Here it is that the statue of William Wallace, crowned and garlanded with flowers, gazes down upon the scene at which the Lanimer Queen is crowned in the presence of hundreds of her child subjects and also many thousands of spectators who come to take part in the celebrations of Lanimer.

Many years have passed since the late Miss Grace Adam was elected the first Lanimer Queen in the year 1893, the year that the late Mr. Andrew Wilson was appointed Lord Coronet. Since those far-off days the spectacle has grown larger and larger to such an extent that to-day "Scotland's oldest and grandest procession" is still able to claim that proud title.

In the preparation of the tableaux and pageants presented a great amount of care has gone to make certain that they are historically correct in detail and the writer vividly remembers a reproduction of Lanark Castle at the time of the Granting of the Charter in the year 1140, with those taking part in it correctly dressed to represent a cross-section of the citizens of the time.

In this connection one's memory goes back to the lorries of the late Miss M. J. Anderson, Miss Izzard and many others. Of more recent time the writer remembers such entries as "Show Boat", "The Arms of Heraldry" and "The Toy Train", showing the evolution from horse drawn decorated lorries to the present colourful scenes.

As the years have passed so the interest in this Festival has increased so that to-day many thousands of people enter the town to take pars in, or to view the presentation of the pageants and tableaux.

The events of to-day become the history of tomorrow, just as the children of to-day become the citizens of tomorrow, and in this connection I must congratulate the officials for all they do to instruct the children and show them that civic pride which is so essential to-day in a world of changing values.

You must achieve continuity and a few years ago I observed an action that told how the Committee was conscious of the value of the early teaching of the children when I saw ex-Provost Miller Stoddart with a large gathering of children around him, leading them to each Boundary Stone and explaining their significance in the annual perambulations. Also, I have listened with great interest to the words addressed to the children at the Cross and in particular to the talk given by the ex-Lord Cornet, William E. Hall, during his year of office.

More recently still I would congratulate the Lord Cornets' Club upon their successful endeavours to increase interest by instituting the further ride-out on the Wednesday bringing New Lanark into closer connection with the celebrations.

It does seem a pity that after all the work and endeavour so little is seen of the entries in the Procession on Lanimer Day and I wonder if some means could not be found of say, inviting the entries to appear in the afternoon at the Race Course during the Sports Meeting, which would indeed make a background of scenic beauty. There may be many obstacles to such a proposal, one of which would probably be that the children taking part would need some time to rest before going on to the Queen's Reception.

How pleasant it is, with so much unrest in the world to find riders from various Border Common Ridings coming to Lanark to take part in the celebrations, thereby cementing friendships which will continue down through the years.

Those who to-day, in Lanark, hold office in the "Cooncil", Lanimer Committee or Lord Cornets' Club, are the custodians of a great heritage, all of them working together to achieve the continued high standard which is now associated with Lanimer.

May the Royal and Ancient Burgh continue to prosper and its citizens go forward into the future, determined to live up to the great and wonderful traditions of the "Lanimers".

J.S.B.