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.
 

The Procession Judges - 2002

This being the year of the 100th Lanimer Queen as well as the Queen's Golden Jubilee, the Lanimer Committee have invited a number of distinguished procession judges who have connections with either the Royal Burgh of Lanark or the surrounding environment.

We feel honoured that these individuals give their time to spend a day with us so that they can provide added enjoyment and excitement for all out Procession Judges realise that they are taking part in one of Scotland's most historic oldest traditions and ceremonies.

This year we welcome the following as our Procession Judges:-

Mr David Brown and Mr Douglas Sneddon

Last year, we were very pleased to welcome David Brown who is Hon. President of the Bo'ness Children's Fair, a children's festival which takes place at the end of June each year. This Children's Fair started in 1897 as a result of the visit of the ten Bo'ness Provost, as a guest of Lanark's Provost Brown, to our 1896 Lanimer Celebrations. This year David is being accompanied by Douglas Sneddon the Commentator at the Fair's Crowning Ceremony as well as the Director of Entertainment at Bo'ness Douglas Park on Fair Day.

Mr & Mrs Duncan Cameron

Duncan Cameron was raised in Lanark and was a stalwart of both St Mary's Operatic Society as well as Lanark Panto Club. In fact he was the Panto's first Dame, "Sarah" in their inaugural production of Dick Whittington, which took place in the Memorial Hall during October 1962.

Duncan currently works for American Airlines and both he and his wife Margaret live in Hamilton.

Mr & Mrs Euan Davidson

Mr Davidson, since 2000 has been the Director - Scotland for The Prince's Trust, having previously been a solicitor by profession.

The Trust was set up by HRH the Prince of Wales in 1976 to help young people between the ages of 14 and 30 to succeed by providing opportunities they would not otherwise have. Euan and his wife Dawn live in the Upperward and Euan's local involvement includes being Session Clerk at Cairngryffe Parish Church, Carmichael.

Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith

Sir James is Chairman of The Scotland Civic Trust, a position he has held since 1995. An architect by profession, Sir James is also an Emeritus Professor from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, having been previously Professor and Head of Department of Architecture at both Heriot Watt University and Edinburgh College of Art during the period 1978 to 1988.

Earl of Haddington

The 13th Earl of Haddington is from Mellerstain, Gordon, Berwickshire.

Lord Haddington's family connections with Lanark stretch back historically to one of his direct forebears, George Baillie a merchant from Edinburgh who purchased the Estate of Jerviswood in 1636 prior to acquiring the Estate of Mellerstain in 1642. it was his son Robert who in 1684 was tried and executed in Edinburgh for his involvement in Rye House Plot against King Charles II.

After his execution in Edinburgh, part of Robert's "bits" were hung outside the Tolbooth, in Lanark and later removed by his Covenantor supporters on the same day. It has also to be said, the Baillies of Jerviswood were at times not "good friends" of the Lanimers during the annual Perambulations of the Marches, over their grounds of Jerviswood.

Mr & Mrs Mark Hollinshead

Mr Hollinshead is currently Chief Executive of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail Limited. We welcome Mark and his wife Jill, who live locally to our Celebrations.

Earl & Countess of Home

Lanark's connections with the Douglas-Home family also stretch back many centuries, latterly through the agricultural activities of the Douglas and Angus Estates and also through the late Lord Home of the Hirsel, who as Lord Dunglass, was MP for Lanark during 1938-45 and 1950-51.

Lord Home is Chairman of Douglas and Angus Estates as well as Chairman of Coutts & Company, the Queen's Bankers in London. The 15th Earl and Countess's main home is at The Hirsel at Coldstream.

The Very Rev Dr & Mrs John McIndoe

We are please to welcome back to this Royal Burgh, John and Eve McIndoe to our Lanimer Celebrations. During John's period as Parish Minister at St Nicholas Parish Church, Lanark, he was Club Chaplain to the Lord Cornets Club and was involved in the annual "Kirkin" of the Lord Cornet Elect at the beginning of each Lanimer Week's Celebrations.

Mr & Mrs David Rae

This is David and Ann Rae's third visit to our Historic Celebrations and David's last as Provost of the Court of Deacons of the Royal and Ancient Burgh of Linlithgow. Both Lanark and Linlithgow share a long and distinguished history stretching back to when both Royal Burghs were part of the "Curia Quatuor Burgorum" of Court of Four Burghs. It is now a tradition for the Provost of Linlithgow and his partner to represent the Royal Burgh as Procession Judges at our Celebrations.

Leslie Reid, Hon Secretary