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.
 

Five Generations and a Cornet

Born in the North Vennel, I can't remember a year without a Lanimer Day. Such is the impact that the Lanimers has made on my family. The five generations are those of my grandmother, mother, myself, daughters and grandson - and of course my husband Robert, Lord Cornet exactly forty years ago in 1965 (one of the boy cornets!)

My grandmother, widowed and blind Mrs Little, raised my mother Jennie and her brother Bertie as true Lanarkians, proud of their town and heritage. Born in Carnwath in 1891, my grandmother come to Lanark as a young girl and lived with her aunt. During these formative years before her blindness overtook her, she was initiated into all things Lanimer. As a child I remember her kitchen table laden with food, heralding the arrival of all the family, friends and anyone else who might 'drop in' for their dinner (we didn't have 'lunch' in those days!) between the morning and afternoon processions. It was standing room only, with plates being passed back, to those who couldn't get near the table. The excitement was heightened by a cry from the sentinel stationed at the bedroom window: "Hurry up - finish your pudding! The bands are at the top of the Vennel". The One o' clock Procession came down the North Vennel past the skinworks and the tannery into Hope Street. It was a stirring sight: flags strung across the street and flying from every window - bandsmen resplendent in their uniforms - mounted Cornets - Provost and other dignitaries in their magnificent robes waving from their chauffeur driven cars. The music echoed loudly against the narrow street walls where it met the cheering and clapping of the householders dressed in their new outfits. My granny was special: because she was blind, the many Cornets that she knew shouted "Hello Mrs Little, hurrah for the Lanimers!" I was so proud of her.

I still meet many of Gran's neighbours from that cheering throng - the Reids, Barries, Stonebanks, Pillans, Douglases, Forgies and the Cornelius family. Many of them return to the town I'm sure, to relive those deep seated memories. Many an hour I spent listening to Grannv Little's Lanimer tales : the year Uncle Bert was an Outrider - my mother's first Lanimers as a rainbow fairy - Uncle Bert on the Skinwork humorous lorry as Fred Flintstone or The Red McGregor, dancing and joking with the crowds.

My mother was also steeped in Lanimer tradition and fondly remembered being in the lorries put out by the factory where she worked. One year, as a girl in her new outfit - 'from the skin out' - she and a friend returned from Leechford, soaked through and with one shoe missing. My gran was told that friends had rescued her from drowning! It was years later before gran was told that my mother had fallen into the water trying to wash the 'glaur' off her shoes.

Years passed and daughter became mother - my mother, Jenny Taylor. She shouldered her Lanimer responsibilities with gusto. It was her turn now to put out the flags for the 'Kirkin', to wash the close the night before Lanimers, and to turn out her 'wean' on the day. My own memories go back to Miss Henderson's Brownie lorries -The Snowman and Cinderella. Lanimer Day seemed to go on for ever - up at the crack of dawn, costumed and up to St Leonard Street, the judging, the procession and the Crowning. After lunch it was up to the stables to ride in the One o' clock Procession, ride to the racecourse, enter the races, wait for the sports and presentation of prizes, then ride back to The Cross. Back home I was given my tea, dressed in my freshly ironed costume and marched speedily up to the Memorial Hall for the Reception. We were squeezed like sardines in rows under the balcony while the orchestra played 'Scipio'. My stage performances are hazy, but I do remember getting ice-cream and a piece of the Queen's cake in the Lesser Hall! In later years my mother and I along with Harry and Helen Dewson, and Jimmy Richmond entered our own lorries. They were small tableaux such as 'Plaza de Toros' and The 'Sorcerer's Apprentice'. We never won any prizes but we did have fun! In her later years she loved to be taken in her car with my father Tom to watch the procession from the old Grammar School in Hyndford Road.

I became an ex Lord Cornet's wife in 1970, and featured in the 1971 brochure as the President's eight month pregnant wife! After the Kirkin' that year, Robert invited the followers back to my mother's home at Alva Cottage for refreshments, thus starting another tradition! That same year the fourth generation came along - our daughter Jane, and in 1975 our daughter Ann. They have painted lorries, made paper flowers, walked The Marches, fallen in the Mouse, danced at The Cross, and been in numerous school and Sunday School entries and sold Lanimer brochures. Jane became involved again last year when her son Michael, our grandson and fifth generation, enjoyed his first Lanimers as a little bandsman in 'Moulin Rouge'. As the proud gran I hope that I can pass on the spirit of Lanimers to Michael - just like Granny Little did to me.

Jan Kirkhope