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.
 

A Blether With John Prior

John Prior and Frank Gunning

Q. John, you keep popping up at all manner of events in the town with your camera. Have you always been interested in photography?

A. Not really. It only took off the year my wife Sheila crowned the queen.

Q. What have your main interests been?

A. Athletics. When I was young I trained with Marshall Braidwood and ran at Powderhall from 1955 to 1965. I was pleased to win the 'half mile". I still keep my hand in - I have been timekeeper at Powderhall New Year Sprint since 1970!

While still at school I used to caddy for the late R. B. Dick. I played myself, and won the Captain's Prize in 1984. Many a good round I had with John Hladiak, Wattie Anderson, Eddie Motley and George Kearns.

Q. Where were you brought up?

A. I was born at Fairhaven, one of fourteen, in 1937. There were seven boys and seven girls. I was third youngest. We lived at 2 Wellgatehead next to Lavin's wee Sweetie shop.

Q. What is your first memory of Lanimers?

A. Of men standing on the steps outside the Black Bull waiting for the procession. Our Lanimer treat was a supply of pies from Yuill the Baker across the road.

Q. What about other neighbours?

A. I remember coming home from school and running messages for Mrs Williamson of the Black Bull, Mrs Spiers, Mrs Muir, Mrs Hopkins and Mrs Cochrane who stayed at the top of the South Vennel. I would go through Bernard's Wynd to the Co-op middle store. George Blair, David Robertson and Joe Foley from New Lanark worked there. Johnnie Hawkey was in the bottom store, George Weir and Bill Cunningham were in the butcher shop, and Alex King and George Stark worked in the top store where Oxfam is now. 'Dividend' books were checked at the co-op office. You also bought yellow coal tokens there.

Nancy Gemmel's shop was just up from Yuill the Baker. Down the Wellgate John Blackhall used to buy rabbit skins! I often wonder what he did with them.

Q. You mentioned Alex King. Were you ever in the Scouts?

A. Yes. I have memories of Willie Waye, John Bertram, Andy Cannon, Lugo Diplacito, Robert Kirkhope, Tom and Andrew Hodgson, Clive Cox and the Walker brothers. Frank Gunning and I were awarded our Queen Scout badges in 1954. We carried the Wallace Shield that year.

Q. In the early war years you moved to Woodstook Road. Who were your pals there?

A. George and Jim Hamilton, Jim Conwav, Andy Cannon, Markie Higgins, Stuart Dickie, Matt Reilly and Harry Keith. We used to play forty a side football in Hush Park'. I also delivered two crates of milk at a time in a barrow for the Co-op!

Q. When did you leave school?

A. In 1953, and attended a one year pre-apprenticeship course at Coatbridge. I travelled with Janet McMorran, Moira McKinlay, Heather Campbell, Mary Walker and James O'Hara. I then worked for a year with Laing the plumber where the Courtyard Tearoom is now. Joe and Jim Toy were the tradesmen. After clearing out Capie the butcher's drains, my mother and I decided that plumbing was not for me! I then became an apprentice joiner with. Dick of Wishaw. Incidentally, at that time Purdie the Joiner had forty joiners! The late Alex Bisset, Joe Lamble and Hugh Reid served their time there.

I did some work in Lanark. Through that, Sheila and I became lifelong friends with Joe and Mary Hughes.

Q. When did Sheila and you get married?

A. In 1965. We met at the 'Palais'. Harry Purdie used to run the bus home. As soon as we married we went off to South Africa to work.

Q. You have a magnificent garden John. What do you like to grow best?

A. Flowers! Mind you, it all started as a boy helping to grow vegetables at the family allotment out at the Beeches.

Q. The late Johnnie Neil was a real character. How did you get to know him?

A. We worked in Brown's knitwear factory in Delves Road . We used to check The Marches every year right up till he died. Mrs Veitch at Glenburnie always welcomed us with whisky and shortbread. As a matter of fact, the Marches Night has always been my favourite time of the week.

Q. What about Lanimer Day itself?

A. I remember Dave Brown and I working for Vena and Charlie Kelly. One year Jack Whiteford from Nemphlar chauffeured Sheila and me and our friends Jim and Joyce Hamilton round the One O'clock Procession in his blue Triumph. We thought we were the cat's pyjamas!

John, it has been a pleasure talking to you - Best wishes for the future to Sheila and yourself. May the battery in your camera never go flat!