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.
 

Not Till After Lanimers!

This is the cry that can be heard immediately after Christmas when I ask my husband to do some repair around the house, to change a light-bulb, freshen up the paint work or better still clear out the garage! why does a male who hails from Surrey utter, 'Not till after Lanimers!'.

There's no prize for coming up with the answer - anyone remotely connected with Lanimers will recognise the symptoms - it's Lanimer Fever. Yes it's on the horizon again. With some folks it may have struck even earlier on, maybe on the day after last year's Lanimers.

Two years ago at the Annual Ball we were greeted with the suggestion that we had adopted Lanark as our second home. This didn't come from a born-and-bred Lanarkian but from someone who had moved into Lanark from an outlying village. Well had we adopted Lanark or had Lanark adopted us?

My relationship with Lanark goes back a long way to happy years spent at Lanark Grammar and when I took part in the procession receiving my medal from the Queen in the grounds of the 'old primary'. If I wasn't in the procession very memorable Lanimers were spent in the company of cousins Pearl Pyper (Dickie) and Jenny Aucoin (Pearson) enjoying warm welcomes in their homes where I was just another member of their families, eating at their table and often having a sleep-over.

After leaving school I had an in-depth blow by blow account of the yearly festivities from my travelling companion Jean Lunn. Jean, a 'mature' student and I, straight from school, journeyed to Jordanhill on the train, Jean's enthusiasm was vibrant to say the least. She loved everything about Lanark. 'Please, brush my hair and put on some make-up for me, hen,' I knew then that as soon as I fell in with her wishes, she would wax lyrical about her town. I was a captive audience.

My husband's adoption happened more recently when he was introduced to Freda Parlett. Our son was part of the Panto Club's stage crew team as was Freda. He volunteered Dad. That was all that was needed so Barry was drafted in to join the gang, becoming a Scenery and prop maker along with Freda and Lea Barrie. From then on Lanimers' Freda and Friends had a new recruit.

Work commitments meant that I couldn't always be at Lanimers but I have been known to bring my pupils on a Educational outing. We were also supporting Balbardie Primary School's entry since Balbardie was one of our neighbouring schools. Well that was the excuse. Occasionally I helped Freda in the frantic run up to the great day and since I finished at school, I've been caught up in the excitement and I too have been affected by Lanimer fever. Freda asked me along with my good friend and Lanimer fan, Mary Thirlwell to help with the reception item - great fun! Yes, I'm now saying, 'Not till after Lanimers!'

Last year we had a flood in our kitchen. You're correct - apart from the plumbing nothing else could be done 'till after Lanimers'. Justin and Colin from the TV show would have had a field clay. Maybe we should have called them in for a kitchen makeover?

We have a double garage that has no room for cars - it's full of useful things that might come in handy for the lorry! Making a path to the tumble drier involves negotiating an assault course where work benches, push-pulls, boxes of tools and a multitude of not to be thrown out items bar any possibility of the washing ever reaching the drier.

Some folks might have tomatoes, courgettes or even cucumbers growing in their greenhouses - What do we have? We have rejected wheel chairs whose wheels and brakes will definitely be put to good use for push-pulls for Lanimers. Polystyrene packaging too is a must. It can be recycled into? Your guess is as good as mine. Our box room is full of materials, threads, curtains, ribbons an the like for costumes, has anyone got old necklaces that can be taken to bits for trimmings? The day that an old kayak came home on the roof or the car was nearly the end! What on earth could it be used for? I'm still wondering!

Is our abode any different from that of other Lanimer lovers? I doubt it.

We are very happy and privileged to be part of Freda and Friends. We've friendships. made lasting and highly valued

Thanks Lanark for 'adopting' us. We're glad to be part of a community with so much spirit where people come together, working so long and so hard for a superb event. It makes Lanimer Fever worth catching!

Sheilah I. Kerr

PS - He's turning out the 'lucky' Lanimer working clothes. Not those trousers again! If you see my husband try to persuade him to find a new pair. Why? You'll know when you see them.