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Crowning Lady 2009 Selected
You Dancer!
The choice of the woman to crown this year's Lanimer
Queen has been met with delight from all parts of Lanark.
And that merely reflects the work Mrs Christine McPhail has done throughout the community over many years.
Christine is a stalwart of some of Lanark's hardest-working organisations, but it seems that every time a group has a fund-raising or fun event, she is there to help out.
The invitation to crown Taylor Forrest came out of the blue on Wednesday evening.
She received a phone call which made her believe that in her capacity as chairman of Lanark Panto she had some paperwork to deal with - but instead it was Lanimer Chairman David Strachan who arrived on the Christine McPhail to crown queen doorstep of her home in Waterloo Road.
"It was quite a shock," said Christine afterwards. "I am just kind of stunned."
"But I am really really delighted."
It is the second time she has been honoured by the Lanimer organisers, having been invited to Sash the Lord Cornet in 2000.
Christine (52) has been involved with Lanark's activities since she was a child. She took part in the very first panto, at the start of the 1960s, and over the last three decades she has helped with the club in a myriad of ways.
As Christine Wilson she ran the Lanark School of Dance for many years, and her "career" in the town's voluntary organisations has included service as secretary of the Royal Burgh of Lanark Community Council - "the first community council meeting I went to I came back secretary" she remembered - and president of the Bowling Club. She has worked for Cancer Research for many years, and is currently that group's treasurer. But any number of groups have been thankful for Christine's contributions, and her ability to trot out trays of home baking for any good cause.
She has a long Lanimer pedigree too, but this year had planned a quieter time.
"I put out my first Lanimer lorry in 1980 as the School of Dance, and we did them sporadically, every year or two after that," she said.
But in 1995 she teamed up with Joy Reilly and as CJ Productions they have had a lorry in the procession every year since, with much of the work being done by Christine's husband Sinclair. But this year they had decided to have a rest.
How much of a rest Christine can have remains to be seen, but she is looking forward to June 11.
Her sister Wilma will be her companion throughout the week.
"It is a family thing," added Christine. "My mum Grace and dad Willie are obviously over the moon - when I phoned mum she just burst into tears. And Sinclair is delighted and very proud."
This year marks a special anniversary for Christine as in 1969 she was a lady in waiting in the Lanimer court.
"This is my 40th anniversary of walking up those steps," she said.
But she is looking forward to walking up them again, this time with a vital role.
Lanark Gazette
Thursday 11th February 2009
Christine Named Crowning Lady
Well-known Lanark woman Christine McPhail has been picked
as this year's Lanimer Crowning Lady.
She will crown the new Lanark Lanimer Queen, Taylor Forrest, during the town's big June festival.
Christine has a long link with Lanimers, having been a member of the Lanimer Committee for over 20 years.
In that time, she has served on various sub-committees, including the original Castlebank Committee, Entertainment, Silver Club, and more recently as Court Dance Instructor.
However, she is possibly better known for her long association with Lanark Panto Club, which she joined as a child from the Vena Kelly dancers.
She is currently serving her third term as chairman, but has in the past also taken various principal roles, and served as choreographer, writer and director.
She was a member of the local community council for many years, including nine years as secretary.
Christine was a teenage Lanimer entrant with her dad, Willie Wilson, and more recently has been an entrant with Joy Reilly, as C&J Productions.
Lanark & Carluke Advertiser
Thursday 11th February 2009