Lanark born and bred (and proud of it) Lord Cornet for 2005 is TOM WADDELL.
Over the years he has been a stalwart of the Lanimer Committee and was Procession Convenor for the best part of a decade.
Tom is a member of the Kranal Club and appeared in their Moulin Rouge entry last year as the Ringmaster, his first role in a Lanimer Lorry for many years. Prior to this he was heavily involved in the construction and driving of Karen Romer’s Lanimer Lorries. He has also been a background helper with several organisations, including the Panto Club and the YMCA Ski Club over the years.
Tom is currently Project Safety, Environment and Quality Engineer for Carillion Rail on the £36.5 million project to reopen the rail link from Larkhall to Glasgow. On leaving school, Tom completed a Civil Engineering Apprenticeship and worked on many major road and rail infrastructure schemes in the west of Scotland before joining local quarrying firm Alexander Russell, during which time he moved into health and safety, graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University.
Two of his interests are skiing and travelling and he was in Italy doing both these things when he was chosen to be Lord Cornet Elect. Other hobbies for Tom include motorsport, photography and cooking and Tom is a member of Lanark Guildry and Lanark Bowling Club.
Tom is looking forward to his time as Lord Cornet and he and his family are wished all the best for the Lanimer year.
WILLIE WILSON, the Lord Cornet for 2004-2005, lives on Hyndford Road with his wife Aileen and two daughters, twelve year old Victoria and Sarah who is six. He is Convenor of the Silver Club Committee which raises the largest percentage of money that is required to fund Lanimer Day.
Since starting in 1971 at Ravenscraig as an apprentice, his working life has been wide and varied. He has been settled in Lanark for the past twelve years after various moves around the country in the course of his employment. He enjoys photography, joinery and period restoration work. These lifelong interests are currently realised through his business interests in property development and e-commerce Website photography.
Willie has many different interests, but likes gardening and shopping and as he is also an adventurous cook, I wonder, is he the answer to most women’s dreams?
He is looking forward with enthusiasm to his time as Lord Cornet and he and his family are wished all the best for the forthcoming year.
The Lord Cornet’s
Right-Hand Man
David H. Strachan
The Lord Cornet’s
Left-Hand Man
David J. Hughes
LESLIE (TICH) DOWNIE has long been a Lanimer stalwart. Now aged 43 he first started when he was just a lad and has been building lorries for himself and other people and taking part in the procession ever since.
Leslie lives in Honeyman Crescent with his wife Janet and two daughters Vikki (13) and Ruth (10) and works for Rentokil in Kirkfieldbank.
Golf is one of his hobbies and he has been a member of the Carnwath Club for twenty years.
A past member of Lanark Panto Club, he performed, built scenery and was vice chair until having to give up the thespian part of his life due to work commitments.
Our Lord Cornet is looking forward to leading this year’s procession down Lanark High Street and enjoying those aspects of Lanimer Week which are new to him.
The Lord Cornet’s
Left-Hand Man
Gordon J. McGregor
DAVID STRACHAN (35) of 5 Armadale Road, is proud and honoured to be Lord Cornet for 2002.
A former pupil of Lanark Primary School and Lanark Grammar School, he took part in several Lanimer entries and played in the school orchestra at the Lanimer Queen’s Reception. He is a Business Systems Engineer with South Lanarkshire Council. His hobbies are many and varied; he plays rugby, golf and cricket and is currently Vice-chairman of Clydesdale Sports Council and Captain of Biggar Golf Club.
David has a strong involvement with St. Nicholas Church being an elder, Congregational Treasurer, singing in the choir and serving on several committees. He plays the clarinet and piano and is interested in genealogy and collecting stamps and coins. He will now add horse riding to his busy life. A very memorable year lies ahead for David. He will surely enjoy the challenge.
The Lord Cornet’s
Right-Hand Man
Gordon J. McGregor
The Lord Cornet’s
Left-Hand Man
J. Lindsay Craig
Lord Cornet DAVID HUGHES (41) of Bannatyne Street. Lanark born and bred, he is married to Martina and has four daughters, Catherine, Aileen, Edele and Niamh. For the first time since the Lanimer procession started in 1893, a father and daughter are Lord Cornet and Lanimer Queen in the same year. He is very much looking forward to escorting Aileen to the Lanimer Ball.
First took part in Lanimers as a page in the Lanimer Court of 1967, and in such pageants as NUTCRACKER and STAR TREK. He is involved in helping with St. Mary’s School Lanimer entries and has driven their vehicle for the past two years.
He is employed in the family business and also enjoys working on his uncle’s farm in Ireland in the summer. He used to play Rugby but is now an enthusiastic spectator. David is a committee member of the Lanark Business Group. We wish David and his family a very happy Lanimer week.
GORDON McGREGOR of Ladyacre Road, is at 32 one of the youngest Lord Cornets to be chosen. Gordon is an accident investigator with the Traffic Department of Strathclyde Police but he is Lanark born and bred, with a long history, since his teens, of community work in the town. He and his wife Gillian have a little daughter Amy. They met as small children on a Lanimer lorry called ‘Gay Paree’. From his days with The Venture Scouts he has been involved with the children of Stanmore House School, helping with their special Caledonian Award work. For the past eight years he has helped to take Stanmore House pupils on adventure holidays. He has helped to raise a substantial amount of money for charity and is a member of the Wigwam Group. His hobbies are walking and off-road driving. Now a member of the Lanimer Committee he was an Outrider in 1982 and Queen’s Champion in 1983. We wish Gordon and his family a very happy Lanimer week.
