|
For many people around Bo'ness and
wider afield, Helen was well known
for her love of "Bo'ness Children's
Fair Festival"
Helen was our Queen in 1958, watched
her sister and daughter both become
Queens and a family history steeped
in a town tradition to make sure the
Fair was indeed "The Best Day of the
Year"
Her involvement with the Fair from
being Appeals convenor and also her
work with her school of St Mary's
where she worked as a classroom
assistant. Always on hand to help
her Head Teacher, Mrs Christine
Sugden work wonders for
the Fair and she wouldn't finish
there. No matter what school you
went to, all you had to do was lift
the phone and she would be there to
help out from arranging, prize
bingo's, to the showing of the
dresses in a house, hall, churches
and even the school, the bigger the
venue the bigger the task. This is
what she revelled in, all in the aid
of the Fair and to see those happy
little faces come the Fair morning.
This Cup was presented to the Fair
by her life long companion and
dedicated school worker come the
Fair, Willie McAllister and Kathryn
Markey, a teacher at St Mary's as a
tribute and remembrance for her work
not only to The Fair, St Mary's but
to the wider things in the community
she would give a helping hand.
The cup will be presented each year
at the Kirkin of the Queen to an
essay
written by a primary pupil from any
of the 6 schools which take in Bo'ness Children's Fair Festival.
Poems & stories are an unbelievable way
children, although young, can make
their imagination run and before you
know it they have created a dream in
their mind about what they see in
the Fair and this will make way to
become something Helen would have
loved in her memory.
Here are some of the story lines
created by the Primary pupils and
may each and everyone of them be
thanked for their time and devotion
and the memories of the Fair they
will carry with them through time.
There can only be one winner, but in
the eyes of the organisers, each and
everyone was a winner.
From the 123 entries, unfortunately
there could only be one winner and
that was a little girl called
Erin McBride from P6,
Deanburn,
2nd
was Robyn Carlin P7,
St. Mary's,
and
3rd was Emma Brew, P6,
Public.
______________
What the Bo’ness Fair means to me
Erin McBride
Pride… Pride is what the Bo’ness
Fair means to me. It started as a
walk for miners one hundred years
ago. It celebrated the one
day miners didn’t have to work. They
walked down the town and then they
went down to the foreshore for
horse-racing and a lot of drink.
Eventually a man called Provost
Stewart decided to turn the miner’s
day into a day everyone could
celebrate. That’s how it is now
called The Bo’ness Children’s Fair
Festival!
Spirit… Community spirit is what the
Bo’ness Fair means to me. Neighbours
always on hand to help build
arches. Teamwork is a gift
Bo’nessians have. Friends helping
stitch and sew dresses. Friendship
is a gift Bo’nessians have. We are
a family!
Rivalry… Good natured rivalry is
what the Bo’ness Fair means to me.
At the procession our school chant
as a tradition 2, 4, 6, 8 who do we
appreciate D, E, A, N, B, U, R, N
Deanburn! That is one of the most
important things for me. That
completes the fair for me.
Around the World… Around the World,
a person celebrating the fair is
what the Bo’ness fair means to me.
Bo’nessians who have moved, still
thinking of the fair. Nowhere else
has the fame we do. We must be
important!
Family… Family is what the Bo’ness
fair means to me. My Auntie Carol
was a fairy, flower girl and
Lady-in-waiting. This year is my
year as I am a flower girl, like
any girl from Bo’ness; I want to be
the brightest star!
The day arrives and what you hear is
a big part of the Fair Day. The
brass bands, pipe bands and all the
hustle and bustle. This surely
beats Christmas!
This Is The Best Day Of The Year
Erin
McBride, P6, Deanburn Primary School
___________________
What the Bo’ness Fair means to me
Emma Brew
The Bo’ness Fair means a lot to me
because it is unique and something
no other town does. It brings
happiness and joy to the town and
shows the spirit of the true Bo’ness
to everyone. It not only makes me
feel welcome to the town but also
makes my family feel part of the
community. My favourite thing about
the fair is the songs. They bring
joy and cheerfulness to the day.
The fair makes my happy in lots of
different ways. As the graceful
queen walks onto the stage it makes
me smile with happiness. The fair
shows how creative and attractive
Bo’ness can be. Especially when you
see the arches being put up. The
creativity is amazing. It can be a
big job but in the end it’s worth
it. Lasy year I really liked Eilidh
Thomson’s cake. It was really
amazing. I also enjoyed seeing
Callum Timm’s train. I am really
excited and can’t wait to see what
the arches are going to look like
this year!
As the fair gets closer and closer,
I always get worried because I have
to pick an outfit and do my hair,
but at the same time I’m really
excited! One part of the fair that
makes me clap is the Champion’s
Speech. It must take a lot of
courage to do it. My favourite song
is, “This is the best day of the
year”. My favourite verse is:
Go north go south, go east go west,
No town has got our measures,
Our fair it stands abune them all,
A day that we all treasure.
Bo’ness really is unique and the
songs have so much passion and
emotion for a lot of people. And
the fair is truly the best day of
the year!
Emma Brew, Primary 6, Bo’ness Public
School
_____________________
Our Fair and what it means to me!!
Robyn Carlin
The Bo’ness Children’s Fair is very
important to me because it is the
one day the whole town comes
together to watch our town Queen get
crowned.
The most important fair to me was in
2008 because it was the year our
school had the Queen and I was a
presentee.
Just about everybody in Bo’ness
knows the feeling when the letters
get handed out and you go home and
talk to your parents about you going
in for something. Then when and if
your parent’s say you can go in for
something, you hand the letter in
the excitement of getting picked
comes. After you audition it is
such a good feeling when your head
teacher says your name. Then
everything goes crazy, meetings,
dress fittings, practising and of
course the dress showing. I
remember getting picked to show my
dress to the parents and the other
presentees and Mrs Ward Birkby
standing me on a chair and pulling
my petticoat down and fixing my
dress.
My favourite part of the Fair is the
Fair Ee’n because you go round all
the arches and you meet people you
haven’t seen in ages. Just about
all the girls have rollers in their
hair, so we all look funny. In 2008
my mum stood and talked to loads of
people. It felt like hours she
talked for. Then it is time for you
to go to sleep you can’t because you
are so excited about the big day
ahead.
You wake up in the morning and you
get your hair and make up done and
you get your costume on. Then when
you get to the school you and your
partner get loads of photographs
taken. My presentee partner was
Reece. You do the dance in front of
your parents. That is nerve
racking. Then you walk to the Town
Hall and watch the crowning and hear
the Champion’s speech and then you
do your presentee dance. Then you
start to feel nervous, scared,
excited and happy. When I was
dancing I felt very happy. After
your dance you get to watch the
other schools dance and then you do
the long walk. It feels like you
are walking forever and all the way
round you see friends and family.
All your emotions are going wild.
After the long walk you go to the
Douglas Park. You go on the shows
and you spray silly spray and get
sprayed. Every evening as the day
ends you feel sad, happy and
excited. This is how I feel about
the Bo’ness Children’s Fair. It
really is the best day of the year.
Robyn Carlin, Primary 7, St Mary’s
___________________________
My thoughts about the Fair are just
having fun because that's what the
Fair is all about.
It's a day to celebrate and sing and
cheer and dance and laugh,
but most of all have fun.
Jonathan P6 Grange.
The best thing about the Fair is
that you will always remember the
day,
and you can share your thoughts with
other people so they can have a
beautiful memory as well.
Rachel, P7, Public.
So, what does Bo'ness Fair mean to
me? It means that Bo'ness is coming
together;
everyone is having fun and
remembering it all began with a day
of freedom for our miners so many
years ago.
Ellis, P7, Deanburn.
Soon you are practising all the Fair
songs.
Although the older ones know them
all it helps the little ones
remember.
My favourite one is This is the best
day of the year,
and I like being a presentee.
So that's what the Fair means to me.
Rebecca,P7, Grange.
I love walking around in the
procession with the bands,
and hearing people say "aw look at
her she's braw" and having people
wave to you.
Megan, Grange
I like everything except the
waiting.
A man called Mr. Snedden helps us
with the Fair songs and stands up on
the balcony.
Ryan, Guard of Honour, aged 9,
Kinneil.
Many people have different ways to
describe the Fair - happy, great,
nice and many others,
but I think the word that sums all
of my feelings is pride.
It covers so many things about the
Fair and it really is a great time
and it's the best day of the year
for everyone even if you're not
involved.
Julia, P6, Deanburn,
Being with family is what it is all
about for me.
I am also proud of the fact that
the cushion that the Queen's crown
sits on was made by my great
grandfather.
Mason, P7, Public.
I always like the music played by
the bands in the procession.
I have been both a fairy and a
flower girl and this year I am a
Lady - in - waiting and I will be
nervous for I will be standing on
top of the stage.
Kaitlyn, Kinneil.
On the last Friday in June the town
comes alive,
and on the day itself I can hear
brass bands and pipe bands from a
distance.
It’s the feeling that makes you so
excited you want to jump about.
I am so proud of the town and its
history.
I am so proud of the community
spirit I am so proud of my school
and my family.
Long live the Bo'ness Fair.
Taylor, P6C, Deanburn.
Take sweet little children all hand
in hand
A sparkle of sunshine, the sound of
a band,
Take long ago traditions from long
ago days,
A crowning procession and of course
new Fair claes,
Take hundreds of people proud of
where they belong,
And mix it together with a special
Fair song,
Then abracadabra - to it none can
compare.
Could it be magic? you bet its the
fair!
Although that poem wasn't written by
Rebecca, Deanburn. it was written
for her by her mother when she was a
fairy.
From the 123 entries, unfortunately
there could only be one winner and
that was a little girl called
Erin McBride from P6,
Deanburn,
2nd
was Robyn Carlin P6,
St. Mary's,
and
3rd was Emma Brew, P6,
Public.
Nevertheless, the standard was so
high and the interest created so
great that I felt that these
excerpts would show that the efforts
of the children had not gone
unnoticed.
|
