CAN you help solve the mystery of the mantelpiece clock presented to an Aberdeenshire family nearly a century ago? That’s the challenge from farmer Donald Kent, who has been its custodian for a few years.
“The inscription on the clock says it was presented to the Reiths in 1911 by the Friends of Oldmeldrum,” said Donald, of Whitefield, Oldmeldrum.
“I have no idea what that organisation was,” he added, “but I do know there was a firm of auctioneers called Reith and Anderson in Meldrum, so perhaps there is a connection there.”
Donald hopes some light can be shed on the subject and will be happy to see the black and gold clock in Reith hands.
If not, he will auction it for charity.
Donald can be contacted at 01651 872273.
A SURE sign that summer has arrived will be the splash of colour brought to parks and gardens at the end of the month by rhododendrons in full bloom.
A foreign waiter, with a rather imperfect grasp of English, was once overheard telling diners at an Oldmeldrum hostelry that they should take a stroll in the grounds before dinner to admire the “referendums".
They soon worked out that he meant to say rhododendrons which prompted the suggestion from a diner to the waiter to call them rhodies – or should that be roddies?
TWO Aberdonians who are near-neighbours in Wimbledon have got the running bug after successfully completing the London Marathon. The duo are mother-of-two Edy Scott, 37, whose parents are Calum and Betty MacLeod, and mum-of-one Janice Wolf, 34, whose mum and dad are Peter and Elspeth Rockwell.
“We met at an aqua-aerobics class when we were both pregnant,” said Janice.
She is a trading manager with Sainsbury’s and was on a working trip home in Aberdeen last week with her son, Matthew, 3.
“Not only did we discover we were from Aberdeen but we also attended the city’s Albyn School,” she added.
It wasn’t long before they hatched the plan to train for the marathon.
“A year ago, neither of us could run a mile,” said Janice, “but we had a great training programme which stood us in good stead for the big day. However, it was very hot and was the hardest thing we had ever done, even beating childbirth.”
The girls crossed the line together in 4hr 51min and raised £7,500 for the Clic Sargent cancer charity.
And it looks as if the Edy and Janice show will run and run. The duo are taking part in a half-marathon in London in October in aid of the Parkinson’s Disease Society.
Their sponsorship website is www.justgiving.com/ janiceandedy.
RETIRED policeman and raconteur Doug Duthie, who is no stranger to a fish supper, is the proud owner of a new title, Wag of Wags.
The man with the handlebar moustache beat off the challenge of lawyers Chris Smylie, Willie Hunter and Greg Gordon in a speaking contest in aid of Quarriers epilepsy field workers in the north-east.
The four contestants had previously been voted best speaker at dinners in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
This year’s event at the Mercure Ardoe House Hotel near Aberdeen attracted a record audience of 420 and produced record receipts of £42,500, including nearly £8,000 from an auction.
Clothes retailer Norman Esslemont, who chaired the night’s proceedings, said: “We are delighted to have raised so much for the service, given the current recession.”