The Society history is now available in hard cover at a cost of $38.00.
Sales have been brisk this week.
Members can get a copy by contacting either Laurie Hossack or John Watson via email and we will deliver the book or arrange for delivery.
The payment should be made by cheque to the Saint John St. Andrew’s Society.
Contact Laurie at 847-4420 or John at 657-3760.
“Heritage Fair 2013”
Market Square Atrium, Market Square
Saturday March 23 rd 2013 … 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Looking for Volunteers Probably (8 – 10) Society members to help collect, setup and man a table (3’ x 6’) displaying some of our tartans / regalia, books etc.
During the Fair
Highland wear would be appropriate but not essential (if not available to you) … A piper would also be nice to have on site
Please contact me ASAP if you might be interested that we may draft up a plan for our display
Contact … John Watson
657-3760
333-7684
sjwatson@nbnet.nb.ca
The last “Scotch Whisky Uncovered” e-mail which covered the main types of scotch whisky which we categorised as “Single Malt,” “Grain,” “Blended” and “Blended Malt” prompted the following questions from readers;
I plan to cover the “Cask Strength/Chill filtering” questions below and detail the Scotch Whisky regions in the next e-mail – “Scotch Whisky Uncovered 5” “Scotch Whisky Uncovered” #4 – What is “cask strength and chill filtering “Cask strength” whiskies are whiskies which are bottled straight from the cask at the alcohol strength at which the spirit has naturally arrived following the maturation process – with no water added to dilute the strength. An above value of 50 to 55% would be a typical cask strength, but natural cask strength could be anything from 40% to over 60% depending on the whisky, cask type, maturation conditions and age. What is “chill filtering”? As noted in an earlier edition of “Uncovered” when we reviewed the legal definition, the matured spirit has to have a minimum alcohol strength of 40% to be officially designated as “scotch whisky.” Many scotch whiskies are produced at this strength – or sometimes 43% – with water being added to the distilled and matured whisky to achieve the desired strength. However, as water is added to matured whisky straight from the cask, as the alcohol strength drops below 46%abv, the spirit goes “cloudy” as some elements of the whisky such as natural fats go into suspension. This feature is not a problem in terms of taste, but it is undesirable visually as consumers may assume that a problem exists with the spirit. To address this problem, these elements are removed by a “chill filtering” process. The process involves chilling the spirit to a low temperature, running the spirit through a filter to remove the fats which have come out of solution and then allowing the spirit to come back to ambient temperature at which point it will be perfectly clear. Many whisky buffs/connoisseurs prefer whiskies which state “no chill filtering” on the label as they believe that they are sampling the whisky in its fully natural state. (One comparison often cited is “full” milk versus “semi-skimmed” milk but this is perhaps a bit unfair on the many excellent chill-filtered whiskies!). Single cask whiskies – and many of the whiskies produced by independent bottlers in particular – emphasise their individuality by promoting the “non chill filtered” and “no additional colouring” features of their products. Single cask whiskies can emphasise the differences in colour that can be produced from whiskies matured in different casks. The large volume scotch whisky producers have to ensure that the flavour and colour profile of their whiskies are consistent from batch to batch and year to year. For this reason, the higher volume producers often add a small amount of colouring to their product. The colouring which is added must be simple caramel colouring. The above information is extracted from 100 facts to be found in Chapter 1 of our electronic guide ““The Essential Guide to Scotch Whisky.”” For more information on the guide please click here. Please look out for the next edition of “Scotch Whisky Uncovered” facts and tips. (Please note that if you do not wish to receive any future correspondence from us, please click on the “Manage Your Subscription” link below.) Thanks for your interest and “Slainte!” Alan Gordon |
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By way of introduction, I’m a Glasgow-born Scot now living in Connecticut and I am the Patron of a Scottish charity called the Institute of Contemporary Scotland (ICS). One of our signature activities is that we run the annual Young Scotland Program which is aimed at stimulating debate and broadening the mind of young professionals (18-32) in Scotland. We have been successfully running it for 10 years within Scotland (and latterly Ireland), but to celebrate the 10th anniversary we want to try and run an international program next June that taps into the Scottish diaspora a little and brings a group of young professionals with international connections to Scotland for 4 days of debate and personal development. The intent is to have 20 international delegates with Scottish connections hosted by 10 participants from Scotland, the majority of whom will have participated in the program before.
Our hope is that Scottish heritage organizations around the world like St. Andrew’s and Caledonian Societies will act as nominating bodies. The proposition is that ICS will foot the bill for running the program (including food and board) and we would ask the Scottish societies around the world to both identify candidates and also cover travel expenses to Scotland. The St. Andrews Society in New York has already committed to sending 1or 2 delegates and we are starting the broader outreach effort with the intent of having the program’s 20 places filled by early next year.
I have attached the marketing brochure that we have put together. This is also a link to the Young Scotland Program website. www.youngprogramme.org. The financial cost to the Society of sending a delegate would be a return flight to Edinburgh for each participant you sponsor (possibly funded by your members donating frequent flyer miles). More important to me is the participation of leading Scottish cultural organizations to help nominate suitable participants. I hope this is something that your organization is willing to consider. With the upcoming referendum in 2014 on Scottish independence, I think this is a great opportunity to strengthen Scottish-Canadian links in the next generation and expose them to the breadth of debate happening within Scotland at the moment.
Please let me know if you would like a phone call to discuss the program. I hope you will consider participating and nominating a delegate for what I am sure will be an exceptional experience.
Regards
Alan McIntyre
COO and Managing Partner North America
Oliver Wyman
1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
W: 212-541-8100
M: 203-326-0992
IYSP 2013
La Tour Baroque Duo
Tim Blackmore, recorders & harpsichord
Michel Cardin, theorbo
Sunday, October 14, 2 PM St Anne’s Chapel, 245 Westmorland St., Fredericton
Wednesday, October 17, 7 PM Salle Neil-Michaud, Université de Moncton
Sunday, October 21, 2 PM Hughes Hall, 228 Germaine St., Saint John
Admission: $20 Adults $15 Seniors $5 Students
Information: 634-8442 www.earlymusicstudio.ca
Early Music Studio of Saint John Inc.
MAY 21, 2012, Saint John, N.B.—Thousands gathered to see the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive in Saint John, home of Canada’s oldest Saint Andrew’s Society founded in 1798. As the royal couple arrived at Saint Andrew’s Square on a bright and sunny Victoria Day before their walkabout, they were greeted by the Premiere of New Brunswick David Alward, Mayor Ivan Court and many others.
Their Royal Highnesses were escorted to a waiting table covered with the City of Saint John Tartan to be seated and sign the city’s guest book. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was not seated in just any chair however, he was seated in the Preses’ Chair.
In the summer of 1907 famous N.B. woodcarver John Rogerson was sent to Scotland to gather rare and historic pieces of oak and holly to carve a chair for the Saint Andrew’s Society president to enjoy at the Society’s functions. This chair was presented to the Society in March of 1908 on the occasion of its 110th anniversary. The chair I still in use today at dinners and was offered for use in the Square that bears the Society’s name.
There are 26 different pieces of wood from 6 different regions in Scotland, including some 800 year old black oak from the castle site where Robert the Bruce was born which forms the scroll work and celtic knot work surrounding the back panel. It also has a small piece of holly tree that was cut down from Robert Burns original grave site in the St. Michaels churchyard. That small holly tree was cut into 3 pieces, 2 remain in Scotland as gavels at Freemason lodges and the 3rd was given to John Rogerson and he used it to carve the Lion Rampant in the Bruce Shield at the top of the chair.
John Rogerson has work scattered all over the City of Saint John, including one of his ships’ figureheads at the N.B. Museum. His work is very collectable. He always considered this chair one of his finest works.
David Nickerson, current president of the Society, stood nearby and was honoured to meet their Royal Highnesses, The Prince enjoyed the chair and the Duchess remarked on his sporran and wondered if the weather was always so nice in Saint John. As they wandered down Prince William St. on their walkabout, David Nickerson aided by young Harrison Hossack grandson to the incoming president and many of the Society members returned the Preses’ chair to safety after its brief outing.
It should be noted that although Charles the Prince of Wales is not yet King he may well be in line for the job and the Society felt it only fitting that the future King have a proper N.B. treasure to sit in. In fact inscribed on the back of the chair above the names of those members who sponsored John’s trip in 1907 is a poem containing the line “ To all of Scottish blood I bring, the message, Fear God , Honour King.”
For any further information on the Society or our Preses’ chair , please contact, David Nickerson, 506-847-9343, 506-647-9343
Signing the guest book at the Barbours store located at Saint Andrew's Square
Prince Charles with Camilla
Many hands do make light work, transporting the Presidents chair.
Founded 1798
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2011 – Fredericton
NEW BRUNSWICK SCOTTISH-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION (NBSCA)
Tickets for Burns Statue Re-Unveiling Dinner On Sale Now
On 10 September 2011, the last chapter in the restoration story of the statue of Robbie Burns, which has stood on the Fredericton Green since 1906, will finally be closed, when the refurbished statue will be re-unveiled in a special ceremony featuring a keynote address by the Hon. Graydon Nicholas, Lieutenant-Governor of NB. Starting off the ceremony will be a parade of pipers and drummers along Queen Street from City Hall to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. The parade will kick off at 2:30pm, and the official ceremony will begin at 3:00pm.
The organizing committee is chaired by Llewellyn Smith, President and CEO of the New Brunswick Scottish-Cultural Association, and contains representatives from the same four Scottish Societies which funded the casting and erection of the statue more than a century ago: the Fredericton Society of St. Andrew, the Highland Society of NB at Miramichi, the Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John, and the Caledonian Society of Restigouche.
This poignant ceremony, made possible by a dedicated push to have the statue returned to its former glory by New Brunswickers from across the province, and by the generosity of J.K. and Jean Irving (who will unveil the statue), will be followed by a formal dinner at 6:00pm celebrating the re-unveiling at the Fredericton Convention Centre.
The organizers are inviting the public to make plans to attend this very special dinner, which will feature a three-course meal, including haggis and all the trimmings. Participants will be treated to traditional Scottish entertainment, including Highland Dancing, a Gaelic Choir, “SONAS,” and performances by Pipe and Drum bands from across New Brunswick. A special keynote address will be offered by Rev. Ivan Gregan, a charming and humourous United Church clergyman with Miramichi roots. Other features will include the piping in of the haggis.
The weekend will be rounded off on Sunday morning at 11:00am with a special church service at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 512 Charlotte Street.
This series of events will constitute the premiere Scottish cultural event of 2011 in New Brunswick. Supporters of the Celtic culture will be attending from all parts of the province to take part in this exciting celebration.
Tickets are available at outlets in Miramichi (Scotts Pharmasave and Dickison’s Pharmasave); Saint John (Pete’s Pub – Shoppes of City Hall); and Fredericton (Lunar Rogue). If you don’t live close to one of these cities, tickets may also be purchased by contacting the NBSCA at membership@nbscots.com.
BACKGROUND
The New Brunswick Scottish Cultural Association (www.nbscots.com) was founded in 1980, and represents the provinces Scottish cultural communities and organizations, acting as both an information resource and promoter/defender of the Scots and their descendants who have contributed to New Brunswick’s economic, social, political, and cultural development. The Fredericton Society of St. Andrew, the Highland Society of NB at Miramichi, the Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John, and the Caledonian Society of Restigouche, all have rich histories of promoting the Scottish culture, as well as helping fellow New Brunswickers in need through, collectively, centuries worth of community projects and charitable works.
–
Barry R. MacKenzie
Media Contact: Barry R. MacKenzie
Communications
New Brunswick Scottish Cultural Association
1-506-454-9589(h) or 1-506-238-1039(c)
Or
David Nickerson, President, Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John
Nickersons.wehe@bellaliant.net
The Gentlemen of the Saint Andrew’s Society invite you to attend at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, July 21st a very special event at FERNHILL CEMETERY by the City of Saint John and the Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John.
On June 16, 2010 Mayor Court received a letter from Mrs. Nan Hagan Gorman, wife of the long serving mayor of Hazard, Kentucky. Mrs. Gorman advised that her great, great grandfather, Lauchlan Donaldson, was twice Mayor of Saint John, 1829-1833 and 1843-1847. He was born in Elgin Scotland in 1786, came to Saint John at an early age, became a successful merchant and took an active part in community affairs .He died in 1873.
He introduced the water supply in Saint John while in office as Mayor. Mrs. Gorman and her husband visited Saint John and Sam Davis showed them around and gave them a tour of City Hall.
At Fern Hill they found the tombstone of Laughlan’s wife, Alexandrina Sophia Gilbert Donaldson. Lauchlan’s stone had been destroyed by a fallen tree during a storm in the 1950s. In a letter of last year she sought a local organization to assist in getting the stone replaced. She mentioned that her ancestor had been very active in the Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John, hence the letter was passed on to the Society, who happily agreed to look after this project for Mrs. Gorman. This has now been accomplished. Mrs. Gorman’s husband passed away last fall after serving as Mayor of Hazard for 32 years. She was elected mayor as a write in candidate. Mayor Nan Gorman will be arriving in Saint John with her daughter and ten year old grandson; her brother, his wife and their daughter on July 20th.
The City of Saint John and the Saint Andrew’s Society have organized a DEDICATION SERVICE jointly sponsored by the two organizations. We trust that there will be a good turnout to recognize Mayor Gorman and her family and the Mayor who initiated the City’s water system.
We expect a good turnout of members of the Saint Andrew’s Society.
This advance notice was prepared by Jim McKenzie, immediate past president of the Saint Andrew’s Society.
For more information please contact:
Jim McKenzie Past President Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John, 832-5334
Laurie Hossack VP Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John, 847-4420
David Nickerson Current President Saint Andrew’s Society of Saint John, 847-9343
