Past President's Dinner, Albany NY St. Andrew's Society

[frank_a]

Friday night was the annual Past President's dinner, and we had 8 there. We have 9, but one of the older members has just moved to CA to be closer to his sons that live out there. I have three pics to share, the first being the past presidents lined up, the 2nd being presentation of the haggis, and the 3rd a photo of this year's scholarship winner, a young lass who started playing the pipes when she was 14, and is graduating this year and attending Edinboro University in PA, majoring in music (from their website - "Instruction in voice, percussion, piano, brass, woodwinds, strings, bagpipes and guitar"). We had a great time. Yours aye, Frank

[mookien]

Frank: How many pictures?! You all look very elegant.

John

[Orionson]

Can you kindly tell me if that grand old man, Fergus MacLarty is still around and active with the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York?

If he is, ask him if he recalls the time in 1978 when, for the first (and likely only) time in the history of the society that he - after much bemused deliberation at the door - allowed a woman to attend the Society's Burn's Supper at the University Club on Fifth Avenue? I had the honour of being the escort for the deliciously delightful Miss Farquaharson of Gretna Green. I was invited to attend and bring a Guest, but I didn't realise that it was a Stag Affair. Had Miss Farquharson not been so provacatively, yet tastefully dressed in her shimmering silks and tartan sash, I have no doubt she would not have been allowed in. The Address to the Lassies was surely one to remember that night, I can tell you!

[frank_a]

Frank: How many pictures?! You all look very elegant. John

John, my computer crashed just as I did that message, and I did not think anything got posted! I'm very busy at work today, so said the heck with it, and went to a bunch of meetings. Here's the pic that apparently crashed the computer. I wish I remembered this young lass' name, she was absolutely spectacular on the pipes! Yours aye, Frank

[frank_a]

Can you kindly tell me if that grand old man, Fergus MacLarty is still around and active with the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York? If he is, ask him if he recalls the time in 1978 when, for the first (and likely only) time in the history of the society that he - after much bemused deliberation at the door - allowed a woman to attend the Society's Burn's Supper at the University Club on Fifth Avenue? I had the honour of being the escort for the deliciously delightful Miss Farquaharson of Gretna Green. I was invited to attend and bring a Guest, but I didn't realise that it was a Stag Affair. Had Miss Farquharson not been so provacatively, yet tastefully dressed in her shimmering silks and tartan sash, I have no doubt she would not have been allowed in. The Address to the Lassies was surely one to remember that night, I can tell you!

I'm very sorry Orionson, but I belong to the Society in Albany NY, not the NYC one. While I have met a number of the members of the State of New York Society in NYC for events we have gone to, I could not tell you any of their names! Yours aye, Frank

[Orionson]

Hi, Frank.

Fergus was actually the Secretary of the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York when he was in his 70's in the 1980's. Out of curiosity, I googled him: Fergus Mclarty New York and lots of interesting stories pop up from the 80's in various national newspapers, including the NY Times. He was apparently very well known back then as the "Most Famous Scot in America". He wore his kilt to work in Manhattan every day and was a great friend of Fraser Charlton Heston (yes, that Charlton Heston) and Duncan Chisholm of Inverness. Quite a colourful character. I couldn't find an obituary anywhere, so perhaps, with any luck, the grand old man is still with us somewhere.

Chance would be a fine thing.