Men o' the sea lost tae me
A tale of woe I'll tell to thee
The merry days that we've a' seen
Are fading fast afore oor een

Having foraged, plundered, savaged and cleaned
The sea that's always been oor freend
No man can say he's no done it
Awbody leant a finger in it

Ma tale is this, it's no long
For a start how long we've a' been wrong
And if we widna' be sae greedy
Oor freend aye provided for the needy
Family crest of Patrick Dunbar
Mordington Mausoleum
BLACK AGNES'S GRAVE
Mordington Estate

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ

Original & Best

For 13th MAY 2010

A. Where is the anchor of the "Fox"?

a) In a front garden in Fife

B. Which is the oldest building in Dunbar ?

a) "OVEN" IN BACKLANDS 40, HIGH STREET

C. Who (male) was the only King to be born in Dunbar ?

a) JOHNNIE FAA-KING OF THE GYPSIES- CIRCA, 1500.

D. Who (female) Was the only Queen to die in Dunbar ?

a) JANE( JOHANNA) ,WIFE OF JAMES 1. DIED AT DUNBAR CASTLE, 15 JULY 1445.

E) Why are Dunbar and Penzance connected in marine terms ?

a) BOTH HAVE TIDAL GAUGES

F. The corker:-- On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)                                          

                                          Bowe's quarry         2

                                            St. Dennis's          5

                               Maggie Taylor's Gairden    3

                                                    Kettle            1

                                                Whaleback        4

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

For 13th June 2010


A. What did Pius XI suffer from in later life?  

a) Arthritis.

B. Where in Dunbar was the oblong square?     

a) "The High Street"

C. Which route is missing from this notional street list? Salisbury Walk, --------Street, Randolph Crescent? 

a) Arundel Road

D. Who was the only rugby internationalist born in Dunbar? 

a) R.Aitken.

E. How did A. above develop it (apocryphally)? 

a) By walking in the frost from Dunbar to Whitekirk. Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini as he was when papal legate on his way to Scotland to see James 1st who gave the name the White Chapel to St. Mary's. The apocryphal story was that when was ship was nearly shipewrecked in the North Sea he vowed to the blessed Virgin Mary that if she would give him succour he would walkj barefoot to her nearest shrine. Aftewr being spared and landing at Dunbar he proved his piety by walking through deep snow 10 miles to St Mary's White Kirk.

F. - The corker.

On foot from the long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (W-E)

                                          Three stane bicken      5

                                                  Dip pool                1 

                                              Aniker's midden       4

                                                Geordie's hole        3

                                                   Pier point             2

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ 

ORIGINAL & BEST

For 13 July 2010

A. What is connection with the local climate and a fish? 

a) Dunbar wether - a salted herring.

B. When was Queen Victoria's visit? 

a) 1878.

C. Where is the beggars trail? 

a) Between Dunbar inner common and Lochend.

D. Which local church was most likely to have squinches? 

a) Spott which was propinquous to the leper colony.

E. Who, a doctor's son from Dunbar, starred in The 39 steps? 

a) John Turnbull.

F) The corker:-

On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)

                                                Pyramid rock              4
                                                  Meg's bait                1
                                           Mary Teetch's House      2
                                                   The Roan                 5
                                             Sloebiggin's stream       3

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ 

ORIGINAL & BEST

For 13th August  2010

A. What does the symbol/pictogram in picture one below represent?

a) An Ordnance Survey marker.

B. Where is the above item located and where are another two located?

a) On the high stone wall south of New Countess Park. The other two are located at Knockenhair and Beveridge Row. It has been suggested that they are Masonic marks from Napoleonic times or indeed pillow-stones, this is quite unlikely, however your comments would be appreciated for here and question E.

C. Which species of divine tree is shown in picture two below and roughly how old is it?

a) Deodar-Cedrus Deodara and it is roughly 165 years old. 15 years growing to specimen size possibly in Ayrshire (Roxb.) and 150 years at the site of the "Burnt Hoose". 

D. Why was the gentleman interred here, shown in picture three, so famous in the Napoleonic wars?

a) Willam Cochrane Anderson was 3rd in command at the Battle of Waterloo.

E) When was the stone shown in picture four laid and where is it?

a) 1656 in Galleon Court.

F. The corker:-

On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)

                                Outlier
                                Blue Stone (erratic)
                                Lawrie's Den.
                                Wee Meadies
                                Outlet

a) The above are in geographical order.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

Original & Best

For 13th September 2010

A. (a) What word is missing from this old saying:-  A woman, a dog, a _ _ _ _ _ _ tree, the more you beat them the better they be, and (b) What Genus of tree is this (see following picture) in Lochend woods?

a) Walnut

B. When were the sea battles, off Dunbar, in which Andrew Wood repelled the English?

a) In 1489 & 1490 Andrew Wood commanding the Yellow Caravel and Flower repelled English marauders.

C. Where is "Black Agnes" buried?

a) Mordington

D. Which three trawlers where stationed at Dunbar in WW2 on convoy patrol duties?

a) OCEAN BRINE, JAMES BOGEN  (LOCH BLAIR), BARNARD BOYLE (DULCIBELLE)

E. Who was the only Dunbar man to be awarded the Victoria Cross?

a) Anthony Dickson Home.

F) The corker:- 

On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)
                                 
                    (a) Kraken                        5
                    (b) Wolf's Grave              2
                    (c) East Barns Ness         4
                    (d) Lamb's Lodge             1
                    (e) Duchess Midden         3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original and Best

For 13th October 2010

A. What was the middle name of Isabella Grahame (Dunbar's oldest lady when she died in the nineties aged 106)? 

a) Hudson

& of Christina G. L. Donaldson (some pupil's favourite teacher - usually the males)?

a) Glen Lawson.

B. When did Sir Francis Reginald Wingate die?

a) 28/01/53.

C. Where did the above die?

a) Bellevue Hotel.

D. Which one of the following Thomson's had nae lugs - Shaw, Shy or Traiveller?

a) Shy.

E. Why, in view of the fact Dunbar has a microclimate all of its own, does the wind always come from the N W Quarter in a certain location?

a) The Weather vane atop the Town House - It's been stuck since 1980.

F. The corker:-

On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)

                    a) Boat ashore             4
                    b) Vaults                      2
                    c) Nymphon's wreck     5
                    d) Pallas's wreck          3
                    e) Lhasa                       1

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ 

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th  November 2010

A. What was the star attraction at the Palace of Pleasure and when did it open?

a) Chimpanzees in 1956

B. Where are the oldest trees in the Parish?

a) The oldest trees in the Dunbar area are in Lochend woods. In the acreage bounded by Middlemas Road, Lochend boundary walls at Hallhill and the old coach path (now extended) from Burns' gates at Lochend cottages to Kellie Road there are c. a dozen Yew (taxus baccata) of a three to four hundred year old vintage. There are at least half-a-dozen in a grove of 24 quite probably an historically/worshipfully created arrangement at NT 673778. The apocryphal story of the Baillie Cedar which might pre-date the above would appear to be a myth.

C. Which dates are ascribed to the town 's bowling green?

a) Institum 1855 Renovatum 1894.

D. Why was Lochend House never rebuilt?

a) According to the Warrender Family as the riff-raff plundered the burning mansion they vowed never to rebuild the house and planted several trees like the Deodar and other Cedars. (see previous pictures)

E. The corker:-
On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)

                    a) Ruddy Stone                                               3
                    b) Half-Moon Cottage (foundations only)        5
                    c) Beachcote                                                   1 
                    d) Girgle Field                                                 4
                    e) Nicol's Mount                                             2

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ 

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th December 2010

A. WHAT was the name of the pirate radio ship of Radio Scotland and the name of the tender that conveyed supplies to her?

a)  Comet and Vanguard.

B. WHEN was the first extension added to Allan's Lammermuir Crescent primary school and who built it?

a) 1957 by Crudens.

C. WHERE was the house with the curious stairs?

a) next door to Hartley's shop on the old Cat raw.

D. WHICH founding trustee of our Methodist Church wrote 6000 hymns?

a) Charles Wesley.

E. WHO was instrumental in Dunbar having quite a reasonable rail service from the very beginning?

a) Sir George Warrender by waiving his land rights.

F. The corker:-
On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)

                    (a) Guardy                  4
                    (b) Rock                      3
                    (c) Duffers' Park        1
                    (d) Shieling                 2
                    (e) Battle Target        5

DALY'S  CORNER  QUIZ 

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th January 2011

A. What does the sphinx a top Dunbar House signify?

a) It isn't a gypsy connection, Adam throughout all his building work put different emblematic structures on many of his works.

B. When did Dunbar United win the Citizen cup and who was the only local in their Junior triumph?

a) To the best of our knowledge never. The only " local" was Billy Gillespie but he was born at Whiterigg, Ayton, Berwickshire. However there was no prouder father to travel and spectate with than  Alfie at Hampden, for the successful Wednesday replay especially after Billy's performance between the sticks in the first leg on the previous Saturday's 2-2 draw.

C. Where is/was the Sandwell?

a) A quarter of a mile due east of the Coastguard houses.

D. Which street has house numbers out of obvious sequence on one side?

a) Church street - west side, house numbers run (2?), 4, 6, 8, (10), 18, 12, 12a, 14 and 16.

E. Who, born in the town, toured America in the Wesleyan cause in the nineteenth century?

a) Thomas Rankin ( 1738- 1810), Methodist divine, was sent by John Wesley to tour America in 1773- 1777 he incurred the Wrath of the Americans with his attitude.

F. The Corker:
On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)

                    a) Goat Road                         5
                    b) Tower                               3
                    c) West Links                        1
                    d) Siccar                               2
                    e) Long Bank                         4

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th February 2011

A. What is the Pappana?

a) The Biel water/burn.

B. When was the Bleachfield laid out?

a) 1758.

C. Where is the tomb of Dunbar's "Unknown Warrior"?

a) 30 yards down pathway running parallel to the station wall in the cemetery and 10 yards due east to the 2nd rank / file. This is the location of the "Pathfinder" grave. This vessel was sunk by a U-BOAT on 5/9/1914.

(Please see quiz of October 2014)

D. Who was buried there?

a) A stoker who was washed ashore at Dunbar.

E. Why did the Earl of Lauderdale finance the building of the New Inn?

a) The owner of the George Inn, Cossar, supposedly provided horses to the Earl's daughter and her unsuitable suitor to elope to Lamberton Toll to marry.

F. The corker:- On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)


a) Spring                                5
b) Sandpit                              1
c) Bush of Blackstanes           3
d) Minefield                           4
e) Vaultness                           2

Dunbar's T.S. Valiant detachment of the Sea Cadets led by Commanding Officer Ally Knox lay a wreath at the Pathfinder grave (G40) in recognition of their "adopted unknown warrior".

P.S. to mark the centenary of this tragedy a wreath embracing a photograph of Seaman Austin was laid on September 2014
DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th March 2011

A. What was the former name of the Beach House (Hotel) on Church Street?

a) Silver Street Boarding House.

B. When was Lochend House last recast,remodelled and extended?

a) On the instructions of Sir George Warrender, the 4th Baronet a house in the Elizabethan style costing £ 16.000 was built in 1826, recasting Smith's 1684 edifice. The architect was William Burn.

C.Where, on the outskirts of Dunbar, is there a rare pine tree specimen whose species originated in only two groves in California?

a) In the garden of Hallhill  Home Farm - 675 779, there is a Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata).

D. Which former Dunbar dominie's uncle managed Manchester United?

a) Dad Porter's uncle James was caretaker manager 1938 to 1945. He also had a management role at Accrington Stanley, Bury (where he also played) and Rochdale where he was assistant under Tony Collins.

E. Who was appointed to superintend the works at Dunbar Castle in 1497?

a) Sir Andrew Wood (d. 1515) possibly assisted by master mason Walter Merlioun at the end of the 15th century. However most of Wood's exploits are the stuff of legend.

F. The corker:- On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)


                         Barns Ness Lighthouse         5
                         Roxburghe Court.                 1
                         Tansy Bush.                          3
                         Barneyhill.                            4
                         Cow Park Clump.                    2


DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th April 2011

A. What was considered to be "The Heart of Dunbar"?

a) Custom House Square.

B. When was there black snow, in spring in Dunbar?

a) On April the 1st 1896 after the fire at the paper mill at West Barns.

C. Where in Victorian times was Change Lane?

a) Change Lane ran from Lamer street to the Cromwell Harbour. It took its name from the (Ex) house of Middlemas. Subsequent to 1850 it became Shore and then East Lamer Street then in 1881 it was known as Shore Street. Catherine Miller Mitchell was born at no 6 and spent all of her life there until her death in the 1890s. At no 4 which was called Brodie's Loan one of our contributor's grandfathers was born.

D. Which shop numbers are duplicated on the High Street?

a) Aitkens' and Fairbairns (now a sports shop) share the same High Street number - 67.

E. Who was our town's only Victoria Cross holder?

a) Anthony Dickson Home (1826-1914)

F. The corker:-
On foot from the Long Roxburghe promenade to Skateraw put the following spots in geographical order (West to East)
                                      
                                      Magazine                  4.
                                   Kirkhill Braes               1.
                              Dunbar Gifford Fault        2.
                           The Borehole water ram      5.
                                     Mcilwhanes                3.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

 for 13th May 2011


A. What was the motto (Latin) of East Barns School and what did it mean? 

a) Disce Vel Discede = Learn or depart.

B. When was the Victoria Harbour built?

a) 1842.

C.Where was the Wishing Tree?

a) This Thorntree/Hawthorn (Crataegus mongyna) was located a couple of yards from the kink in the Harestanes wall around 100 yards from the path to Lochend woods and now Kellie Road. (see plat/map below) (Crataegus---"Quick")

D. Who is the pupil (now aged around 52) the technical class window in a staff photo of June 1970? (See Photograph Below) 

a) Remains a mystery? (please see last image in Schools rogues gallery) 

E. Why were part of the Inner Common sold to the Balfour family?

a) To finance the building of the New Harbour.

F. The corker:-
* On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the following points/landmarks, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West.

                                                 Brander                2
                                                 Parade                  3
                                                 Red Gable             1
                                                 Long Craigs           4
                                                 Clancy's                5


*The route of our literary littoral (where possible) walk is as follows:-

Travel in a Westerly direction from the east promenade along the beach/shingle through the groynes and then along the East Beach. Next up the slit way past the Old Harbour along Shore Street,left along Victoria Place then right to the New Harbour.Up past Yellowcraig then through the car park climbing to the barrack square.Next along the Glebe then downstairs to the lower Glebe path and through the Keyhole. Afterwords continue along then up and rejoin the Cliff Top trail. Keep on in a Westerly direction round the shore of Winterfeild Golf coarse past the Shallys the over the Biel Water bridge and carry on following the shore line (Wherever possible) until you arrive via the crossing over the Skittery Burn then downstream following the coastline to the mouth of the River Tyne.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th June 2011


A. What was reputedly buried in the Latch Park?

a) A Horse and cart.

B. When was St Margarets built?

a) 1907-1909.

C. Where in the town is Annie's Land?

a) Up Borthwick's Close (Crunchy Carrot's Close)

D. Which other names has the East Links Road been known as?

a) Hospital Road or Middle Road.

E. Who is commemorated in the name Randolph Crescent?

a) Black Agnes.

 F. The corker:-
On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the following points/landmarks, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West.

                            Bangor's Rocks   3
                                    Yetts          2
                                    Rivulet       5
                                   Cottages     1
                         Torpedo gulley      4


DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13 July 2011


A. What was located at no. 2 Writers' Court?

a) The (Good) Shepherd's pub..

B. When was the Broxmouth Deer Park opened?

a) 1854

C. Where is the connection between Dunbar and the Elgin Marbles?

a) At the ancient house of Biel where until the 1950's Admiral Brooke grandson of the last White Rajah of Sarawack held many treasures including one of the Elgin Marbles. 

D. Which hole at Dunbar Golf Course has a green from Hedderwick Links?

a) 15th

E. Who was involved in the construction of the Naval Vessel Dwarf which used one of Wilson's Propellers?

a) London born George Rennie son of John (grandson of James) Rennie of Phantassie.

F. The corker:-

On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the following points/landmarks, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West.

                                    Perch                  3

                                 Delves                 4

                                    Dip Pool               1

                                    Skittery Burn      5

                                    Coal Hirst            2

 DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th August 2011

                            

A. What is unusual about the hexagonal tower of the Town House?

a) It is in fact pentagonal.

B. When in 1787 did Fall host Robert Burns?

a) May 22.

C.Where on Dunbar's High Street was actor John Richardson Turnbull born?

a) Number 23 on the 5th. November 1880.

D. Which hotel is on Dunbar's Station road?

a) Royal Mackintosh. 

E. Who is the only Dunbar policeman to feature in a novel by the world's master thriller, writer?

a) In Frederick Forsyth's fifth novel The Fourth Protocol published in 1984 a "downbraided" Detective Chief Inspector Charles Craig appears as P.C. Alistair Craig between pages 257- 274.                              

F. The corker:-

On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the following points/landmarks, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West.

                                         Dove (kie) Rock    2

                                         Doh's Gates         1  

                                        Dores's Stairs      3

                                        Dunbar Rocks       4

                                         Duck Island         5

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th September 2011

A. What was the Dunbar connection with this Summer's "Royal Wedding" in Edinburgh?

a) The minister at the kirk was Dunbar man Neil Gardner.

B. Which place has the lowest rainfall (based on long-term average 1961- 1990) in Scotland and how much precipitation was there?

a) Dunbar was driest, during period with an annual average of 572mm ( 22.5in) St Osyth near Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, was the driest in the UK and averaged 507mm.
 

C. When was Dunbar's Tidal observatory built?

a) See panel following:  

D. Who locally and historically was nicknamed "The Major"?

a) Christopher Middlemass of Underedge. (1761-1850)

E. Why did 30,000 sightseers visit a beach near Dunbar at the start of the second half of the 20th Century?

a) Around 9 o'clock on the 12th of May 1950, 147 bottle-nosed whales became stranded on the Easterly strand at Thorntonloch, perhaps trapped by a sandbank.

F. The corker:-  On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the following points/landmarks, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West.

                                              Bellpots               5

                                         Half - Ebb Rock        3

                                             Boy's Buss            4

                                            Tobacco Close        2

                                  Small swimming-pools       1

N.B. In this extract from H V Morton's "In Scotland Again (1933)" there is an error in that the weekly tidal  charts went in effect down to Southampton until the mid-sixties.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13  October 2011

A. What, possibly, could be the link between Cat Craig, Maggie Taylor's Garden & Underedge?

a) Iron stone mining.

B. When the 36- gun Nymph foundered, a week before Christmas in 1810 how did the crew reach safety?

a) They climbed along the masts over the rocks.

C. Where is Miller's field?

a) At Allans' Lammermuir Crescent primary school?

D. Who were the local connections at the breezy burgh's Seasiders with Scotland and now Cardiff City player Kenny Miller?

a) His father Jock co-managed and his brother played for Dunbar United 2002-2006.

E. Why is the goat harbour, westby of East Barns Ness, so called?

a) Goat should be spelled Gote because a gote is an inlet or a gut in the rocks.

F. The Corker:-
On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the following points/landmarks, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West.

Woodbush

Wallace's Heid

Wilkie Heugh

Wester strip

Wild fire

They are in the correct order.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th November 2011

A. What is missing from Dunbar's street-names Bruntsfield Crescent and Middlemas road?

a) Both are misspelled they should be Bruntisfield Crescent and Middlemass Road. 

B. When did a Scotland goalkeeper last play at Dunbar?

a) Allan McGregor in a Rangers X1 against Dunbar United 14/10/02.

C. Which former town hostelry features quite heavily in Chuck Rowell's 2004 novel "the Scots-Irish Connection"?

a) 'The Jersey Arms'. (see below)

D. Who, father of the inventor of the forerunner of the torpedo, was one of only handful who drowned during the "rescues " of the Pallas?

a) Benjamin Wilson

E. Why did one of the founder members of the Chindits visit Knock-en-hair during the Autumn of 1928?

a) Orde Wingate visited cousin Rex for career development advice.

F. The Corker:- On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth. Please place the points/landmarks below, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West

                                                 Heckies hole            5

                                                     Spikey                 4

                                                   Pincusion                3

                                                  Lobster Paal            1

                                            Queen Mary's Room       2

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th December2011

A. What was/is the route of the Lover's Walk?

a) Originally, "The Lovers Walk" itself started at the East Lodge (Later to become Jock White's house) of Lochend, adjacent to the junction of the Spott Road running along a major pathway due West (now Lochend Road post the early seventies Ashfield Development) towards Jack MacKenzie's at Lochend Gardens. Over time, its course was extended then veering due North alongside the Latch Park's 1899 Curling Pond and perhaps stopping off there depending on how the winching was progressing and then heading North West along the Bridalway at the Retreat. Then turning left along the Harestanes Wall with the Underedge to one's right and then following the pathway to the South West and then pausing at the wishing tree to make a couple of effected expectorations into the puggie. Before continuing in a southerly direction along the right-of-way to Hallhill cottages then taking the right fork to Lochend Kennels. Then "whatever"---- before retracing one's steps back to the Retreat and continuing easterly on and up the Undridge and then back home.

(Please also see plat/map of OS 1906 just before June 2011's quiz for more details.)

B. When were the fish ponds, at what is now Parsonspool, drained?

a) 1700.

C. Where was "Shanghai" in 30s Dunbar?

a) Lammermuir Crescent.

D. Which Oxford college has its roots in the red Devonian rocks of Dunbar Castle?

a) Oriel.

E. Who was the piper who "disappeared" in the apocryphal story of the tunnel leading from Bamburgh Close to Dunbar Castle?

a) Jock Thomson (Were we all his bairns?).

F. The corker:- On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth; please place the points/landmarks below, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West...

Seafield 1

School Brae 2

Sandy Hirst 5

St Ann's Court 4

Sandwell 3

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13 JANUARY 2012

A. What was the origin of the Palladianesque gateway (inscribed 1684) at old Lochend House?

a) It was constructed to plans drawn up by John Smith of Newhailes for a new/renovated house at Lochend on the same site as today's ruin adjacent to the junction of the route to Bailley Court and Kellie Road, for John Sinclair of Longformacus. There is however no definitive evidence to confirm Sinclair's residence and some information counter to inventorial evidence that might suggest George Warrender stayed at Lochend House in the 1680s. This renaissance gateway was removed, illegally, (as was the Bailley Sundial) under the guise of restorration and "reinstalled" at Leithen Lodge, Innerleithen in 1992.

B. When was Dunbar's own rock and pop venue the Victoria Ballroom finally demolished?

a) Christmas Eve 1989.

C. Where are Jack Ross's crime novels set?

a) Miami in the state of Florida.

D. Who wrote 'All That Ever Mattered - The History of Scottish Rock and Pop'?

a) Brian Hogg - One time West Barns Primary School teacher and now a teacher specialising in aiding the visually impaired in the West of Scotland. He wrote this seminal volume full of arcana re pop/rock facts at Castellau in Dunbar, ironically in a flat above the local library. It was published by Guinness in 1993. 

E. Why is Anniker's Midden so called?

a) It was where the Duchess of Roxburghe (1854-1923) Anne (Innes) Ker nee Anne Emily Spencer Churchill - who was Winston Churchill's aunt - reputedly dumped the Broxmouth rubbish after it was carted through the Sea Lodge entry/exit. Also called Duchess Midden and located on the fore-shore between Beau's Quarry and Maggie Taylor's Gairden on the mid-links East of the Vowt. Incidentally, she and her husband also gifted the thousand foot long East Promenade to the holidaymakers of Dunbar.                           

F. The corker:- On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth, please place the points/landmarks below, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West...

Targets 4

Johnston's Hole 1

Tarry Ship 3

Bangor's Mount 5

Craigcrooke 2

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13 FEBRUARY 2012

A. What is the connection between Newtonlees and Chester Hall farms with the Brutus jeans advert and Channel 4s four note advertising jingle Foursquare? (See below for clue:)

a) David Dundas or correctly Lord David Paul Nicholas Dundas's father the 3rd Marquis of Zetland's antecedent Lawrence John Lumley Dundas bought the 2 farms (of 263 acres) from the 1st Baron Bruntisfield in July 1947.

B. When did Dunbar's amusement arcade "The Palace of Pleasure" open?

a) 1956.

C. Where was Kipper Alley in 1930s Dunbar?

a) Doon Avenue.

D. Who scored the winning goals in Dunbar United's Scottish Junior Cup replay in 1961?

a) Meikle & Craig.

E.Why, in agricultural and Scottish local history circles, should Doctor Hamilton be remembered?

a) In 1785 he, at Hallhill, was the first person in Great Britain to grow swedes.

F. The Corker:- On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth; please place the points/landmarks below, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West...

Mortuary    2

Links Burn   4

Oliver's Ship 3

Big Wreck     5

Groynes        1

DALY'S CORNNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13 MARCH 2012

A. What arrangements did Sir George Warrender reach with the railway apropos Dunbar in the 1840s?

a) He waived all rights to any emoluments/compensation for use of his Latch Park, Underedge lands etc. provided they gave Dunbar Station a quite exemplary service.

B. When did Dunbar's Playhouse Cinema close?

a) As far as we can ascertain the "cinema" closed in 1973. The last two films shown were "A Shot in the Dark" and "What Every Woman Wants". Then the cinema became a bingo hall, however at the end of 1984 the Rotary Club held a special showing on one night only of a Bond film.

C. Where was Pearce's Yard?

a) On the old Bleachfield House/Washhouse site (Inverleith Garage) opposite Castellau. It was used primarily throughout the 1930s

D. Which High Church Scots title applied only at Dunbar?

a) Archpriestry (coined in the late 16th century).

E. Why are the Wee and Big Meaddies so called?

a) At low water on a big tide these intratidal areas, between the White Sands and Catcraig, divided by what was once a glistering strand, presumably take their name not only from what was once the marshy coarse grassland ashore at the Girgie Mire but also they resembled in certain light water meadows.

F. The Corker:- On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth, please place the points/landmarks below, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West...

Scart Rocks 3.

Spa 4.

Sisters 5.

St Catherine's Halls 2.

Slaughterhouse 1.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ 

ORIGINAL & BEST

for 13th April 2012

A. What was the purpose of the apparatus just along the railway line, South-East from the Spott Road?

a) It was a "snatch" designed to pick up mail from the passing trains.

B. When The Tornados travelled by road to Dunbar on the 11th of April 1964, assuming they left their manager's/mentor's home-cum-studio in the Forenoon, how many right and left turns did they make before reaching here?

a) As Joe Meek's flat was on London's Holloway Road (A1), one right turn at Broxburn onto the A1087 would be all that is required to reach Dunbar.

C. Where was the 18th Century Thistle Inn?

a) Broxburn.

D. Which North Sea 'block' encompasses the waters around Dunbar?

a) 25/28.

E. Why were 'the tunnels' Ashfield (85), *Underedge (84), ** Countess (83) and *** Belhaven (82) constructed?

a) These "tunnels" under the 1840s railway were constructed as cattle and agricultural underpasses to allow cows to and from pasture and back to the Dunbar dairies, excepting Ashfield underbridge which also allowed coach passage along the right-of-way to the retreat.

(*The name could be seen to mean land used for growing or rearing on the edge of town or bordering the Great Loch.)

(** Rechristened Bleachfield in July 2012 this was in effect its mid 19th Century name)

(*** Decommissioned/stopped-up in 1996).

F. The corker:- On foot from the base of the East (Roxburghe) Esplanade to the Tyne mouth, please place the points/landmarks below, you pass on route in their correct geographical sequence East to West...

Bank End

Eiland End

Round Steeple

Pebble Beach

Buist's Embankment

The above are all in the correct order

NB - After two years of East and West landmark associated rambles along the Strand, as of next month the questions will be of a historically chronological nature.

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

Original & Best

for the 13 May 2012

A. Where are the Yellowmen?

a) They are rocks North of White Sands at the east edge of the Meadies and half-a-mile (approx) North by East of Three Stane Bicken.

B. When was the "official" opening of the New Grammar School at Sailor's Park?

a) 12th February 1962.

C. Who scored the greatest number of goals for Dunbar Seasiders?

a) Johnny Hannan who scored 211 goals between 1946 and 1957.

D. Why were Countess Park (1925), Countess Road (1933) and Countess Crescent (1962) so named?

a) After the Countess of Lauderdale, a member of the Maitland family. The land containing these places was acquired by Dunbar Town Council from the Maitland and Warrender Families.

E. Where, near Dunbar, did people bury their deceased pets (chiefly dogs) both before and after the Second World War?

a) Willie's Wood.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

Bleachfield being laid out and drying houses built 5 (1758)

Defoe’s Visit 1 (1706)

Thomas Rankin's Birth 3 (1738)

Warrender Family Acquisition of Lochend Estate 2 (1714)

John Wesley 4 (1751)

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13 June 2012

A. What was Coo's Field?

a) The field South of the Edinburgh Road and between 1-19 Boroughdales and the Eden Hotel. This area was originally Miller's Field and in 1951 became a hockey pitch and playing field for the new primary school built by Allan at Countess Road.

B. When was Bishop Wilfred of Northumbria imprisoned at Dynbaer?

a) 680 AD.

C. Where were Belhaven Hill's boy pupils evacuated to in 1941?

a) The small of village of Dinnet, Aberdeenshire where the nearby Burn O' Vat reputedly inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.

D. Who is entombed here? (Please see pictures below)

a) (Black) Agnes Randolph 1312-69, Countess of Dunbar & March and wife of Patrick the 8th Earl (M. 1320).

E. Why were the private bungalows 1-3, 6 and semi-detached houses 4 and 5 Lammermuir Crescent/Boroughdales built in 1927?

a) After the building of 1-19 odds and 2-20 evens in the mid 1920s more finance was need to build further Boroughdales "Corporation" houses and the selling of these private dwellings (loans available) funded the building of more council units.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

Spott's St. John's Smiddy Wells First Supplying Water to Dunbar. 4 (1766)

Custom House Established. 1 (1710)

David Loch describing Dunbar as "the bright helmstane of Scotland". 5 (1778)

Johnny Cope landing his army here. 2 (1745)

Wesleyan Chapel Built. 3 (1764)

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13 July 2012

A. What was the earlier name of Broxburn house?

a) Roxburgh House.

B. When did Burns meet the "no brent new" Miss Clark?

a) 22nd of May 1787 at Dunbar House (Lauderdale House).

C. Where is Dunbar's Pebble Beach?

a) North of the Harbour Bar and Wall, just south of The Gripes and due west of Johnstone's Hole, and it is a gut at a good low tide @ NT 6785 7843. (Please see facsimile postcard below)

D. Who was "Castellau" named after?

a) It was named after the distaff side (Castellaw) of the Drysdale family.

E. Why were we described as "the poke-bag windy toon"? 

a) In the twenties Cats Row's broken windows were temporarily repaired using paper bags.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

Falls sell Dunbar House.     5 (1788)

Demolition of Town Ports.     2 (1768)

Engraving of Adair's Map.     1 (1736)

Street lighting introduced.     4 (1785)

John Paul Jones, the privateer, threatened a naval assault.     3 (1779)

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

for the 13th August 2012

A. What could be described as "pair of grey Ashlar gatepiers with raised plaster at centre broken by wider horizontal bands with chamfered arises. Scrolled volutes flanking below neck of ogee pedestal supporting large ball finial."?

a) The gates of Lochend Estate at Lochend Mains/Hallhill Cottages. Incidentally, one of the ball finials (both of which are now reputedly under the dubious aegis of ELC) was dated MDCCCXXVIII. It was in the style of William Burn and spent many a moon immersed in the nearby Burn.

B. When was Dunbar described as the Yarmouth of Scotland?

a) 1785.

C. Where was Maggie's Bar?

a) At the Railway (now Dolphin) Hotel.

D. Who were the 'Iron Age people of Lochend'?

a) In 1962 on a field West of the Spott Road NGR 681776 a capstone was dislodged and a massive cist with not less than 21 skeletons was encountered - please see earlier archaeological section.

E. Why were the bricks from Seafield manufactory shipped from Dunbar to the Tay Estuary in 1876?

a) The bricks were for use in the building of the Tay Bridge.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

"Movings" of the village of Tyninghame.    3 - 1761

Raising of the Lothian & Borders horse regiment.    5 - 1797

British Linen Bank opened at Croft House.   4 - 1785

Man o' War "the fox" wrecked of the coast of Dunbar.    1 - 1746

Pococke's Visit.    2 - 1760

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL & BEST

For 13th September 2012

A. What is the meaning of the rock name "Boy's Buss"?

a) Yellow Snout or yellow seaweed covered rock.

B. When Manny's Mark V played at the sixties "Vic" which Beatles' "B" Side was their signature tune?

a) The B-Side of 'A Hard Day's Night' please see the mp3 below this quiz.

C. Where are "The Pigs"?

a) Just West of Skateraw Point.

D. Which vessel, from our town, carried Fergusson "The Poetic Muse", aboard when he wrote "Expedition to Fife" in 1772?

a) Blessed Endeavour.

E. Why were virtually a dozen Cedars planted around Lochend House in the mid Nineteenth Century?

a) When Lochend House was destroyed by fire (Billiard Room/West Wing excepted) in 1859 the family decided never to rebuild; Due to the ransacking of the remains by the riff-raff they planted a dozen Atlas Cedars and one Deodarus to delineate the extent of the former mansion.

F. "The New Corker"
Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

The Erection of the Sloebiggin' Observation Tower.    5 (1856)

Belhaven Church Opened.    4 (1840)

Proposed school at Galla Green.    1 (1816)

Parish Church Watchhouse built.    2= (1822)

The Kirkyard's Anderson Lair Enclosed.    2= (1822)

Things We Said Today.mp3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For October 13th 2012

A. What is the derivation of the name Catcraig?

a) Hill at a road.

B. When were the town's Assembly Rooms opened?

a) 1822.

C. Where are the Seal Rocks?

a) East of the WWI targets off-shore and eastby of Barns Ness Lighthouse 

D. Who officially opened Dunbar's new Grammar School in 1963?

a) Ms. Grainger-Stewart of Thornton Loch on the 12th of February.

E. Why has Tunnel/Ex-Cattle Underpass (ECM8/083) been renamed Bleachfield?

a) The Bleachfield of the 18th/19th Centuries extended far beyond today's. It stretched from the present railway line with the remainder of the Inner Common to the South and the South West.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

Town's first Bowling Green instituted.    4 (Institutum 1855)

First edition of Miller's History of Dunbar published.    3 (1836)

William Cochrane Anderson's finest hour.    1 (18th June 1815)

Foundation Stone of Parish Church laid.    2 (17th April 1819)

Founding of Dunbar Golf Club.    5 (1856)

DALY'S CORNER QUIZ

ORIGINAL and BEST

For November 13th 2012

A. What was the profession of David Loch a visitor to the breezy borough in the 1770s? 

a) A H.M. Inspector General of Fisheries. 

B. When was the Cat's Row redeveloped into Victoria Street?

a) 1935.

C. Which former pupil stood in for Mr Gibson, teacher of Mathematics, when he moved to Perth High School as Rector?

a) John Rennie

D. Who designed Knockenhair House (1907)?

a) R. Weir Schultz. 

E. Why was David France "dubbed" the man who beat Canute by James Miller in 1830?

a) Because at Seafield Brickworks he erected an extensive sea dyke-wall to hold back the waters of the Firth of Forth.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:-

Opening of Parish Church.    1  1821

Conversion of Dunbar/Lauderdale House into Military quarters.    5  1859

Dunbar Railway Station operational.    3  1845

Cromwell House completed.    2  1836

Abbey (former free church) opened.    4  1850

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For December 13th 2012

A. What is the origin of placename Boorhoose (Bowerhouse)?

a) Cattlefold

B. When was John Rennie of Phantassie's son who became Sir John born?

a) On 30th August 1794 at 27 Stamford Street, Blackfriars, London.

C. Where was the photograph (above) taken?

a) Innerwick Castle.

D. Which Dunbar team played at Laundry Park?

a) Dunbar Town, who played in the East of Scotland league.

E. Whom, a Literary person, was buried  amongst others in Dunbar Kirkyard during the mid-March  1893.

a) Catherine Miller-Mitchell

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological  order:-

Miller's History (2nd edition).    3  (1859)

Birth of Dunbar's most famous son, Walter Runciman.    2  (July 1827)

Bowmont terrace built.     5  (1884)

Death of Dunbar's Wesleyan Divine, Thomas Rankin.    1  (1810)

Rebuilding of Conserveratory at Biel recast as a chapel by R. Rowland Anderson.    4  (1883)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For January 13th 2013

A.  What was the longest hole on the pre-war Braid designed Winterfield Golf Course?

a) In the mid-thirties James Braid designed Winterfield, the 8th hole was the longest. It was a majestic dog-leg of 530 yards from the Back Road (present 18th tee) to the present 16th green.

B. When was the building, by Allan's, of the new Primary School in Lammermuir Crescent started?

a) Early Spring 1949.

C. Where was Jock Bowie's betting-shop?

a) Castle Street.

D. Which High Street close was called Strachan's?

a) It was another name for the Bamburgh Close.

E. Who were the Dunbar educated brothers, who emigrated to Australia in Victorian times, then took their newspaper industry by storm?

a) Ebeneezer (1826-59) and David (1827-1908) Syme. David Syme emigrated to California to be with Prospecting 49ers in 1851. Subsequently crossing the Pacific to Ballarat, Victoria where gold had been discovered. His brother Ebeneezer joined him and they made sufficient capital from their ventures to buy the insolvent newspaper 'The Melbourne Age'. After Ebeneezer died in 1859, David made some changes including cost cutting and the newpaper circulation grew from 2,000 copies in 1859 to 15,000 in 1868 finally reaching 120,000 copies per day. David Syme hence became Australia's first press baron.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Attempted Bombing of East Coast mainline at Belhaven/Lochend by the Germans.    4  (1942)

Opening of the Bellevue Hotel.    1  (1900)

Death of Sir Walter Runciman.    3  (1937)

Opening of the refurbished Victoria Ballroom.    5 ( 1963)

Founding of Dunbar United F.C.    2  (1925)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For February 13th 2013

A. When was Dunbar's first bank - 'The British Linen - established?

a) 1788 at what is now Croft House.

B. Where was the 'Dam Heid' located?

a) Approximately a quarter of a mile South East of what was Belhaven Underpass/Tunnel (82).

C. Which vennel off the High Street is the 'Dark Close'?

a) The one beside The Castle Hotel

D. Who, supposedly a mystery donor, gifted the Public Park to the town in 1925?

a) John H. Bowe, a local farmer and shipowner.

E. Why did Dunbar United move from Countess Park??

a) Indeed! Why?

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Founding of Dunbar Rugby Club    4 - 1923

Building of the Urban Baroque Post Office    1=  - 1904

Parish Church hall opened     3 - 1910

Additions to Belhaven Hospital    5 - 1957

Sydney Mitchell and Wilson open  layout of Pavilions to form Belhaven Hospital    1= - 1904

01_Painter_Man.mp3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For March 13th 2013

A. What is the connection between the two tracks above?

a) Before Creation, who feature on track one, were created they were named Mark IV but as Fontana already had Mark V this necessitated a change of name. Mark V, who were one of the Victoria Ballroom's resident groups, had Manuel Charlton as lead guitarist he progressed through the Shadettes to Nazareth (track two) producing their first five albums including the critically quite acclaimed 'Hair of the Dog'.

B. When were the George V fields appointed?

a) 1938.

C. Where were they located?

a) Countess Park.

D. Who was the proprietor of the original Railway Tavern?

a) Mr. Black

E. Why might the stream, which disgorges into Belhaven Bay, be termed the Papana?

a) Because it flows through papal land.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Building of St. Rules     2 - 1903

Modernization of Dunbar Station     5 - 1963

Communion Table* acquired by Dunbar Parish Church     4 - 1934

Pulpit* for the above     3 - 1918

Obelisk war memorial for the Lothian & Borders Yeomanry who fell in South Africa     1 - 1902

* These were probably destroyed in the fire of 1987.

1st July 2002                                                                        (Kenny Ainslie)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For April 13th 2013

A. When was Richard Gall, the West Barns poet, born?

a) 1776

B. Where was the photograph above taken?

a) At 18 Warriston Crescent, Edinburgh - The home of Sir John Warrender. The painting in the background is by Frederick Lee (1835) - a hunting scene at Little Spott with Lochend House in the right rear background.

C. Which artefact does the following technical write-up describe "Doric columned and pedimented bay with date on scrolled panel in pediment, flanked by fluted plasters, all with Triglyph and metope frieze. Semi-circular archway within, with moulded imposts, voussoir and ornate foliage carving to spandrels. Niche below imposts obscured by doric columns."?

a) Lochend House's resetted palladianesque 1684 gateway in the style of Smith (NT 677 779).

D. Who wrote the poem, which is inscribed on Brodie's Barometer/Fisherman's Monument?

a) Montrose-born John Ewen (1741-1821) and the poem is "The Boatie Rose". 

E. Why was 2012 a memorable year for the 'Breezy Borough' meteorologically?

a) The precipitation level of over 800mm was the greatest in our 78 years of weather-watching.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Playing Fields at Gasworks/Sailors' Park appointed    4 (1934)

Destruction by fire of Gardener's Hall    2 (1913)

St. Anne's Rectory built    1 (1912)

Restoration of Castellau House    5 (1972)

Cottage Hospital/Middle Road opened    3 (1927)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For May 13th 2013

3rd Anniversary

A.  What, near Dunbar, is the Wee Bankie?

a)  An offshore sandbank 20 miles East of Dunbar.

B. Which part of the pier was described as the 'Round Head?

a)  The portion East of the old Harbour Mouth.

C. When the Custom House was established in 1710, what coastal area was in its jurisdiction?

a) From Berwick to Scoughall shore.

D. Where is Horner's Hole?

a) About one mile East of the Tyne mouth.

E. Why was the field at Friarscroft renamed, locally, as Doocot Park?

a) The Belfry therein was turned into a Dovecot.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order*:mFounding of Dunbar Rotary Club    4 - 1964

Bicentenary of founding of Dunbar Castle Lodge    3 - 6/11/1958

Countess Youth and Community Centre opened    5 - 1972

Fire Station removed to the New Countess Road    2 - 30/1/1958

Silver Street Police Station closed    1 - 1951

*Our fourth year's 'events' are from 1950 to the present day.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For June 13th 2013

A. What time of day did Radio Scotland-242, 4 miles off Dunbar- start broadcasting?

a) 11:50PM on 31/12/1965 from The Comet (an obsolete light ship) - about a mile eastby the wreck of The Royal Fusileer and the station was tendered by The Vanguard.

B. When was Belhaven Hill School opened?

a) 1923.

C. Where was the cultivar rose Queen Mary (produced for the liner's maiden voyage) "grown"?

a) Beltonford.

D. ... and by whom?

a) Blums of Wisbech.

E. Why did Dunfermline's Mark V - virtually the Victoria Ballroom's resident group - push a coffin all the way down to London?

a) To demand a recording contract (which they gained from Fontana). Please see photograph at the beginning of the Victoria Ballroom section showing the 'coffin' outside the Central Cafe in the West Port.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Closure of Innerwick Station

Conclusion of first year of 4th Commercial at Dunbar Grammar School

Building of "new" (40x19x7.5ft) robust Greenkeeping shed by Henry Steel & Sons at Dunbar Golf Club

Dunbar United's first Brown Cup win

Associated Portland Cement Manufacturer's factory at Oxwell Mains's first production

The above from '63 are in reverse chronological order.

Might there be a Knight Templar burial here?              (J & A Photography)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For July 13th 2013

A. What were The Acres, south of Dunbar?

a) The hunting grounds south of what is now Lochend.

B. When was the "Dainty Dinah" cup won for Dunbar?

a) This trophy, sponsored by Horners of County Durham, was won by Berwickshire Junior League team Dunbar United (after a re-match due to ineligibility) in 1924.

C. Where are the remains for the Warrior's Grave from the Empire Cinema site?

a) Unfortunately in the storerooms of AOC Archaeology at Loanhead.

D. Who may have been buried near the chapel in Lochend Woods? (Please see photographs above)

a) There is an apocryphal tale that a Knight Templar possibly of the St Clair (Warrender) family who fell in battle was interred North of the Roman Road - which ran over the Lammermuirs and via the Roman Bridge at the Brunt on to Lochend - near the Chapel of Saul priestry.

E. Why was Knockenhair so called?

a) Possibly from the Gaelic 'Hill of the Watch' and there was subsequently a signal station here during the Napoleonic wars.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Greentree Ltd (golf club manufacturers) commenced operations at Winterfield

The closure of the original/first APCM quarry

East Lothian Life's first issue

Management buy-out of Belhaven Brewery

Dunbar United's second winning of The Brown Cup

The above are in chronological order:- 1970, 1985, 1993, 1993 and 2000

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For August 13th 2013

A. What is the somewhat eldritch connection between OIiver Cromwell, the Second Battle of Dunbar* (1650) and the Battle of Worcester?

a) Cromwell was born on the 3rd of September 1599. Furthermore, he died on his birth's anniversary in 1658. He was victorious in both battles on the same date in 1650 and 1651.

B. When was Dunbar United founded?

a) 1925.

C. Which Methodist preacher encouraged Dunbar's Thomas Rankin to espouse the Wesleyan cause?

a) After hearing Whitefield preach at Leith, Rankin was converted.

D. Who became the above's close friend?

a) John Wesley.

E. Why did the Scots descend from Doon Hill, quite a vantage point, on that fateful day?

a) God and possibly Oliver Cromwell know.

F. 'The New Corker'

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Bleachingfield Centre Opened    5 - 2012

Opening of Hallhill Sports Centre    4 - 2000

New Medical Centre on Abbey Road Opened     2= - 1986

Lammermuir House opened by H.M. The Queen    2= - 1986

Runciman Court Completed    1 - 1983

Dunbar Grammar School S2F (1960/61)                                        (Dave)

Top: James 'Tattie' Tait, Alec 'Yo-Yo' MacDonald, Geoffrey Ness, Geoffrey Hitchcock, Alistair Kerr, Dougie McMinn, David Pettigrew and (James) Howard Anderson.

Middle: Bobby 'Bones' Herring, Jimmy 'Moosey' Field, Maureen Foggo, Beverly Sayer, Myra West, Alice Glass, Ann Black, Elizabeth Pitkeithly, Kenny O'Donnell and Jimmy Bain.

Bottom: Nancy Chapman, Violet Hannan, Anne Halliday, Lorna MacCandlish, Helen Findlay, Ingrid Peitch, June Hogg and Margaret Paterson.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For September 13th 2013

A. What is depicted in the first photograph above? i) The Funeral of King Faa or ii) The Circus coming to town.

a) Lord John Sanger's touring summer circus visited East Lothian for many years throughout Victorian times and beyond.  (King Faa - Charles Faa-Blyth did indeed die around this time and was reputedly buried in the Fa-lair which was surmounted by an obelisk style monument and was located near the Parish Church. However, the lair books for that section do not have any interments of any Blythes or Rutherfords. So it is more likely his funeral ceremony replete with Varda was held at Kirk Yetholm. Furthermore, the grave memorial probably was a resting place of the Falls, Dunbar's premier merchants and leading townsfolk of the 17th and 18th century.)

B. When was the photograph taken?

a) 1905.

C. Which potential musicians can be spotted in the 1960 school photo above?

a) In this scan of an August 1960 school photo on the top row Kenneth Ness (Bass), David Pettigrew (lead guitar/vocals) and Howard Anderson (tambourine/vocals) were all members of Mark and the Conspirators. At the right hand side of the middle row is the Invernesshire-born Jimmy Bain (lead guitar) founding member of Nick and the Sinners who after short spells with Grant Hardy, Embers and Three's A Crowd (some considered them to be the first Scottish supergroup) resurfaced post-emigration and immigration with Blackmore's Rainbow and Dio's Dio - and quite a progression. Rumours persist that Baino also wrote tracks for Fleetwood Mac. To Jimmy's right are Alice Glass and Maureen Foggo who ran the transport for Bain's group.

(Maureen subsequently married their bass player Lloyd Togneri who along with Jimmy  Gaffney (rhythm guitar) and Robin Johnstone (drums) can be spotted in the Schools section in the first XV rugby team of 1962-63 along with Rob Brown (drummer in Mark and...). Howard and Jimmy Bain are also in the team photograph. George Combe of Bobby and the Cascades is in the 1959 1G class photo. Other members of Bobby and the Cascades, excepting Bobby McIntyre*, went to Knox Academy as did Alan Pratt who was replacement drummer for Robin Johnstone. Pratt subsequently played with Three's a Crowd and Pilot. Pete Rutherford, a quarter of Tuxedo Junction, appears in the school archive in class photos from 1954, 1958, 1960 and S2B 1962. Graeme Seed was a classmate here and drummed with It's Wild Honey whose guitarist David Christopher. gives his reflections here later. David, however, went to school at Fort Augustus. Finally, our last 'rocker from the locker' the late and much lamented Jocky Loughie* (vocalist with The Five Rebels) appears in the school photos section in Primary 2 from 1949/50.)

* To showcase the best of these two lead vocalists we should play a song by Johnny McIntyre but we'll have to settle for this 1957 version instead.

For further info on the above please view the final part of the Victoria Ballroom section.

D. Who are the two characters in photograph 3 above?

a) On the right is Stan Hall (1936-2008), Dunbar's 20th century explorer, chronicler and science-fiction writer. On the left is Neil Alden Armstrong (1930- ) former Korean War fighter pilot and the commander of Apollo II.

E. Why were they photographed together?

a) They were photographed together in 1976 at the launch of the Anglo-Ecuadorian Los Tayos cave expedition in South America.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Old Kirk Close completed    4 (1996)

New Leisure Centre opened    3 (1992)

Last season at old swimming pool    2 (1982)

New Medical centre at Queen's Road opened    5 (1999)

Eve Coaches established    1 (1976 as Eve Taxis)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For October 13th 2013

A. What were the titles of two of Dunbar's engineer/adventurer Stan Hall's books?

a) Tayos Gold (2005, 2008) and Tayos Dawn (2007). Other publications include Tayos Fever and Savage Genesis.

B. When the bungalows along Countess/New Road's North side were built, in the mid-1930s, who were the builders?

a) Cunninghams, Pearces and one by Denholms - Hildeville. W A Gillespies and Sons built numbers 38-42 50 years after the others.

C. Where is the 70 Acre field?

a) North of the A1, also South of the Utility Road from Beveridge Row to Eweford Farm. South of the Railway Line, West of Beveridge Row and between Dunbar and West Barns.

D. Which "tracks" are a feature of 'where' above?

a) The ancient pre-historic tracks running South-Easterly over Beveridge Row towards the Great Loch of Dunbar.

E. Who was nicknamed "Scruffy"?

a) The Earl of Lauderdale.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

New Primary School at Lochend built by McLaughlin and Harvey    5 - August 2011

Dunbar Grammar School extension by Ballast then Balfour Beatty    4 - 2003/04

Building of Second Extension to Dunbar Primary School    3 - 1999/2000

First day at New Grammar School at the Gas Works    2 - 25/10/1961

Last Day at the 'old school' at Woodbush    1 - 20/10/1961

 Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For November 13th 2013

A. What may be the origin of the name Fleet Dub?

a) Wet Muddy Place.

B. When did Dunbar United win the East of Scotland League flag?

a) Season 1961/62.

C. Where are the artefacts, including a pectoral cross, from the archaeological dig at Castle Park?

a) Durham.

D. Who were the lucky courting couple who narrowly escaped the German bombs at Lochend during the Second World War?

a) On the evening of the 3rd of March 1942, Cathy Bryden and Len Johnson were walking close to Lochend's Wishing Tree when the last of a string of bombs from a returning Luftwaffe plane was dropped intending to bomb the railway line but missed and landed at grid reference NT676784. On some maps the site is marked as unexploded ordinance (UXD).

E. Why was the lifeboat moved from its mooring at Victoria Harbour and re-stationed at Torness?

a) Reputedly, the greatest number of shouts come from Eastby of Dunbar and certain ultra high tides with significant ebbs left the lifeboat high and dry at Victoria Harbour therefore it was considered prudent to re-station.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Walker Homes at Beachmont/Newhouse built    2 - 1975

Writer's Court and Colvin Street redevelopment    1 - 1965/66

50 Persimmon Homes built at Kirk Park    5 - 1992

Broadhaven East Links built    3= - 1986

Letham Gardens home built    3= - 1986

 Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For December 13th 2013

A. Which coastal feature is now named "The Horseshoe"?

a) A horseshoe shaped ridge of rocks, at the outer limit of our aegis, on the outlet from the power-plant eastby of Torness Point, Thorntonloch.

B. When the wind blows "all the way from Lumsden's Hole" - what does this mean?

a) A bitter, blustery wind blows landwards virtually from a South Easterly direction from off the Berwickshire coast. It is a dread of agricultural workers in the Garden County.

C. Where, in a literal sense, is "the hole"?

a) It is a pond on the shore side of the Big Meadies' islands, near Catcraig.

D. Which surfer's "run" is called 13?

a) The surfboarders run from around the Siccar, off the Vaults, on to the Pierpoint. It is really a misnomer as the surfers thought it was off Dunbar golf course's 13th hole.

E. Why is an Easterly called "the Hunger Wind"?

a) More commonly known as 'the Poverty Wind' it is an Easterly and has an undesirable influence on the fishing industry. Not only keeping vessels harbour-bound but prompting possible catches to scatter in order to head for deeper water or shelter.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

50th Anniversary of Dunbar Rugby Club    1 - 1973

Dunbar Running Club formed    2 - 1986

Inauguration of Dunbar and District History Society    3 - 1992

Re-formation of Dunbar Cricket Club    5 - 2002

Re-founding of Dunbar Tennis Club    4 - 2000

 Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For January 13th 2014

A. What is the meaning of the rock-names 'Yetts'?

a) Gates.

B. When was the sexcentenary of the granting (by David II) of the town's Royal Charter?

a) 1970.

C. Where is the Breezy Burgh's pluviometer?

a) Beside the anemometer and Stoke's Sphere/Campbell Stoke's Recorder in the meteorological station at the Public Park.

D. Which "park" in Dunbar was the first to be used by Dunbar Rugby Club and Dunbar Hockey Club?

a) The Paddock at Parson's Pool.

E. Who was the first captain of Dunbar Golf Club?

a) Captain Warrender.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

Closure of Kirk Park Caravan site    4 - 1989

Closure of Winterfield Caravan Site    5 - 1994

50th Anniversary of Winterfield Golf Club    3 - 1985

Centenary of Dunbar Golf Club    2 - 1956

Dunbar United's record attendance at Countess Park    1 - 1953 (vs Armadale Thistle, 5,300)

 Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For February 13th 2014

A. What was the Dovecote at Friars Croft originally?

a) The Belfry of the Red Friars monastery.

B. When John Wesley preached at Dunbar in the late 18th Century how did he travel from Edinburgh?

a) On Horseback.

C. Where, possibly, was St. Bey's church located

a) Near Belhaven Beach on what is now the inward half of Winterfield Golf Club.

D. Who described Dunbar thusly, "The Small Town of Dunbar stands high and windy, looking down on its herring boats..."?

a) Thomas Carlyle.

E. Why was the 'Curious Tower' on Knock-in-hair built?    (Question courtesy of C.A. Green 1907)

a) As a Signal Station.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

The year in which Johnny Hannan scored his 263rd goal for Dunbar United    1 - 1946 (7th of April)

Boyd-trained Rockhaven with Stirk aboard wins the 2000 Guineas    2 - 1961

Retirement of George Boyd    3 - 1963

Miss Ella McGregor's founding of Pinkerton Stud    4 - 1976

Retirement of trainer Tommy Craig    5 - 1994

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For March 13th 2014

A. What was the name of Lauderdale House before 1788?

a) Dunbar House.

B. When did Cromwell's army reach Dunbar in 1650?

a) On the 1st of September.

C. Which Dunbar crop always topped the London market at the turn of the 20th Century?

a) Potatoes.

D. Who was the hero of Marsden Moor?

a) Leslie.

E. Why, probably, was the Common Close so named?

a) The Common Closes, of which there were 5 or 6, ran from the High Street to Castle Street where there were roughly four exits. They were common in the sense that they were open as 'Rights of Way' not only to residents but the whole community. They also gave a quicker access to the shore via Writer's Court and Change Lane.

F. 'The New Corker':-

Please rearrange the following events into chronological order:

The Season in which Dunbar United scored their 420th Scottish Junior Cup Goal    4 - 2012/13

Year in which Dunbar Golf Club's course record was lowered to 62 strokes    3 - 2006 (17/09) 

(with a ball out-of-bounds at the Narrows)

First St Margaret's Trophy played over Winterfield    2 - 1974

The inaugural Club Championship played over Dunbar's East Links    1 - 1950

The Tercentenary of Belhaven Brewery    5 - 2019

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For April 13th 2014

A. What have Dunbar and Royal Black Keith Golf Clubs got in common?

a) Both had captains with the same name (Huggan) at the same time (during 1994/95). John at Dunbar and Billy in Kent. John's grandfather and  Billy's father were brothers. Black Keith is reputedly 250 years older than East Links at Dunbar. John was also a Captain at Winterfield which was designed by the same person as Black Keith.

B. When was Dunbar's Cinema (The Playhouse) opened?

a) 1937.

C. Where is Logan's Stair?

a) At the Western edge of the Glebe adjacent to Bayswell park.

D. Whose early 19th century sketches of Dunbar Castle are in the Tate Gallery's Collection?

a) J. M. W. Turner.

E. Why is Dunbar so called?

a) According to a recent local history wag (not in or of Dunbar) they suggest it comes from the post-Brythonic Norse epoch and means 'Barley Fort' (mind you Barre's fort sounds better).

F. 'The New Corker':-

Put the following events in chronological order:

147 Bottle-nose whales beached/stranded near the Pans, Thorntonloch    1 - 13/05/1950

(Please see photographs below)

St. Margaret's sold to common good fund    2 - 1970

Rennie Weatherhead first chairman of Dunbar Community Council    3 - 1975/76

Belhaven launch "Belhaven Best"    4 - 1991

Drysdale Freight finance and transport aid to Bosnia    5 - 11/12/1992

(Mail Publications/JPMS)

                      Gam of >100 whales stranded!                                                               (Mrs W.G.E Groome)

Thorntonloch Bay East - between Broadwood/Thornton & Ogle burns near the Pans. Parish of Oldhamstocks May 1950

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

May 13th 2014

A. What number of films did High Street-born Doctor's son John Richardson Turnbull appear in?

a) 94.

B. When was the St. George Inn/Hotel renovated/recast?

a) 1828.

C. Where South of the Town centre was the nursery (birch)?

a) In an area bounded and enclosed by Lammermuir Crescent, Doon Avenue and Countess Road.

D. Which former Dunbar hostelry was referred to as Lorrimer's in the early 19th Century?

a) St. George Inn.

E. Who was infuriated by the Cossar in Cossar's Wynde and why?

a) The Earl of Lauderdale because one of his family eloped with Cossar, the Coachman from Lorrimer's, and Lauderdale had the new Inn built as revenge.

F. The New Corker:- (2014/15)   5th Season!

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Kirkhill Old Toll    6

Johnston's Close    4

Anniesland    5

Nelson's Field    2

Rigg-An-Floor    1

Countess Croft    3

Note: As an alternative history site we reserve the right to meld place-names from past, present and putative provenances.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For June 13th 2014

A. What was the original purpose of building the 'White House' at Catcraig?

a) It was built as a calciner's cottage, complete with stables, for the limeburners.

B. When did the first tenants move into the Wingate/Floors Terrace/Rigg Park estate?

a) Mid-May 1963.

C. Which century, approx, saw the building of the seawall East of the shore and old Harbour?

a) Early 17th.

D. Who was the Dunbar/West Barns based jockey and trainer's son who won the 1,000 Guineas and was second in The Derby?

a) George McCall. He won the 1,000 Guineas in 1905 aboard Cherry Lass at odds of 5-4. He was runner up in the 1902 Derby onboard Colonel H. McCalmont's Rising Glass at odds of 40-1.

E. Why was Tansy Bush so called?

a) It was named after a perennial yellow-flowered plant. (cf compare sloebiggin').

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Lawson's Place    4

Brown's Close    6

   Common Close    5

           Coo Park    1

           Still Mill    3

Sliddery Stanes    2

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For July 13th 2014

A. What is the connection between the Limekiln at Catcraig and Dunbar Primary School of the 1949-51 vintage?

a) The connection is Allan's (the builders) who built the Primary School and refurbished the Limekilns at Catcraig.

B. When was Kirkhill House built?

a) 1826/27.

C. Where, on the outskirts of Dunbar, was Wm Coles' property?

a) It was at Lochend. It is now, in effect, The Retreat.

D. Who, in Victorian Times, owned the steam ship 'The Adam Smith'?

a) J.H. Bowe, the Dunbar potato merchant.

E. Why was the Esplanade along the cliffs from Bayswell opened in the mid 1890s?

a) This half-mile long promenade, 'created' by monies gifted by Jane Baird (Hay) was opened to celebrate the wedding of the Duke and Dutchess of York.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Gibson's Close    5

Gala Green    2

Ebenezer Erskine Church    6

Simpson's Close    4

Mausoleum    3

Stables    1

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For August 13th 2014

A. What is the connection between the word 'kibosh' and Oxwell Mains?

a) Portland Cement. Apart from meaning 'nonsense or silencing' it was a word coined when Portland Cement was blown onto a sculptured work in order to give a Chiaroscuro (the reproduction, in art, of the effects of light and shade in nature as they mutually effect each other = bright dark).

B. When did Robert Mennon, 'the Ayrshire bard', live in the Breezy Burgh?

a) 1850-69

C. Where was the town's East Common?

a) Kirkhill.

D. Which Iron Age accessory was discovered this spring near here and subsequently purchased for £5,500 by the Treasure Trove unit?

a) A strap mount from an Iron Age harness for a horse and perhaps its attendant chariot (pictured below). Also found within our sphere of interest by our contributor were a terret and from an earlier era a Bronze Age axehead. Furthermore, still reeling from the misinformation given to us apropos Lochend's templar knight's burial under his cathedral of yews, it would appear this site revealed a cremation of a dismembered Iron Age body. However, whilst we are on the topic of inhumation, some interesting discoveries have been made on the other side of the loch. More to follow...

E. Who, in Dunbar's ecclesiastical history, was Sir Thomas McGill?

a) The arch-priest in this era in the mid-1500s.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Beechworth    6

Bamburgh Close    5

 Bookless's Close   4

     Baker's Croft    3

Bleachfield House    2

  Belhaven Church    1

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For September 13th 2014

A. What did the initials T.T. stand for in local photographer/postman T.T. Bisset's name?

a) Thomas Taylor.

B. When was the well at Belhaven Spa inaugurated?

a) 1833.

C. Where in Dunbar is/was Woodville Terrace?

a) At the School Brae end of Lamer Street (please see Rate Payer's Roll below). This small community surrounding Wood's Boatyard at the SSE end of Lamer Street had some familiar residencies. Number 2 belonged to the Gullen family for five generations. Next door 'St Catherine's Hall' was the school dining hall for the best part of seventy years. At number 3 resided Janet Bisset and her son Alex. Janet wandered up the School Brae to her employment at the Railway Hotel for many years. At number 4 the Buchanan family married into the Stangers. Down the School Brae at Woodbush in Rosskeen lived T.T. Bisset and his wife Eliza Aird.

D. Which public house was located on Victoria Place?

a) The 'Royal Oak'.

E. Why was a United Service held in Dunbar Parish Church held on Friday the 20th of May 1910 at 1PM?

a) It was in memory of the Late King Edward

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Crow's Wynd    4

   Cruikshanks    5

Corn Exchange    3

         Cornbank    6

     Castle Place    2

         Castellau    1

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For October 13th 2014

A. What number of houses were there originally up/on Bamburgh Close?

a) 14.

B. Which Dunbar football club won the Eastern & District League Cup in 1920/21?

a) Dunbar Comrades FC.

C. When were three Shetland ponies and a donkey available to hire on Dunbar's East Beach?

a) In the Summer of 1933 at a cost of 5 Guineas per annum on a two year lease.

D. Where was the first ship to be sunk by a submerged submarine when she was struck/sunk by a self-propelled torpedo on September the 5th 1914?*

a) At approximately 3:45PM on September the 5th 1914 Rosyth based HMS PATHFINDER, a Cammell Laird (Birkenhead-built) 2940 ton scout cruiser - crewed by 268 (250 of whom perished). The ship was only travelling at a fifth of its optimum speed of 25 knots due to a shortage of fuel (coal) was approximately 10 miles off St. Abbs when torpedoed below her bridge from a mile off. She lies bathymetrically speaking 220ft down. 

Her Decca location is:- 57 07 13 N   02 09 33 W

E. Who was the Commander (Kapitan/Leutnant) of the U21 class submarine which sunk 'The Pathfinder' (please see pics below)?

a) Otto Hersing* a 29year old Alsatian who by the end of WWI had become one of the Kaiser's most adept U-Boat commanders (Zerstoyer der Schlachtschiffe) having sunk four warships and three dozen merchantmen.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

     Delisle Street    3

             Muirfield    2

           Springfield    1

        Dunbar House   4

Poors' House Close    5

  Hangman's House    6

* The reasoning behind these two questions and answers from WWI is to celebrate the centennial of the Great War and one of the crew (possibly a stoker) who was washed ashore near Dunbar and subsequently interred in our cemetery at lair G40.  Please see also quiz of February 2011.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For November 13th 2014

A. What was the name of the first tenant of the Rigg-an-Floor/Glasgow overspill/Edinburgh Road housing scheme of 1962/63?

a) Bill Pratt.

B. Which member of Dunbar's 60s group 'The 5 Rebils' [sic] was born outside the town?

a) John Hamilton Cregan.

C. When was the Ayton bridge relocated to Dunbar station?

a) Just before the first world war.

D. Where was the great war memorial pictured at the beginning of this Quiz section located? 

a) The exact location remains a mystery. However, a former crewman on Dunbar's lifeboat and one of our fisherman who died a number of years ago postulated that the memorial was located down a vennel porpinquous to the Royal British Legion.

E. Who was Sister Violet Fraser, last named inscription on the war memorial for those lost in the Great War?

a) Violet Thomasina Millie Fraser was born in Partick, Glasgow, on 27 November 1883, the third daughter of Thomas Fraser and Emilia Buchanan Johnston and granddaughter of Dunbar's premier grocer. 

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Galloway's    6

Gilrye Place (ex-Close)    5

Galabank    1

Gas Works    2

Gibb's (Bakers) Close    4

Gibb's Close    3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For December 13th 2014

A. What is the connection between the trophy photographed above and the Bowe Cup?

a) The trophy - composited photo above - was a sister trophy to the Bowe cup. The Bowe Cup was reputedly awarded to the winner of the ploughing competition locally after WWI. Its sister pictured above was awarded by local master mason and hotel keeper at The Railway Hotel. This cup was presented to the entrant with the best "turned-out" horse. When Sandy Thomson with Charlie won for the third consecutive time around 1930 he got to keep the trophy. His grandson Neil Wood is the Cup's current custodian and we are grateful to him for sending us images of the family's prized possessions. 

B. Where were the first and second United Secessionist meeting houses in Dunbar?

a) The first was located down what is now Old Kirk Close next to the present post office on the site of the old Stark's Garage (q.v. Photos1/Stark Archive). The second was at the foot of the now re-named East Links Brae facing the shore. Dunollie (ex-Logan View) and Marine View are now on its sacred site.

C. Where is the nearest wartime wreck to Dunbar's harbours?

a) U-74; this was reportedly a WWI mine-laying German submarine (blown in half by her own ordinance) - hoisted by her own petard. This conclusion was drawn due to the fact that the torpedo tubes were still sealed. Her location, circa 1 1/2 miles North East of Dunbar, lies at 56 01 42 N and 02 33 15 W*.

The next nearest wreck is that of the Cyclops - a former dredger - which foundered whilst on-tow to Eyemouth. She is approximately 3 miles North East of the Breezy Burgh at 56 03 43 N and 002 35 15 W.

* These coordinates for the U-74 are merely the postulation for a submarine presumed lost in the Northern North Sea on the 7th of June 1916. She may lie eastby propinquous to the sunken remains of the Cyclops or merely a dive away at one mile East of 'The Dredger'. This former ocean-goer was built by A.J. Vulcan Stettin and launched on the 10th of March 1916. She was of 755 tonnes on the surface and 832 tonnes submerged, a length of 186ft 3inches and beam 19ft 3inches with a draft of 15ft 9inches. Two diesel engines, 900BPN, and two set of electric motors 800BNP and twin screws and she had 2x 20inch torpedo tubes and a surface speed of 9.9 knots with a submerged speed of 7.8 knots and a crew of 32.

** Although the above were the nearest recorded wrecks, there must be many more shipwrecks - mostly wooden - since time immemorial or a century later. Furthermore, these details do not take account of boats "scuttled" like the J.G. and S.S. which lie approximately 2 miles closer to Dunbar's harbours.

Finally, the co-ordinates above, supplied in error, of the U-74, are actually those of the Hiram which was wrecked on Frances Craig, Scoughall Rocks in 1916 after running aground on Hedderwick Sands and all crew were lost.

D. Who was the captain of the 'Seasiders' Dunbar United's junior cup winning team of 1960/61?

a) Adam Rae.

E. Why was the figure of a sphinx placed atop Dunbar house?

a) Typically of Adamesque renovated/built and extended structures especially in Glasgow this type of adornment was added. Its attendant inscrutability was not intended to have a Faa gypsy connection.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Drysdale    6

Eden Holme    2

Kipper Alley    1

Miller's Field    3

Fiddler's Green    4

Westgate    5

Mystery.mp3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For January 13th 2015

A. What is the connection between the MP3 track above and the Lothian Hotel?

a) The song is My Little One by Marmalade. They were one of a few top groups who played there in the early seventies.

B. Where was the body of one of the seamen (a stoker) from the HMS Pathfinder washed ashore on October 31st 1914?

a) At Strand House.

C. When was Belhaven Hill School inaugurated?

a) 1923.

D. Which of the town's closes features the most interesting relics?

a) Trinity Close next to Lindsay's Opticians which features buildings from the late 12th Century.

E. Who was the subject of the Ayton Bard's 'Neptune's Revenge'?

a) Kellie of Kirkhill House fame.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Beattie's Close    5

Old Kirk Close    4

Friars Croft    3

Bleachfield    2

Shanghai    1

Police House    6

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For February 13th 2015

A. What was one of Miller's (History of Dunbar) comments on David France of Seafield?

a) This gentleman ----- at great expense ---- at last exceeded and beat Canute by making the approaching waves recede.

B. When did the crew of the Aberdeen-based 'Citizen' drown off Dunbar?

a) The crew of the 'Citizen' (William Hall, Thomas Crawford, Thomas Moss, John Kelly, Thomas Massey and William Smith) drowned off Dunbar Harbour during the storm of 15th June 1869.

C. Where is/was Crawford's Close?

a) Crawford's Close (ex-Coltman's Close) was virtually opposite the burgh chambers. It is now named, quite oddly, Garden Lane Close. It is the next vennel up from Mason's Close (now closed) in a North Easterly direction. It certainly demonstrates the fact that the old/original (pre-1840) Close-names stood the test of time. According to the 1861 decennial census there would appear to be a Crawford's Close on the opposite side of the street possibly quite close to what is now called Gibson's Close.

D. Who is depicted on the photograph below?

a) George Hume, Earl of Dunbar - the favourite advisor of James VI - who followed the king to London and became Chancellor. Hume died suddenly on 29/01/1611 when about to solemnise his daughter's marriage. The Earl of Dunbar's death was so sudden that it was ascribed to a 'poisoned' remedy for expelling the cold.

E. Why was Thomson's Close so named?

a) A Mr Andrew Thomson (Bookseller) and his wife Isabella moved here in the 1820s. They had a family of four and lived at the head of this close, thus probably having it named after them.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Thomson's Court    1

Old School Close    5

Walter Simpson's Close    6

Post Office Close    2

Old Bank Close    3=

Miller's Close    3=

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For March 13th 2015

A. What were the names of, say, three of the five ships of the East Lothian and Merse Whale Fishing Company?

a) East Lothian, Lord Hood and The North Star.

B. When, traditionally, did swallows arrive in the Breezy Burgh?

a) 23rd-26th April.

C. Where was the Oak Tree Public House?

a) At The Yellow Craig.

D. Which daily (during term-time) event involves crepuscular creatures at Lochend House and occurs at 8:45AM?

a) A leash/bevy of upto 5 Roe Deer break cover and leave the Bield of the ancient ruins of the Baillie/Warrender mansion. They traverse Kellie Road in a zig-zag pattern on a Westerly course and follow, in time honoured fashion, their traditional trails towards the thickets of Lochend or the Five Acre Woods to repose during daylight hours.

E. Who was in charge of the burial of our "Unknown Warrior" - the unidentified body washed ashore from the HMS Pathfinder and buried on the 1st November 1914 and buried in Lair G40?

a) Doctor Duncan R. McDonald.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Thorndene    1

Albert Hotel    4

New House    5

Silver Street    2

Black's Railway Tavern    3

Holmleigh    6

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For April 13th 2015

A. What was the occupation of John Hogg who was born in 1780 and died in 1840?

a) Town Bellman and porter.

B. When were the plans for the house pictured below drafted and issued?

a) This perspective view was created in 1819 by James Gillespie-Graham. Incidentally, the church in the background was redeveloped and rebuilt by himself during the years 1821-27.

C. Where was the above-mentioned picture/lithograph taken?

a) At Lochend Estate bordering on the Underedge and Ashfield. It was planned as a villa for Sir George Warrender.

D. Which event nearly put a dampener on the late-night entertainment at the Victoria Ballroom on July 17th 1966?

a) Reputedly, according to Jimmy Page's autobiography, certain members of The Yardbirds were 'attacked' (and subsequently rescued by the group's roadies) outside the Ballroom by some locals* purportedly because of the German connotations of the crosses worn by two of the band members. The musicians had purchased these mementos in Carnaby Street some time earlier.

* Those probably involved, with initials used to preserve their anonymity, were viz RG (captured off Dieppe, swimming the Channel in June 1942 by the Germans and becoming a P.O.W. in Poland and furthermore involved in a 100 mile forced march and enforced retreat as the Russians advanced) ably assisted by Big E with nephew C as referee.

E. Who were the two Dunbar seamen lost when the Japanese attacked and sank the HMS Repulse in far eastern waters in 1941? (See photos below.)

a) Alexander Ross-Smith and Jimmy Herkes.

F. The New Corker:-

On a journey from Belhaven Church to the edge of the town at Roxburghe Terrace via Belhaven Road, Delisle Street, Lawson's Place, West Gate End and along the High Street (NE side), Queen's Road and Bowmont please put the following 'locations' in geographical sequence.

Bank of Scotland (-1950s)    4

British Linen Bank    1

Edinburgh Savings Bank    3

National Commercial Bank    2

Corn Bank    5

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For May 13th 2015

A. What does the plan below describe?

a) Beltonford Paper Mills - Property of Alex Annandale, esq. and published by W and AK Johnson of Edinburgh and London.

B. When did the Old School at Woodbush close as an educational establishment?

a) On Friday the 20th October 1961 prior to the two-day mid-term break on the following Monday and Tuesday.

C. Where were Dunbar's early grocers Lockie and Anderson based?

a) On the present Black Bull site.

D. Who, in early Victorian times, was Dunbar's eccentric baker?

a) David France.

E. Why were Sopwith Cuckoo aircraft deployed above and around Belhaven Sands in 1918?

a) For torpedo running. Plane's were loaded on the Sands as carriage from East Fortune could have proved quite dangerous. Please see our Belhaven Torpedo Trials page for additional information.

F. The New Corker:- As from this month, to start the sixth year of this site, the route is of virtually opposite direction from last year's:

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Annfield - 4

Ayton Lea - 5

Abbeylands - 3

Abbey Church - 2

Aberford - 1

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For June 13th 2015

A. What is the link between the town of Taplow in Buckinghamshire and the Warrender family?

a) Taplow is the nearest settlement to Cliveden Park in Berkshire. An Italianate mansion built for the Duke of Buckingham. It was acquired by Lochend born (in 1782) Sir George Warrender 4th Baronet in 1830 and sold on in 1848.

B. When were up to a thousand boats lost off the coast of the Breezy Burgh?

a) 1577.

C. Where was the photograph of the boiler below taken?

a) The photograph was taken from a spot near the West Barns Inn looking South-Eastwards to the West Barns refinery. The boiler featured is actually a new one for the refinery to replace the aging number (4) on the premises.

D. Which of Dunbar's early 60s pop groups were associated with the following YouTube video?

a) Nick and the Sinners featuring Topsy. When The Animals made their first appearance at Haddington Corn Exchange in the spring of 1964 they were joint headliners in a UK tour, whilst N & T S played regularly at our Victoria Ballroom. That night The Animals were mildly surprised at the small size of the crowd hence the succeeding single below. On that particular night Nick and the Sinners were playing in Berwickshire and three coachloads of their fans went to Chirnside thus leaving very few pop pickers in the county town.

Also, Nick and the Sinners, principally Jimmy Bain and Alan Pratt, post-Embers and Grant Hardy, morphed into Three's a Crowd who were actually initially a trio with Robert 'Smiggy' Smith prior to the arrival of Linnie Patterson and thus becoming a quartet. One night in the summer of '66 (not '67) they were joined onstage at the full ballroom in a jamming style session with the peerless Toto McNaughton ex-Boston Dexter. His extemporised rendition Mann/Weil 1965 classic performed below by The Animals was a stellar moment to our contributor and bystanders contemporaries fellow wallflowers.

Could this have been the birth of Scotland's first supergroup?

Coincidentally, The Animals, with only one of the original guitarists and Dave Rowberry who replaced Alan Price gigged at Haddington Corn Exchange a few weeks ago. Our contributor, a former guitarist member of Nick and the Sinners, along with Topsy Marr, met the original Animals fifty years ago. He thoroughly enjoyed his evening there and amongst his reminiscences was the track below they played. This reminded him of the group's catalogue of seventy covers  in their repertoire of the early sixties.

E. Why is a date in the middle of this June connected to the attachments below of lair A4 of our parish kirk yard?

a) On the 18th of this month, we might be commemorating the bicentennial of Wellington's victory over Napoleon at Waterloo in Belgium. Major General William Cochrane-Anderson who is entombed in the family* lair pictured below was nicknamed "Waterloo Willie" due to his exploits on the field of battle and he was reputedly third in command under Wellesley and the Earl of Uxbridge. This nine hour battle, nine miles South of Brussels ended in victory for Britain and her two allies. Thousands died and many who survived and their loved ones vicariously suffered combat stress and its aftereffects for the rest of their confused existences.

* The headstone which features on the right-hand side of the Anderson enclosure has been removed and replaced by a more fitting mural tablet facing south.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, the Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Galagreen.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Black's    3

Broadhaven    2

Birkwood (Not Boroughdales)   1

Bailey Hogg's Close    4

Black Bull Close (new not old)    5

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For July 13th 2015

A. What was the original name for the land on which the houses at Gala Green were built?

a) Gallow Green Common.

B. When were the first houses on the town's Boroughdales built?

a) 1924/25.

C. Where were Steel's Park and the Little Sandy Field?

a) They were directly west of the Big Park at Winterfield.

D. Which Park west of the town measured just under 5 (4.97) acres?

a) The Kirk Park.

E. Who was the lady who occasionally fronted and was the singer with Dunbar 60s group The Five Rebils?

a) Nan Smith from East Linton.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

(Mrs) Black's Close    4

Bell House    1

Brown's Close    3

Big Field    5

Braes    2

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For August 13th 2015

A. What is Dunbar's Renaissance Monument?

a) That to Hume, Earl of Dunbar and Chancellor of the Exchequer to James VI.

B. When were the remains of Dunbar Castle finally shattered?

a) In the harbour improvements of 1842.

C. Where were the farmers "imported" from to instruct those at Tyninghame how to farm?

a) Dorset.

D. Who, in his book, refers to our town's "Dunbar Redlands" & "the cream of the country - probably the cream of the earth" where the homely potato is king?

a) A.G. Bradley in his 'Gateway to Scotland'.

E. Why is/was 3 Lammermuir Crescent called "Ben My Cree?

a) More correctly called "Ben-My-Chree" and located on ground once owned by the Maitland family located between 2 "St Clement's" and 4 "Florence Villa" it was originally owned by John Callow and named after the family's boat on the Isle of Man. It means "girl of my heart" in the Manx language.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Cruachan    3

Cottage Hospital    2

Coltman's Close    5

Deloraine    1

Falconer's Close    4

(Picture courtesy of C. Ballantyne nee Crawford)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For September 13th 2015

A. What was the first house "Lousie Law"?

a) The Fall family place pre-dated the Custom House at the old harbour.

B. When was the recently contemporised picture above taken?

a) 1917. Photo was contemporised by Jas A. Callow and features Dunbar Shories, Kaffiroos, Lanes and High Street dwellers on a trip presumably West along the coast. The organisers were the Craigs hotelkeepers at the Craig-en-gelt (a Stirlingshire Estate) who feature in the bottom right hand corner of the picture.

C. Where on the town's High Street are the Grocers' Shop of Wood and Alexander Sinton, the Tobacconists' shop of Laing's and the Confectioners' shops of CC Main and Cruikshank?

a) Wood: 71 High Street, Sinton: 124 High Street, Laing: 59 High Street and CC Main and Cruikshank: 35 High Street (post-Clark and Purves but pre-Carruthers 1954).

D. Who was Dunbar United's manager for the Scottish Junior Cup Final in 1961?

a) It would appear that the club were managed by committee with Sandy Smith as secretary. They had two trainers, Leslie Wilson who was assisted by Don Cupples.

E. Why might the plan below strike a note of terror in the hearts of former boy sailors, seasoned mariners and yarn/lamp-spinning Barnacle Bill's?

a) The plan is that of the HMS Ganges (the 'Concrete Frigate') built after the boy sailors came ashore in 1905 from the teak-built training ship moored in Harwich harbour. To this new training 'ship' for boy entrants on Shortley Peninsula 10 miles from Ipswich and across the harbour from Harwich and Felixstowe.  Many, many of Dunbar's own boy sailors, prior to entry into the senior service, spent their quite harsh probation period here.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Grahame's Close    3=

Printing Close    3=

Hospital Road    1

Wilson's Close    3=

Downie's Close    2=

Morrison's Close    2=

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For October 13th 2015

A. What is the connection between the YouTube video posted above, the post-Jukebox Cafe and our missing, memorable, musical mecca vis. the Victoria Ballroom?

a) This track, by The Band, includes in its first line ---Way to Nazareth which (the group) was formed out of the embers of The Shadettes and the 60s resident group and Victoria Ballroom regulars the Mark V. As one of our regular contributors reminisces it was record code A1 on the Doric cafe's jukebox through the fall of '68. Incidentally, the B side, fittingly is a Bob Dylan composition, I Shall Be Released. Code B1 is included in our top 40 at the end of the Victoria Ballroom section. 

B. When did our local land-based pirates, wreckers and rascals seize and carry away the whole cargo Dundee Barque heading home from the low-countries?

a) In January 1636 when it was forced to run ashore at Thorntonloch Inlet.

C. Where were the "sea greens to the sea"?

a) Between West Barns and Belhaven Bay.

D. Which Scottish castle, of interest, featured in the splendid sets of the sombre historical chronicle (directed by John Houston) Mary Queen of Scotland?

a) Dunbar Castle. Please see photograph at the beginning of this quiz section.

E. Why was the Gilrye family wealth willed to the (his wife's) distaff side?

a) Because of religious differences between two factions in the family.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Bakehouse Close    4

Windsor Café    5

Yorke Lodge    1

Trinity Close    3

Logan View    2

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For November 13th 2015

A. What is the name (virtually indecipherable) above the for-sale sign on the West Wall of The Dolphin Pub facing The Royal Mackintosh?

a) RAILWAY HOTEL.

B. Which Emma Blair novel details how one James Campbell owned a repair yard and canning factory at Dunbar?

a) 'This Side of Heaven', Emma Blair's fourth novel first published in 1985.

C. When did firstly Thomson's and secondly Johnston's Closes cease to exist or become renamed/incorporated into other vennels or become subject to 'stopping-up' orders?

a) Thomson's Close which had 19 dwellings in 1840 and 14 houses in 1900 existed in (barely) as did its denizens until the late 1880s from being established 150 years earlier. After 1880 it became known as Brown's Close and its location in the North East High Street was South-West of the King's Palace restaurant. Some buildings were still standing (derelict) at the end of WW2. Johnston's Close, named after the wife of a deceased naval surgeon, ran from the first quarter of the 19th century to the second quarter of the 20th century. Its location behind what is now Umberto's ran parallel to the nearby Thomson's Close. It had seven dwellings in its early years then 19 around the turn of the 20th century. Just before the close was 'stopped up' there were eight dwelling houses when it was demolished under the Dunbar improvement plan.

D. Where are two of the 'trig' pillars in the Dunbar area?

a) One trig point is on Beveridge Row (cattle underpass) Tunnel 81. The second trig point is on the approach to Dunbar Golf Course just beside the town boundary wall.

E. Why was the old brander (groyne) on the East Beach so called?

a) Because this groyne was similar to a massive branding iron standing vertically.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Innes's Close    4

St Julian's    2

Slaughter House    1

Belford's    5

St Ninian's    3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For December 13th 2015

A. What was an earlier name for 'Logan's Close'?

a) Dunbar Lane.

B. When did William Brodie (brick and tile manufacturer) residing at Battleblent die?

a) 1877.

C. Where was his son Alexander born?

a) Airdrie.

D. Who, despite Alexander's somewhat poetic background (Orion etc), wrote a poem about Battleblent*?

a) Catherine Miller-Mitchell.

E. Why was 4 Shore Street described as Brodie's Loan?

a) As with Custom House Square they were both ascribed as Brodie's Loan after the ownership of Alexander Brodie Snr**.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Dunbar Lane    2

Ajena    5

Ogilvie's Close    3

Brown's Close    4

Selee    1

* See upon the summit rising

Battleblent with tower so fair

In the sunshine brightly smiling

Strength and beauty mingling there


**He has placed his name amongst us

And bought the right on every street

At of friendly and good will gatherings

You will surely with him meet

(Catherine Miller Mitchell)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For January 13th 2016

A. What is the putative, or more likely apocryphal, connection between the family crest, at the beginning of this quiz section and the castle at Dunbar?

a) de Barre reputedly was an Armorican Knight who fought in Scotland around a thousand years ago and he purportedly had a fort near Dunbar.

B. Where else in Scotland were associated with Dunbar and united with it as "parts" of a parliamentary borough?

a) Haddington, Jedburgh, Lauder and North Berwick.

C. When the immigrant Northumbrian prince Gospatrick acquired his seat in the time of Malcolm Canmore which part of Dunbar Castle became his palatial home?

a) The Basement.

D. Which book of Sir Walter Scott's gives details of the breezy burgh's stony and defaced ruins?

a) Provincial Antiquities

E. Whose queen died at Dunbar Castle?

a) James I

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Westgate    5

Wresden    1

Roxburghe Lodge Wynd    3

Greenore    2

Lorne Hotel    4

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For February 13th 2016

A. What is the connection between the saying "Bob's your uncle" and Dunbar's inner common of the first quarter of the 19th Century?

a) The Balfour family. This family acquired some of the inner common land during the second quarter of the 19th Century. The proceeds of this allowed the town council to part finance the building of the new Victoria Harbour. RE "Bob's your uncle" = "That'll be alright" etc, it was occasioned by certain promotions of A.G. Balfour (descendant of the above family) by his uncle Lord Salisbury, the Tory Prime Minister - suggestions of nepotism difficult to ignore.

B. When, thankfully, did Hugh Cowan, a former headmaster at Dunbar Secondary School, demit office?

a) The Summer of 1961.

C. Where is the family shield of Patrick Dunbar, mentioned at the beginning of this section, emblazoned?

a) On Biel (Tower) House.

D. Who also might be interred in the Mordington Mausoleum beside Black Agnes?

a) Possibly her brother John, Earl of Moray, who died at the Battle of Neville's Cross in October 1346. However, it is equally likely that he was buried where he fell.

E. Why was Dunbar's Underedge so called?

a) It was the pasture, for cattle, on the outskirts of the town bordering the Great Loch.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

    Melrose's Dairy - 4

        Old Kirk Close - 2

            Clyde Villas - 1

                  Orchard - 5

Cunningham's Office - 3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For March 13th 2016

A. What type of engine "powered" the small sawmill at Lochend Cottages?

a) An Oliver 90 Tractor powered the small sawmill via a drivebelt. This model of tractor was built in America between 1937 and 1952.

B. Where were Frutter's Cottages?

a) Seafield in Belhaven.

C. Which house in the Boroughdales area was nicknamed "Penny Cottage"?

a) 2 Lammermuir Crescent viz. St Clement's. Please sea photograph above. One can see the side elevation of the house and the rest is obscured by "Jedneuk", number 1 in the photograph.

D. When was the above house built?

a) 1937

E. Who, a Dunbar-based founding member of a number of bands in the early-mid 60s and virtuoso performer, died on the 24th of January this year?

a) Jimmy Bain* (1947-2016).

Please see excellent "piece"/article below by Brian Hogg. Brian was formerly teacher at West Barns primary and a published author of "The History of Scottish Rock and Pop - All That Ever Mattered". An esteemed sleeve-note scribe and a key member of the Guinness publishing team. Many thinks for contributing.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green. 

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Bowmont Cottage - 2

      Lawson Court - 3

         Forth View - 4

         Driftwood - 1

              Lautrec - 5

* For info on Jimmy Bain please see "Reflections of My Sixties" - Lloyd Togneri

Also "Nick and the Sinners Featuring Topsy - Jimmy Bain's schooldays" in our Victoria Ballroom section.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For April 13th 2016

A. What was decisive about Oliver Cromwell's victory at Dunbar on the 3rd of September 1650?

a) It made Oliver Master of Southern Scotland until The Restoration.

B. When was Belhaven Church built?

a) 1840.

C. Where was Logan Cottage?

a) Behind the wall of the South side of Logan Close. It was owned by the Moffat family whose son Billy's best pal in the 30s lived in Logan Close itself and ironically went to live at Logan View on the East Links. Presently, the area where Logan Close was houses a centre for the disabled ran by ELCAP.

D. Which family "held" Dunbar Castle for three and a half centuries?

a) The Cospatrick family.

E. Who owned, in the 1920s and 30s, the Boarding House at the foot of Silver Street (ie the Beach House)?

a) Essons.

F. The New Corker:-

Starting at the gate of the Duffers' Park progress along Roxburghe Park then turn right at Golf House Road and then take the first left along the Middle Road. Subsequently, turn left at the junction of Castle Street and the School Brae along part of Queen's Road then turn right along the High Street on the North West side, traverse past Castle Gate, Bayswell Park, Mayville Park, North Road, Back Road then turn left along Knock-en-Hair Road to Gala Green.

Please put the following locations in the order that one passes them:

Logan Cottage - 1

Burying Ground - 4

       Castle Park - 2

   Logan's Stairs - 3

            Orchard - 5

NB: Next month, to note the start of our seventh season, the quiz will be made easier with "The Corker" being discontinued.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For May 13th 2016

A. What was the cost, to Dunbar Town Council, of the Gillies's blocks-of-four (1930s vintage) in the Boroughdales distract?

a) £500 for each of the 8 blocks. 4 in Lammermuir Crescent and 4 in Summerfield Road.

B. When was the Corn Exchange opened?

a) 15th of October 1855.

C. Where were the Laird of Spott's cellars?

a) On the quay at the old harbour.

D. Which song was the last one that Jimmy Bain performed?

a) "The Devil in Me" by Last in Line was performed on board the MSC Davina ex-Miami for Def Leppard's "Hysteria on the High Seas" rock cruise. (Please see below)

E. Why did the factory which made cotton goods, established in 1815 on the site of the former artillery barracks, cease trading?

a) It failed due to the termination of the East Lothian bank.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For June 13th 2016

A. What became of the Castle Park gymnasium?

a) It became the Victoria Ballroom.

B. When did Captain Fall, because of bankruptcy, sell Dunbar House to the Earl of Lauderdale?

a) In the mid-1780s.

C. Where is Dunbar's naked man with a fish on his head?

a) Seafield Pond.

D. Who founded the Dunbar Philanthropic Society?

a) Robert MacAuley the headmaster at Dunbar Secondary School between 1927 and 1953.

E. Why was a barrier positioned in and across Broadhaven at Lamer Island?

a) To minimise the effect of surging tides on berthed vessels. However, it may have only protected one or two vessels - if any - and it led to more detrited sludge and mud being deposited at the entry to the Cromwell Harbour. Furthermore, it effected the aeolian and tidal deposition at the East Beach.

(Sandy)

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For July 13th 2016

A. What is the name of the park/sports field featured in the picture above?

a) Cowan's Park.

B. Which other site in the Breezy Burgh is being developed by the same company, Dundas, as the Sycamore site at Pearce's yard?

a) Ashfield/Aitken's Field at the junction of Station Road and the New Road.

C. When did work begin on the 37 flats at the Sycamore site mentioned above?

a) 17th November 2014.

D. Where was the sports ground in a) above located?

a) It was located between the Bleachfield and the (Allans') Primary School on Lammermuir Crescent. Cowan's Park ran south to the Railway embankment on the perimeter of both. Its cricket pavilion was located between 33 Countess Road and the railway, in line with the junction of Lammermuir Crescent.

E. Why was the East Lothian Bank dissolved in 1822?

a) It was dissolved because manager William Borthwick absconded with considerable bills and specie.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For August 13th 2016

A. What was the title of the volumes written by George Miller re the geological structure and peculiarities of ... on our coastline?

a) Popular Philosophy: or, the Book of Nature Laid Open upon Christian Principles. The aforementioned volume(s) were "written", edited and published by George and printed in Haddington by James Miller in 1826 - Although the contents were not completely of his own hand. An esteemed local worthy purchased a copy for 10/-. (Please also see below this August quiz)

B. When were the three arches of the town gates known to be still standing?

a) 1768.

C. Where is/was Clamber Hill?

a) Just westby of Catcraig.

D. Who laid the foundation stone of the Victoria Harbour on the 27th of September 1842?

a) The Earl of Dalhousie (provincial Grand Master for East Lothian).

E. Why were fires lit at the Vault-Point and other prominences on the 31st of August 1832?

a) To welcome Queen Victoria on her visit to her dominions and give testament to the loyalty of her subjects.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For September 13th 2016

A. What is the meaning of the local saying of "Going down the underedge"?

a) Going down the underedge, not unbridge as some locals mistakenly think, means travelling down the Ashfield tunnel/cattle underpass (ECM8/085) to an ex-Warrender owned 10 acres of land bounded by a dyke on the South side and Countess Crescent and the North side of Countess Road on the North side. This acreage was probably called Underedge due to the connection with Iron Stone mining (see Gresley's publication of 1883 where Underedge stone means the floor of an Iron Stone mine. See also document below). Nevertheless, as the houses on Countess Road/Summerfield Road opposite the junction with Doon Avenue were built on land purchased from the Lauderdale family, the Countess referred to is the Countess of Lauderdale.

B. When were the Wilson drowning tragedies off the Dip Pool seaward of Kirkhill Cottage (Seafield)?

a) On the 12th of September 1857 four lives were lost (father, son and two daughters).

C. Where were Dunbar's Coney-Yairds?

a) On the Mid-Links and probably Knock-en-hair.

D. Which descendant of the Earls of Moray was Dean of the church in Dunbar?

a) Columba Dunbar in 1411.

E. Why might the Goddess of Wisdom be connected to a rugged, rocky reef off a headland meaning free from danger?

a) A week before Christmas at 10AM in 1811, the Pallas (named after the Goddess of Wisdom) struck a rocky ridge, named The Siccar, off Vowtness. Fortunately, many were saved but one of the few who perished was a rescuer named Benjamin Wilson, father of one of Dunbar's most famous characters namely Robert Wilson.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For October 13th 2016

A. What was the connection between Dunbar's Rainbow Chaser, Jimmy Bain, and the German rock band featured below? (please also see the Victoria Ballroom section for more information)

a) Jimmy Bain was briefly brought in by Scorpions to play on their album "Love at First Sting" in 1983. Whether his contribution can be heard on the final album is debated. The group went on to have a global hit with "Wind of Change" in 1991.

B. When was the former light ship Comet (Radio Scotland on 242) moored virtually four miles off Dunbar by the wreck of the Royal Fusilier? 

a) From December 1965 to June 1966.

C. Who penned the poem on the opening page of this quiz section?

a) Edward "Big Eddie" Thomson.

D. Where is Bullet Hill?

a) Hedderwick Links.

E. Why is the above so called?

a) Because an area propinquous to Bullet Hill was used as target practice before and after the first and second world wars therefore there was a lot of spent ammunition left there

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For November 13th 2016

A. What is the connection between the Deodar planted by Queen Victoria near Broxmouth House on Monday the 26th August 1878 and the Himalayan Cedar (Cedras Deodar) planted by the Warrender family close to the ruins of Lochend House in 1859?

a) Roxburgh. Roxburgh was the botanist who got the samples of the trees from the Himalayas in early Victorian times and the Roxburghe family owned Broxmouth House.

B. When did Charles and Robert Fall, amongst the managers of the Society of Sailors of Dunbar, sell 10 acres of land to the group?

a) October 1750.

C. Which property could be described as "that piece of arable land lying in The Borroughdales, Dunbar, bounded by Sir John Warrender's land on the East, the Gallow Green on the North, Gamilshiels land on the West and the South Borroughdales on the South"?

a) The Sailors Park and the site is now the location of Dunbar Grammar School and its playing fields. The school has now significantly extended on to the playing fields.

D. Who penned the poem below?

a) An Anonymous Shorie, possibly Catherine Miller Mitchell but unfortunately the poem seems to date from around 1900 (which is a few years after she died) and the poem is of an inferior quality to her normal work.

E. Why was the Vault Wood called Jocky's Wid?

a) Because Jocky Hastie ably assisted by Davy "Dall" Herkes spent many hours retrieving balls for golfers who had sliced them from the seventh hole.


There's no toon on a' the coast

But I'll be wary I'll boast

But to be plain, I love the most - Dunbar


The Villas there are a' complete

An' everything is clean and neat

You fill my hert in joy replete - Dunbar


An' summer visitors go there

To breath the fresh caller air - Dunbar


Doon at the harbour, let me stand

That I may view the castle grand

Lang may it watch o'er my command - Dunbar


Alang the Links I have to stray

And watch the golfers ardent play

I'll cherish until life's last day - Dunbar


The Fisher lads dressed a' in blue

Are hardy men brave, lean an' true

The lassies too are a credit to - Dunbar


An' oh I knew Belhaven well

I visited each knoll and dell

Now I maun say thee farewell - Dunbar

Funny How Love Can Be alt.mp3

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For December 13th 2016

A. What is the connection between the MP3 track above and "new" Victoria Ballroom presentations on Saturday 11th April 1964 and Sunday 17th July 1966?

a) The drummer on the track (Funny How Love Can be by Tony Burrows and the Hit Squad) is none other than an ex-session musician, one Clem Cattini, who played with The Tornadoes at the Victoria Ballroom in April '63. The song was penned by John Shakespeare and James Hawker who, as Carter Lewis and the Southerners, had one Jimmy Page in their midst. He played with The Yardbirds at the Victoria Ballroom in July 1966. 

B. Which of the Dunbar area's three golf courses during the 1930s had the longest hole?

a) It was the eighth hole of the 1930s Winterfield which had a length of 530 yards. Please see plan above.

C. When did Nick and the Sinners (featuring Topsy) play their first engagement?

a) New Year's Eve 1961.

D. Where were the Dunbar cafes of the 50s viz. "The Jukebox" and "The Bingo"?

a) The Jukebox cafe is presently the Pound Shop and the Bingo Cafe is now the Post Office.

E. Who ran the Beach House Hotel through the Second World War years?

a) The Hendersons.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For January 13th 2017

A. What was the name of the cafe on the West Wing of the Beach House?

a) Sheena's.

B. When did Cunningham's the builders go into voluntary liquidation?

a) 1956.

C. Where was the Comrade's Hall and their associated war memorial? (please see above)

a) In the same location as today's Royal British Legion post-conversion and their associated war memorial was reputedly located on the Dark/Common Close nearby. It would appear that the base of it with associated inscriptions of the fallen was bastardised to form today's war memorial at Bayswell.

D. Who is pictured below?

a) Walter Runciman.

E. Why was Willie's Wood so called?

a) This strip of pines on the North Westerly extremity of Staneyholes alongside Beveridge Row's extension was presumably named after Willie Gibson the forester at Lochend. However, the name might in fact pre-date his employment.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For February 13th 2017

A. What was the name of the "Old" chapel on the point at Skateraw?

a) St Dennys's.

B. When, approximately, might it date from?

a) 7th Century.

C. Where was Lhasa in local golfing parlance?

a) On the early 20th Century Dunbar Golf Course. Lhasa was the 17th hole, a par 5 of over 500 yards in the Deer Park.

D. Who were the Kaffiroos?

a) The Kaffiroos were residents of the Vennel and Old Harbour areas who worked in the fields travelling to and fro they went back to their roots.

E. Why was Duchess Midden so called?

a) Also called Annie Kerr's midden, it was where the Duchess of Roxburghe's rubbish was deposited along the shoreline eastby of Broxmouth's Sealodge.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For March 13th 2017

A. What is the earliest attributable date of the Breezy Burgh's Old Harbour?

a) 1574.

B. When was the Parliamentary order for coast town walls?

a) 1503.

C. Where is the Bank End?

a) Along the Esplanade between Woodville Terrace and Lamer Street.

D. Who co-wrote the above number?

a) Jimmy Bain and Phil Lynott.

E. Why was the four detached house gated community at Lochend Gardens called Ballie Court?

a) In the early 17th Century the Ballie family owned the Lochend Estate and their family sundial disappeared from Lochend House in the mid-20th Century.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For April 13th 2017

A. What is the connection between the track above and the British-based, but American born, Rock-and-Roller who appeared in mid-May 1964?

a) When Gene Vincent appeared in Dunbar during the Spring of '64 he was backed by a Liverpool group called The Shouts. However, the following year he was backed by The Outlaws whose later group Rainbow feature in the video above.

B. When did Dunbar's "new" Fire-Station open?

a) The fire station, located on Countess Road, opened on the 31st January 1958 and was built at a cost of just under £5,000.

C. Where were the first six (completed 1946) council houses - out of 300 planned - for the Summerfield Mains housing development?

a) Hazel Court. The remainder of the development wasn't completed until 1953.

D. Which house numbers applied to the Tenements of Paterson Terrace on Victoria Street?

a) 11 and 13.

E. Who ran the General Grocers on the corner of Brewery Lane and Belhaven High Street?

a)Herkes, however, the shop was owned by Belhaven Brewery.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For May 13th 2017 (Start of 9th Season)

A. What disturbing rumour affecting many of the town's businesses circulated in January 1923?

a) The proposed closure of the town's Barracks.

B. When did Dunbar's Cottage Hospital (ex-Yorke Lodge) open?

a) 1927.

C. Which was the larger (hall) between Dunbar's Victoria Ballroom, which opened in November 1963, and the contemporaneous Drill Hall of East Linton?

a) East Linton which was 100x50 feet whereas the Victoria Ballroom was 80x40 feet.

D. Who is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles alongside Lemmy (Motorhead) and Ronnie James Dio?

a) James Stewart Bain.

E. Why are there strange codes (ie WDXX) engraved on some structures on Dunbar High Street?

a) Because they were utilised by the war department during the second world war.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For June 13th 2017

A. What was the alternative name for Gibson's (double) close at 51 High Street?

a) Poors' House Close.

B. Where is the town's Tobacco Close?

a) Along the "long lobby" behind the "Old Ship" inn and adjacent to the rear of Horsburgh's Yard. It once connected Lamer Street and Change Lane/East Lamer Street/Shore Street/Old Harbour.

C. Which shop on Dunbar's once broad High Street stocked Cogent and Rocky Mount cigarettes?

a) The Co-operative Store. These were their own brands.

D. Who was the first janitor to live in the janitorial accommodation at Dunbar secondary school from October 1961?

a) Jim Swain.

E. Why did the late Classics Master, Jack (John I.W.) Milne, change his middle names?

a)Purely for effect to give him a literary style.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For July 13th 2017

A. What is the "new" address for the West Barns Inn?

a) 5 Duke Street.

B. When Dunbar's new primary school on Lammermuir Crescent was built and completed in 1951 by G and J Allan & Son how many pupils was it meant to accommodate?

a) 500.

C. Which other spots in Dunbar have had the name Logan/Logan's Close apart from Logan's Close attributed to them?

a) Logan Cottage, Logan View and Logan's Stairs. Might they be connected?

D. Where was/is Arkley's Close?

a) Between Writer's Court and Victoria Street. It roughly led from Arkley's pub "The Shepherds" to his next hostelry which was "The Volunteer's Arms".

E. Why Was Brodies Battleblent so called?

a) When the Dunbar correspondent of The Scotsman heard about the remains of man and horse being uncovered when foundations were laid for Brodie's new homehe assumed the remains were from the Battle of Dunbar (1650) and used a quotation from Byron's poem of 1818 which included the word "blent" therefore William Brodie named his house Battleblent.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For August 13th 2017

A. What number of corporation houses were built in our town between 1921 and the onset of hostilities in 1939?

a) 378.

B. Which close is missing from the South to North sequence of Dunbar's early South West High Street between Abbeylands and West Port:- New Inn, Baillie Hogg's, Morrisons, Browns, Faulkeners, Muirheads, Coltmans, Meikles, Browns and Mrs Blacks?

a) Wilsons Close which became Grahame's Close or Bakehouse Close by the 1930s. A fine house "hill view" was constructed up this close by a certain John Knox. It's now called Printing Close and one can only wonder why!

C. Where was Dunbar's only merchant business to hold the Royal Warrant from Victorian times?

a) A.T. Smith.

D. Who is the lady pictured above?

a) It's Margaret Stobie Drysdale Keith who was born in Dunfermline at Margaret Villa (St. Margaret's) the family home. Margaret's father Charles Drysdale was a linen manufacturer and her mother's maiden name was Stobie. She married one Davidson Keith an advertising agent based on George Street in Edinburgh. Davidson was 8 years older than her (29 v 21) and his family heralded from Caithness. They were married in July 1872 at her uncle's (Mr. Stobie's) house on what is now Delisle Street, Dunbar. Margaret viewed Dunbar with particular favour due to her maternal relatives living there. She bore Davidson four sons and two daughters but her second youngest son, Arthur Berriedale, because of his academic and educative acheivements was classed as "the chief ornament of Scottish learning". She had left Davidson before the end of the 1890s and moved from Joppa to Oxford. Her four sons bought the land, feus etc at Winterfield off the Cunningham* family (St. Clair Jnr). They also substantially financed the building of St. Margaret's (named after her Fife home) at Winterfield. The house, now a golf clubhouse, was built by Cunninghams the builders from 1907-1909.* Despite errata in other sources, Margaret had no connection (feu duty apart) with the Cunningham/Usher dynasty but had a slight connection with the brewers Dewars.

E. Why were her Dunbar dreams soon shattered?

a) Unfortunately Margaret died within three years (31/07/1911) of her taking up residence in St. Margaret's. She was in her 61st year and was born on 22/03/1851.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For September 13th 2017

A. What was the reason for the rise in population of our breezy borough between '61 and '66?

a) There was an overspill agreement with Glasgow City Council and also the opening of the Blue Circle cement works.

B. When were the picturesque remains of Lochend House listed as an ancient monument?

a) 1925.

C. Where was Dunbar's original telephone exchange and how many lines could it handle?

a) On Belhaven Road, it's now the Masonic Lodge. It had 1200 lines.

D. Which structure has been described as "a fine ravelin..."?

a) The battery atop Lamer Isle.

E. Why was the above built?

a) To counter the threat of a Napoleonic invasion

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

For October 13th 2017

A. What type of trees are the pair of aging specimens flanking the gates inside the Deer Park and what age might they be?

a) Beech (fagus sylvatica) circa 80 years.

B. When was the original of the photo above the quiz for July '16 taken?

a) On a day of sport to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, on 20th June 1897 at Cowans Park.

C. Which street numbers are missing on the North side of Countess Road?

a) 28, 30, 32 and 34.

D. Who was the first professional at Winterfield Golf Club (1) and who was the second (2)?

a) 1 Henry Anderson, 2 Andrew Dishington.

E. Why did 2 above leave Winterfield?

a) " Dish" left to join Dunbar East Links.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & BestFor

November 13th 2017

A. What was the Cottage Hospital originally called?

a) Tennis or Yorke Lodge.

B. When was it built?    

a) 1884.

C. Which section of a Dunbar housing scheme was called Hellfire Corner?    

a) The Lauderdale junction of Parsonspool.

D. Where on the outskirts of Dunbar was Tattie Shaw Corner ?    

a) Springfield, West Barns.

E. Why was the above Cottage Hospital demolished ?    

a) To build the Civil Service Retirement Home.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original and Best

For December 13th 2017

A. What was the location of Annie Kerr's Midden?

a) On the foreshore on the 'Point' (12th hole Dunbar East Links) "through the green" from the tee, located between Maggie Tailor's Garden and Bowe's Quarry.

B. When did Old School Close become Corn Exchange Close?

a) When the above opened in 1855. However, for some it took a generation.

C. Where was Dunbar's smallest golf course green located?

a) At the "Island" hole on Hedderwick Links. It was 13 feet in diameter.

D. Which present High Street number "adorns" the somewhat off-white building on the above photo?

a) 33 High Street.

E. Who still holds the lowest, scratch, course-record score at Dunbar's East Links?

a) Dean Muir with a 61, including a ball over the dyke and out of bounds at the "Narrows" 16th hole.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original and Best

For January 13th 2018

A. What is odd about the “Town House Tower”?


a) It would appear hexagonal but in effect is pentagonal.

 

B. Where was “Manderson’s”?


a) The Jersey Arms, now “The Creel” restaurant.

 

C. Which famous Dunbar personage was born opposite “The Tobacco Close”?


a) Catherine Miller Mitchell.


D. Which  famous actor was billeted at “The Hillside” during World War 2?


a) David Niven.


E. Why was the Latch Park so called?


a) Latch = leach = apropos the percolation of water.

 

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original and Best

For February 13th 2018

A. What is the family motto of the Warrenders of Bruntisfield?


a) “Industria evehit” meaning Industry promotes.


B. When did the Ayton Bard, Robert Mennon, reside in our breezy burgh?


a) 1850 through 1869.


C. Where did our author and explorer Stan Hall spend his childhood and teens?


a) He spent his first couple of years on the High Street, up Purves's Close, then at 49 Countess Road. Stan served his time as a plumber with J. Huggan at Templeton’s in the High Street, then national service in the RAF in those distant days of "The 50's" (Born in Edinburgh in 1936, died in St Columba's Hospice 27/9/08)


D. Which of Robert Mennon's poems has the alternate title of “Neptune's Revenge"?


a) The Downfall of Dr K….ie's Dyke. (Kellie)


E. Who preceded Robin Roxburgh as Drill and PT master at our Schools?


a) Charlie Flaherty.


Daly's Corner Quiz

Original and Best

For March 13th 2018

A. What is the new course record for Dunbar Golf Club?


a) 65.


B. When was “St Margaret’s” at Winterfield finally completed?


a) 1909.


C. Where along the coast, eastby of Dunbar, did a Mr Gullen have a wee shop?


a) Catcraig.


D. Which Knight-of-the-Realm was the “Breezy Burgh’s” first Meteorological Recorder?


a) Sir William Keith.


E. Who was the Gipsy Queen, twice encountered by Victoria Regina on her late 19th century visit here?


a) Queen Faa.

 

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original and Best

For April 13th 2018

A. When and where in Dunbar was the first printing press in East Lothian established?

a) It was installed in 1795 at 56 High Street, by Dunbar native George Miller and the premises/business was named The East Lothian Press.

B. Where is the lintel stone, shown in the preceding photograph, located?

a) At the gateway in the north east corner of Winterfield Park.

C. Where do a lion and a unicorn reside in Dunbar?

a) At the south end of the High Street, on the east side, at Nos 31 - 35, standing high on the front façade of the building.

D. What is unique about Dunbar amongst the royal burghs of Scotland?

a) Its roll of burgesses includes a King of Scotland - James VI. On 31st October 1600, the King and thirty eight of his subjects, of various ranks, were admitted as burgesses and freemen of Dunbar.

E. Which unusual Company was established in Dunbar in 1751 by Robert Fall, Provost?

a) The East Lothian and Merse Whale-Fishing Company, operating between 1751 and 1803.