The Haddington Video: A Place for Everything
This video was made in 1999 by Videosyncratic (Jilly Pollard and Richard McDonald, working from Clerkington Mill, Haddington). The Rev Clifford Hughes, then minister of St Mary’s church, suggested the 450th anniversary of the siege of Haddington as the theme.
Author David Dick researched and presented the historical elements of the video. Scenes from recent/current life were covered by voice-over (Jilly Pollard), interviews and live sound.
The title came from Samuel Smiles, a Haddington native, who wrote ‘Self Help’, in which he coined the phrase ‘A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place’.
Approximately 1,000 copies of the video were sold, mostly in PAL (UK) format, mainly through Kesley’s Bookshop in Market Street.
People – Arts & Craftspeople
There are two galleries in Haddington showing regular exhibitions. Peter Potter, a former opera producer, started the Peter Potter Gallery, in Church Street, in 1975. After Potter’s death the gallery has continued as a charitable trust showing contemporary crafts and paintings.
Martin Forrest, an artist and art historian, established the Martin Forrest Gallery, in 1994, in Market Street. This gallery shows mainly 19th and 20th century Scottish paintings as well as paintings by contemporary local artists and others.
Between 1978-95 potter Marjorie Clinton had a studio and pottery gallery in Newton Port. Ceramics artist Alison Robinson and Anita Pate, the stained glass designer, had studios in Tyne Court in the 1980s.
Since 1945, Haddington has been the home town for a number of artists, including: Richard Baillie (1884-1952); William Ferguson (1913-99); Doris Ann Goodchild (1906-99); William Mercer (1928-94) and Thomas Todrick (flourished 1925-75).
The best known Haddington artist during this period is Sir William George Gillies, CBE, RA, RSA, PRSW (1898-1973) whose early work included Haddington landscapes.
THIS ACCOUNT OF HADDINGTON PARISH WAS COMPILED AND EDITED BY CAROLINE LAWRIE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, RESEARCH AND ESSAYS WERE PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING:
- Mary Bell: Belief – St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
- Richard Blackie: Fire Service
- Rena Cunningham: Education
- Doreen Dodd: Belief – The Religious Society of Friends
- Robert C. Elder: Economy – agriculture, East Bearford Farm
- The late Bill Ferguson: Education
- Graham H. Ford: Belief – Haddington Community Church
- Martin Forrest: Miscellany – people, artists & craftspeople
- Very Rev James Canon Friel: Belief – St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
- Eric Glendinning: Healthcare
- Chris Hall: Belief – Haddington Family Church
- William A. Harkness: Police
- Rev Clifford Hughes: Belief – St Mary’s Church of Scotland
- Caroline Lawrie: General; Introduction; Economy – agriculture
- Wendy Lund: Transport
- RP Mackenzie: Belief – Jehovah’s Witnesses
- Jean McKinnon: Leisure
- David McManus: Education
- John McVie: Belief – St Mary’s Church of Scotland
- Derick Mills: Belief – St Mary’s Church of Scotland
- Patricia Moncrieff: Belief – Church of Christ
- Douglas Mowat: Economy – industry, Wm. Dods & Son
- Ian Muir: Economy – agriculture, Letham Holdings
- Dr Ralph G. Musgrave: Education
- Tom W Neil: Belief – West Church of Scotland
- Jilly Pollard: Miscellany – The Haddington Video
- Bill Rarity: Townscapes, Buildings & Landscapes of Distinction – Haddington burgh; Homes
- Arthur Reid: Townscapes, Buildings & Landscapes of Distinction – Country Houses; Shops & Services
- John Richardson: Environment – natural history
- Jack Tully-Jackson: Economy – industry
- Kenneth Whitson: Economy – industry, The East Lothian Courier
- Rev John Wood: Belief – Holy Trinity Scottish Episcopal Church
- Alny Younger: Education – the Compass School
And the recollections of members of the Haddington Remembered Group, including Cliffie Brown (homes); Mary Callaghan (leisure and holidays, 1940s and 1950s); Rea Crowe (leisure and holidays, 1940s and 1950s); Nita Fraser (healthcare); Nessie Gell (homes; standards of living, and furnishings); Jan Mannion (moving to Haddington from Glasgow); Shirley Middlemass (standards of living); James W Moncrieff (working as a stone mason and bricklayer); Pat Moncrieff (rites of passage; leisure – the Haddington Remembered Group); Barbara Montgomery (education); Alice Nisbet (rites of passage; homes); Margaret Pringle (rites of passage); Judith & Peter Stewart (healthcare); Mrs Taylor (leisure and holidays, 1940s and 1950s); Morag Wallace (shops); Joyce Walton (homes).
Also David Sydeserff (leisure – pirate radio)