Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

13th April 2023

Quiz Number 156

A. What was the Dunbar connection with J and J McMichan, proprietors at The Old Ship Inn?

a) The McMichans, John and Jane, who ran the premises on the cusp of 19/20thC, were married at Newcastle in November 1902. Jane's maiden name was Lorimer and she was the elder sister of Isabella Herkes McFarlane, wife of Edward Hudson McFarlane whose family also ran the business, and her younger brother was one James "Patty" Lorimer who had 2 partners (but no thegither) Viz:-

         i) Margaret Henderson Anderson

         &

        ii) Agnes Cairns* (they wed 23/6/ 1924)   *Half-sister of future long-term proprietrix Mairn Lumsden.

B. When did the High Street's Abbey Church close?

a) It was no longer in ecclesiastical use by December 1994.

C. Where was Dunbar Golf Club legend W. Cowe born?

a) Duns.

D. Which professions did Dunbar School-fellow Jack Milne and two of his former pupils, Davie Blacklock and Ian Dickson, have in common?

a) J. I. W. Milne was a tax inspector in a former life then becoming a Classics master at Dunbar Grammar School. The late Davie Blacklock worked all his days at HM Inspector of Taxes and Ian Dickson, son of a Customs Inspector, went on to teach Classics at Irvine.

E. Who, when his wives were buried in his grund, didnae call them by their maiden names?

a) The late Bob Marr. As both of his wives were married afore, they were buried with their previous husbands’ names.

      #1 Jane Marr, formerly Windram (nee Hutchison) (previously wed to Willie Windram).

      #2 Agnes McIntosh Marr, formerly Pownee Bruce (previously wed to William Pownee Bruce).

PS - Bob Marr's father was drowned near the harbour in the ex-yawl Paragon and his mother Jane Marr nee Gaylor subsequently married one Peter "Tam Pat" Robertson Johnstone.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

13th March 2023

Quiz Number 155

A. What is the connection between the Macaulay & Macleod written track above and our harbourside entertainment venue The Victoria Ballroom?

a) On Friday 20th September 1968 The Foundations graced the boards and punters the wall bars.

B. When were the buildings at the Vaults on Dunbar Golf Course Mid-Links demolished?

a) Just prior to the 1st of February 1924. The former girnal, which remained post-demolition of the rest of the Vowthouse and three vaulted-ceilinged cottages (also used as grain stores), became a tool-shed.

C. Where was Richard "Ritchie" Aitken, Scotland Rugby International and Senior Service officer born?

a) Son of John Joseph Aitken and Christina Fairlie, he was born on 29/6/1914 at 106 High Street.

D. Which Boroughdales houses did John 'Johnny" Hannan live in post demitting 136 High St?

a) DUFC's legend lived at Nos 9 then 1.

E. Who reconstructed two cottages at The Shore, Old Harbour into his Mansion House?

a) Thomas Meik*. Born 16/3/1718 at Redgorton Manse, Perth, died 22/3/1801 at Dunbar (buried in Lair A24), twice married, to Janet Butler (1733) and Elizabeth Delisle (1779). He had five children, four sons to Janet (Patrick, Duncan, James and Henry) and a daughter, Catherine to Elizabeth. A Dunbar Merchant, Burgess and Manager, from 1752, of the East Lothian and Merse Whale Fishing Co., Meik had, at best, what might be described as a colourful youth. In time this Mansion became "The Old Ship" Inn and publicans included Ramage, McMichan**, (shrouded in secrecy and mystery) a Ms Lara who had "rooms" to rent, Huntly, Terry and McFarlane. Marion "Mairn" Lumsden acquired all the properties by 1922/23 and ran them as apartments, holiday lets and so forth for the best part of half-a-century. On her demise in March 1971, she nominated her only surviving brother Andrew as a life-renter, a post he never assumed, and "willed" The Old Ship to her grandson David Cairns Pettigrew who also shared her moveable estate with her three other surviving grandchildren. Her elder child predeceased her and her only daughter was specifically excluded because Marion felt she had had more than her share in the past. Marion acquired the cellar, subsequently a wee shop, t’other side of the Tobacco Close from Thomas Darling "Darrie" Horsburgh's father, in an unconventional exchange, in the 1930s.

*A Signatory to the formation of Dunbar Golfing Society in 1794.

**McMichan was only at the reins from 1902 through to 1904.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

13th February 2023

Quiz Number 154

A. What area, formerly owned by the Falls, was farmed by Christopher Middlemass in the 18thC?

a) The Lands of Under-Ridge.

B. When did 78 High Street first operate as a Bootmakers?

a) In 1761.

C. Where may there have been a certain "Candlemaker’s Close" on our proud High St?

a) At 123 High St. More recently it was Aitken’s, formerly Beever’s then Wilson’s and the above, ages ago.

D. Which street was once described as “The road from Castle Street” or “The Lanes”?

a) Writers' Court.

E. Who, disponing the property on 28/05/1904, was the last owner of "The Rock House" (bearing in mind 19 Victoria Street now belongs to East Lothian Council)?

a) Alexander Wood, a former Church Street (#16) Grocer.

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

13th January 2023

Quiz Number 153

A. What happened to Number 12 High Street?

a) According to Sasine documents, two small houses at 12 High St. were demolished some time prior to Jan 5, 1906 to make way for a two-storey dwelling-house, most likely to be “Trewithnoe”.

B. When did the Warrender family acquire the Baillie Mansion and Lochend Lands?

a) Between 1706 - 14 from John Sinclair of Longformacus.

C. Which ballroom, in our town’s High St., was popular in the 2nd quarter of the 20thC?

a) This particular dancefloor was at the Town's "Port Lodge".

D. Where, historically, was Redbath?

a) A gulley area now on the west side of Ashfield (Underedge) cattle underpass. In effect, it was "doon the Undridge" near to the access track to Longcroft.

E. Who was the original owner of Ashfield House?

a) Glasgow-born William Anderson (1763 - 1847), Surgeon HEICS*; two generations of his family owned it pre-1820 until virtually the end of the 19thC.

(* HEICS = Honourable East India Company Service)

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th December 2022

Quiz Number 152

A. What Close on Dunbar High St. in the 19thC. was referred to as Prison Close?

a) Formerly called Slaughterhouse it ran through the passage at the Town House.

B. Which couple (married 16/1/1844) took over the tenancy of (New) Black Bull at the close of 1840s?

a) David Liddle fae Dunse via Redheugh and Elizabeth Hamilton from Carnwath.

C. When was the James Eleland (Coltness) limestone mine at Oxwell Mains operational?

a) Between the years 1908 through to 1959.

D. Where was the first person interred in Deer Park Cemetery?

a) Alexander S Hume, a former blacksmith, was interred in Lair 183 (3.1.1) on 19/3/53. He actually died on 13/3 and worked at Beltonford alongside colleague Mason and apprentice Aitchison.

E. Who was the 1st pastor/clergyman at the original* First Secessionist Meeting House on the High St?

a) John Henderson, ex-Blackfriars, Jedburgh, ordained March 1767 and met his maker 5/3/1816. Rev. Henderson was born May 8 1738 in Jedburgh. Married firstly to Mary Ker 1/12/1770 in Dunbar and secondly to Catherine Wilson in Dunbar in 1807.

(*original of 1767 vintage, a new (2nd) build in 1813 was named Ebenezer Erskine Meeting house)

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th November 2022

Quiz Number 151

A. What was the name of the harbour hostelry managed by John McMichan?

a) The Old Ship Inn, in the early 1900s. He succeeded the likes of Huntly and the long-serving Ramage but preceded Terry and Duncan McFarlane. Mairn Lumsden bought the 3 or 4 wee hooses by 1922/23 and let aforementioned as apartments for the best part of half-a-century 'til just before her death in March 1971.

B. When was the Ebenezer Erskine Church instituted in Dunbar?

a) 1814. Its first minister was Alexander Jack who ministered to them for over half-a-century; he passed on 4th of August 1868.

C. Which two semi-detached dwellings off the Middle Road ex-cart-track, now East Links and formerly East Links Park, are on the site of what was from 1810 the 2nd United Secession/Associated Congregation Church, which later became Dunbar Evangelistic Mission?

a) Marine and Logan Views (now Dunollie). The Meeting House's manse was the now St. Ronans.

D. Who was our most renowned "witch" and was a denizen of the late 17thC Ruchlaw Close in the east of Dunbar?

a) A heiland lassie and weaver’s widow named Catherine McTaggart (or McTarget), reputedly executed in 1688.

E. Why was the above tried under The Witchcraft Act of 1563 with 46 people testifying against her?

a) Numerous incidents involving her occurred between the late-1650s and the mid-1680s in her Ruchlaw yaird, between what became Lamer and Shore Street in 1658, and mony mair elsewhere! For further information please use the link below:

Catherine McTaggart

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th October 2022

Quiz Number 150

A. What is the link between a recently transferred Hibs forward and Lamer Street's "Jersey Arms"?

a) Australian born Martin Boyle who was transferred for £3 million to the Saudi's Al-Faisaly football club on 21/2/22. He is the son of Graeme who was born when parents Betty and Chick moved to Australia. Chick was lost at sea (North) after "falling" from an oil rig crane. Betty, elder daughter, of Jimmy Smith and Buckie Jean, subsequently owned The Jersey. Post relegation of the Saudi team, and Martin having a view that his Australian selection may be in jeopardy, he has returned to his ancestral hame to join The Hibees.

B. Where is the oldest gravestone (excluding flat-stones) in our Parish Kirkyard?

a) A "divided" stone dated 1604 in memory of Andrew Pringle, located at Lair A215. (Please see plat and photographs below). These stones are 2 or 3 places to the right of Janet Kennedy's triple Lair number A214 and left of Kelly’s (banker) memorial at A217. Simpson’s family ground is located on Lair A196 between the two stones but to their rear (west).




Footnote - Also lost in the mists of time (or to Boorhoose Quarry) was a "bifurcated" calvary cross-style memorial dated 1604, its two members each approx 6 ¼’ long planted within yards of one and the other. The portion nearer to the Kirk door had a cross-member near its base and the only inscription thereon was the date as above. The above two "memorials" were included in the late John McNie's Kirkyaird tours.

C. Which four closes were successive to Browns ex-Thomsons, moving up towards Seaport?

a) Jameson's, Thomson’s Court, Raeburn's and Common (running NE across three riggs).

D. Who said "Sure we must have landed on a foreign shore"?

a) One of Thomson trio, Shie, Shaw or Traiveller when coming ashore in a mist on Bayswell Beach in the early 1900s espying Sirdar Reginald Wingate’s "Nubian" servants.

E. Whose early 20th century local nickname was Kaiser?

a) Jack McKenzie, ex-Perthshire, of Lochend Gardens.

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th September 2022

"True Blue" Annie Johnstone and "Brown" William Johnstone

A. What was atop the lady above's mantle shelf at her Colvin Street hame?

a) A nugget of gold.

B. Which family brought the above "True Blue" Annie Johnstone, nee Gilroy, up?

a) The Robertsons i.e. Peter and Mary.

C. Who was True Blue and Brown's eldest son (of 3)?

a) Peter "Tam Pat" Robertson Johnstone second husband of Jane Gaylor (nee Fairbairn) ex-Marr.

D. When did the Golan/Gullane/Gullen family uproot themselves from North Berwick and move here?

a) During the second decade of the 19th Century.

E. Where did Shaw, Traiveller and Shie - all Thomson brothers and successive children - bide?

a) Old Castlegate.

"Shaw" = John 8/3/1860 - 11/1/1927, "Traiveller" = Thomas 10/12/1862 - 20/9/1934 and "Shie" = Andrew 17/3/1865 - 29/2/1948.


Old Castlegate delineated in red

Daly's Corner Quiz

Original & Best

13th August 2022

A. What is the name of the rare plant fossil, of Carboniferous era, found near here?

a) Lepidodendron Veltheimianum, a fossil tree, was unearthed on Dunbar's Rabbit Warren.

B. What is the connection between the song above and our Dunbar of the 60s?

a) The "Town" involved is Dublin the no mean city of Lynott’s* childhood where his "bronze" is located and his mother was born. This song was co-composed in 1982 by Lynott and Dunbar's own Jimmy Bain who spent his teens here in the ‘60s, at the foot of Silver Street, so the lyrics probably hold some redolence to/of the Breezy Burgh, which one might sense. Oddly enough they were both instrumental in having children adopted.

*Taking his mother's surname, he was actually born at Hallam Hospital, West Bromwich, however, they moved to Dublin where he spent quite a deal of his life. His statue is outside his favourite watering-hole in the Irish capital.

C. Where did the Dunbar line of the Runciman family stem from?

a) Not, surprisingly, from Earlston as some genealogists have suggested but from Crail. Nevertheless, oor Custom House Square-born and Skateraw's ain coxswain, Walter Runciman Fairbairn, was actually born plain Walter and his middle name was something of an affectation from his distaff side to differentiate between the large numbers of Fairbairns here in Dunbar, Cove and elsewhere. His mum was possibly a 4th cousin twice removed of Rock Hoose born Walter Runciman who became quite famous in maritime circles and worldwide. Walter's parents stayed on Patterson Terrace on one of the two tenements before flitting down to The Shore to what became "The Heart of Dunbar" - Custom House Square.

D. Which Dunbar hostelries were owned/managed by the Black family pre-to-post Victoriana?

a) Black's Railway Tavern on Church Street; St George Hotel*, High St.; The Grey/White Horse, Old PO Close; Castle/Commercial Inn, High St./Seaport and White Swan, Shore by Mary Adamson, nee Black. *Co-managed by Catherine Clapperton Anderson, nee Black, who also sometime ran "The Railway"

E. Who was the 1st Captain of Dunbar Rugby Football Club's 1st XV?

a) In those dark and distant days of the 1920s, when games were played at Slaughterhouse Field and Drysdale's Paddock, J B Lees was the club's 1st Captain for 1923 and J M Henderson followed a year later.

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th July 2022

A. What was the name of the vessel stranded and indeed wrecked at Lunciwick on 1st November 1905?

a) The Cydum, a 100-ton schooner, was on a voyage from Southampton to Dysart, loaded with ballast, when she ran aground on the Lunciwick, near Dunbar at Thorntonloch, N55o 57.750” W002o 23.000”, as did the Youn/Ydan a Danish Sailing Ship coincidentally!

B. When were the following two “modernising” developments effected/enacted?

    i) Custom House Square?

    a) From '76 through '78

    ii) The Foresters Arms, which was 2 Colvin Street?

    a) From 2003 through to 2004 it became "The Shore"

C. Where are   i) Devil's Ark rock?

                        ii) Skethard?

a) Both are closely located to each other and propinquous to Torness. Devil’s Ark rock is one of several places thought to be the "resting place" of the ship “HMS Nymphe” which foundered on 18/12/1810. The Devil’s Ark location is not exactly known but may be a skelly of rocks which "guard" the sandy landing reach by Skateraw, possible co-ordinates are:- N 55° 58.590” W 002° 24.162”. HMS Nymphe’s sister ship HMS Pallas foundered on the same night on Dunbar’s Mid-Links Sicar, off the Vowt, and her anchor, seamen would venture to suggest, is visible in the Vowt Harbour.

D. Which, not so dry now, stream is nearest to the three pigs?

a) The Dryburn - oor pairish's limit - disgorges near the slightly more North-westerly of the trio's dubs.

E. Who bought the tenement from "The Wesleyans", on which the Castle ex-Commercial Inn is?

a) Maitland, the then Earl of Lauderdale, in circa 1800.

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th June 2022

A. What number of coins were found on our streets paved with silver?

a) A hoard of 290 silver coins, from the period 1558 - 1603, were discovered during September 1773 when laying out a street which was subsequently and appropriately named Silver Street. [Grid reference NT679789]

B. Where was the Officer Cadet Club?

a) Also known as the Cosmo, it was located in the basement of the Beach House Hotel and one went down the steps to right of the now demolished Heatherly House and through the door on the right-hand side, at the bottom.


C. Which street was Heatherly House built on?

a) At the foot of Silver Street and the same address described "The Beach House" as well as the tenement which became "The Foresters Arms".


D. Who were the first owners of the above hostelry, formerly Belhaven Brewery-owned?

a) Elaine Mary and R Collin Knox in 1977 and they succeeded tenants J&D Taylor.

E. Whose soubriquet was Three Lums?

a) Jock Bowie, oor mid-20th Century Castle Street "Turf Accountant".

Daly's Corner Quiz

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13th May 2022


A. What is the significance of the PGA European Tour badge above?

a) It was David Robertson's who was banned for many years in 1985.

B. When did the Huntly's sailship, "The Golightly", with a crew of thirteen, go down on its way to the mussel beds at  Tyne Water to get bait?

a) 12th of July 1886, off the North Pierhead.

C. Which members of the Huntly family perished in the disaster above?

a) Andrew born 20/5/1858, his wife Catherine Smith born 18/5/1859 and his brothers Alexander born 23/6/1864 and James born 21/6/1869. Their parents were David and Isabella Huntly (nee Clements). Also, the brothers’ cousin Agnes Dalgleish Huntly born 30/5/1870, her parents were Andrew Huntly and Sarah Dalrymple. Four others also drowned and four were saved.


D. Where was the town's Post Service before it was based at the Lorne Hotel?

a) Where else but Post Office Close or nearby; this Close ran down S by E, by the RNLI shop.

E. Who, born at Shore St. in 1928 and referred to as "Bert", was mentioned in despatches for gallantry in Korea and Malaya?

a) Robert Craig.