The Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952

Other names

  • The Pageant of Ayr: To Mark the 750th Anniversary of the Granting of the Royal Charter by King William the Lion to the Burgh of Ayr.

Pageant type

Jump to Summary

Performances

Place: Ice Rink Stadium (Ayr) (Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland)

Year: 1952

Indoors/outdoors: Indoors

Number of performances: 6

Notes

3–7 June 1952

Tuesday 3–Saturday 7 June at 7.30pm each evening; matinee on Saturday 7 June at 2.30 pm. There was a single rehearsal performance on Monday 2 June in the evening at a price of 1s. 6d. per ticket.1

Name of pageant master and other named staff

  • Director and Producer [Pageant Master]: Forsyth, Matthew
  • Associate Producer: Jameson Clark
  • Staff Manager: Alex P. Buchanan
  • General Stage Manager: J. Letham Connell
  • Architect: James A. Carrick
  • Heraldic Designer: Stephen Hunter
  • Director of Music: Hubert F. Cresswell
  • Music Co-ordination: Messrs Hubert F. Cresswell, James McMillan and William Bowie
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Mrs Marie Barton.
  • Stage Officials:
  • Entrance Marshals: Ewan Birrell; W. H. Macmillan; John Neil; P.D. Milligan; W. Macpherson; W.M. Haggarty
  • Castle Pages: David R. Christie; Darryl Mackie; Ruari McNeill
  • Assistant to General Stage Manager: Hugh Mackie

Names of executive committee or equivalent

Members of Ayr Town Council:

  • Provost Adam Hart
  • Bailie Andrew Y. Crawford
  • Bailie Hugh H. Campbell
  • Bailie Fred L. Alderson
  • Bailie William R. Gould
  • Dean of Guild William M. Anderson
  • [Council] Treasurer Peter Boyle
  • Police-Judge William H. Templeton
  • Police-Judge William S. Lanham
  • Police-Judge Miss Louisa D.F. McIntyre
  • Police-Judge Allan C. Hewison
  • Councillor Donald C. McLean
  • Councillor Joseph Glendinning
  • Councillor William H. Dunlop
  • Councillor Winifred O. Kelway-Bamber
  • Councillor David S.H. McDonald
  • Councillor Thomas Paterson
  • Councillor Quentin Blane
  • Secretary: Robert C. Brown, Town Clerk, Ayr
  • [Committee]Treasurer: Thomas Limond, Town Chamberlain, Ayr
  • Plus the following non-council members:
  • Thomas O’Beirne (Burgh Surveyor)
  • S.M. McKechnie
  • Mrs Marie Barton
  • Leonard M. Craig
  • Robert Cooper
  • James A. Carrick
  • Stephen Hunter
  • Michael M. Stubbs
  • Robert S. Burns
  • William Robertson
  • R.G. Ashby
  • J. Douglas Cairns
  • A.G.B. Cairncross
  • Alex P. Buchanan
  • J. Letham Connell
  • W. Ross Low

Technical Sub-Committee:

  • Convenor: Provost Adam Hart
  • Messrs Thomas O’Beirne, Robert S. Burns, James A. Carrick and W. Ross Low

Players Sub-Committee:

  • Convenor: William M. Anderson
  • Messrs R. G. Ashby, J. Douglas Cairns, J. Craig Barton, Robert S. Burns, William Robertson and Michael M. Stubbs

Publicity and advertising Sub-Committee:

  • Convenors: Fred L. Alderson and William S. Lanham
  • Messrs A.G.B. Cairncross, Robert Cooper and Leonard Craig

Wardrobe Sub Committee:

  • Convenor: Mrs Marie Barton
  • Secretary: Mrs R.G. Ashby
  • Mrs Pearle Gould, Mrs A. Hope, Mrs M. Lochead, Miss Jean Miller, Mrs W. Bone, Miss Marion Park and Mrs W. H. Templeton.

Notes

The Secretary, Treasurer, Staff Manager and General Stage Manager were also ex officio members of all of the sub committees.

It is clear that the executive wing was for the most part made up of elected members and employees of the Town Council.

Some episodes had named staff and organisers as follows:

Overture

  • Responsible Organisation: Ayr Pipe Band
  • With the assistance of: Ayr Health and Strength Club, Ayr Y.M.C.A. and others.
  • Producer and Stage manager: R. G. Anderson
  • Props: Hugh Dunnachie.3

Episode One:

  • Responsible Organisation: Ayr Amateur Players
  • Assisted by: ‘The Ayrshire Philharmonic Operatic Society, Youth Clubs etc.’
  • Producer: W. L. Auld
  • Stage Manager: A. D. Turner
  • Props: Thomas Johnstone
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Mrs A. Hope.4

Episode Three:

  • Responsible Organisations: Ayr Burgh Choir and Ayr Choral Union
  • Producer: Mrs M. G. Cresswell
  • Stage Manager and Props: George F. Horn
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Mrs M. Lochead.5

Episode Four:

  • Responsible Organisation: Prestwick Players
  • Producer: Mrs Marie Barton
  • Stage Manager & Props: Stanley Paton
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Jean Miller.6

Episode Five:

  • Responsible Organisation: Ayr Amateur Opera Company
  • Producer: Gilbert Gould
  • Stage Manager: Hugh J. McLachlan
  • Props: R. F. Taylor
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Mrs R. G. Ashby
  • Maypole Dance arranger: Pearle J. Gould.7

Episode Six:

  • Responsible Organisation: Ayrshire Philharmonic Operatic Society
  • Producer: George M. Baird
  • Stage Manager: Jack Lochans
  • Props: Mrs D. A. Hay
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Mrs W. Bone.8

Episode Seven:

  • Responsible organisation: Royal Scottish Country dance Society (Ayr branch)
  • Producers: Miss Betty Macmillan and Herbert Gilmour.9

Episode Nine:

  • Responsible organisation: Ayrshire Philharmonic Operatic Society
  • Assisted by: Ayr Burgh Choir & Ayr Choral Union.10

Episode Ten:

  • Responsible Organisation: The Royal Scots Fusiliers.11

Episode Eleven:

  • Responsible Organisation: Ayr Academy Drama Club
  • Assisted by: The Saxone Players, Ayr Fort Players, Maybole British Legion Players & ‘others’
  • Producer: Alex. MacMillan
  • Stage Manager: Charles Summers
  • Ass. Stage Manager & Props: George Johnston
  • Wardrobe Mistress: Miss Marion Park
  • Choral accompaniment arranged and conducted by William Bowie.12

Names of script-writer(s) and other credited author(s)

  • Kemp, Robert

Notes

The scriptwriter had an established association with the Director Matthew Forsyth and they had ‘collaborated in a number of productions.’13

Names of composers

  • Martin, Leslie

Numbers of performers

400

The majority of the performers were members of local drama clubs. Organisations which took part in the pageant were: Ayr Pipe Band Society; Ayr Rugby Football Club; Ayr Amateur Players; Ayr Burgh Youth Panel; Church Dramatic Clubs; Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (Ayr Branch);Ayr Burgh Choir; Ayr Choral Union; Ayr Burgh Band; Prestwick Players; Ayr Fort Players; Ayr Amateur Opera Company; Ayr Archery Club; Ayrshire Philharmonic Operatic Society; The Royal Scots Fusiliers; Ayr Burns Club; Ayr Gaelic Choir; Ayr Guildry Attractions Committee; Ayr Athletic Club; The Ayr and District Amateur Old Time and Country Dance Club; Ayr Art Circle' Ayr Young Men’s Christian Association; Ayr Young Women’s Christian Association; Girls’ Guildry; Boy Scouts Association; Ayrshire Education Authority; Ayr Battalion Boys’ Brigade; Girl Guides; Ayr Health and Strength Club; British Legion Players, Maybole; Ayr Academy Drama Club.

Financial information

A surplus of £466 was made.16

Object of any funds raised

None specific. A newspaper report states that the surplus made by the pageant was donated to ‘the Common Good’.17

Linked occasion


The 750th Anniversary of the issuing of a Royal Charter establishing Burgh status for Ayr.

Audience information

  • Grandstand: Not Known
  • Grandstand capacity: n/a
  • Total audience: n/a

Notes

3000 schoolchildren attended a rehearsal performance on Monday 2 June in the evening.19

Highest attendance was for the performances on Saturday when a total of 7000 saw the pageant at the matinee and in the evening.20

Prices of admission and seats: highest–lowest

10s.–2s. 6d.

10s., 8s., 6s., 3s. 6d., 3s., and 2s. 6d.

Rehearsal performance tickets 1s. 6d.21

Associated events

  • A Thanksgiving Service (Sunday 1 June) was held in the open air in the grounds of the Tower of St John in Ayr town centre.
  • ‘Community hymn singing’ at the Ice Rink arena (Sunday 8 June) following the pageant. 4000 people are said to have attended this. There was a massed choir made up of singers from many churches in Ayr, and a then well-known organ player called Sandy McPherson accompanied the singing. The event opened with the singing of Psalm no.100.
  • There was a pageant ball hosted by the town Council.

Pageant outline

Overture

There is no detailed description available for this, but taking part were a pipe band that included 13 pipers and 6 drummers. Since Ayr Health and Strength Club and the YMCA also took part, it may be assumed that there was perhaps an athletic or gymnastic display. Other players are described as ‘Men-at-Arms’ (13 players in this role), implying some sort of military presentation.24

Episode I. The Royal Charter

The episode was produced by W. L. Auld and performed by members of Ayr Amateur Players and The Ayrshire Philharmonic Operatic Society.25 Thirteen named individuals took the following roles: the Herald, King William, the Bishop of Glasgow, the Provost of Ayr, Reginald of Crauford, Philip of Valonis, William of Valonis, two King’s Chaplains, Prince Robert, Thomas of Colvill and two Royal Clerks. In addition, there were 80 supporting players in the roles of musicians, nobles, pages and court ladies, townsfolk and burgesses. Over half of this number were women.26 Little detail is provided in the book of the pageant but it is presumed that the episode enacts the petitioning to the King made by Ayr’s Provost, the King’s subsequent granting of Burgh status in 1202, and his signing of the charter.27 The episode contained dialogue and singing.

Episode II. Burns’s Prologue, no date

In this episode the statue of Robert Burns (which stands in the centre of Ayr and nearby to the where the pageant was held) springs to life and speaks ‘a prologue to the rest of the evening’s entertainment.’28

Episode III. Old King Cole and Sweet Marjorie

Here what is described as ‘an old Ayrshire version’ of the traditional rhyme is enacted through mime and, possibly, dance.29 This version includes the character of Sweet Marjorie. The characters of King Cole and Marjorie were joined by supporting players and the actions accompanied by music and singing. The figure of King Cole is historically associated with the ancient Kingdom of Kyle in which south Ayrshire is situated; the derivation of the kingdom’s name is attributed to a King Coilus who is said to have ruled here c. 4th century. No detail is given in the pageant material about the drama within the version used of this rhyme; it is assumed it was at least similar to the well-known contemporary version wherein Cole calls for his pipe, bowl and fiddlers three. Certainly, the cast list includes three fiddlers and three trumpeters but, curiously, four harpists. There are also 15 male attendants to the King in these supporting roles and 20 female attendants to Marjorie.30

Episode IV. Wallace the Guardian

Sadly, there is no exact account of the drama within this episode but since the figure of the poet Blind Harry appears as a character, it may be assumed that the action was accompanied by narration either extracted from or based upon his long verse composed upon the life of Wallace. The book of the pageant states that the episode shows ‘Wallace taking the shackles of Scotland upon himself, and carrying them into the fires of hell’.31 The figure of ‘Scotia’ is also a character together with a Bishop and characters called the ‘Foster-Mother’ and ‘Marion’. A 'ghost' and King Edward also make an appearance in what may be guessed was an allegorical depiction of Wallace’s struggle on behalf of Scotland during the late thirteenth century. A further character called ‘Sir Ronald’ probably refers to Sir Ronald Crawford who was Wallace’s uncle; according to Blind Harry’s account, Wallace’s burning of the Barns of Ayr in 1297, while English troops were stationed there, was committed in revenge for the death of Ronald at the hands of the English.

Episode Five. The Wapinschaw

This was said to aim at reflecting 'in a composite way, some of the variety and vigour of life in Auld Ayr'. It was meant to be a humorous episode and showed the characters of the Provost, the 'Wee Toun Clerk', a Senior Burgess and his wife, the Town Crier, a Sergeant and townspeople. The episode was the charge of the Ayr Operatic Society so might have been sung. The episode begins with a procession of the various trade guilds associated with the town and based upon the town's medieval past. The emblems of the guilds receive a blessing during this parade. Following this there is a 'Wapinschaw' or show of arms. The pageant book states:

Perhaps we shall be forgiven for having a little fun at the expense of the men who might be compared to a Home Guard of their day, but at the same time no one can forget that upon the readiness of the ordinary man to take the field our liberties often depended.

The scene ends with a dance.32

Episode VI. The Choosing of the Bruce

This episode recalls the meeting of the Scots Parliament at Ayr in which the Scottish succession was decided in 1315. The book of the pageant states that in this episode ‘we may see the Stewart dynasty cast its shadow before it.’33 Alongside Bruce, Blind Harry again makes an appearance together with quite a large cast of performers playing the roles of Scottish aristocrats, clergy and merchants. The episode may have contained singing as well as dialogue.

Episode VII. The Merry Lads of Ayr

Said to ‘form a living link with the past’, the Scottish country dances performed in this episode are its sole content.34 Itis assumed that the setting portrayed was mid-eighteenth century.

Interval

This consisted of a musical interlude.

Episode VIII. Burns

In this short episode the ‘statue of Robert Burns comes to life once more to bid us welcome to the second part of the pageant.’35

Episode IX. The Countess of Cassillis and Johnnie Faa

Representing ‘the strand of wild and desperate romance which runs through the life of Scotland’ yet also said to be a story ‘very much on Ayr’s doorstep’, this episode’s narrative was derived from a popular ballad in which the Countess falls in love with the gypsy king, Johnnie Faa.36 For the episode, however, this story was changed and a purported ‘rational background’ was attached to the ballad’s legend. The episode is therefore adapted to tell the tale of how ‘Lady Cassillis of Dunbar had loved John Faa of Dunbar’ but regardless was forced into an arranged marriage with the Earl of Dunbar. While her husband was away, Faa turns up at her castle dressed up as a gypsy whereupon 'the lady threw prudence to the winds and eloped’.37 After this scandal, the Earl goes on to exact revenge on them both. The narrative may have been sung.

Episode X. To War with Marlborough

For this episode, the Royal Scots Fusiliers (which became the county regiment of Ayr in 1873) were employed in a military tattoo in which ‘drill movements used in Marlborough’s Campaigns in the Low Countries (1702–04)’ was demonstrated.38 These soldiers were set the task of performing drills that ‘would be daily routine to the troops who served under Marlborough.’39 A 2nd Lieutenant, a Sergeant, a Corporal and four Fusiliers took part alongside a regimental drummer.40

Episode XI. The Lives and Loves of Robert Burns

In the final and possibly lengthiest episode, which contained dialogue and singing, the statue of Burns is again reawakened whereupon he encounters his ‘good but severe father, the schoolmaster who instructed him, the minister who reproved him, and the man who opened his eyes to the pleasures of Bohemian life.’41 The latter allegedly was the poet’s friend Richard Brown who appears as a character in the episode. Many of those invented or made famous by Burns in his poems, including women with whom he had relationships then enter the drama. The episode has a large cast of named characters as well as supporting players, the ‘voice’ of Scotia returns to the arena, and there is a choral accompaniment to the drama. The subjects of poems who appeared included, Clarinda, Highland Mary, Duncan Gray, Maggie, Tam o’ Shanter, Souter Johnnie, Captain Grose; Mary Morison, and many of the Jolly Beggars together with the Exciseman and his ‘Muckle Black Deil’.42

Key historical figures mentioned

  • William I [known as William the Lion] (c.1142-1214) king of Scots
  • Wallace, Sir William (d. 1305) patriot and guardian of Scotland
  • Edward I (1239-1307) king of England and lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine
  • Bruce I [Robert Bruce] (1274-1329) king of Scots
  • Hary [Harry; called Blind Harry] (b. c.1440, d. in or after 1492) poet
  • Churchill, John, first duke of Marlborough (1650-1722) army officer and politician
  • Murdoch, John (1747-1824) teacher and writer
  • Burns, Robert (1759-1796) poet
  • Armour, Jean (1765-1834) wife of Robert Burns and subject of poetry

Musical production

Several bands and choirs accompanied including:
  • Ayr Pipe Band
  • Ayr Burgh Choir
  • Ayr Choral Union
  • Ayr Burgh Band
  • Ayr Amateur Opera Company
  • Ayrshire Philharmonic Operatic Society
  • Ayr Gaelic Choir.
Performed pieces included:
  • Music in Episode XI arranged and conducted by William Bowie
  • ‘The March of the Pageant of Ayr’ (Interval). Composed and arranged by Bandsman Leslie Martin. 
  • Various songs of Burns were used in Episode XI.
  • Communal singing of 'Auld Lang Syne' at the close of the performance.

Newspaper coverage of pageant

Ayr Advertiser
Ayrshire Post

Book of words

n/a

Other primary published materials

  • The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952. Ayr, 1952.

Price 2s. Several copies in Local History Room, Carnegie Library, Ayr. 394.5 kem. One copy in NLS. 5.2326. Also available elsewhere.

References in secondary literature

n/a

Archival holdings connected to pageant

  • Material relating to the script of the pageant is held in the papers of the author Robert Kemp in the NLS: acc7622 (boxes 1 and 38).
  • SCRAN (http://www.scran.ac.uk/) has some digitised images.

  • Carnegie Library Ayr and NLS hold the pageant book.

Sources used in preparation of pageant

  • Blind Harry (Episodes IV and VI).
  • The Poetry of Robert Burns (Episodes II and XI).

Summary

This centenary pageant celebrated 750 years of Royal Burgh status, a civic pedigree which Ayr had long flaunted alongside its standing as the cradle of the national bard and the stamping ground of military heroes such as Wallace and the Bruce. In this pageant, celebration of the granting of the Burgh Charter enabled further memorialisation of Ayr’s relationship with many favoured historical characters who were fortuitously also national heroes. A short article included in the pageant book states, ‘[h]istory, indeed, converges on the town…’.46 Ayr was not new to the business of historical pageantry having staged a large-scale, outdoor event in 1934, and a smaller centenary pageant celebrating another local hero, the road engineer John Macadam, in 1936. Although it is clear that this particular pageant of 1952 aimed high, many differences can be identified between this post-war event and Ayr's previous inter-war forays into pageants. In comparing events, it is impossible to ignore that the 1952 pageant was in some ways a scaled down affair and has left in its wake a good deal less ephemera, despite the fact that it had a high profile director in Matthew Forsyth and an experienced writer in Forsyth's long-term associate, Robert Kemp.

The context of its production may go a long way towards explaining this. With perhaps unfortunate timing, the Ayr anniversary was sandwiched between the year of the Festival of Britain and that of the Queen's coronation in 1953. Nevertheless, Ayr pursued commemorating its own locally significant date with some fanfare. However, there was continued post war austerity with which to contend, and, with no high profile national celebration with which to justify a request for funds, novel methods were used to maintain thriftiness. For example, rather than produce posters and flyers, the Town Council employed two volunteers dressed as halberdiers to go through the town ringing a bell in order to call attention and carrying a banner advertising the pageant. During this publicity campaign, the King's death was announced and, in deference, the halberdiers wore black armbands over their bright red jackets.47 In addition, disappointingly for historians, organisers clearly did spare expense on the pageant book which is more similar to a programme and gives scant details about some of the episodes. Although it does contain many photographs of performers, there are no colourful illustrations. Continuing rationing of paper perhaps explains these economies but they must also have saved money. In addition, while the pageant master for the 1936 extravaganza was paid a percentage of the takings plus additional expenses, Forsyth and Kemp were each paid a flat fee of '£250 plus hotel and travelling expenses.'48 Moreover, the most obvious change from previous events was the move to an indoor arena and perhaps, in consequence, a reduced number of performers: in 1934, for example, over 3000 people from across Ayrshire took part in the pageant making it into a triumph of democratic participation, while in 1952 there were only 400. Ayr may not have been willing to take a chance on the weather and it seems that the preferences of Forsyth and Kemp may also have had a part to play in influencing this decision. In 1951, both had worked on the Pageant of Rothesay and had difficulties with rehearsals because of wet weather; Forsyth remarked, probably with relief, that Ayr would not suffer in this way.49

There is an inference also that under Forsyth an inclination was shown towards involving amateur drama enthusiasts rather than the ordinary man and woman in the street, as the pageant master Matthew Anderson had been so keen to do in 1934. Forsyth described the pageant of 1952 under his direction as being 'a dramatic rather than a professional pageant' as if to ward off any criticism of his choice of players which might be made by the many thousands of people who still recalled the success of the 1934 pageant with pride.50 There can be no doubt, however, that a change of pageant ethos did take place, with each of the pageant's episodes being the province of one or more of the many drama or music clubs from the district and few players having no previous dramatic experience. It is possible that Forsyth did envisage initially a somewhat larger spectacle: a newspaper article announcing the pageant stated that between 500 and 700 players might be needed.51 As listings in the pageant book show, the town certainly had no shortage of amateur theatrical clubs, and the indoor stadium used was a large one, but subsequent adaptations to Ayr Ice Rink in order to create a pageant arena may have restricted the size of cast that could comfortably perform. In preparation, workers from the town's parks department moved '1350 square yards of turf to go on top of 120 tons of soil' in order to mimic the outdoors.52 Evidently, these materials were not on the ration! However, ironically, the glass roof of the stadium was blacked out in favour of artificial lighting.53 A further notable difference from the pageant of 1934 is that there is no evidence of military titles among the organisers, and, generally, the pageant was the province of local civic dignitaries rather than the upper-class county set whose presence had been so prominent in the inter-war years.

Alongside change, however, there was still adherence to pageant traditions in the choice of some episodes and the use of a linking narrator; in this case, though, rather than employing a mythical figure, the local hero Robert Burns took this role. Moreover, further local resonance was provided by Burns appearing in the guise of a well-known statue of the poet that stands in the town centre of Ayr; when Burns appears in the pageant, he is initially seen as this likeness, and thereafter he sprang to life in order to perform his part.54 This conceit was made easier by the fact that the actor, Raymond Lewis, who played the part of Burns, was said to have an uncanny resemblance to the poet and particularly to the likeness of him created for the town's statue. In eleven episodes, various real and fanciful enactments of local heritage were performed, all in chronological order with the exception of Episode I; in deference to the centenary subject of the pageant, this opening episode begins with a dramatic interpretation of the award of Burgh status. The pageant then moves back in time to a comic display in Episode II of the court of Old King Cole. The use of the nursery rhyme figure and, later, in Episode IX, an enactment of the traditional ballad about the Countess of Cassillis’ elopement with Johnny Faa, were evidently meant to lighten the load of more serious historical narratives about Wallace and Bruce in Episodes IV and VI that were common in the Scottish pageant tradition.

The employment of local choirs, orchestras and dance troupes likely accounts for the large number of episodes in which music, dance and acrobatics form the main entertainments. This use of local organisations also stretches to include Ayr's military associations: in Episode X, where the county regiment, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, took centre stage playing the part of their predecessors, the Earl of Mar's regiment. As with the hugely successful pageant of Ayrshire in 1934, and perhaps with a nod to this, the 1952 pageant ended with an episode centred on the life and work of Burns and featuring many of the subjects of his poetry.

Ayr had tasted both highs and lows in its pageants: after 1934's massive success, the admittedly smaller scale pageant celebrating the centenary of the death of John Macadam in 1936 was poorly supported and received some lukewarm reviews, particularly pointing out its lack of a specifically Scottish orientation and sympathy. Sixteen years on from this disappointment, it is clear that some lessons had been learned. For the event in 1952, episodes were short but plentiful, relatively uncluttered with performers but colourful, and the emphasis was firmly on history that was resonant with Scottish themes. Even though holidaymakers were anticipated as making up a fair percentage of the audience, the accent was placed on a mixture of local and Scottish national historical figures. This had previously been warmly received in many Scottish pageants and it was so again for Ayr in 1952. Despite the austerity times and evidence of economies, Ayr shopkeepers decorated their premises for pageant week, flags were flown and optimism carried the day.55 The pageant emerged as a sell-out event and a healthy profit was returned. Sadly, a promised BBC film unit failed to turn up during pageant week so little surviving evidence of the extent of the spectacle has been recovered.56

Footnotes

  1. ^ ‘Pageant of Royal Ayr’, Ayrshire Post, 30 May 1952, 8.
  2. ^ Council and Committee members are listed in The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 2-3 and 5.
  3. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), p.5.
  4. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), p.6.
  5. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), p.9.
  6. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952),.
  7. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 13.
  8. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 15.
  9. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 31.
  10. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 33.
  11. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 35.
  12. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952),.37
  13. ^ ‘Anniversary Pageant: Cast May Need 500–700 Players’, Ayr Advertiser, 8 November 1951, 1.
  14. ^ ‘Pageant of Royal Ayr’, Ayrshire Post, 30 May 1952, 8.
  15. ^ See list in The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 38.
  16. ^ ‘Pageant Surplus’, Ayrshire Post, 16 January 1953, 14.
  17. ^ ‘Pageant Surplus’, Ayrshire Post, 16 January 1953, 14.
  18. ^ ‘Pageant of Royal Ayr’, Ayrshire Post, 30 May 1952, 8.
  19. ^ ‘Colourful Pageant’, Ayrshire Post, 6 June 1952, 10.
  20. ^ ‘Ayr Pageant’s Success’, Ayrshire Post, 13 June 1952, 7.
  21. ^ ‘Pageant of Royal Ayr’, Ayrshire Post, 30 May 1952, 8. A photograph accompanying the article shows an advertising banner carrying seat prices.
  22. ^ ‘Colourful Pageant’, Ayrshire Post, 6 June 1952, 10. The Tower is the remains of a mediaeval church and is a well-known landmark in the town.
  23. ^ ‘Ayr Pageant’s Success’, Ayrshire Post, 13 June 1952, 7.
  24. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 5.
  25. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 6.
  26. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 29.
  27. ^ The episode is summarised in a short paragraph in The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 7.
  28. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 8.
  29. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 8.
  30. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 29.
  31. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 10.
  32. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 12.
  33. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 14.
  34. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 30.
  35. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 32.
  36. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 32.
  37. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 32.
  38. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 34.
  39. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 34.
  40. ^ The soldiers are listed in The Book of the Pageant of Ayr (Ayr, 1952), 35.
  41. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 36.
  42. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 36.
  43. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 37.
  44. ^ The Book of the Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952 (Ayr, 1952), 16.
  45. ^ 'Colourful Pageant', Ayrshire Post, 6 June 1952, 10-11.
  46. ^ ‘Auld Ayr—A Town with Personality’ in The Book of the Pageant of Ayr, 40-43.
  47. ^ ‘Pageant of Royal Ayr’, Ayrshire Post, 30 May 1952, 8.
  48. ^ 'Ayr Pageant Fees', Ayrshire Post, 16 November 1951, 10.
  49. ^ Quoted in 'Ayr Pageant', Ayrshire Post, 9 November 1951, 9.
  50. ^ 'Ayr Pageant', 9.
  51. ^ 'Anniversary Pageant Cast', Ayr Advertiser, 8 November 1951, 1.
  52. ^ 'Pageant Preparations', Ayrshire Post, 23 May 1952, 8.
  53. ^ 'Pageant Preparations', 8.
  54. ^ This statue of Burns is an Ayr landmark and coincidentally stands only a few minutes' walk away from the ice Rink stadium.
  55. ^ 'Pageant of Royal Ayr’, 8.
  56. ^ 'Ayr Pageant Success', Ayrshire Post, 13 June 1952, 8.

How to cite this entry

Angela Bartie, Linda Fleming, Mark Freeman, Tom Hulme, Alex Hutton, Paul Readman, ‘The Pageant of Ayr 1202-1952’, The Redress of the Past, http://www.historicalpageants.ac.uk/pageants/979/