Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 1249-1949

Other names

  • Lookabootye Pageant

Pageant type

Notes

Additional information drawn from 'Survey of Historical Pageants' undertaken by Mick Wallis; with thanks to Ian Murray, Clackmannanshire Libraries. Also thanks to Professor Ian Brown for correcting some errors in an earlier version of this entry.

Jump to Summary

Performances

Place: The Glebe Park (Clackmannan) (Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire, Scotland)

Year: 1949

Indoors/outdoors: Outdoors

Number of performances: 1

Notes

9 July 1949, 2.30 pm

Also a 'Special Rehearsal Performance' on 8 July 1949, 7.30pm.

Name of pageant master and other named staff

  • Principal Producer [Pageant Master]: Sharpe, Robert
  • Musical Director: Alex Allan, A. (Mus.), TCL
  • Scriptwriter: Dr T. Crouther Gordon DFC, BD, FSA (Scot.)
  • Designer: Walter H. Gillespie, LRIBA
  • Scenic Technician: William Aitchison
  • Robemistress: Mrs John Lauder and helpers

Names of executive committee or equivalent

  • Chairman: Rev. Dr. T. Crouther Gordon
  • Vice-Chairman: Mr John L. Ferguson
  • Secretary: Mr Alex. McA. Wilson, FSAA
  • Publicity Manager: Mr Henry Murray
  • Treasurer: Mr James Millar
  • Other Members Of The Committee:
  • Mrs D. Ferguson, Mrs Lauder, Misses Milly Sharpe, C. Watson, R. Paterson, M. Garscadden, M. Hagen, and C. Gibb.
  • Messrs. G. McCulloch, A. Harrower, J. Snaddon, R. Gillespie, W. Dunan, W. Currie, and W. Aitchison.

Notes

Although women are well represented on the Pageant Committee, no woman is an office holder.

There appears to have been a discreet number of donors to this pageant's funds and these are listed on page 4 of the pageant book as 'Patrons and Donors'. They include:

  • The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Mar and Kellie
  • The Rt. Hon. Lord Balfour of Burleigh
  • The Rt. Hon. Viscount Younger of Leckie
  • The Hon. Victoria Bruce
  • The Rt. Hon. Arthur Woodburn, Secretary of State for Scotland
  • The Provosts of Alloa, Alva, Dollar and Tillicoultry
  • William Brown, Esq., County Convenor of Clackmannan
  • Charles G. Buick, Esq. of Netherby
  • Ian Burns, Esq., Kilbagie House
  • Jack Cathie, Esq., Bridge of Allan
  • William Dawson, Esq., Clackmannan
  • Ronald Grant, Esq., Alloa
  • William D. Hunter, Esq., Alva
  • John Kinross, Esq., Stirling
  • John McLean, Esq., Clackmannan
  • Frank Moncreiff, Esq., Alloa
  • Sydney Platfoot, Esq., Tillicoultry
  • Arthur R. Proctor, Esq. of Cowden Park
  • Alexander Syme, Esq., Clackmannan.2

The designer, W. H. Gillespie, was a local architect and his designs for the pageant included a model of the old Clackmannan Parish church 'made of wood' and 50 ft long and 20 ft high; he also designed models of the tower and of the town cross.3

Technicians were also listed by name in the pageant book and included 23 men.

Those involved with costumes included 7 female students from a local dressmaking school (Alloa Co-operative School under the direction of Ethel Allan Park) and a 'Costume Work Party' made up of 9 women (including 6 married women) and one man (Mr Alex Fyfe).4

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

  • Crouther Gordon, T.

Names of composers

n/a

Numbers of performers

180

There were around 180 performers in the pageant as follows: 75 adults (31 women in this number); 15 Boy Scouts; 58 local children (23 girls and 35 boys); 2 members of the Alloa Girls Club (likely to have been teenagers); 22 members of Alloa Amateur Gymnastic Club (gender not identified). The adult members of the cast came from four Alloa amateur dramatic clubs: Alloa Academy FP, the Bedford Players, Alman Dramatic Club and Harland Dramatic Club. The number of performers is estimated from names listed in the pageant book; however, an article in the local paper, the Alloa Journal, on 9 July 1949 reported that there were over 200 performers.

Financial information

Income
Donations: £242. 12s. 6d.
Admission to the Pageant: £350. 5s. 3d.
Sale of Brochures: £120. 3s. 2d.
Whist Drive, Dances & Concert: £30. 12s. 6d.
Exhibition: £27. 9s.
Car Park: £3. 9s.
Film Shows: £21. 9s.
Bank Interest: 16s. 10d.
Total: £796. 17s. 3d.

Expenditure
Purchase & Hire of Equipment & Preparation of Stage: £537. 3s. 1d.
Insurance & Licenses: £39. 0s. 6.
Printing Brochure: £82. 4s.
Printing Stationary & Advertising: £91. 17s. 6d.
Catering: £11. 10s. 1.
Cost of Film: £20.
Postage, Travelling, Telephone & Sundry Expenses: £13. 14s.
Total: £795. 9s. 2d.5

Object of any funds raised

Clackmannan Church

Notes

Balance of income over expenditure donated to Clackmannan Church: £1. 8s. 1d.

Linked occasion

700th anniversary of the founding of the Church in Clackmannan

Audience information

  • Grandstand: Yes
  • Grandstand capacity: n/a
  • Total audience: 3000

Notes

No figures are available for the rehearsal performance. It does seem likely that the pageant was well attended.

Prices of admission and seats: highest–lowest

5s.–1s. 6d.

Grandstand: 5s.
Uncovered seats: 2s. 6d.
Admission to ground only: 1s. 6d.7
Ticket prices for the rehearsal on Friday night were the same as for the regular performance on Saturday, except that children were admitted to any part of the ground for half-price.

Associated events

Community Exhibition (7, 8 and 9 July): admission 6d. This was opened by Mrs Frances P. Bruce of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who was said to be a lineal descendant of a branch of the Royal House of Bruce.
A 'Grand Open Air Dance' followed the pageant in Glebe Park. Admission 2s.; spectators 1s.
A popular concert by the Limekilns choir was held on 4 July.

Pageant outline

Scene I. The Coming of St Servanus: The Clash of the Faiths, c. 700 AD

This scene was set at 'Lookabootye Brae' and contained both dialogue and singing. The cast includes: St Serf; Scholar of St Serf; The Arch Druid; Malvina; and Toscar the Chief. The introduction to this scene describes a Pictish settlement on Clackmannan Hill and gives the derivation of the name as being the 'stone of Mannan', a local God who resides in a stone and to whom the Picts made sacrifices.

The scene opens with the Arch-Druid standing by the stone and declaring that Mannan is angry because the locals have been worshipping other Gods; attack by the Danes and famine are blamed on Mannan's wrath. He asks what Mannan desires while the tribe look on; the reply is the sacrifice of 'the fairest and purest maiden of the tribe'.10 The young women shriek and attempt to hide behind their parents. The Chief of the tribe appears agitated and his daughter, Malvina, clings to him. The Arch-Druid selects Malvina and the priest's acolytes tie bindings around her and drag her to the stone while her father protests. The Arch-Druid is about to raise his dagger when a figure carrying a small cross approaches and loudly roars 'Stop'. The newcomer snatches the dagger away and uses it to cut Malvina free. The Arch-Druid is furious. The stranger remains calm and announces he is Servanus and that he can prove Mannon is false. He approaches the stone, raises his cross and then touches the stone with the cross; at this, there is thunder and lightning. The Chief then declares his people will follow Christ. Servanus blesses the tribe and states he will build a church here. The scene ends with the singing of St Columba's hymn. A local group, 'The Bedford Players' performed this scene; their director was called Milly Sharpe.

Scene II. The Constitutional Crisis of 1195: William the Lion at Bay, 1195

The cast includes: King William the Lion; Patrick Earl of Dunbar; Hugh, Bishop of St Andrews; Queen Ermengarde; Princess Margaret; Princess Isabella; and the Jester.

The scene takes place at Clackmannan Castle; William, in the 30th year of his reign, has no male heir and appears to be on his deathbed. The King plans to marry his daughter Margaret to Otto (heir to Richard of England's throne) and so unite the kingdoms, but his Barons object. William calls all of his nobles to a meeting at Clackmannan.

William is carried in on a pallet accompanied by his wife and two daughters. He announces his plans to the assembled group. One noble, Earl Patrick of Dunbar, retorts 'Never! Never! Shall we have the hateful Sassenach to lord it over us?' There is argument and William states that far from this, 'England will be ruled by Margaret.' A jester jumps up and shouts: 'Let Otto be the head, Let Margaret be the neck; So every move that Scotland makes... makes England bow and beck.' William is firm and Margaret declares that she is willing to marry Otto; the Bishop of St Andrews also speaks in support but Dunbar continues to argue and shouts 'Down with England.' Alloa Academy F.P. Dramatic Club under the direction of Alexander [Sandy] Stalker presented the scene.

Scene III. Bishop de Bernham Dedicates Church of Clackmannan, 1249

The cast includes: David de Bernham, Bishop of St Andrews; Dean of Bishopric; the Archdeacon; acolytes, clergy, knights and commoners. This scene takes place when Iona Christianity has been supplanted by Rome; it consists mostly of the singing of psalms by clergy and declamation by the Bishop. It was set at the Clackmannan Church.

There is a crowd watching as the Bishop followed by many priests processes through the new church in a ceremony of dedication. They are dressed in richly coloured robes. Various symbols of Roman Catholic worship are seen such as sprinkling of holy water, the use of oils, and the burning of candles and incense. Then the Bishop reads from the Gospels and preaches. The crowd is 'visibly moved' when he mentions St Bartholomew who is the patron saint of the fair in Clackmannan. At the end of the ceremony, the Bishop states the church will be named after St Serf who brought Christianity to the locality; as he leaves some in the crowd come forward to receive a blessing. Harland Dramatic club under the direction of Cyril Evans presented this scene.

Scene IV. King Robert the Bruce and his Glove, 1317

The cast includes: King Robert the Bruce; Sir James Douglas; Writer; The Abbot of Inchaffray; and commoners of Clackmannan. This scene was said to 'portray the best known incident in the whole story of the town.' It took place following a time when 'English soldiers occupied the Tower of Clackmannan and oppressed the native people there.' However, after Bannockburn, Bruce reclaimed the town and came often to stay in the tower. The scene begins with Bruce and his friend Douglas riding out of the tower and into the town at the Mercat Cross while the people cheer and there is a fanfare of trumpets. Bruce extols the virtues of the town to Douglas in a loud voice. The Abbott joins them and they welcome him. Bruce calls for a parchment and awards the living of the Parish of Killin to the Abbott, as reward for his service in battle at Bannockburn. Then they all prepare to go off hunting in the forest of Clackmannan but Bruce remarks that his spur feels loose. Douglas offers to help but Bruce declines assistance; Bruce adjusts his spur and in doing so removes his glove which he leaves behind when the party takes off for the forest. The townspeople then busy themselves until the return of the King is announced. The King tells Douglas to look for his glove near to the stone of Mannon which by this date has been removed from its original site and is displayed in the centre of the town beside the Cross. He states 'Look aboot ye for my glove'. The glove is found and Douglas congratulates the townsfolk for their honesty. Bruce proclaims that the stone is no longer a pagan relic but the ‘Stone that held my Royal Glove, the Clack o' Mannon'. The townspeople give three cheers and the hunting party leaves to the strains of ‘Scots Wha Hae’. No organising group is recorded for this scene, but its director was Bill Dunan.

Historical Scene. The Royal Charter, 1500/01

This is an unnumbered episode which commemorates the granting of a Burgh status to the town during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots in 1550. The chartership was granted by the regent as Mary was a child still living in France. It names Robert Bruce of Rait as overlord of the Burgh. The scene consists of a short reading of part of the Charter by the Town Sheriff and takes place beside the Mercat Cross. A Town Crier is also in attendance. It was directed by Robert Sharpe.

Scene V. Mrs Henry Bruce Knights Scotia's Bard, 1787

The cast includes: Robert Burns; Dr James Adair of Harrogate (son of a physician from Ayr); Mrs Henry Bruce; Elizabeth (a maidservant); and a Groom. Burns visits Clackmannan in the company of Adair; they call on Mrs Bruce at the Tower (she being the last of her line to live in the tower). Mrs Bruce is a widow who uses 'rich dialect' and is a Jacobite; she is over eighty years old and is renowned for receiving guests. She shows Burns Robert the Bruce's sword and he is amazed by this. Mrs Bruce claims the right (because of her royal lineage) to award knighthoods, 'mair right to dae't than some folks (pointing to London)'. She proceeds to knight Burns with the sword. They then have a toast. Burns and Adair depart in a coach to the strains of ‘Will Ye No Come Back Again’. Harland Dramatic Club under the direction of Bessie Procter performed in the scene.

Key historical figures mentioned

  • William I [known as William the Lion] (c.1142–1214) king of Scots
  • Patrick, fourth earl of Dunbar (d. 1232) magnate
  • Ermengarde [Ermengarde de Beaumont] (d. 1233) queen of Scots, consort of William I
  • Princess Margaret of Scotland (1193–1259)
  • Princess Isabella (1195-1253)
  • Bernham, David of (d. 1253) bishop of St Andrews
  • Robert I [Robert Bruce] (1274–1329) king of Scots
  • Douglas, Sir James [called the Black Douglas] (d. 1330) soldier
  • Burns, Robert (1759–1796) poet
  • Adair, James Makittrick (1728–1801) physician

Musical production

Orchestra. The Choir of Clackmannan Church which had 32 voices provided music under the direction of Alex Allan, A. (Mus.), TCL. Music was played by the Queen Victoria School Buglers and Military Band; the Clackmannan Pipe Band. Pieces included:

  • St Columba's Hymn, ‘Christ is the World's Redeemer’ (Scene I).
  • Psalm 26: 'Judge me, Oh Lord'
  • Psalm 106:4: ‘Remember me'
  • Psalm 93 ‘The Lord Doth Reign' (Scene III).
  • ‘Scots Wha Hae’, lyrics Robert Burns (Scene IV).
  • 'Bonnie Charlie' (Will Ye No Come Back Again), lyrics by Lady Nairne (Scene V).

Newspaper coverage of pageant

Alloa Journal
Dundee Courier
Scottish Daily Mail
Glasgow Bulletin
Scottish Daily Express
Daily Record
Glasgow Evening Times
Weekly Scotsman
People's Journal
Scottish Co-operator
Bulletin
Glasgow Herald
Edinburgh Evening Despatch,
Scotsman
British Weekly

Book of words

Lookabootye, Clackmananshire 1249-1949: Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 9th July 1949, Price 2/6. Place of publication unknown.

Copies in NLS (NF.1462.f.2(4)) and Alloa Local History Records (Z40: UO8/2), access in Spiers Library, Alloa.

Other primary published materials

n/a

References in secondary literature

n/a

Archival holdings connected to pageant

  • These local records also contain a copy of a film of the pageant but access to this is limited to Clackmannanshire residents.
  • Alloa Local History Records holds newspaper clippings, hand drawn illustrations of arena, example of a handbill and other assorted ephemera. Z40: UO8/2. These can be consulted in Spiers Centre Library, Alloa.

Sources used in preparation of pageant

n/a

Summary

Clackmannan was traditionally the county town of its shire until industrial expansion in the early nineteenth century caused the nearby town of Alloa, which had access to the Firth of Forth, to grow, and Clackmannan thereafter declined in importance. Nonetheless, in 1949 it retained many remnants of the days when it was central to life in Clackmannanshire, such as an ancient church and impressive medieval tower house which was once home to the Bruce family. The pageant held in 1949 was to commemorate this heritage and specifically, the 700th anniversary of the church's founding by St Serf. The medieval structure had been rebuilt in the nineteenth century, but it ancient origins remained a cultural focus for this small town. The parish Minister, the Rev. Gordon, who was a keen local historian, wrote the script for the pageant and over six episodes he included the coming of Christianity and the story of the founding of Clackmannan church; but to these religious themes he also added other legends of the town that had popular appeal. These centred on the well-known historical figures of Robert the Bruce who had a close association with the town, and, in the final episode, the tale of Robert Burns’ visit to the famous last inhabitant of the town’s Tower House, the redoubtable Jacobite loyalist, Mrs Henry Bruce. Gordon managed very successfully to combine traditional pageant motifs with stories that had local resonance, and he deftly produced an engaging script.

Surviving illustrations and descriptions also indicate that a great deal of skill was used to create a facsimile of the church, the tower and the town square which were used for staging the pageant. So despite this being a pageant in a small town in Scotland's smallest county, and regardless of post war austerity, it is clear that the amateurs who organised and designed the pageant had a great deal of skill and aimed to produce an impressive show. The pageant was good enough to be covered by BBC radio and in this programme a 'special observer described the brilliant spectacle.'11 No doubt, the show was helped by the weather, which produced ‘a sun-drenched setting' for the main, Saturday afternoon performance.12 A great deal of publicity was also given to the fact that Robert the Bruce was to be played by a direct descendant, the then Lord Bruce of Elgin (b.1924), which seems always to have been a good selling point for pageants; and that Bruce’s mighty two-handed sword would be on display during the pageant celebrations at a historical exhibition. Moreover, although a small place, a feature of many Scottish towns is the interest at large in amateur theatricals, and in Clackmannan there were four such groups which led the way in performing the pageant alongside other members of community institutions.

The event was formally opened by the Deputy Lieutenant of the County, Lord Balfour of Burleigh (1883-1967), himself also a member of the Bruce clan who seemed delighted to celebrate Scottish heritage through pageantry and in a stirring speech made a patriotic plea about the importance of remembering the past:

We say that we are proud to be Scots and so we ought to be... But it is just loose talk unless we know what we mean, what is involved in being Scots, and something about the past... If we are worthy of our long national history which is a tale of struggle against heavy odds for liberty in church and state and in every sphere of human endeavour and achievement. And it is not finished yet... Well we all know what has happened since the Union. That England and the Empire have been ruled by Scots to an extent out of all proportions to their numbers, that the Scot is respected throughout the whole world. So it is our business to see that tradition does not lapse.

Balfour went on to state that those taking part in the pageant were themselves ‘the heirs of Robert the Bruce’.13 According to newspaper reports, 3000 people attended the performance of the pageant, which was roughly the size of the town’s population, indicating that despite difficult times, the wee County’s big pageant was a success in attracting attention.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Lookabootye, Clackmannanshire 1249-1949: Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 9th July 1949, Price 2/6 (place of publication unknown, 1949), 3.
  2. ^ Lookabootye, Clackmannanshire 1249-1949: Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 9th July 1949, Price 2/6, (place of publication unknown, 1949), 4.
  3. ^ 'Bruce Lives Again', Daily Record, 2 July 1949, np; item in news clippings collection relating to the pageant, shelfmark: Z40: UO8/2; held at Clackmannanshire Archives and available to view on request at Alloa Library.
  4. ^ Lookabootye, Clackmannanshire 1249-1949: Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 9th July 1949, Price 2/6, (place of publication unknown, 1949), 47.
  5. ^ Minutes of the Pageant Committee dated 5 December 1949: Clackmannan Local History Records. Z40: UO8/2.
  6. ^ ‘Peer Praises Heirs of Bruce’, Dundee Courier, 11 July 1949, 6.
  7. ^ Advertisement, Allan Journal, 2 July 1949, np; item in news clippings collection relating to the pageant, shelfmark: Z40: UO8/2; held at Clackmannanshire Archives and available to view on request at Alloa Library.
  8. ^ 'Historical Pageant at Clackmannan', Glasgow Herald, 8 July 1949, 7.
  9. ^ 'Clackmannan Pageant Week', advertisement, Allan Journal, 9 July 1949, np; item in news clippings collection relating to the pageant, shelfmark: Z40: UO8/2; held at Clackmannanshire Archives and available to view on request at Alloa Library.
  10. ^ Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations in synopses taken from Lookabootye, Clackmannanshire 1249-1949: Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 9th July 1949, Price 2/6, 8.
  11. ^ 'Historic Days Relived’, Alloa Journal, 11 June 1949, np; item in news clippings collection relating to the pageant, shelfmark: Z40: UO8/2; held at Clackmannanshire Archives and available to view on request at Alloa Library.
  12. ^ 'Clackmannan Pageant: "The Heirs of Robert the Bruce"', The Scotsman, 11 July 1949, 3.
  13. ^ 'Clackmannan Pageant: "The Heirs of Robert the Bruce"', The Scotsman, 11 July 1949, 3.

How to cite this entry

Angela Bartie, Linda Fleming, Mark Freeman, Tom Hulme, Alex Hutton, Paul Readman, ‘Clackmannan Historical Pageant, 1249-1949’, The Redress of the Past, http://www.historicalpageants.ac.uk/pageants/1033/