The summer of 1949 in Clackmannan was an exceptionally busy one for many people from the village and the surrounding area. Seven hundred years previously on the 9th of July, the Clackmannan Church was dedicated by the Bishop of St. Andrews, David De Bernham. Christianity had first arrived in Clackmannan when St. Servanus (St. Serf) arrived in the village.
The Clackmannan Church Minister, Rev. Dr. Thomas Crouther Gordon, D.D. DFC. had suggested holding a Historical Pageant to remember this great occasion. People from all around Clackmannanshire spent the following eight months busily helping make his vision a reality.
Rev. T. Crouther Gordon himself wrote the script for the Pageant - he was very renowned for his knowledge of the local history. Rev. Gordon's influence was clearly displayed throughout the Pageant. He also worked very closely with Mr. Robert Sharp, the Pageant Producer. This led to scene's flowing smoothly helping to bring the performances to life for the audience.
Alloa Burgh architect Mr. Walter Henderson Gillespie designed the backgrounds and oversaw a small army of 18 carpenters and other skilled men as they built the backgrounds. The costumes were made by a team of seamstresses who worked tirelessly, most of the costume pieces were cut out by local Tailor Mr. Alex Fyfe.
A scaffolding framework was built and the carpenters then spent every spare moment they had building the set from wood including a replica of the Old Clackmannan Church which was 40 feet long and 20 feet high. There were also replicas of the Mercat Cross and the Stone of Mannan.
The Robemistress Mrs. John Lauder oversaw the pieces being made into an array of colourful costumes. Many of the costumes were made of Hessian fabric which is far from ideal for making the required dresses, etc. However the skills of the seamstresses produced beautiful costumes. The Hessian was dyed to the required colours. Unfortunately Hessian is quite a heavy fabric and the cast members however managed to cope well with the heat from a very hot summers day and none of the cast fainted. It is however reported that a few members of the audience did faint.
There was a cast of approximately 230 people from all around the area. Several Drama Groups took part, as well as children and other adults. The Choir from Clackmannan Parish Church participated as did the Buglers and Military Band from Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, Clackmannan Pipe Band, and many other groups.
All the effort by all the volunteers helped to make the main performance of the Saturday very lavish and a “colourful splendor”.
The Pageant was so large that there were no halls large enough for the scenes and therefore it was decided it would been an open air Pageant, a field in Clackmannan called “The Glebe” was the appointed site. There was also a Grandstand built to accommodate 500 people seated. The Glebe took on an amphitheatre like look. There was space for another several thousand people sitting on the ground or standing. The stage was formed on a raised soil platform.
The Pageant was opened on the Saturday by a speech by Lord Balfour of Burleigh, I believe that so far I have only managed to find part of his speech and unfortunately I'm unsure if it is all in the right order, but I have included the text below:-
Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Speech
“Every now and again when there are English around we say that we are proud to be Scots, and so we ought to be and have every right 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: unless we know what Scots of old did for Scotland and for us, unless we are ready and eager to do something for Scotland now and for those who come after us.”
“Those of us Bruces who are kinsmen of the Royal House trace our line back to the grandfather of King Robert, and no one can substantiate a claim to the King as his legitimate ancestor. Perhaps as well, because he belongs to us all and we to him 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 England and the Empire has been ruled by Scots to an extent out of all proportion to their numbers and the Scot was respected throughout the world. So it is our business to see that that tradition does not lapse for the lack of Scots such as were bred of old-men and women in whose hearts the heritage of Scotland lives, in whom the fire of desire to excel, to serve God and their fellow men still burns, when others are losing faith have kept their soul, the men and women on Tower Hill today, the heirs of Robert the Bruce“
A last word about the old struggle against England “what did Scotland gain by resisting England for so long and by Bannockburn?” asks a great English Historian of today! Listen to the answer he gives, “Nothing but her soul”
“But whether you know it or not and whether you care about it or not, the past is the present as surely as the present is the future”
“The past can help more than most people realise. You can draw on it if you will and it does not need any great venture of imagination or faith.”
“We are all heirs to a great heritage – that is reality – the humblest of us.”
Baron Burleigh when talking of the Roman Scene, asked listeners to look back saying that they weren't alone on the hill as he recalled that Roman soldiers had once walked on the hill and that there was probably a Roman outpost on it with soldiers from their Alloa post manning it. The near view for them was different from now as the West, North and East were at that time covered in dense forest. To the south the sea had reached the foot of Tower Hill. The more distant view however was the same for the Romans and the audience.
He also commented that there had been two casts of King Robert the Bruce's skull made of which “One given to my grandfather and one to Lord Elgin's great grandfather as the representatives of the two senior branches of the Bruce Family.“
Pageant Programme
The Pageant was split into six segments each re-enacting a specific event in Clackmannan's History.
Segment 1, depicted the arrival of St Servanus in Clackmannan and introducing Christianity to the area.
Segment 2, depicted the constitutional crisis when William the Lion's health caused concern as he had no male heirs.
Segment 3, was the dedication of Clackmannan Church by David De Benham.
Segment 4, retold the tale of King Robert the Bruce and his lost riding glove. The famous king was played by descendant Lord Bruce of Broomhall who also used Robert the Bruce's sword in the pageant.
Segment 5, re-enacted the reading of the Royal Charter which declared Clackmannan a “Free Burgh of Barony”.
Segment 6, told the story of Lady Catherine Bruce “knighting” Robert Burns.
Lord Bruce of Broomhall
The Pageant was performed to an audience twice, the first time was on Friday the 8th of July in the evening and was really the dress rehearsal. The main performance was on the Saturday 9th July and thousands turned up to this performance. The cost of admission to the Pageant varied depending on seating and standing positions ranging from 1 shilling to 5 shillings. There were three other events during the days around the main Pageant performance.
On Monday the 4th of July there was a Concert of the Limekilns Choir at 7.30pm in Clackmannan Town Hall. This cost 6d for entrance.
On Thursday the 7th of July an exhibition was opened in Clackmannan Town Hall, this was to show the products manufactured in the area. Mrs. Bruce Russell of Grand Rapids, USA a Bruce descendent, opened the Exhibition.
After Saturday's performance there was an Open Air Dance, held in The Glebe. I have been able to find no other information than this unfortunately about the Dance.
Groups who participated were:-
Alloa Academia FP Dramatic Club
Bedford Players
Harland Dramatics Club
Alman Dramatic Club
7th Clackmannanshire Boy Scouts
Clackmannan Church Choir
Alloa Girls Club
Alloa Amateur Gymnastic Club
Queen Victoria Schools Buglers & Military Band
Clackmannan Pipe Band
Alloa Co-operative Dressmaking School
Numerous Boys, Girls, Men and Women from the county.
The Pageant itself was relatively well covered in a variety of national and local newspapers. There was a BBC representative who orally described the Pageant and the BBC made a 20 minute video of the Pageant unfortunately with no audio recording.
After the Pageant, a thank you was printed in several newspapers.
Rev. Dr. T. Crouther Gordon's Thank You Message
The great historical Pageant of Clackmannan is over and the Committee cannot but feel pride and satisfaction in the happy and successful outcome of their labours of some eight months. It has been a memorable occasion. But this could only have been achieved through the generous co-operation and practical assistance of a host of friends. All over the county liberal hands were extended to help us. Time and again, when an ugly obstacle loomed up, assistance was immediately forthcoming in order to remove it from our path. From Company Directors to Craftsmen and apprentices all worked an helped in the most splendid fashion. And so we offer to everyone who helped a warm and generous mead of gratitude. Words cannot quite express the debt we owe. A great effort nobly and impressively consummated must be their record and ours.
Programme
A programme for the pageant was produced with a running order, scene script and cast list. This is laid out in the pictures below:
