West Barns Gala : History

Message Received: May 24 2007, 03:46 AM
From: "Malcolm McLeman"
To: tara.paxton
Subject: West Barns Gala

Dear Tara,

Congratulations on the WB Gala website, nice to see the
village on internet.
I think your gala history is a wee bit out as the
enclosed attachment shows. Perhaps 1972 in its present
form with Gala queen etc.but my earliest recollections
was the first gala after the war complete with live
shooting gallery, held on the then McAdam estate at
Bielside. The McAdam family were the owners of West
Barns maltings.
I only know some of the people on the picture which I
would imagine was taken around 1920. Boy with hat in
the rear was my uncle, Adam Guthrie born at Bridgend
cottage where my cousin Charles McLeman presently
lives.Second girl to the picture right of Adam is Zina
Miller's grandmother, Mrs Lindsay. Boy left kneeling
is Alex (Eckie) Knox father of Ally, Ian and Ronnie
who still live in WB.
Barefooted boy in the front with kilt is Ally Purves
whose parents owned Purves the grocer in Dunbar and
WB, the shop is now the main bar of the West Barns
Inn.
Ally Purves provided the early post war galas with
music via his public address system installed in his
car, quite a thing in those days. His wife Mrs
Purves still lives in Springfield terrace.
Good luck with the gala.

Sincerely,

Malcolm McLeman