T H E C O V E N A N T E R
miles to attend a wedding?, and on a Friday of company, and moreover, to music even
too. Well a Cameronian might, for another I could actually dance to, later. Eventually
Cameronian, and his Lady. Especially when like all good things, there has to come an
they have both done so very much for ‘The end, and I gave way to it grudgingly, not
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and Family wanting to let go of that feeling of shared
Members Organisation’, and in doing so, togetherness and friendship you only
working on our behalf promoting, and experience when everything goes ‘click’,
continuing the memory of our Regiment. So Perfect! .
I accepted the invitation! Thinking however ‘Congratulations again Mr and Mrs
to make it as ‘special’ as I could, and set-to Ballantyne!’
working out how. PS, ‘What of that ‘special plan’ did 1
The weather was beautiful all that week, hear you ask? Sorry! 1 thought you had
and come the day, though threatened,by guessed!’ ‘I was the’ Lucky Chimneysweep’
promises of demonstrations and possible of course’.
trouble in Edinburgh in the buildup to,G8, Kenn Robinson.
the wedding took p1ace as planned, the
bridegroom immaculately turned out in
Every year the Covenanters and/or
Douglas tartan kilt, his Lady Margaret looked
beautiful in Pale Green gown with matching
the Cameronians are mentioned
accessories,’The ‘Best Man’ was our own Alan
in the media or elsewhere. As the
‘Doc’ Halliday who did Jim proud, the only
following articles show. 2005 has
other, Cameronian present that day, (other
been another good vear.
than myself) was Tom Winters and his wife
Stella. It was a family affair really, but we
1. The Ku-Klux-Klan believe they are
were all made welcome from the minute we
Cameronians?
arrived, and because of that I felt honoured
On the 8th January I heard the above
to have been asked.
words on BBC Radio 4, which were from an
The Scotia Regia Hall for those that
essay written by George Rosie about the Ku-
do not know; is not large, but has every
Klux-Klan (KKK).
facility required, and I admit to being very
George Rosie, a Scot, recently read the
impressed, it would not have been possible
following notice in small town Oklahoma.
for more guests to attend without feeling
‘All patriotic Americans who are concerned
overcrowded as it was a warm and friendly
about the future of our great country should
night from the start of the evening, helped
enlist in the ranks of the Knights of the Ku
throughout by the well pitched sound level,
Klux Klan’ These words were bordered by
and well chosen selection of music from the
Celtic crosses. A curious local man, dressed
D, J.
completely in denim, holding a can of beer,
A surprise for everyone was the sudden,
showed great delight to discover that a
unexpected arrival, at 9pm of a ‘Lucky
Scot was reading the notice by saying the
Chimney Sweep’ , suitably dressed and well
following words. ‘Hell Fellow! Scotland is
blacked up, entering the hall to the tune
where the KKK comes from...you Scotch
‘Chim Chimney’. The Bride and Groom were
guys started the whole business. ‘
asked on the dance-floor and the Chimney
Rosie, taken a back and being a liberal
Sweep carried out a small ceremony of
minded Scot, decided to verify the words
confirmation, which included, stepping over
he had just heard. It was not long before
the brushes, a poem, and certificate (framed
he had in his hands a novel called ’The
to be kept as a keepsake). ‘The Sweep’ then
Clansman’ written by Thomas Dickson, a
passed around the guests, handing out
Baptist minister, in 1906. Dickcson, knowing
copies of the words to the song ‘500 Miles’
that the majority of the immigrants to the
and invited a group on to the dance-floor
American South in the eighteenth and
to give the song a spirited rendering, duly
nineteenth centuries were Covenanting folk
given by all present in true Scottish style,
or what the Americans call Scotch-Irish from
after which the ‘Sweep’ melted away into
Ulster, he decided, even though the KKK was
the shadows again.
formed forty years before his novel, to link
Great feasting followed! And I must
them with the Covenanters. Dickson chose
confess to taking seconds, and even a third
to call his main character Richard Cameron
of the most succulent Trout ever tasted,
to establish that he was writing about hard-
caught fresh that morning. All taken down
line Covenanters or Cameronians. (At this
with my favourite malt, in the most excellent
point Rosie stated that the Cameronians
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