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Document : 1014
Title    : Spech of reminisence given by R. Morrison at Silver wedding of
his son in law S. McDonald 1.1.43
Author(s): Mr Robert Morrison

Copyright holder(s): Dr Beth Dickson

Text

Spech of reminisence given by R. Morrison at Silver wedding of his son in
law S. McDonald 1.1.43

Mr Chair man Ladies and Gentlemen. I might say that I am delighted and
thankfull to God for His Kindness to each of us in permiting us to gather
with each other to do honour to my son in law and His wife on account of
celebrating their silver wedding

As I look round this little company I can see a few who were present 25
years ago at their original wedding. But sorry to say there are a few
absent who has gone to swell the Great Majority. Who were happy on that
bright and memorable night 25 years ago. Now I trust everyone present here
to night will enjoy them selves we have the best of talent. A fine speaker
from the largest city in the world and speakers and singers and musicians
from the largest town in Ayrshire and the same from the smallest village
namely the Plan. Now before I proceed to say anything more I would like to
recall a something that took place a night previous to the wedding. The
house where they were going to take up their abode was being put into
order, so that everything would be in order for them when they returned
from their Honeymoon. So a very important item had to be attended to namely
the hanging up of the nock which had to been presented to them. So Sam came
up the night before the wedding to see to it being hung up in the right
spot. So he asked me to come seing I was an experienced man he asked me to
come up with my claw hammer and 2 strong nails. And I may say before we
proceeded a wee chap from Overtown a wee minning village up in Lanarkshire
arrived on the scene Not that he knew any thing about hanging up nocks. But
we took him with us he knew more about coal cutting machines and pan runs.
But we took him with us just to pass the time. So Sam being a minning
student choose the spot. So he asked me to nock in one of the nails. So i
did so and i asked Sam if that would dae dae says he that nail would hold
all the nocks that ever was made in America. Off course the wee chap from
overtown did not speak. So we lifted up the nock and Sam and I looked it up
and down, and we came to the conclusion that it was perpindicular. And Sam
concluded there would be nothing to hinder the nock from going. He opens
the door and gives the pendlum a nice wee shove away and we hearkens tick
tick tick and it stops. So i told Sam to give the pendlum a harder shove.
So he did so and we hearkens tick tick tick and it stops. So I looked over
at the chap to see how he was taking it: but I just saw a wee smile on his
face but I never let on. I told Sam the third time was fair, but that he
would have to give the pendlum a harder shove this time. So he did so and
we hearkens again tick tick tick and it stops. So we had to eat the humble
pie, and i asked the wee chap to try his hand if he kent anything about a
nock hanging up So I think I see these wee hard hauns of his catch the nock
by the side and take it a little to the side off the perpindicular and he
gave the pendulm a gentle shove away and we hearkens tick tick tick and the
nock never stopped. It is gawn yet. So Sam like the nock has went on
through these 25 years day out and day in working in the interest of the
Lord who saved Him and in the interest of his master on earth, and his
home. And I can say of him as I heard a man say about his son in law, that
his experience of him was that he had found him to be a gentleman. I may
say that I was an eye-witness of him being taken on the Cage by the hand of
his Uncle James and taken away ben into the coal face to draw of his uncle,
as he passed by me I was sorry for him. Yet he seemed to me to be a clever
wee chap and I thought he would get on. So from that day he began to learn
all he could about the mine from the horles to the coal face. And one day
He set out for Edinburgh and he answered a lot of Questions concerning
mining and then he came home. And the Postman followed him with his Second
Class Certificate. But not being content he set out again and obtained his
first class. And of course as we all know he has filled that position for
the last 21 years. Now for his dear wife. I have known her since she was a
child. As she grew up she was put to work as early as we could get her
away. So she learned to be a professional Baker of Oatcakes and Scones and
pancakes. And she learned to wash, sow, nit and darn and she turned out to
be a first class wife for Sam. And I am sure he would kill all the Germans
in Germany if any of them interfered with Meg. I will now conclude wishing
them the Blessing that Jabeas received. And I now call on Mr McDonald to
sing the beautifull song I heard him sing 30 years ago. I am pressing on
the upward way.


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Information about document and author:

Text
Text audience
Adults (18+): Audience size: N/A
Writer knew intended audience: 
Text details
Method of composition: Handwritten
Year of composition: 1943
Word count: 982
General description: Speech given at Silver wedding

Text setting
Private/personal: 
Text type
Prepared text (e.g. lecture/talk, sermon, public address/speech): 

Author
Author details
Author id: 910
Title: Mr
Forenames: Robert
Surname: Morrison
Gender: Male
Decade of birth: 1870
Educational attainment: N/A
Age left school: 11
Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism
Occupation: Miner / Colliery fireman
Place of birth: Fergushill
Region of birth: N Ayr
Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr
Country of birth: Scotland
Father's occupation: Limestone Miner
Father's place of birth: Kilwinning
Father's region of birth: N Ayr
Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr
Father's country of birth: Scotland
Mother's occupation: Housewife

Languages:
Language: English
Speak: Yes
Read: Yes
Write: Yes
Understand: Yes
Circumstances: In writing, mainly in church
Language: Scots
Speak: Yes
Read: Yes
Write: Yes
Understand: Yes
Circumstances: At home, at work