A MONUMENTAL TASK COMPLETED

Saturday 24th November 2012

A MONUMENTAL TASK COMPLETED

A group of dedicated volunteers from Portsoy Salmon Bothy have had their efforts rewarded with the publication of a set of three booklets which will be welcomed by family historians with Portsoy connections.  Back in the summer of 2009 work began on recording the inscriptions on gravestones in the graveyard in Portsoy, in association with Aberdeen & North East Scotland Family History Society.  The initial transcription phase was followed by further painstaking work to check the accuracy of each record, with volunteers turning out at regular intervals and in every weather.

“This publication represents a tremendous achievement by all those people who took part in the project”, said Alison Smith, Genealogy Co-ordinator at the Salmon Bothy.  “The results of their work will benefit family historians all over the world, so that, by purchasing these booklets, anyone whose ancestors were recorded on gravestones at Portsoy will have access to the full inscription on each stone.”

There are three booklets in the full set, which represents over 1,000 gravestones dating from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Copies will be available for sale on Saturday 24th November, at the Coffee Morning in aid of the Salmon Bothy which will be held at Portsoy Church Hall from 10am to mid-day.  Personal customers will be able to purchase them at the Salmon Bothy during museum opening times, and they will also be on sale via the Salmon Bothy online shop (coming soon!).

Saturday 17th November 2012

The Bothy held its Christmas Market on Saturday 17th November. We were delighted to host a fair with such a great selection of high quality, local crafts and foods. We were also pleased to see all the people who visited us and purchased! It was a great opportunity to make a start on the Christmas shopping. Visitors also enjoyed a cup of tea and a homemade mince pie just to get us into the spirit children managed to get their first glimse of Santa Claus who was downstairs in his grotto.

Open Doors Day and Aquarium Open Day

The Bothy had a special opening for Aberdeenshire's Open Doors Day on Saturday. Other venues included PORT's boat-shed by the harbour, Portsoy Past and Present, Durn House and several other interesting venues around the town.

It was an absolutely beautiful day and we were delighted to to have lots of visitors – the Bothy had over 70.

On Sunday, we set up a display about the Bothy and the Boat-shed, at Macduff Aquarium. Once again, there was a good deal of interest from visitors - and we were able to watch the fishies! Many thanks to everybody who helped with these events.

Bothy Volunteer Brian Smith beside the stand at the Macduff Aquarium Fish Fest

Paintings by Jim and Ann Johnston - exhibition upstairs at the Bothy until 27th Sep 2012

New Picture Hanging System up in the Bothy
We're now fully equipped for top notch exhibitions with funding from the Community Council Common Good Fund and a willing volunteer to install it!

Family history advice sessions, summer 2012

Are you researching your ancestral roots in the local area?  Why not drop in at the Salmon Bothy to see what advice our local specialist can offer?  Our resources include a collection of ancestor charts compiled by researchers with local links, as well as other material specific to Portsoy and Fordyce.  There's no need for an appointment - just come along between 2pm and 4pm any Wednesday throughout the summer, from July until the end of September.

Ancestral research in Fordyce

A fascinating new resource has just been added to our collection of family history materials. In 1798 the parishioners of Fordyce (including the citizens of Portsoy) were so fearful of a French invasion that almost every household made a contribution to a defence fund. The names and addresses of all who donated were recorded in the Kirk Session Register and a transcription of this information is now available for reference by researchers who visit our genealogy facility. So if you had ancestors in the Portsoy area 200 years ago, there's a good chance you'll find them listed!

Gearing up for Festival Weekend...

Well, this weekend will see the 18th Scottish Traditional Boat Festival so there will be much excitement around the Bothy. We have an array of talented musicians taking to the stage upstairs at the Bothy including Harp playing duo Sileas, Sea Shantie workshops with The Keelers, A whisky Experience with The Whisky Bard, Robin Laing and lots lots more.

The museum has a fantastic display of model fishing boats, as well as offering insight into every aspect of fishing life. We are proud to have many pieces of equipment on display that were used at the Salmon Bothy, keeping them in their rightful home. This year we have a new DVD on sale which was made with pupils from the local primary school. It includes footage of the fishing out of Portsoy and covers the history of the Harbour, Salmon Fishing and Railways in Portsoy.

Outside over the weekend, around the harbour there is an astounding variety of craft, music, food and of course, all things maritime to satisfy all ages, all interests.

See www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.co.uk for further info - you can download a programme for the whole weekend.

Lets hope the weather is kind to us...

Shepheard Spiers and Watson (pictured)who will be singing and telling stories upstairs at the Bothy over the weekend.

Festival of Museums

What a weekend!

Friday night, the Bothy welcomed top guitarist Andy Clayburn all the way from New York City. His family stay near Portsoy hence his visit and the we felt extremely privileged to host this excellent musician. A packed out Bothy was proof of this man’s talent and popularity, and he certainly did not disappoint. Playing a variety of his own songs and the likes of the Stones, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, the we really were in for a treat. We hope he will come back to the Bothy on his next UK (Portsoy) visit.

Festival Of Museums - Farming around Portsoy: The way it was.

Saturday - The picture sums it up. It really was a jam packed day. Traditional cookery demos from Liz Ashworth and Jill Urquhart ensured we were well fed. Porridge for breakfast, local smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for lunch and freshly made bannocks with a dollop of jam from Letty's Preserves for afternoon tea!

An array of fascinating artefacts were on display both inside and outside the bothy. An old Fordson Major tractor, a Reaper that had been made in the local MacDonald Brothers Foundry, Butter Churns, and Milk bottles were amongst some of the exhibits. All items were very kindly lent from local people from nearby farms. A presentation of digital images showed a selection of local historical farming photographs allowing people to sit down, reminisce and take it all in to the tune of traditional Bothy ballads typical to this area.

We are so grateful to all our wonderful volunteers who helped to put the exhibition together and to those who were kind enough to lend us their treasured items for everyone to enjoy.

The Saturday night continued the theme with traditional Bothy Ballads, dancing, singing and participation…It really was a rare nicht!

See some more photos at www.salmonbothy.org.uk/archive.html

The Steadfast Tin Soldier at the Bothy

Wednesday 6th April - Puppet Show at the Bothy

Many thanks to all who came along to Wednesday afternoon's puppet show, The
Steadfast Tin Soldier. It was a great success with almost a full house
(about 50-50 adults to kids), and our thanks go to Joy Haynes of
Banyan Theatre for her skill and technique in telling a story, and
keeping calm a crowd of very young children. A lovely lady and a
gifted performer.

It ended the way all puppet shows should - with the grown-ups wiping
away a clandestine tear, and the kids jumping around planning their
next raid on the ice cream shop.

Special thanks to Joy, her roadie Ian Halket of the Folding Theatre
Company; John and Helen Munro for doing almost everything else - box
office, raffle, stickers, balloons and general jollity and did I say
balloons?; Doris and Anne for being kind and looking after everybody;
and thanks to our latest recruit, Ursula who was very helpful. May
they all live happily ever after ....
The end.

see: http://www.puppetanimationfestival.org/content/template.php?listing_id=540&day=6&month=4&year=2011 for info on the Puppet animation festival