The Watch Ashore

Officers of the Glasgow branch

Honorary Chairman:
Mrs. I. Allan

Chairman: May Tully

Vice Chairman: Sandra Wylie

Secretary: Joan Lowe

 

Forthcoming Events 2010

11th January - Welcome Back

25th January - Burns Night

9-10th April - National AGM Portsmouth

Meetings

We meet on alternate Wednesday evenings in the Halls of Residence at the Glasgow Nautical College.

Membership:-

£10 per annum for the Branch £10 per annum for the National. £1.50 per meeting for tea/coffee & biscuits etc.  

Contact the Glasgow Branch

To get in contact with the Glasgow Branch please use the details on our main contact page.

The Watch Ashore in Glasgow

Glasgow Branch, which was the first branch in Scotland, started in February 1944.  The founder chairman was a Mrs. McKinlay who along with Mrs J.S. Hughes and Mrs McLean established the Glasgow Branch. 

In its’ heyday Glasgow Branch had around a 100 members and up until the 1990’s had a steady membership of 60 odd.  Now we are fewer in number but our enthusiasm is just as strong and we enjoy our friendships very much.  Glasgow Branch is very proud to have played hostess at the 2006 Triennial Meeting as well as having had members serving in various capacities on the National Executive over the years.

We meet at the Nautical College Glasgow on alternate Wednesday evenings from September until end of May.  Our meetings vary between having Speakers, covering a very diverse range of topics, which we try to keepinteresting as well as informative.  Quiz Nights, outings to the theatre and places of interest, dining out at various venues and last but not least our Coffee and Chat nights where we catch up on each others news.   We also have fundraising events for charity.  Some of our members are very active within the Seafarers UK, Scottish Nautical Welfare Society, and we like to support Sir Gabriel Wood’s Mariners’ Home. The Branch also has a representative on the Central and West of Scotland Ports Welfare Committee.

The husbands, other relatives and friends of our members have worked for various shipping companies including Maersk, Clan Line, P.& O., Denholms, Union Castle, Shell, C.S.M. and Nedlloyd.  Others have left the sea and work as Lecturers, Surveyors and Harbour Masters.

Our Office Bearers hold the post for two years and to maintain continuity, our Secretary and Chairman don’t change in the same year.  Our current Chairman Mrs. I. Bruce has just taken office.

Glasgow's Coat of Arms

Glasgow's Coat of Arms dates back to 1866 when the Lord Lyon first granted the city its patent. The emblems depicted within the armorial bearings go back much further in history, representing legendary incidents in the life of the city's founder and patron saint, St Kentigern, or as he was more affectionately known, St Mungo, meaning "the dear one".

The Coat of Arms and the city's motto can be seen in various guises throughout the city - inscribed on buildings, incorporated within street lamps and etched into some of the city's magnificent statuary.

 

A brief synopsis of our last session.

Voyage 65 started in September, with our favourite “coffee and chat” night. This is when we all enjoy catching up on each others’ family news and on what has happened since we last met. We also decide which nights will be our fundraising nights and which charities we will be supporting this session.

This year we have raised money for The Jubilee Sailing Trust, Seafarers UK and The Sailors’ Society, we also did some raffles to boost our own Branch Funds.

Once again, Joan, our syllabus organiser had arranged excellent speakers and we covered a great range of interesting subjects, from working onboard The Royal Yacht Britannia, when she was in still in service, to the work of Victim Support, and of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – “where all the world comes to play”.

We have had many celebrations this voyage the first being Christmas Lunch, held in Pollok House, a beautiful National Trust property. Burns Night, was a very successful evening and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Our biggest celebration was our 65th birthday. We had a lovely evening sharing photos and stories about our time in Glasgow Branch. Our committee had provided the supper and Mrs Gemmell donated a beautiful birthday cake. Mrs Logan, our longest serving member, cut the cake and we all raised our glasses to The Watch Ashore.

In May, thirteen members of the Branch travelled to the Triennial Meeting in Hull. This was a very happy and successful weekend and we are delighted that Mrs. Margaret Gray, a member of our Branch, is now National Chairman of The Watch Ashore.

65th Burthday

In February we celebrated our 65th birthday. These days not many organisations last that long, so this gave us an excuse, as if we needed one, to celebrate our friendships and achievements. We had a lovely evening showing all the photographs and sharing stories about our time in Glasgow Branch. Mrs. Logan, who has been a member for 48yrs, cut the cake.  Mrs. Gemmell, another long serving member, had donated the beautiful birthday cake.

We also have another three ladies who joined in the early sixties and remain active within the Branch.

Mrs Allan is our Honorary Branch Chairman and has been a member since 1960. Mrs Allan has also served as National Chairman, and although she no longer lives in the Glasgow area she still attends our Special functions and is kept up to date with everything happening both locally and on a national level.

Elsie Logan joined the Branch 1961 and was Branch Chairman 1977-79, she also has served on the National Executive Committee.

Isa Waddell joined the Branch 1963. Evelyn Gemmell joined 1964 and Moira Steven joined 1965. All these ladies have been Branch Chairman and over the years have also served in various capacities on our branch committee. The majority of our remaining members have been in the branch since 1980’s.

"Here is the Bird that never flew
Here is the Tree that never grew
Here is the Bell that never rang
Here is the Fish that never swam

Glasgow Chairman's Badge

The Glasgow Chairman’s Badge which was made in 1956 and presented to the branch by Mrs. J.S. Hughes, a founder-member, is in the form of a Luckenbooth brooch.  It incorporates the general badge in its design with the initials “W.A.” on a background half red, half green (to represent the port and starboard lights on a ship) and surrounded by a lifebelt. The Queen Mary’s crown which surmounts the heart is very much like the crown which also appears on the Merchant Navy’s badge; and this is highly appropriate, since the membership of the Watch Ashore is made up of the wives, mothers, daughters and sisters and other relatives of Merchant Navy officers.

First Syllabus - 1944-45

Past Chairmen

1944-45 Mrs. L. MacKinlay	1966-67 Mrs. I. Allan	1988-89 Mrs. H. Buchan
1945-46 Mrs. L. Mackinlay	1967-68 Mrs. M. Robertson	1989-90 Mrs. I. Bruce
1946-47 Mrs. Noakes	1968-69 Mrs. E. Carmichael	1990-91 Mrs. I. Bruce
1947-48 Mrs. J.S. Hughes	1969-70 Mrs. E. Carmichael	1991-92 Mrs. F. Cook
1948-49 Mrs. A.J. Greenwood	1970-71 Mrs. G.D. Cooney	1992-93 Mrs. F. Cook
1949-50 Mrs. A. McColl	1971-72 Mrs. C.S. Clayton	1993-94 Mrs. F. Cook
1950-51 Mrs. G. Hunter	1972-73 Mrs. M. Graham	1994-95 Mrs. E. Gemmell
1951-52 Mrs. M. Annan	1973-74 Mrs. M. Graham	1995-96 Mrs. E. Gemmell
1952-53 Mrs. A. Greenwood	1974-75 Mrs. J. Montgomerie	1996-97 Mrs. J. Lowe
1953-54 Mrs. A. Stickler	1975-76 Mrs. I. Waddell	1997-98 Mrs. J. Lowe
1954-55 Mrs. A. Stickler	1976-77 Mrs. I. Waddell	1998-99 Mrs. J. Lowe
1955-56 Mrs. J.M. Mansfield	1977-78 Mrs. E. Logan	1999-00 Mrs. I. Campbell
1956-57 Mrs. J.M. Mansfield	1978-79 Mrs. E. Logan	2000-01 Mrs. I. Campbell
1957-58 Mrs. R. Costigan	1979-80 Mrs. J. Johnson	2001-02 Mrs. M. Gray
1958-59 Mrs. E.F. Hill	1980-81 Mrs. J. Johnson	2002-03 Mrs. M. Gray
1959-60 Mrs. E.F. Hill	1981-82 Mrs. J. Johnson	2003-04 Mrs. M. Loose
1960-61 Mrs. J. Robertson	1982-83 Mrs. F. Cook	2004-05 Mrs. M. Loose
1961-62 Mrs. J. Robertson	1983-84 Mrs. F. Cook	2005-06 Mrs. J. Geddes
1962-63 Mrs. E. Macfarlane	1984-85 Mrs. M. Steven	2006-07 Mrs. J. Geddes
1963-64 Mrs. E. Macfarlane	1985-86 Mrs. J. Geddes	2007-08 Mrs. I. Bruce
1964-65 Mrs. I. Allan	1986-87 Mrs. J. Geddes	2008-09 Mrs. I. Bruce
1965-66 Mrs. I. Allan	1987-88 Mrs. H. Buchan

 

Members News

Joan Lowe was awarded the MBE for her services to KGFS in the Queens Birthday Honours list in 2000. Unfortunately due to ill health Joan was unable to travel to London for the original Investiture and the presentation took place a few months later in the Glasgow City Chambers. The award was presented by Lord Provost Alex Mosson and Joan was delighted to take all her four daughters and friends, something that would not have been possible at Buckingham Palace .

 

 

 

Gallery