Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

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Hughie
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Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by Hughie »

Received the following request this morning. If you have such a photo could you e-mail it to me and I'll pass it on. hugh.mccallum@gmail.com
I do not know if you can help me but Alistair Aitkenhead a teacher in one of your threetowns pictures is having a 90th birthday party in our local hall and I was looking for pictures of him one from 1950's and one from the 1960's. We are printing pictures of him one from each decade and I dont have one those . The picture on the website is not good enough - maybe you could send me a higher resolution version. Higher grade teachers its called
We would be most grateful
regards
Margo
I'll move this topic to the threetowners' Lounge if and when I get the OK from Margo. Otherwise I'll leave it here till after the event.
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by maggie »

Hughie sorry I do not have a photo
but Alastair was here in Melbourne
not sure wich year and he attended
our Country dance group In Mordialloc
he was a good friend of a friend of
ours :)
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by Hughie »

Thanks, Maggie. I remember him coming to Eglinton to take the gym classes when Dusty Miller was away at West Linton probably around 1955. I was aware he was retired to Arran. For those of you interested in Country Dancing this topic here on 3ts might interest you - Alistair Aitkenhead is mention in the accompanying article.
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by Penny Tray »

This article and photograph may remind one or two of the gentleman in question:

http://www.arranvoice.com/view_article.php?id=5705" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by Hughie »

Moving this topic from the member's area to the public area. Further comments are welcome. //cool
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by adrianshapley »

Just seen in the newspaper that Alister Aitkenhead has died 27th November 2016. Age 95.

He taught us Scottish dancing in the 1950's in the gym at Stevenston and was ultimately President of the RSCDS which promotes the dancing world wide. I'm 68 and still dancing here in an English RSCDS Branch.
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by Meg »

adrianshapley wrote:Just seen in the newspaper that Alister Aitkenhead has died 27th November 2016. Age 95.

He taught us Scottish dancing in the 1950's in the gym at Stevenston and was ultimately President of the RSCDS which promotes the dancing world wide. I'm 68 and still dancing here in an English RSCDS Branch.
A warm welcome to the 3ts Adrian - looking forward to reading your posts.

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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by imajrk »

He had a good long life, then. Remember him from Higher Grade. Was always glad I was a girl when I watched the boys having to jump over "the horse". Most of us learned country dancing I think. It was a great school and we had great teachers.
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by morag »

His name is very familiar...though I went to St. John's, had pals at the hg, also was in a country dance group taught by Hannah Gordon. We placed well in a contest,2nd as I remember.
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by down south »

He's pictured here at a country dance event.

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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by jcj »

This might seem like digging up the past but I can't resist commenting on an old post that I've just came across, dated 03 Jan. 2005 from imajrk, referring to Stevenston High School. She said it was a great school and we had great teachers, I beg to differ. In the days leading up to the eleven plus exam, Alistair Aitkenhead used to come in to my class and take me out to practice his stupid country dance routines, I could ill afford to lose any of that class time and as a result, failed miserably on the exam which put me in first year boys "D", the teacher was Brendan Dorian, who made my days in his class as miserable as possible, belting me as many as seven times in a row for being unable to spell words which he new I'd never even heard.
Part of the phys-ed programme was swimming lessons at the Saltcoats swimming pool, taught by another tyrant, Robert Hamilton, he'd have us lined up along the edge of the pool with legs dangling in next to freezing water and if you didn't jump in, you got pushed in by him by way of a long wooden gaff. I've had a lifelong dislike of any kind of dancing, still can't spell very well and can't swim to save myself.
I've survived to the ripe old age of 73 but the memories of these people will never leave me.
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Re: Alistair Aitkenhead - Stevenston HG teacher

Post by bonzo »

Ocht jcj would you have it any other way? It was Glencairn by the time I got there, teachers I liked teachers I didnae. Life lessons I've learned fae all of them. Think of the good times :good I have probably documented some of my run ins with teachers/heidies nothing we can do about it now
Those wimin were in the nip.
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