Hawick Common Riding Foreword

For many years the Club has sponsored an Essay Competition in the Primary Schools in the town on the history and traditions of the Common-Riding. It has long been thought that the Club should produce a booklet for the instruction of school children in these subjects. This was taken up by Mr William Turnbull in early 1982 at the beginning of his Presidency. He visited the headmasters of all the primary schools in the town to discuss the ideas mooted by the Club. During his visits he discovered that Mr Ron Taylor, headmaster at Burnfoot School, was quite independently working on the same theme as part of a course of further training in his profession. The reception and encouragement given to Mr Turnbull by the headmasters and his fortuitous meeting with Mr Taylor has resulted in this project for use in the town's six primary schools.

The production of a project such as this has involved a great deal of work by very many people and I wish to record our thanks to Mr Ron Taylor, Mr William Turnbull, Mr Jim Coltman, Mr Adam lngles, A.T.C.L., Mr Jim Crawford, Messrs Aitken & Turnbull, Mr R. E. Scott, Mr W. P. McLaren, M.B.E., Messrs Scott & Paterson Ltd., Mr Don Cottrell, Mr Alan Hill, Mrs Rita Moody, Mrs Nan Brunton also the members of Hawick Archaeological Society and our own Club who read the proofs.

We have also received generous financial support towards the cost of the project from Roxburgh District Council, Borders Regional Council Education Committee, Hawick Common-Riding Committee, The Mosstroopers' Club, Hawick Archaeological Society and the 1514 Club. I acknowledge with thanks their contributions.

Finally, although the project has been prepared for children in the primary schools I am sure that it will be read with interest and perhaps enlightenment by their seniors. By imparting information in a modern and readily understood manner it will add to the general interest in and preservation of the ancient customs and institutions not only of the Common-Riding but also of the town. It is therefore with special pleasure that I commend it to you.

McDONALD LUNN,
President.

FOREWORD TO 1998 EDITION

Since this project was originally published in 1983, changes have taken place to some Common-Riding procedures and to Hawick, including reorganisation of local government.

The Club wishes to record its thanks to Frank Scott, a past president of the Club and General and Civic Secretary of Hawick Common-Riding Committee, for revising the text where affected by change. The Club also wishes to acknowledge the service provided by the staff and students of Borders College, Hawick, in publishing and printing the project and the generosity of their supplier for providing the paper.

G MALCOM MURRAY
President