May 2025
Following on from the last post, this month we look at examples from a joint presentation by DDHS Chair Gordon Easingwood and Secretary Pauline Smeed. Text by Pauline Smeed and links by Dr James Herring
This year saw the centenary of Dunbar United Football Club. To mark the occasion a display was held at Hallhill Sports Centre, attended by a few hundred people, and there was also an open day at Victoria’s in the West Port, where many enjoyed the photographs and memorabilia on show. A highlight from the past was the winning of the Scottish Junior Cup in May 1961. In the photo above you can see the captain and others parading the cup at the old Countess Park ground next to the Bleachingfield. You can read about the club’s history from the 1920s here, but winning the Scottish Junior Cup, by beating odds-on favourites Cambuslang Rangers 2-0 in a Wednesday replay is the club’s greatest achievement.
Dunbar Rugby Club celebrated its Centenary two years ago. Many will recall fondly the visits made during the season by the Skerries Rugby Club from Ireland, the games and the dinner dances. Last year the club and supporters made a return visit to Dunbar which was enjoyed by all. Shown here is one of the earlier programmes marking their visit. The Dunbar v Skerries match is the oldest game between Scottish and Irish clubs, beginning in 1952. The photo above shows a poster for the bi-annual dinners hosted by Dunbar and this took place in the Craigengelt Hotel, now The Rocks. Before the clubhouse was built at Winterfield in the early 1970s, the Dunbar teams and opposition teams changed in wooden huts adjacent to the hotel.
Dunbar’s connection with the Lothians & Border Horse dates from the late 18th century when the regiment included the East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry and the Berwickshire Yeomanry. Many will recall the display of regimental tunics and memorabilia shown each year on Remembrance Sunday in the window of saddler William Main. You can read a previous DDHS website post on the shop here. Following the closure of the business, several items have been donated to Dunbar & District History Society/East Lothian Museum Service. These include one of the early 19th century tunics (2nd photo above) as seen in the well know painting of the regiment at Belhaven Sands (1st photo above).
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