Grangemouth Gala Day

History (the short version) of the Grangemouth Galaday!
In 1906 Canon Birnie at a meeting of the Council suggested a Children's Day. The proposal was accepted. A collection was made and the first Children's Day was held on a Friday in August. The procession took them to the Kerse House where Lord Dundas had given permission for the grounds to be used. 2000 children took part in that very first Childrens day.
It was such a success that everyone wanted it to continue but at the meeting for the second Children's Day some men asked if the procession could be on the Saturday so that they too could watch it and so it has right up to the present apart from the war years. They also decided to change the month to June and the route of the march to the Zetland Public Park.
My first association with the Grangemouth Galaday, apart from when I was a child and I sometimes marched in the parade and sometimes I didnt (its a very long walk if you don't like walking at the best of times).... came in 1994 when my cousin's daughter was chosen to be the galaday queen.  At the time I was at studying floristry at a part time course in Clackmannanshire.  I offered to make a comb for my niece to wear. At the time, the big film was The Neverending Story which inspired my idea, so with the help of my other niece Tina (who was more into bead work than myself) we created this lovely headpiece for Debbie to wear. I didn't get a photo of the back but it was full of lovely white silk flowers attached to a comb which went into the back of her head and the beadwork came round to the front

And of course using my floral skills I created florall headdresses for the rest of the retinue. One of the 2 occasions I created headpieces for the entire retinue. I dont remember if I did the flowergirl's headpiece...in fact I think I have only ever done the head piece for one flower girl!

The next time I was asked to help complete the galaday outfits were in 2006, the 100 year anniversary.  Unfortuneately I didnt get a brochure that year, something I truely regret as it has been nice keeping a record of what I have done.  But I am happy to say that one of the mums was very kind and sent me a lovely photo of her daughter who was one of the Maids of Honour in the 2006 galaday. Her name was Anthea. She is wearing the Alina tiara. Anthea went to Sacred Heart primary school.

After that I was truely blessed and I created tiaras for the retinues for the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and again this year 2014.  The only other year I made tiaras for the entire retinue was in 2010.The 2007 retinue came from the Moray primary School and they wore Stephanie1 Again I didn't do the flowergirls tiara :(

The 2008 retinue came from Bowhouse Primary school and they wore the tiara called Estelle and the flower girl wore the same as the rest of the retinue! :)

The 2009 galaday retinue came from Beancross Primary school and they wore a tiara called Natalie.

 2010 Galaday

 The 2010 galaday retinue came for Sacred Heart Primary school again. This year I created Enza tiara for the Queen elect Emily Ritchie and for the Maids of Honour I made Leslie tiaras and for the Lady in waitings I made the original design of Stephanie.

The last 3 years have seen the galaday retinues go else where for their tiaras but I am delighted to say the once again the ladys in waiting for the Sacred Heart Primary school came back to me again and this year I created little tiara combs for them.  Here they are ....

And here is the comb....

Over the years I have also had the occasion to make tiaras for pupils attending the Bo'ness fair day and Linlithgow galadays and there was one year were I did all the girls for the Queen elect school in Bo'ness but again I was unable to locate a brochure as a keepsake.