The St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg’s First Kirkin’
With our Spring Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans at historic Christ Church in Irvington in May and our own at the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church in November, I am reminded of our first St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg Kirkin’. It was held on May 23d, 1969 at the Williamsburg Baptist Church on Richmond Road. The Reverend Thomas Pugh, then the pastor at the church, was intrigued with the idea of the Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans and invited the society to hold a Kirkin’ at his church. President Bob Duncan readily accepted on behalf of the society.
Several of us had been to other Kirkin’s previously and had a pretty good idea as to how the event was to be conducted. However, when the officers of the St. Andrew’s Society of Washington invited our society to attend their Kirkin’ the previous November, it gave us an opportunity to see how that society performed the service. I acted as the chauffer for Bob Duncan and Dave Shepherd, driving Bob’s Caddy on a trip to the Washington Cathedral for the event. The Kirkin’ was spectacular within the stately cathedral, but far grander than anything we intended. Regardless, it gave us a program on which to base our own Kirkin’. Bob and Pastor Pugh worked out the details and established how the actual Kirkin’ itself was to be performed and integrated into the church’s regular 11 a.m. service. The Reverend Walter Kennedy of First Presbyterian Church in Newport News would assist in the blessing of the Tartans, as well.
This Kirkin’ was held before Lt. Col. Alex Matheson the Canadian liaison officer at Fort Monroe and the Rev. Dr. Jim Forrester formed the “St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg Pipes and Drums.” The current Williamsburg Pipes and Drums is the lineal descendant organization of that original pipe band. Everyone agreed that the presence of the pipes was essential for a proper Kirkin’, but where to find them? The solution was found down the road in Newport News. Warwick High School had the “Warwick Grenadiers Pipe Band” at that time and they were invited to participate in the procession in and out of the church. At the conclusion of the service, the pipe band also delighted the attendees and the passers-by on Richmond Road with a short performance of Scottish tunes in front of the church.
Since the society was only a year old and many of our members had yet to purchase Highland Daywear, those not possessing Scottish attire were given Royal Stewart baldrics to provide a “touch o’ the Tartan.” The event flowed smoothly that day and has pretty much been the template for the St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg’s Kirkin’ ever since that time.
Courtesy Howard Topp.
