The Rag’s Burns’ Night Supper
Tuesday 25th January
A veritable clan of members gathered for the Rag’s Burns Night, numbering a full house of 90 in all. Amid profound pleasure at being able to share an evening in such numbers, proceedings rich in tradition – and no little whisky and haggis – were widely savoured, making up in a good measure for the two years since 36-39 Pall Mall hosted a Burns Night supper.
The Hon. Philip Astor was a hugely welcome guest, in every respect but in particular for piping in the haggis to Burn’s “A man’s a Man for a’That”. Philip has reputedly played for Her Majesty, the Queen and the late Queen Mother. His playing was indeed a royal performance.
Phil’s tour de force of notes prefaced a communal address to the haggis in which all took an enthusiastic and welcome part, after protocol required an opening Selkirk Grace, authentically delivered by Arthur Dunlop. A toast to the immortal memory of Robert Burns from Colin Cameron, the evening’s host, followed after haggis, accompanied, naturally, by neeps and tatties. After the Cranachan puddings, he then toasted the lassies on behalf of the laddies, sharing some words from Scotland’s much-loved musical national treasures, namely The Proclaimers.
All this set up Philip’s wife, the acclaimed author and editor, Justine Picardie who had kindly agreed to respond to the laddies’ toast on behalf of the lassies. Justine shared that we were not only celebrating Burns’ birthday but also Virginia Woolf (though it is not recorded whether she was a lover of tartan). After a very witty discourse, Justine read some song lyrics from the Scottish troubadour, Ewan MacColl, her sons’ late grandfather, with the words celebrating the joys of good company. This was toasted with four Jura Distillery whiskies. Special praise for the 18-year-old, though there was something for everyone in the varieties offered members – Jura Seven Wood, Jura 12-year-old, the aforementioned 18-yer-old, and the Jura Tide, and daddy of them all at 21 – with much thanks to Tor Imports for christening the occasion so.
A fiercely-contested best-dressed competition ultimately fell to a Rag member resplendent in kilt. For his efforts – and natural grace – he was rewarded with a Johnstons of Elgin scarf. The night’s special guests also received gifts on behalf of the club from the Scottish’s east coast’s undoubtedly best source of warmth. To preserve his pipe-playing fingers for next year, Philip was given some woollen gloves, while a Johnstons beanie will ensure Justine doesn’t feel the cold when gardening at the Old Rectory which she has made a universal retreat for all thanks to Instagram. What Burns might have made of such communication we will never know. Suffice to say, the legacy he left on pen and paper (as well as his birthday, of course) was heartily celebrated on St. James’s Square.
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