Twa curling stanes he also had
Which ran out o'er the ice...
Currie and Balerno curling club can trace its history back to two separate and very different clubs, the Currie curling club, instituted in 1830 and the later Balerno curling club which was founded in 1895.
The Currie curling club was established by the local gentry in the early 1800s. Early members included the well-known Gibson-Craig family, Colonel Scott of Malleny, Robert Palmer (the schoolmaster of Currie), Dr David Somerville (minister of Currie Kirk) and David Cunningham of Harlaw.
They used to gather in the Ferguson Arms and later at the Riccarton Arms.
The club was influential in the development of the game of curling as we now know it - both in the equipment used and in the rules of the game.
- Dr Somerville is credited with the invention of the "justice", a device for marking out the house, the "counter", for keeping the score and the "toe-see", which was originally an aiming point placed in the centre of the house.
- There was some debate at the time between supporters of Dr Somerville and John Cairnie, the famous Largs curler as to which of the two men invented the shallow curling pond.
- Members of the club were involved in the design of stones and handles of the time.
- Dr Somerville, Robert Palmer and David Cunningham invented the rules of the "points" game, played to this day.
- Founder members of the club were instrumental in the formation of the Grand (later Royal) Caledonian Curling Club.
The Balerno curling club was founded for ordinary folk in 1895 and first met in the school room in October of that year. Members played on natural ponds and later on an artificial pond built at Johnsburn behind the local smithy.
The two clubs combined in 1928 and continued to play on the natural and artificial ponds of the area as well as the Haymarket ice rink. The club owned a wooden clubhouse and much of its curling was done at night under first acetylane lamps before electric power was installed. During the Second World War, the ponds fell into disrepair and a lague of moles finally put paid to things. The last time that outdoor curling took place on the artificial rinks was 1954.
Today, the club has a playing membership of 32 with a healthy reserve and waiting list. It played at Gogar Park curling club until it shut down and now the club plays its competitions at the Murrayfield curling rink most Fridays during the curling season.
Club members have had some notable national and international successes. These can be found on the Roll of Honour tab.
I found an old bronze Currie and Balerno pin among my late fathers curling collection. I'm newly retired and was happy to find the history behind the pin. My Dad played the game well and loved it too.Cheers to you all.
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