Author Archives: Susan Mitchell

We are pleased to post information of a special concert to be staged by The Gordon Highlanders Museum in partnership with St Margaret’s Braemar on 2^nd November 2025 at The Music Hall Aberdeen – Aberdeen Remembers

This one-of-a-kind event will celebrate the contribution of the North-East’s famous regiment and the many others whose service in World War II ultimately brought about peace in 1945.

The first half of this special concert will spotlight the 1940s, the wartime spirit of communities in Aberdeen and across Britain and the role of The Gordon Highlanders, described by Winston Churchill as “the Finest Regiment in the World”. 

 “For our tomorrow, they gave their today” frames the second half of the concert, as the audience is taken on a musical journey through the decades since 1945.

Introduced by renowned singer-songwriter and broadcaster Fiona Kennedy OBE ( a fellow Burgess) the line-up includes:

• The Robert Gordon’s College Pipe Band

• Bon-Accord Silver Band

• Singer Seonaid Aitken

• Fiddle player Paul Anderson

• Solo piper Fraser Maitland

• Female chorus Albacappella

• And more……………..

All proceeds from the event will go towards The Gordon Highlanders Museum, and St Margaret’s Braemar, which to and promotes the arts, performance and local heritage in the North East of Scotland.

 Tickets are on sale now, through Aberdeen Performing Arts: https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/ve-day-80/ 

Isabel Craik, Retired Nurse and Volunteer. Proposed by Angela Taylor and Seconded by Mohammad Tauqeer Malik.

Mirela Delibegovic, Regius Chair of Physiology and Director of Aberdeen Cardiovascular and Diabetes Centre. Proposed by John Otto and Seconded by Dr Kennenth McHardy

Jacqui Innes, Chairperson of Northfield Community Centre. Proposed by Donna Clark and Seconded by Jackie Dunbar.

Kevin Leiper, Global Business Development Lead. Proposed by Seonaidh Baker and Seconded by David Parkinson.

Leila Turner-Smith, Senior Data Scientist. Proposed by Andrew Murray and Seconded by Paul O’Connor.

Following on from the Lord Dean’s message yesterday, today was my last day in post as your Clerk. It was a lovely way to sign off welcoming 5 new Burgesses into our ranks. Information to follow.

I took on the role in November 2007 and it has been an honour and privilege to serve you as your Clerk which has been a huge part of my life for the past (almost) 18 years . I have served under Dean of Guild, Fred Dalgarno, our first Lord Dean of Guild, Colin Taylor, and finally our first Female Lord Dean, Sylvia Halkerston. All of whom who have been a pleasure to work for and very supportive during my time in post.

May I thank all Burgesses for your support over the time I have been in post. Of course as a Burgess in my own right I look forward to attending future events and lunches etc, and not being involved in organising them I can sit back and enjoy, and have a catch up with many of those attending.

I now hand over the baton to our new Clerk, Susan Mitchell (pictured with me below at our admissions today). I am sure she will be an asset to the organisation, and I wish her all the luck in her new role

Garry Stevens

Past Clerk to the Burgesses

As most of you know, Garry Stevens is retiring from his post as our Clerk after almost eighteen years of service to the Burgesses. Initially Garry performed his duties as part of his role with Aberdeen City Council then, following the changes to his employment status, he worked directly for us.

The Clerk’s role is wide and varied requiring excellent administrative skills and a great deal of patience when dealing with all of us, particularly with regard to lunch and evening event bookings. Garry has worked with past Lord Deans and made each transition that much easier for all of us knowing that important matters such as the Admissions ceremonies and all that surrounds us is in capable hands.

Garry did say that he was retiring but a significant amount of his ‘free’ time is now devoted to Grandad duties which I know he already finds more exhausting than anything he has done in the Clerk’s role. It was reassuring and invaluable to me that Garry gave an undertaking to continue in his role until a suitable replacement could be found. For that we are all indebted to him. I am sure that you join me in wishing Garry a happy retirement and that he can continue to enjoy his many travels abroad and with his motor home, but we hope that he will continue his link with us all because he is a Burgess. Thank you, Garry

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Garry’s successor has been appointed. Her name is Susan Mitchell who secured the position from amongst an excellent pool of applicants. Susan has extensive experience in administration and management. Garry is currently taking Susan through our processes but I have no doubt that she will suggest where we can improve. Please bear with us as this transition happens. Susan will officially take up her role as our Clerk from 1st October after which time all communication will be with Susan. As at that date you will have all contact details.

I know that you will welcome Susan to our unique organisation. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.

Sylvia Halkerston
Lord Dean of Guild

TUESDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2025, COUNCIL CHAMBER, TOWNHOUSE 4.30pm – 6.30pm

We have been invited to hear first hand from the relevant Senior Officers the Investment Budget Plans for the City of Aberdeen.

In the past we have  from time to time been given presentation on the city’s budget. This session will go further covering

*    Overview of ongoing and future capital plan investment
*    City Centre Masterplan Projects
*    Beach Regeneration
*    Wider Commercial Investments
*    Councils Budgetary Position.

The session will be informative and Burgesses will be afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the officers. This is an opportunity to hear the plans first hand and to ask questions of those officers with the answers.

This invitation is open to Burgesses only at this time so register your interest early by contacting Clerk at:

clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com

We are pleased to announce our next lunch to be held as normal at 12.14pm in the RNUC, Albyn Place. Cost of lunch is £20 per person and guests are invited. The title of the lunch is:

“Simple Heraldry, Cheerfully Illustrated”

The ancient practice of heraldry marks, informs, decorates and identifies. Aberdeen heraldry vies only with that of Glasgow in being among the most widely used of any council in the UK. The city coat-of-arms appears in daily use on books, badges, banners, bollards, buildings, furniture, flags, furnishings, clothing, vehicles, road signs, uniforms, insignia and even litter bins. They appeared on the sides of trams and buses until the trams went off in 1958, and Aberdeen Corporation buses went given over to Grampian Region in 1975. Yet the origin of Aberdeen’s symbolism remains shrouded in mystery and conjecture, and the heraldic story down the centuries throws up a fair sum of arms, oddities and errors.

Fellow Burgess Gordon Casely will give a light hearted but informative history of Heraldry with some interesting stories attached to some.

If you wish to attend please email clerk at:

clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com

Payment can be paid via cheque made payable to Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen and sent to Garry Stevens, Clerk to the Burgesses of Guild, 6 Craigarbel Crescent, Inverbervie, Montrose DD10 0SJ or via BACS to: Sort Code 826011, Account Number 50325609, Ref Surname/Nov Lunch

The Lord Provost will be attending a Service of Remembrance at the Aberdeen War Memorial, Schoolhill, Aberdeen on Remembrance Sunday, 9^th November 2025 and invites Aberdeen Burgesses to join the Civic Procession.

Those attending are asked to meet atAberdeen Art Gallery, before leaving in procession to attend the outdoor service.  The doors will open at 9.45am and complimentary tea and coffee will be served. Please aim to arrive no later than 10.15am.  The doors will be closed at 10.20am.

IMPORTANT: Following a review of security, all guests will be checked in on arrival at the art gallery by hired security personnel.  If you plan to attend, please give your full name to the Clerk at:

clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com

Unregistered attendees will not be given entry.

Immediately following the Service of Remembrance at the war memorial, you are further invited to attend at the Kirk of St Nicholas, during which the annual ‘Kirking’ of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen will take place.  Thereafter, the Deacon Convenor of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen extends a warm invitation to you to attend a luncheon at Trinity Hall, Trinity Corner, 164 Holburn Street, Aberdeen.

If you plan to attend the Service of Remembrance at the War Memorial, please include answers to the following questions in your response:

• Will you also be attending the church service at the Kirk of St Nicholas?

• Will you also be attending the luncheon at Trinity Hall? (This information will be passed to the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen for catering purposes)

Many Thanks

Garry Stevens, Clerk

Wednesday 8th October – Fellow Burgess Dr Ken McHardy – Aberdeenshire Cricket Club 6.30pm

“A Wee Doc in Doric”

Dr Ken McHardy, born, raised and educated in the city. He spent 40 years working in the NHS as a hospital physician specialising in diabetes and medical education. In retirement he has been researching, writing and presenting on Aberdeen’s insulin heroes, Macleod and Lawrence.

When Ken started learning the late Queen’s English at Rosewood Infant School in 1960, he was already bilingual courtesy of his being a product o’ a Toonser Mam and a Teuchter Da. In due course, and over four decades, he came to rely on his extended linguistic heritage whilst enjoying the enormous privilege of serving his ain folk as a hospital physician. From the relative safety of retirement, Ken has undertaken to share some anecdotes and self-penned verse – chiefly in the doric dialect – from his doctoring days, as he attempts to show how medicine can produce the best laughter.

Cost of this event is £17pp and includes buffet supper from 6.30pm

Thursday 13^th November – Fellow Burgess Cllr Barney Crockett Aberdeenshire Cricket Club – 6.30pm

We once again welcome back Cllr Barney Crockett. His topic for this evening event is:

“The Cambridge Five and beyond”.

Hundreds of books have been written, dozens of films, plays and tv series about this topic and Barney has appeared on Mastermind about them.  But Barney also says he knows things which aren’t in the books…

Cost of the event is £17pp and will include a buffet served at 6.30pm followed by Barney’s talk.

Wednesday 10^th December – Xmas Quiz – Ashvale Restaurant – 6.30pm

Our annual quiz which was even more popular last year with a record number of teams will take place at the usual venue of the Ashvale Restaurant. Teams of 4 Maximum with one member being a Burgess, but if any Burgess wishes to take part we can make up team with other Burgesses. It’s a fun evening and cost per team member is £20 with £7 from the entry fee going to a charity of the Burgesses choice.

If you wish to attend the events, please email Clerk at:

clerk@aberdeenburgesses.com  

Payment can be paid via cheque made payable to Burgesses of Guild of the City of Aberdeen and sent to Garry Stevens, Clerk to the Burgesses of Guild, 6 Craigarbel Crescent, Inverbervie, Montrose DD10 0SJ or via BACS to: Sort Code 826011, Account Number 50325609, Ref Surname/Event attending.

James Maitland, Transformation Program Manager. Proposed by Rona Grimmer and Seconded by Owen Bisset.

Michael Melvin, Volunteering Services Manager. Proposed by Beverley Graham and Seconded by Graham Guyan.