From Miriam Buncombe, Archives Assistant for Muniments
Tis the season of the soiree and the shindig; of feasts and friendly gatherings; of throwing a good party! And as, when not buried under a pile of books, the students of St Andrews have been known to throw a decent party or two, looking to records of the University’s Student Societies may offer some festive inspiration...
Students of yesteryear embraced the dark winters’ nights and familiar St Andrews’ winds as part of their celebrations. It was local students who made up the Women Town Students Association who, seemingly all too aware of the potential gloominess brought on by a long Fife winter, had the foresight to introduce a charming if chilly tradition into the student’s winter calendar: the ‘Moonlight Walk'.
Traditionally following a route “out by Cameron, in by the Grange,” judicious inclusion of singing, dancing and the iconic red gown kept everyone warm:
“Approximately 100 students gathered outside the Union, and from there set out on the Moonlight Walk. Singing student songs, the long line of scarlet gowns made their way through St Andrews, out into the country. The first part of the journey was uphill, and as the S.T.C. set the pace, it was rather hard-going, but Piper Mackenzie was there to cheer us on our way and soon we reached Kinnaudy cross-roads where we danced an eight-some reel to the skirl o’ the bagpipes. After getting organised once more, the cheery company set out for home, reaching St Andrews at about 1.30am. It has been a tremendous evening.” (Kathleen J. Smith).
Music, too, helped to make the St Andrews’ Christmas season a happy one. The Madrigal Group, dedicated to singing of madrigal tunes and choral music, had experience in setting the right tone. The group’s notes of December 1962 for a Christmas recital in the chapel mention that “it appeared to the Director that the programme was a bit too long and needed more cheerful music to arouse, since the group is inclined to sing loudly in the Chapel after the enclosed space of room 11. Lullabies etc. sung loudly are meaningless; - more joyful carols are best for chapel recitals”.
From the 1950s, a December tradition saw groups of Madrigal singers criss-cross St Andrews on foot, performing in drawing rooms, kitchens and gardens late into the night to raise money for charity. The group’s log for Thursday December 8th, 1960 recalls that... “for the first time the Group visited Westacres, and sang in the large sitting-room at the house of Dr and Mrs Arthur Read”. An ‘a cappella’ performance from the Madrigals greatly enhanced many a bash, and delighted dinner guests wrote with their thanks, with one praising the Madrigals’ 'entirely admirable performance in such a setting' and rating this 'a very satisfying experience'."
The singers’ efforts were not without reward; in addition to raising funds for local causes, the group would be wined and dined with the invited guests, making for a merry evening all round – little wonder a secretary’s advisory note from 1972 underlined that “it really takes a lot longer than ½ hour to sing and chat and to travel on to the next place”.
Things reached a new level of organisation in 1979, when a keen caroller with a scientific mind sketched a precise route map, with estimated walking times, to allow for the most efficient approach to the proposed circuit of home visits in St Andrews. A brief footnote to the map adds the cautionary reminder that “this carol round took place the night before our lunchtime concert in chapel. This was not a good idea”. This does give a sense that a good time was had by all on the Carol Round; perhaps a timely hint to all revellers of the value in spacing out celebrations over a hectic festive season?
All of these energetic celebrations required good sustenance, and accounts of student festivities suggest provision of hearty fare was not to be neglected. For Town Students, even midnight strolls were enhanced by pre-stroll hotdog and accompanied by a picnic: “We went out by Cameron. It was a glorious night and everybody enjoyed the walk immensely. We were fed on chocolate and gingersnaps on the way and got home in time for breakfast”.
It should come a little surprise that the Celtic Society, hosts of an annual Highland Ball, were dab hands at feeding a lively crowd – with a good pinch of thrift thrown in! The secretary’s secrets to success in 1996 included, on Quiches, “you can use the huge ones that look good but don’t go very far, or small cheap ones which are perfectly adequate and easier to deal with,” and on deserts, the timeless suggestion of “get someone else to do these”.
Last but not least, for a real wow factor, the centre-piece, too, should move with the spirit of the occasion. To make certain that their opening ‘flapper’ dance was a roaring success, in 1925 the Women Town Students Association devised a novel attraction: “the refreshments differed from the usual fare erring on the better side, and we managed quite a decent display” reported Secretary M.H. Anderson, “the feature of the evening being numerous jellies, which, though wobbly, were greatly appreciated”.
Hopefully, this glimpse into these past merriments will provide a few ideas to help the make this season a happy one.
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