MORE than 60 residents packed into Traquair Village Hall last week, to celebrate its 70th anniversary.

Every household in the area was invited to the gathering on Friday night – which gave locals the chance to leaf through old photographs and enjoy musical entertainment.

And there was a number of speakers at the event.

Chairwoman of the Hall Committee, Joy Barlow, explained how the venue has provided a place for successive generations – holding celebrations, concerts, memorials, regular classes, clubs and communal activities.

The Laird of Traquair, Catherine Maxwell Stuart, described the beauty and history of Traquair which made it “a very special piece of Scotland”, and a place which had always had a strong community spirit.

While Norman Donald, one of the Hall’s trustees, told the story of those involved in the initial planning and fundraising for the Hall from 1948 onwards.

As well as the local landowners, he named all the individual farmers who had subscribed – and in particular two local men, Tommy and Ian Miller.

They were employed as estate joiners and took it upon themselves to raise huge sums of money by door to door collections over the extended parish on Friday nights.

He also remembered the use of the Hall as a school in 1956, and the winter of 1980 when Traquair church suffered burst pipes, boiler and radiators and was able to use the venue instead.

And guests were also able to take a local knowledge quiz; enjoy singing by local members of the Traquair choir; some accomplished accordion music by Robin Wilson; guitar songs led by Joe Richardson and an unaccompanied solo song by Julie Harvey.

Gerald Barlow, who attended the event, said: “In such a dispersed community, people don’t meet each other as they used to in the 1950s and many Traquair residents who came to this anniversary party were meeting each other for the first time.

“So this was a real community event, bringing together the different groups who use the hall, newcomers to the area and old inhabitants. It seems to have been greatly enjoyed by those who came, and appreciation was expressed to Joy and her Committee for organising it so successfully.”