My Memories

A Memory of Methilhill.

I was born at 1 Donaldson Road. My dad was John White a marvelous singer, he worked at Haigs Distillery, Cameron Bridge for 46 years. My elder brother was Ron White. I played in the Methillhill Pipe Band in 1946, with Pipe Major Jock Stewart at the helm we won the Daily Record shield. The Methill Museum (great place) has a photo of the band just after the win. The picture was taken outside the Toll Bar Hotel beside the pipers hut. The pipe major who started me on the pipes was Charlie Anderson who lived in the Brick Row. His son Jimmy was pipe major of the Black Watch for 12 years.
My best friend was Davie Coote, they lived at No.10 Donaldson Road. They had a big family, John (killed at Dunkirk) Margaret, Annie, Colin, Willie, Harry, Hughie, Bert (Robert). They were a great bunch and Davie and I had many adventures, including owning a car that looked like a dog house on wheels, neither one of us with a license and the car had no brakes!!! Great fun. At 14 I left school and started my apprenticeship as a joiner. I was called up a week after I finished my apprenticeship. I was in the Black Watch and was in Germany- was a guard at Spandau prison for a time, very shortly I found myself in the Pipe Band. Played on the 2nd and 3rd Edinburgh Tattoo 1951 & 52. In Feb of 52 -16 of us played at the Kings funeral. In Sept of 52 I left the Black Watch and came to Canada. I had wanted to be a cowboy since I was a boy so I set out for the west and learned everything I could about horses and the cowboy life. I married a Rodeo Queen and had two little cowgirls and we all lived the ranching /cowboy life. My girls have kept up the tradition - Allison (Everett) has been All Round Cowgirl for British Columbia for 16 years. Kirsty White is a horsetrainer and a cracker jack Barrel racer. She was just named Cowgirl of the year for Canada. In the winter she trains her horses in Arizona. I was inducted into the British Columbia Cowboy Hall of Fame last year. I still ride everyday and give riding lessons at my ranch at 150 Mile House in the Cariboo. My two grandsons - Dane is in Art School at UBC in Vancouver (22) and Brock (8 yrs) is a very successful little Britches cowboy and is a great singer. He has sung "O Canada" at Rodeos, sings with Grandpa at Burns Nights, Celidhs, and Cowboy Christmas Concerts.I am pretty proud of my family.
Quite an interesting life for that baby born in 1930 at no.1 Donaldson Road.