By Ruth Fyfe, archivist

NEXT week will be a busy one for the John Gray Centre. On Tuesday, Jumpers For Goalposts, a book of recollections from the gents who go to the Active Memories Group, will be launched.

Sprint legend George McNeill and fellow special guest, ex-Hibs footballer Peter Cormack will join us for the launch, as well as many of the speakers who have come along to the group since it started.

Active Memories is aimed at older men with an interest in sport and many of the memories in the book are sports related. The men all grew up playing football in the street or park, a couple of jumpers down for goals.

Jake recalls: “You got fined for playing football in the street. We saw the police coming and jumped on a tram but they were waiting for us when we got off. I got fined half a crown at the court – my old man gave me a hiding.”

Jake would go on to become a part-time professional footballer.

The book is made up of the reminiscences of 17 men, and so many different sports are represented.

James played rugby for Haddington, but he was also a keen runner.

He recalled: “When I was only about 16 I entered the Haddington Games. I was that keen I didn’t have spikes or anything, I just ran in my sandshoes next to the professionals.”

George, who at the age of 70 plays football for The Gifford Gentlemen’s Football Club, has been coming to Active Memories, which meets every Tuesday morning at the John Gray Centre, since it first started.

He said: “What it has achieved is the good friendship and respect we have for each other and the enjoyment and fun of every Tuesday morning.

“It doesn’t matter what sporting team you support, what background you come from or where you were born, everyone comes together for some great banter and camaraderie.”

Jumpers For Goalposts will be on sale at the John Gray Centre from Tuesday at a cost of £5.

Next Wednesday, at 11am, the Archive and Local History team will be giving an informal presentation at the Town Hall, Musselburgh. The presentation will be a chance to share memories of the Riding of the Marches over tea and cake.

The first documentation of Musselburgh’s ancient ceremony can be found in the Town Council Minutes on October 16, 1682. Earlier written records held by the council were destroyed in a fire at the Town House in 1544. It is thought that the ceremony could date further back when Musselburgh was granted its first Burgh charter in 1124 from David I, presenting the burgh with status and privileges.

The marches or common ridings are thought to have started as a religious pilgrimage following a route of crosses. The Reformation and continuous conflict between the Scottish and English borders are thought to have changed the nature of these religious processions to civic ceremonies. The church could no longer offer its protection to the townsfolk, common land and property, leading to opportunist barons and lords posing a threat to the boundaries with their small but intimidating armies. Thieving neighbouring landowners also took advantage of lost and overgrown markers by adjusting boundaries.

In response, every 21 years the local lord would appoint a townsperson to ride out to reinforce the rights of the townsfolk and inspect the boundaries.

This article will be continued in our column next month. Join us in Musselburgh next week to see photographs and film from our collections.