It was in 1953, at a concert practice one evening, that Bob Wood told me and two friends, who were singers, that the Gala Burns Club was to be re-formed and that we were to be the entertainment.   My friends were to be the singers and I was to be the pianist.   So we turned up at the first supper of the post-war Burns Club with ex-Provost Goodall in the Chair and Dr McLinden of Leipzig University proposing the "Immortal Memory" – so successfully, that he was invited back soon after.   "The Lasses" were toasted by J.O.McRae and the reply was made by the Dean of Guild, Mr Geddes.   "Tam o Shanter" was recited by the Roxburgh Director of Education Mr J.B.Baxter and the "Town of Galashiels" was proposed by Provost Fraser of Hawick, the reply made by Provost Gladstone of Gala.   As I recall there were several Provosts there that night.

The toast to "Our Guests" was proposed by the editor of the Border Telegraph.   Perhaps our singers were increased because we had 14 songs between our four toasts, four replies and a recitation, and we still managed to end on time – our target was midnight to oblige wives, friends and taxis who arrived to transport members back home.   Like today we had two main courses – haggis and steak pie – but no-one told us that, pre-war, they had been token courses.   So that evening only true gluttons could do justice two huge plates.

Disbelief is sometimes expressed that such a programme could end on time but our speakers were rigidly kept to time.   The main toast was twenty minutes; other speeches varied from five to seven minutes.   Another difference from today was that we mostly had the same pianist, singers and piper for years.   The piper was usually the local Pipe Major.   He would have been insulted to be dropped and in fact, we were all honoured to be asked and often paid for our ticket as well.   Perhaps we were lucky in our artistes for you could often hear members say how they looked forward to hearing our speakers and singers, having made special efforts to get there despite weather and distances.

Selling tickets was easy, for the first suppers in the Royal Hotel and then the Maxwell Hotel, our rooms limited us to 85 places.   So to get a newcomer in to a supper someone else had to die!   As time passed our programme pattern became established and it was not unknown for a speaker with a voice to be invited to sing.   But, on the other hand, should a speaker overstep his time limit, we could drop out a song or singer.

In 1955 we introduced a violinist to give a recital.   That year the Chief Constable proposed "Town and Trade" and the parish minister was a speaker and became a committee member.   Soon after we enlisted the help of local notables like Earl Haig, Earl of Dalkeith, Sir John McEwan, Sir Connolly Abel Smith, supplemented by members of the Gala Speakers' Club, which we rated very highly.   Subsequently the Gala Speakers' Club provided ever more speakers; this did not reduce the quality, just the opposite.

Another custom had evolved by this time: It became customary to form an after-dinner choir.   Perhaps by chance but it soon became obvious that many of our members, as well as our artistes, were members of the local opera company so, of course, they were singers.   In a fairly short time the aftermath was as popular as the Burns Supper and sometimes lasted even longer – the supper ending at midnight and the choir nearer to 2 a.m.

Among the highly regarded speakers who were asked to return was a popular former minister at Ladhope Parish Church.   It was quite special for me, for he had many years previously christened me!

One night I stopped to pick up my father from a Burns Committee meeting.   By the time I came away I had been co-opted – it was that kind of club.   In the 70's the Maxwell Hotel built bigger premises which allowed us to increase our membership and attendance.   By 1971, I was very proud to be elected to the Chair.   I relied very much on the Speakers Club for my speakers although soon after we had the Earl of Elgin, David Steel MP, Archie Kirkwood and Dr Fred Kidd.   We did try moving to Gala Academy where, after two years waiting, we finally captured the Rev. James Currie as our main speaker.   He was then the most famous Burns speaker in the world.   It was worth the wait!   Then we moved to the Volunteer Hall where we have virtually been ever since.

At this time the management and our caterers at the Maxwell Hotel had changed so you can imagine, when the next caterer was asked for more oatcakes, he counted the guests at our table and said "somebody must have had two – oh dear"!

Exactly when and why, I do not know, but now we have only three toasts – The Immortal Memory, Toast to the Lasses and The Land of Cakes, absolutely no replies and speeches do tend to be longer.

In 2008 we achieved our Club Centenary; the Chair occupied very capably by Douglas Watt.   And so we carry on today with attendance now approaching 200 and we still have folk who make an effort to get here despite weather and distance.   At one time we had a major influx from the RAF, the Northern Lighthouse Board, Governors from the prison service and the local police still attend.   At one time we even had a strong Hawick influence until death and old age intervened.   And, we've had an Englishman for President!   So we represent a broad kirk, as they say.

Let's hope we last another 100 years.