YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
This is one of the most useful and prosperous associations
in the parish. It had its roots in classes for young women
which were carried on a number of years ago by Miss Alexander,
Aldhammer House; Miss Gumming, Preston; and the Misses Hislop,
Harlaw Hill.
The present association was formed in 1884, when Miss Mackay,
Free Church Manse, was appointed Secretary, an office she
held for a number of years. Other Secretaries have been: —Miss
Hislop, Castlepark; Miss M. S. Sprot. The Presidents have
been: —the Lady Susan H. Grant Suttie, Prestongrange; Mrs
Mackay, Free Church Manse; Mrs Taylor, Dovecot.
Miss Madeline S. Sprot, Stair Park, is the present Secretary,
and Mrs Hislop, Castlepark, is President.
The association has been exceedingly fortunate in having had
energetic and painstaking office-bearers. It owes much to
Miss Davie, Bank House, and Miss Meek, Aldhammer House, who
since the beginning of the association have been indefatigable
workers on its behalf.
CRICKET CLUB.
The management at the present time is: —Captain, Mr W. Russell;
Vice-Captain, Mr. W. E. Wallace; Secretary, Mr A. W. Cormack;
Treasurer, Mr S. Wallace; Members of Committee, Messrs Harbecq,
Fairgrieve, and T. Simpson.
MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT AND DEBATING SOCIETY.
It is a little over fifteen years since this society was established,
but there was a similar institution in the village more than
half a century ago. In connection with this a curious fact
was mentioned by the late Mr Robert Hislop a short time previous
to his decease. He happened to be at a meeting one night,
and after listening with great interest to the debate, he
assured the meeting that exactly fifty years that night he
heard the same subject discussed by a similar society in Prestonpans.
The office-bearers of the society at the present time are:
— President, Mr Joseph E. Harbecq; Vice-President, Mr Robert
Page; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr W. E. White; Editor of Magazine,
Mr Joseph M. Hunter; Committee (ladies), Misses M. W. Hunter,
I. Thomson, and A. Pockney; (gentlemen)
Messrs A. Prentice, M. A., W. Wright, and C. Belfield. The
syllabus for the season shows a list of seventeen subjects,
among which are lectures, essays, debates, musical evenings,
magazine articles, and criticism of leaders of evening papers.
ORNITHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.
There is an ornithological association in the district. It
was established about 1889, and it has its annual exhibition
and prize competition in October. Secretary, Mr James Pow;
Treasurer, Mr R. Gumming; Members of Committee are Messrs
M. M'Donald, A. Grundison, W. Rennie, G. Redpath, etc.
FOOTBALL CLUB.
There has been a regular football club here for a great many
years. The Athletic were the first to win the East Lothian
League Cup. At the beginning of last season the committee
placed a good team on the field, but the "fates"
were against them, and played havoc with some of their best
men at the beginning They soon recruited, however, won many
matches, and carried off the Haddington Brewery Cup. Their
pitch is at Preston Links. President, Mr John Meldrum; Secretary,
Mr James Drumphy; Treasurer, Mr Thomas Edmond; Representative,
Mr Matthew Brown. They play under the name of Prestonpans
Athletic.
JUVENILE FOOTBALL.
Several juvenile elevens were also formed last season under
the names of The Blue Bell, The Thistle, and The Violet. They
are very strong, but were scarcely expected to come to the
front their first season.
>BEACH HOUSE OF OLD.
If ever there was a quiet, shady, pleasant-looking habitation,
from one end to the other of the village in by-gone days,
it was Beach House. It was a most desirable residence previous
to Mr Ford of Edinburgh becoming proprietor and occupier,
and with the multitudinous improvements he made much was added
to its amenity. A short time ago the grounds and all thereon
were acquired by the Co-operative Society, when the fine old
house was pulled down; but the company have set up
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