My favourite read of this year so far, hands down! History, humour and plenty of heart in a slice of Edinburgh heritage served up with more than one unexpected twist. Perfect for fans of Alexander McCall Smith, art lovers and anyone who has an affinity with the Scottish capital.

The Edinburgh Skating Club | Birlinn Ltd - Independent

Ice Dancers seldom fell over in the 20th Century - but Bernard Ford did at the World Championships in Davos, Switzerland. " I crossed my feet instead of my fingers" he said afterwards. But with his partner Diane Towler he went on to win the first of 4 World titles. Up to then skating had been for men only,but he wrote: " I can see no reason why the ladies are to be excluded..." Severe unemployment led to the British Government to enquire whether it was necessary to employ foreign Coaches at British Rinks. The NSA replied that it was, but decided to improve the quality of tuition by setting up Instructors tests at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. Courtney Jones, many time World, European and British Ice Dance Champion created two new dances with Peri Horne, The Starlight Waltz and Silver Samba. 1966 The world's first skating club was formed - the Edinburgh Skating Club. To join applicants had to pass a test: skate a complete circle on each foot, and then jump over first one hat, then two hats, then three hats each on top of the other. 1772Skaters went to War and some lost their lives amongst them, Walter Gregory, Freddie Tomlins and Tony Austin. Others fought with distinction. Graham Sharp became a Captain in the Army. Geoffrey Yates (1936 Olympics) a Major in the Royal Marines, Cecilia Colledge a driver in the Mechanised Transport Corps, Denis Silverthorne 1939 Junior Champion and Leslie Cliff ( Pair Champion) became officers in the RAF. The ISU allocated the World Championships to London. It was held at the National Skating Palace and was won by Henning Grenander. 1899 Mirroring the historical friendship between middle-aged women Alison and Katherine is an amusing modern couple, university historians Clare Sharp and Jenny Brodie. They are drawn into a strange conspiracy to prove that the famous picture by Henry Raeburn, The Skating Minister, is in fact by another artist and of another subject. Outside Scotland, not everyone knows that there has been a real controversy over the authorship of this picture. Once I had learned of this, I further enjoyed Clare and Jenny’s detective work in museums and archives. But these scenes would be better if some conclusions had been left implicit, for the reader to draw. The Edinburgh Skating Club is recognized as the first organized figure skating club. [1] [2] [3] While some sources [1] [4] claim the club was established in 1642, most sources accept 1742 or 1744 as the date of its founding. The next-oldest skating club, in London, was not founded until 1830. [1] The club was dissolved in 1966 after the decline in interest in combined figure-skating. [5]

The Edinburgh Skating Club (Audio Download): Michelle Sloan The Edinburgh Skating Club (Audio Download): Michelle Sloan

Jeanette Altwegg became European Champion in Zurich, with Barbara Wyatt in 3rd place. Jeanette won the World Championship in Milan, Italy and Britain were 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the ISU Ice Dance Competition.Valda Osborn, age 9 years 263 days became the youngest ever to pass her Gold medal NSA figure test on D-Day 6th June 1944. Her record still stands in the 21st century . 1946 The NSA published a pamphlet "Notes for Guidance in planning and provision for ice and roller skating rinks". It was prepared in consultation with the NSA's architects, Peter Jordan, H.George Marsh and Ernest Matthews, themselves former skaters. 1976