Welcome to the Dufftown Juvenile Society website.
This website was updated on 16/01/2011
video added of the 177th walk, see 2011 walk page
At 1.30 on New Years Day the 177th Boys Walk left the Memorial Hall in a flurry of snow and took the usual route up Balvenie street, round the clock and up the brae into a coorse biting winter wind. The walk was well supported by the adults and collectors were out in force. Not too many boys led the parade this year, (shock horror) It was up to the young quines in the town to help wield the swords and axes to lead the parade along with the lads. This is the first time this has happened to the best of our knowledge and is a definite break with tradition. New sashes were sported this year and replaced the worn out faded regalia, this was supported with a donation from Glenfiddich Distillery.
This year the pipe band stopped off in the car park at the Shand centre to play a couple to tunes for the patients and nurses in the hospital day room before continuing round to the Commercial hotel. Edna and the girls provided shelter form the cold for a while and we all enjoyed our mince pie in the comfort of the hall . This was a welcome break and much better than standing around outside in the street. 200 pies were distributed to the walkers then the parade continued back to the Memorial hall.
It was great to see so many children turn up for the New Years party in the Memorial hall and the older kids enjoyed a disco till 9pm.
The Boys ball In the British Legion was very well supported and passed without incident. Saints and Sinners from Buckie kept the revellers entertained once again.
This year the grand total raised was £1170 which will be distributed to local groups in Dufftown.
Thanks go to everyone in Dufftown for their generosity and for supporting the Juvenile Society over the years, thanks also go to the Dufftown pipe band and all those hardy souls who braved the elements to keep this grand old tradition alive.
Following our meeting at the end of 2010 the web master was entrusted with the minutes of meetings from 1918 to 1980. This makes fro very interesting reading. There are also photographs which are mostly featured on this site. However there are a few unseen pictures and articles which we hope to feature on here soon, once permission has been granted by the proffessional photographer who took them.
We have discovered that the weapons (mostly spears) may have gone missing a little earlier in time than we had realised. According to recent photo's of the walk, which have come to light the number of weapons we have now are similar to that of the 80's with only one sword unaccounted for.
More exciting news is that the original large scroll parchment from the 1800's is still being held by a trustee of the society which is in very fragile condition and hopefully with the help of a local historian we hope to copy some or maybe even all of it onto this site.
NEWS JIST IN
A whilie ago, so I've been been telt. A Mrs Sharp from Dufftown donated a pile o Zulu spears to the walk she had a rare collection so they say o Zulu masks and sheilds. It was the spears that she donated that ye can see in the auld pictures.
Now the ither artifacts we still hae fae way back are the auld banners ! a bit mouldy and torn !
We managed to find a latin converter online to see fit the flag says, and the translation reads
" to be distinguished for this fellowship "
If you have any interesting stories aboot the Boys walk, Childrens New Year party or the Boys ball please write to me nicol123@btinternet.com even recent photo's would be fine!
Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to email me and furnished the site wi loads of pictures, hope to hae more stuff on here soon.
Now ! If ye wid like to be kept up to date wi athing that goes on at the Dufftown Juvenile society send us a wee email and we can then mak a listie and send you out a nudgie fan the news is in, or fan the site has been updated, I do hae a puckle o ye's in there already.
