Crossroads and Characters

64. OUT FROM A QUARRY.

A rock solid institution of village social life in Dunning has long been the Bowling Club. In fact it came into existence in 1873 on the floor of the disused Kirklands Quarry, moving to its present location in 1895. (The local curling club, which curled on local lochs like The Whitemoss and Keltie whenever there was a deep frost tried to set up concreted curling sheets in the same quarry after the Bowling Club left, but the venture failed). The Bowling Club owed much of its success to the zeal of members like Dr. D. G. Donaldson, shown here seated sixth from the right in the front row. This was not his usual garb: customarily he wore black frock coat and homburg. He was for decades one of the village's two doctors, highly respected as a physician, and just as well known as a 'mad keen bowler', a species still common in the village.