Amazing story behind Moray care home
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A LOCAL woman is to bring to the stage a powerful story which has waited nearly 200 years to be told.
People might well drive past Anderson's Care Home, on Elgin's Institution Road, every day oblivious to the fascinating back story of how it came to be – as was the case with home volunteer Kate Torrieston.
It wasn't until Kate started regularly visiting the home to read to residents that she learned from the manager, Kathy McGrath-Gunn, about its namesake Andrew Anderson, his rise out of destitution and his generosity towards Elgin townspeople after the roughest of starts in life.
As a baby in the mid-1700s Anderson was laid to sleep in a font among the ruins of Elgin Cathedral, where his poor, deranged mother, Marjorie Gillan, called "Daft May" by locals, slept rough.
But by the end of his life, Anderson had risen through military ranks to become a general and had amassed a fortune which was left entirely to the town of Elgin – to be used to help the infirm and elderly and build a free school of industry for poor youngsters.
Kate, founder member of Rothes Amateur Theatrical Society (RATS) in the 1970s, found herself swept along by the incredible life story of Andrew Anderson and was moved to retell it.
She said: "Over a year ago I was chatting to Kathy, who told me the story of General Anderson. I was fascinated – and amazed I had never heard of him before.
"Kathy wanted the story out there and wondered what would be the best way. She said, 'a play or something . . .', and the seed was sown."
The fruits of Kate's focus and creative efforts – her play, The General – is now set for the stage at Elgin Town Hall next month.
Kate had experience in writing, acting, producing and directing – but this task was on a different scale.
However, after more than 30 years out of the local drama scene but driven by her fascination and passion, Kate wrote a script, lyrics and assembled a talented local cast.
Kate said: "I was so caught up in the story, I can't believe how my hand flowed. And even now when I look at it I think, 'did you write that?' "
The play opens in 1746, the year of the Battle of Culloden, when Marjorie, a farmer's daughter from the Drainie area at Lossiemouth, took up with soldier Andrew Anderson, from Lhanbryde.
It tells how Marjorie ran off with Anderson, much to the dismay of family and friends, returning to Elgin two years later with a babe in arms and her mind broken.
With nowhere to go and disowned by her family, she took up residence in the ruins of Elgin Cathedral in the small cell-like sacristy, where a stone font became baby Andrew's cot.
The mother and son stayed within the ruins for years and local people gave them food and clothing. Eventually the young Andrew was offered a place at Elgin Grammar School as a pauper scholar. He earned his education by washing floors, lighting fires, cleaning slates – but he gained a solid classical education.
The teenage Andrew was forced to leave school to work for an uncle in Garmouth, who was a corset maker. After cruel treatment there he took off, ending up in London working for a tailor.
And through this work he took a suit to a military man, from the East India Company, who persuaded young Anderson to enlist as they set sail for the East Indies. He arrived in Bombay as Ensign Anderson and very quickly rose through the ranks, retiring as a major general.
The play ends in 1811 when Anderson returned to Elgin on a search for his mother's grave.
She said: "The biggest problem has been casting. Folk have so many commitments and are involved in various local music and theatre groups. Jimmy Cameron, from Elgin Amateur Dramatics Society (EADS), came on board and his help has been invaluable. I have been lucky to enrol some of the best local talent from Laich Amateur Dramatics Society (LADS), EADS, Elgin Musical Theatre and St Giles Theatre Group."
Kate's husband, Colin, a jazz musician who was musical director at RATS, has composed all the music to Kate's lyrics.
"They're bonnie tunes," Kate said, "which fit with the story."
Finlay McLuckie plays Andrew as a pauper scholar and Matthew Hamilton picks up the role of Anderson from his teens through to his 60s. Kate's daughter, Nikki Henderson, plays the role of Marjorie.
Rehearsals for the play started at the end of last year. Kate, who has put her heart into its retelling, said: "I just hope we do it justice."
The play will run at Elgin Town Hall on Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26. Tickets, costing £12 including teas at interval, will be available from September 16 at elgintownhall.co.uk . People can also buy tickets from the Town Hall on the Wednesdays of September 18, September 25, and October 2 between 10am-noon.
