Jack House

 and the Bonnet Toun

By Jameson Clark

Taken from the 1971 Bonnet Guild Festival Guide

Yin laddie went tae Whitehall School,

A "terror" tough and gimie

An' sittin' next him on his stool,

Was an angel from Kilbirnie.

Noo balth are sittin' here today,

The "terror" quiet's a mouse

Fair scared tae daith jist whit

Ah'll say, Concerning aul' Jack House.

But worry not, ma brainy chiel,

Ah'll keep them in the dark,

Nae guilty secret Ah'll reveal,

As ma name's Jimmy Clark.

Yin day last year in raining June,

In answer tae yer prayer,

A sudden phone call brocht me doon,

Tae grace the Bonnet Fair.

When 'peever' champions took the flair,

Poor Jack missed all the fun,

A sudden bout o' illness sair,

That kept him on the run.

But In the breach I stepped mysel'

As bold as Highland Reiver,

An' wi' a skill that made them yell

Ah kicked a glorious peever.

0 Glesca, Jack's a vital part,

His fame is a' abune

But prood we are he's turned his art,

Tae oor ancient Bonnet Toun.

The Kilmarnock bunnet's no' lang here,

An' let wha care resent it,

But Scots were wearin* Stewarton gear,

Ere Killie's were invented.

Sae noo the twa o' us are here,

In this bonny Ayrshire neuk,

Tae hae a crack, tae drink a beer,

An' launch this splendid book.

Nae better subject could be set,

Than praisin' o' her name,

May grace and glory, greater yet,

Add tae her noble fame.

A toun that's forgin' aye ahead,

The place that will not fail,

Whaur couthy folks, a' Ayrshire bred,

Keep mind o' David Dale.

Here's health unto the Bonnet Toun,

And tae the men wha raised it,

Here's health unto the Glesca loon,

Who has sae richly praised it.

This poem is made up of extracts from the toast, "The Book", proposed by Jameson Clark at the Dinner in November 1970 to launch the Bonnet Guild publication, "STEWARTON" by JACK HOUSE.