Do you remember the Dundee Highland Games?
Big names and all the events loved by Highland games followers made Dundee’s own offering a must-see back in the day.
The stirring skirl of bagpipes, the beat of massed pipe bands, Highland dancing, light and heavy athletics and tug o’ war would draw thousands to Caird Park.
In their present form, Highland games go back to a visit to Edinburgh in 1824 by George IV, which led to a revival in matters Highland and the wearing of tartan.
Modern gatherings owe a great deal to the patronage of Queen Victoria.
She was a keen spectator during Scottish sojourns.
These images from the DC Thomson archives provides a glimpse of the Dundee spectacle which attracted heavyweights like Grant Anderson and Geoff Capes.
They brought fun and games to Dundee for three decades.
Will you recognise any familiar faces?
1977
Lord Provost Harry Vaughn and his wife Margaret pictured with some of the crowd who attended the Highland Games at Caird Park in July 1977.
The crowd was the biggest the city had seen so far with 10,000 along to watch the “Haggis hurlers”, as the headline said at the time.
1977
Tayside Tigers tug o’ war team performing in July 1977.
Admission was 50p for adults and 20p for children and OAPs.
1977
Harry Vaughan opened the event and Bill Anderson, who was a heavyweight legend back then, won six events and shared first place in a seventh.
Born on a farm in Bucksburn, Aberdeen, Anderson began competing aged 18 and soon excelled at caber tossing and hammer throwing.
1978
The cycle race at the 1978 event, which took place on July 2.
The event promised “fun for all the family” with car parking charges 20p.
1978
Some of the crowd watching the Dundee Highland Games in 1978.
The event featured the European Heavyweight Championship, British Tug o’ War Championship, massed pipe bands, a large funfair and sideshows.
1979
World Tug o’ War champions, Young Bells, from Fraserburgh, with their opponents Bugs Bunny & Co at Dundee Highland Games in Caird Park in 1979.
The Young Bells defeated Forfar Tug o’ War Club in the final.
1980
Enjoying the sunshine and sport at Caird Park in July 1980.
Admission was now £1 and children and 50p for children and OAPs.
1980
The heavyweight competitors line up before the large crowd in July 1980.
The event also featured tug o’ war, athletics, cycling, Highland dancing, pipe bands, fun fair stalls and a beer tent selling Drybrough’s Heavy.
1981
The crowd brave the rain under umbrellas in 1981.
There was prize money of £3,000 on offer for competitors.
1982
Geoff Capes, Bob Dale, Doug Edmonds, Grant Anderson, Bill Anderson and Charles Balfour holding the caber before the heavyweight competition in 1982.
Capes was a former police officer who was twice Commonwealth Games champion and represented Great Britain at the Olympics three times.
1982
Some of the crowd cheering on the competitors in July 1982.
Among the attractions was the chance to see the large hot air balloon in the shape of “Buzby”, which was the bird from the British Telecom adverts.
1983
Best-dressed dancer Susan Adams receiving her trophy from games chieftain Lord Provost James Gowans in July 1983.
Dundee Highland Games was always a rich source of entertainment.
1983
Dundee legend Grant Anderson performing at the Highland Games in 1983.
Anderson was a former weightlifter and won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1970 in the super heavyweight class.
1983
The model of the HMS Hermes proved to be popular in July 1983.
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier saw action in the Falklands War against Argentina.
1984
Kenny Cook winning the 800 metres final in July 1984.
Kenny was a runner from Alva.
1985
How could you not try your hardest with this guy screaming in your face?
He was the coach of the YMCA tug o’ war team at Dundee Highland Games in 1985.
1988
Geoff Capes goes through his paces in the 16lb hammer event in July 1988.
Capes was best known for his success in the World’s Strongest Man competition, taking the title in both 1983 and 1985.
He worked the door at Dundee’s Venue nightclub in Lochee after retiring.
1988
The Dundee YMCA team take the strain during their tug o’ war effort in July 1988, which was watched by a crowd of 6,000 at Caird Park.
Chieftain for the day was Lord Provost Tom Mitchell.
1990
Around 5,000 people attended Dundee Highland Games in July 1990 and, to the disappointment of pipe band fans, there was a no show from the Wellington Police Pipe Band from New Zealand, who were mentioned in the official programme.
These brilliant dancers made up for the disappointment.
1990
Action from the five-mile cycle race at Caird Park in July 1990.
Around 5,000 people attended despite poor weather.
1992
Stephen Aitken tossing the caber in July 1992.
Admission was £1 and 50p, and among the attractions was a parachute display.
Time would soon be called on Dundee’s summer games.
2005
The games disappeared from the calendar after Dundee District Council announced they did not have money to fund the event after 1994.
In 2005 the city’s first-ever primary Highland Games was held at Caird Park.
2007
Sack race action on the running track in 2007.
The youngsters engaged in a number of traditional events including Tossing the Wellie.
2010
Pupils take part in a tug o’ war in 2010.
Ten teams from primary schools across the city took part in a host of fun events in June 2010, including the sack race and “lasso the cow”.
2010
Action from Dundee Active Schools primary 4 event at Caird Park in 2010.
It is the final image in our pictorial trip down memory lane.
Did our gallery jog any memories for you?
Let us know.
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