At its meeting of 20th August the Anstruther Rotary Club heard from club member Bill Henderson, who entertained with great humour in his talk about that well known Scottish poet William Topaz McGonagall.

Some would say the writer of the worst poetry in the English language, but Bill skillfully explored a life both remarkable and sometimes tragic – and all interspersed with readings that without doubt captured the spirit of the man.

Nowadays identified with Dundee, McGonagall was born in Greyfriars Parish, Edinburgh in 1825 and died there too in 1902 – sadly by that time penniless and laid to rest in an unmarked grave.
But the club heard of the many exploits of this astonishing man – married in 1846 he prospered as a handloom weaver – then as an actor and, after discovering his skills as a poet in 1877, dedicating himself to traveling the country as a working poet, delighting and appalling audiences across Scotland and beyond!

We heard of his circus skills, reading his poetry whilst being pelted with eggs and other debris – and all for fifteen shillings a night – a very tidy sum! Apparently the show was stopped by the authorities when it became too rowdy, endangering life and limb!

After many humorous anecdotes and much laughter a vote of thanks was proposed, on behalf of an appreciative audience, by Derek Mathie