Anstruther Rotary Club’s meeting of 21st November was dedicated to Children in Need, with £650 raised, thanks to the generosity of club members, friends and guests who attended the evening gathering.

After dinner at the Craw’s Nest Hotel, some excellent prizes were raffled and many ‘Pudsy Bear’ badges, toys and emblems sold.

Entertainment was provided by guest speaker Mr Archie Lawrie, whose subject was the Spanish Armada of 1588 and the ship El Gran Grifon, the flagship of the Armada’s supply squadron of supply hulks. It was one of many ships scattered in disarray by battle and by adverse weather. After a hazardous journey around the northern coast of Scotland and south towards Ireland it was forced by storm to return to Fair Isle, where it was driven ashore on 27th September. After many weeks of privation the crew and soldiers made their way to Orkney and then to Anstruther – the ‘Ainster Dons’.

Mr Lawrie has an interest in the paranormal and in psychic phenomena and this led to his story taking a surprising and most unexpected turn. We heard of modern day ‘sightings’ in and around what is now Kingskettle – of ghostly Spaniards in dress of the 16th century and believed by the psychic involved to be ‘Ainster Dons’. Without doubt a very different account.

He went on to speak in some detail of his research into the history of the time and gave an interesting insight to the harsh conditions for the sailors of the day. He spoke of the landing that contemporary accounts suggest did actually take place at Anstruther harbour and, finally, of the repatriation of the Spanish sailors via Leith and a dangerous journey through the English Channel to Spain.

A vote of thanks was proposed by club member Ian Brunton.