Stirling’s Lost Skating Heritage

In the 16^th century James V and his courtiers played tennis as well as football. In fact, The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum has the world’s oldest football in its collection. It was found behind panelling in Stirling Castle’s Palace and has been dated to the 1540s, so Mary Queen of Scot’s herself could have used it.

In this blog we’ll be focussing our attention on ice-skating and roller-skating. Both sports were enjoyed by ordinary working people, as well as the middle classes, during the 20^th century in Stirling. It seemed appropriate to explore Stirling’s ice-skating history as the temperature drops and the nights draw in, as well as roller-skating, ice-skating’s indoor sibling. There no longer a roller-rink or ice-skating rink in Stirling, and all material evidence of these sports is long gone, so we are thankful for resources like The Stirling Observer, which recorded the popularity of both sports at their height.

The Raploch Skating Pond

In the 19^th century people had more disposable income than ever before, which enabled the creation of the leisure industry. Stirling was a tourist destination, with people travelling to admire the scenery and the Castle, but amenities also sprang up to amuse the locals, including the Raploch Skating Pond. Opened in 1901, with Provost Thomson in attendance performing the ribbon cutting ceremony, the pond was funded by a donation made by Mr and Mrs Richardson and the Philharmonic Society. The pond was outdoors and man-made and in February of 1902 an Ice Carnival on the pond was organised by the Council. Hundreds of Chinese lanterns provided magical lighting, a brass band played and over 500 skaters attended, wearing fancy dress for the occasion. Costumes included Neptune, an Executioner, milk maids and pirates.

It must have been a very cold February, as multiple Ice Carnivals were held that month, with entrance prices being reduced for the Carnival held on the 19^th to ensure ’working people’ could afford to attend, 1,300 people came, most of whom were in fancy dress. The Skating Pond proved so popular that a Refreshment Room was built beside it to serve the skaters in 1903. The Pond remained open to skaters until 1938, when the pond was filled-in to make way for the Drip Road housing development.

Advert  for the Stirling Roller Skating Rink, from the Stirling Observer. Courtesy of Stirling Archives.

Advert for the Stirling Roller Skating Rink, from the Stirling Observer. Courtesy of Stirling Archives.

Advert  for the Stirling Roller Skating Rink, from the Stirling Observer. Courtesy of Stirling Archives.

Dean of Guild architectural plan of Drip Road housing Front elevation. Courtesy of Stirling Archives

Olympia Roller-skating Rink

The early 1900s saw a huge craze for roller-skating sweep the nation. Specialist roller-skating rinks were built across Scotland, and for a few years they were the place to be. In 1909 a roller-skating rink designed by local architects McLuckie & Walker opened on Orchard Place at the bottom of King Street. Provost Thomson was in attendance again, with his wife who said it would make ‘an excellent substitute for skating on real ice which they got so little of these days.’ In the first four days after it opened, over 1,000 people roller-skated on the rink, and a policeman had to be deployed to ensure the queue for the rink didn’t get too rowdy or fractious!

At the Olympia Rollerskating Rink, there were separate skating sessions for ladies and gentlemen, as well as mixed sessions, together with a live band who played in a purpose-built bandstand. A Tea-room provided refreshments for the skaters, and fancy-dress competitions and hockey matches were regularly held.

The entrance to the rink was a fantastical turret, there was a red carpet in the entrance hall and almost 400 coloured electric lights illuminated the rink. Unfortunately, the roller-skating craze was short-lived. As a result, Stirling’s rink closed after just two years in 1911 and was turned into the ‘Picture Palace’ cinema.