The Tale of a Gold Watch

In early October 2010 a party of golfers from the mainland came to play at Lochranza Golf Course. Unfortunately, one of the gentlemen realised he had lost his valuable gold watch on the course. Whilst being valuable, it was also invaluable because it had been given to him by his late mother.

The gentleman’s mother fostered many Glasgow children and from 1938 on brought them regularly to Arran on holiday. She would make them wear the same colour t-shirts on holiday so that she could spot them easily.

In the 16 months that passed until February 29^th this year, the golf course experienced extreme frosts, thick snow and flooding. During both winters the ditches were thoroughly cleaned out and Nigel and I got to know every inch of the course. We saw no sign of the watch.

On February 29^th I walked down the golf course to clear up windblown twigs (the course is closed in winter). It was a lovely spring like day. As I headed towards the Newton Road Bridge I became aware of something gleaming brightly at the top of a ditch out of the corner of my eye. When I went to investigate I recognised the Rotary watch from the gentleman’s description immediately. It had a little frond of dust attached to it but otherwise looked shiny and clean.

Was it a happy chance that I was passing just as the sun was shining on the watch face? I felt as if the watch made me see it- I wasn’t looking that way. I wonder about the story it could tell of where it’s been? Washed into the ditch in a flood? Hidden in a crack that has since opened up? Captured by a crow and kept in its nest? Returned to its rightful owner, and having been checked by a jeweller, amazingly, all it needed was a new battery.

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