On Summer Solstice, The Aberdeen Shoemakers Incorporation held the annual riding of the Marches – an ancient tradition of the Trade. They Visited Aberdeen Football Club and were kindly given an excellent tour by Allan McKimmie.
The Trade then headed to Watson Lane next to Rosemount Place to ‘doup’ their new members David Ross, Sarah Machray, Mark Campbell and Graham Findlay on the March stone.
Douping is the traditional method of ‘introducing’ new members to the Shoemakers Trade.
In old Scots the “doup” is the bottom of anything, including the buttocks. Annually, the Shoemakers Incorporation ‘rode’ the marches or visited the property and land they owned. If a new member was present, he was douped on one of the march stones. The method being that he was lifted by the other members and placed three times on his doup on the stone.
