The Rothesay Chain

Last August I blipped the civic chain from Oban, worn at the funeral of Cllr Donald Macdonald by the Provost of Argyll & Bute, Billy Petrie.

Today I was at the Argyll & Bute Tourism Partnership Summit at Portavadie where the Provost was wearing a different chain - this time the one from Rothesay.

It is, apparently, the most valuable of all the civic chains in Argyll & Bute , decorated as it is with freshwater pearls and containing small gold plates commemorating the past Provosts of the Royal Burgh. It also features the "Birlinn" , marking not just the connection of Bute to the sea but also the fact that the Provost was - at one time - the "Admiral of the Clyde". A role that Billy would, he says, be happy to perform as long as he gets the pay and the pension!

Later on I stood next to Billy for the speakers group photo and couldn't resist this close up blip, with my iPhone.