Quoits

Quoits, game in which players toss rings at a stake, called the hob. A ring that encircles the hob scores two points for the thrower; a ring closer to the hob than an opponent’s scores one. The rings are usually made of iron and weigh about three pounds, but rope or rubber rings are also used. It has been said that the game was played in Roman-occupied Britain (1st–5th century), or it may have been developed in medieval Britain, perhaps when peasants heated and bent horseshoes into rings and tossed them at iron pegs driven into the ground. Later, in the United States and Canada, horseshoe pitching became the more popular game.

William Kirkland's Watch - By his grandson Bill Kirkland

My name is Bill Kirkland, the grandson of William Kirkland who was part of the winning side from Larkhall & Raploch of the Lanarkshire league in Scotland which won the Scottish & Lanarkshire cups in 1925. My grandfather was presented with a gold pocket watch to mark the achievement.

It would have given my grandfather great delight in being able to share the story of how their team from a small mining village made so many people proud. Born 9th July 1900 in Larkhall Lanarkshire Scotland was a miner all his life and a fanatical supporter of quoits even in his years of retirement was a daily visitor to the quoits green in Larkhall if not practising then coaching. He often said the best way to get rid of your everyday frustration was to have a game, as it kept you fit and healthy.

He was a fiercely proud family man. Alongside his wife Jeannie, they had 9 children and were in love till the day they died. They instilled good family values even in their grandchildren and were respected in the area, always ready to help people even when they had nothing, they are sadly missed by all the family even to this day I still hear stories regailed about them.

See pictures of the watch at: http://www.ukquoits.org/page52.html