Our next meeting will be in the Park Centre on Thursday 20th February at 7:30pm. The theme for Members' Night this year is "a precious thing", and five speakers will give short presentations on this topic. The themes are designed to be as broad as possible, hopefully leading to wide range of interpretations. How will this year's speakers develop this theme? Come along next Thursday and find out.
The presentation ‘City of Glasgow Police – 175 Years of History’ encapsulates the founding and development of the UK’s first police force in 1779 and the subsequent granting of The Glasgow Police Act 1800 by King George III. The progress from the early days with innovation and enthusiastic political support brought many changes to the force as it absorbed surrounding burghs as the City grew. The activities of the detectives in dealing with landmark criminal cases and the development of their investigative skills and procedures enhanced their reputation both locally and nationally. The 20th century brought increasing demands which were tackled with thoroughness and both World Wars demanded a high level of planning and co-ordination. The force continued its service to the City until 15 May 1975 when it became part of Strathclyde Police.
The Auchengeich disaster was Scotland’s worst mining disaster post war, which happened in the early hours of Friday the 18th September 1959, with a fire which killed 47 men who were on a death train heading deep inside Auchengeich Pit. Hugh will ask if this accident could have been avoided?
Hugh will look back at the history of Auchengeich Pit, from the village Bridgend created for the working miners through to the community of Moodiesburn. He will ask what happened to the children who today they have never forgotten their fathers, and describe a memorial service to these men, which was created from striking miners. For the first time we will see some faces of the 47 miners of Auchengeich. We learn about some of the men’s lives outside mining, we will hear from the children, whose father, brother, son have gone but they have never been forgotten.
Memorial to the Auchengeich Miners, Moodiesburn (Photo by J M Reid)
Our next meeting will be on Thursday 5th December in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch at 7:30pm. Elaine Morrison and Carol Parry will give a talk on the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service - Girton and Newnham Unit - 1915-1918. The Scottish Women’s Hospitals were organised, run and staffed by women during the First World War to provide surgical and medical care to sick and wounded Allied soldiers. The Girton and Newham Unit served in France, Serbia and Greece. The inspirational women involved showed great courage both personally and professionally.
Elaine Morrison is a retired Consultant Physician and Rheumatologist. She was the Honorary Librarian at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow for two terms and continues as a Senior Fellow. She is currently a member of the Scottish Society of the History of Medicine’s Council. She has a particular interest in the history of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals and, the lives & work of the early women doctors.
Carol Parry is an archivist by training and is Honorary Librarian at the Trades House of Glasgow. She was formerly the Library and Heritage Manager at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. She was Editor of Scottish Archives, the journal of the Scottish Records Association, from 2012–2023 and is a former Secretary of the Scottish Society of the History of Medicine.
Our next meeting will be in the Park Centre at 2pm on Wednesday 20th November, when the Research Group will present profiles of several significant personalities in the history of Kirkintilloch and District that they have been researching over the past year. The personalities are all buried in the Old Aisle Cemetery and were featured in our exhibition in the William Patrick Library and guided walk round the cemetery on Doors Open Day on7th September.
The personalities include some who are well known, such as Petticoat Dan and others who were significant in their time, such as William Patrick, his brother David and the entertainer Tommy Lorne. It will include several prominent women, including the first female Provost of the burgh and a keen angler who founded an all-women fly fishing club. Don Martin, MBE will introduce the history of the Old Aisle as a church and then a cemetery, and profiles of selected personalities will be given by Barrie Stewart, Jenny Burgon, Ivan Ruddock and Murray Reid.
This afternoon meeting has been arranged to enable members who are reluctant to go out on cold, dark winter nights to hear what the Society has been doing over the past year. We hope for a good turnout. If you know any former members who may be interested in this event, please tell them about it; they will be most welcome.
Who are these people? Come along and find out!
