Visit to the Glasgow Police Museum, Tuesday 12th March 2024

On Tuesday 12th March, 12 members of the Society enjoyed a visit to the Glasgow Police Museum in Bell Street, Glasgow. They were welcomed by the curator, Alastair Dinsmor MBE, a retired Strathclyde police officer, who provided background information to the displays and related anecdotes as the members progressed through the museum. 

Society members being told about the first police dogs in the City of Glasgow Police.
(© I.S.Ruddock)

The Glasgow Police Museum is dedicated to telling the story of the City of Glasgow Police - the oldest police force in the United Kingdom - up to when it amalgamated in 1975 with other local forces to create Strathclyde Police. The museum was created by the Glasgow Police Heritage Society and first opened to the public in 2002 in the Central Police Office in St Andrews Square, before relocating to its present location in June 2009 following the closure of the former premises.

Local History Month: 'The Old Aisle Cemetery - some people of note': The Park Centre, 2 pm Wednesday 20th March 2024

Kirkintilloch and District Society of Antiquaries will be holding a special open meeting for the annual Local History Month 2024 at 2pm on Wednesday 20th March in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch G66 1LF. 

The presentation will be based on the exhibition and guided walk on the same theme held by the Antiquaries for Doors Open Day in September 2023. After an introduction to the Old Aisle cemetery and its history, sketches will be presented of eight or nine individuals who are buried there. Some of these will be people who were very well-known in their day and who made a mark on the fabric and development of the burgh and, in some cases the nation. Others will be less well-known but who illustrate aspects of the life and times of Kirkintilloch. 

The participants in 2003's Doors Open Day guided walk in the
Old Aisle Cemetery 
hearing about the history of the site
and the belfry. (© I.S.Ruddock)

The guided walk group at the monument to Father James Bonnyman,
the first Roman Catholic priest appointed to Kirkintilloch for an
extended period and who was responsible for the building of
St Ninian's. (© I.S.Ruddock)

The speakers will be Don Martin MBE, well-known local historian and former Secretary of the Antiquaries, Dr Ivan Ruddock, President of the Antiquaries, and Dr Murray Reid, the current Secretary. We hope that this sample of the personalities buried in the Old Aisle will encourage others to enquire into the history of other 'residents' and learn more about their history and that of the community.

All welcome, with no booking required. 

James Mearns: ''What the Romans did for Glasgow Archaeological Society': Thursday 7th March 2004

Jim Mearn's presentation will relate the history of Glasgow Archaeological Society (GAS) from its foundation in December 1856 to the present day. It will mention some of the interesting people who have been members of the Society, such as Miss Cranston of tea room fame; William Blackie the publisher; Lord Kelvin, several Lord Provosts of Glasgow, a Confederate General and a Kirkintilloch native, James Dalrymple Gray Dalrymple. Particular attention will be paid to the legacy of Dalrymple and his impact on the Society. His family plot is in Old Aisle Cemetery but his work in archaeology is not well known locally. Some further links between GAS and the Kirkintilloch and District Society of Antiquaries will be explored.

The Society's activities, including lectures, excursions, campaigns and publications, will be described along with its leading role in the excavation of sites along the Antonine Wall such as forts in the neighbourhood of Kirkintilloch, especially Bar Hill Fort at Twechar. GAS has played a leading role in excavating, researching and publishing material on the Romans in Scotland, and its various reports on the Antonine Wall and the creation of its handbook to the monument will be covered.

Bar Hill Fort: headquarters building excavation.
(Image supplied by J Mearns)

Jim was born in Glasgow and graduated with a BSc honours degree in archaeology from the University of Glasgow. His subsequent career was mainly in public administration as a civil servant in the Department of Transport in London, followed by various senior roles within Glasgow City Council. Outside of his career, he has been active in Glasgow's trade guilds, been Chair of Glasgow Humane Society, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Within the Archaeological Society of Glasgow, he was President in 2006, its Sesquicentennial year, and for the last 10 years has been its archivist and editor of its publication, Scottish Archaeological Journal.

Some publications of Glasgow Archaeological Society on the Antonine Wall. 
(Image supplied by J Mearns)

The meeting will be held in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch, G66 1LF at 7.30 pm. The annual membership subscription is £10 and visitors are welcome at all of the Society's evening events without charge as a 'taster'.

Members' Night 2024: 'A new lease of life': Thursday 15th February 2024

The Society's annual Members’ Night will be held on Thursday 15th February 2024, and this year the theme will be 'A new lease of life'. Seven members will contribute this year and it is anticipated that the theme will be interpreted differently by all concerned with subjects including the restoration of buildings, motor cars and railways. This meeting has always been a highlight of the Society's programme and is expected to be again this year. 

The event will be held in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch, G66 1LF at 7.30 pm. The annual membership subscription is £10 and visitors are welcome at all of the Society's evening events without charge as a 'taster'.

Nina Baker: 'Human spiders spin and spin - ropemakers and rope making in Scotland': Thursday 1st February 2024

Dr Nina Baker has previously spoken twice to the Society, both times during the pandemic when in-person meetings were not being held. The first was a pre-recorded talk entitled 'Scotswomen working in engineering' which was posted on the Antiquaries YouTube channel in January 2021, and the second - 'Daughters of Vulcan: women and the Glasgow Hammermen' - was delivered live by Zoom on 7th October 2021 and was also recorded for viewing on YouTube. In her new talk, she will relate the rather esoteric history of rope making in Scotland, including the participation of women.

Rope making in Germany in the 15th century. (Public domain)

Nina has had a varied career - she became a merchant navy deck officer on leaving school and then, in her 30s, obtained an engineering design degree from the University of Warwick and later a PhD in concrete durability from the University of Liverpool. She has lived with her family in Glasgow since 1989, working variously as a materials lecturer in further education and as a research administrator and, until 2017, as an elected city councillor. Now retired, her interest in promoting STEM careers for girls has led her to become an independent researcher, mainly specialising in the history of women in engineering.

The meeting will be held in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch, G66 1LF at 7.30 pm. The annual membership subscription is £10 and visitors are welcome at all of the Society's evening events without charge as a 'taster'.

Don Martin MBE: 'Local history in folk song': Thursday 11th January 2024

Don Martin retired in the early 2000s as the reference librarian for East Dunbartonshire and has a national reputation as a historian, author, and photographer. He was also Secretary of Kirkintilloch and District Society of Antiquaries for 41 years until 2021. During his career as a librarian, and in retirement, Don has been a prolific researcher and author on mainly Scottish history and culture. As a result, he has published regularly on such topics as histories of the local communities – Kirkintilloch, Lenzie etc, and local transport – Forth and Clyde Canal, Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway etc. His contributions to Scottish libraries and heritage were recognised by the award of an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours.

When first working in Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, Don met colleagues with similar interests in music, and this led to the formation of Clutha, the famous folk group which later developed an international reputation via its live performances and recordings.

Clutha on the roof of the Mitchell Library in 1965. Don Martin 
is on the extreme right. (Public domain)

In this talk on Thursday 11th January 2024, Don – accompanying himself on guitar - will explore the rich resource for the study of local history that is contained within the traditional folk repertoire.

The meeting will be held in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch, G66 1LF at 7.30 pm. The annual membership subscription is £10 and visitors are welcome at all of the Society's evening events without charge as a 'taster'.