The Auchengeich Mining Disaster by Hugh Gaffney. Thursday 9th January at 7:30pm in the Park Centre

 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)

Hugh is a passionate trade union representative who believes in justice for workers. He has been an active trade union representative with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) for 35 years and was an active trade union Secretary in the North Lanarkshire Trade Union Council.  In 2017 he was a local District Councillor for Thorniewood Ward in North Lanarkshire Council and in the same year became a Labour Member of Parliament for Coatbridge Chryston and Bellshill. He remains an active trade union representative as the Scottish Political Secretary for the Communications Workers Union and at the present time is writing the history of the Auchengeich Miners Disaster. 

The Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service - The Girton and Newnham Unit - 1915-1918. Thursday 5th December, 7:30pm.

 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. 

Significant personalities in Kirkintilloch and District by the Research Group: Wednesday 20th November, 2pm.

 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!

The RNLI: 200 years of saving lives at sea by Louise Nixon. Thursday 7th November, the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch, 7:30pm.

 

This year the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) celebrates 200 years of saving lives at sea. It all began in the early 18th century with rescuing sailors and passengers from many wrecks. From there the RNLI was founded and has developed from strength to strength, from modest beginnings of a few volunteers , early life jackets, developing self righting boats to the international charity life saving organisation it is today.

Louise Nixon is the Vice President of the Kirkintilloch and District Society of Antiquaries. She has been a RNLI sea safety and Education Volunteer for 20 years, attending and delivering the water safety message at major  events schools, youth groups, scouts, Guides, BB and at clubs and societies for all age groups. 

Report on the visit to Govan Old Parish Church, Wednesday 9th October 2024

On Wednesday 9th October, members of the Society gathered at the entrance of Govan Old Parish Church for a guided tour to learn about Govan's early history as the centre of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, the advent of early Christianity, and the records of attacks by Viking forces.

The Old Parish Church is dedicated to Saint Constantine and comprises an A-listed Scottish Gothic Revival building, completed in 1888 within a pear-shaped Scheduled Ancient Monument churchyard, housing early medieval monuments from the 9th-11th centuries. Christian worship on the site dates from the 5th-6th centuries with links to other Brittonic communities, and more recently with the Iona community. Raids by the Vikings occurred in 870AD, evidence for which exists in historic records and in some of the sculptures.

Govan Old Parish's guide describes the features of the hogback gravestones
and explains their history. (© I.S.Ruddock)

The building is not typical of the Church of Scotland and has been described as Scottish-Roman in an attempt to better affiliate the two churches. Interestingly, the Russian Orthodox Church still uses the church for worship. A striking feature is the number of richly decorated stained glass windows commissioned from different workshops.

The engraved details on the Govan Sarcophagus are pointed out by the guide. (© I.S.Ruddock)

The collection of 31 sculptured monuments - The Govan Stones - is displayed throughout the church and includes the Govan Sarcophagus, crosses with figurative and interlace decoration, and the Anglo-Scandinavian 'hogback' gravestones. There is also an exhibition of reproduction armour, clothing, jewellery and an early board game. Time passed quickly due to the engaging and enthusiastic manner in which the guide from the Govan Heritage Trust proved details of the internationally recognised importance of the church, the stones and their historical context.

David Graham

Visit to Govan Old Parish Church, 2pm Wednesday 9th October 2024

 A guided tour of Govan Old Parish Church and Stones (866 Govan Road, G513UU) has been arranged for Wednesday 9th October at 2.0pm. The group comprising between 12 and 20 members meets at 1.45pm at the entrance to the church. Please indicate by email to kdsantiquaries@gmail.com if you would like to take part.

Members are expected to make their own way to and from the venue which can be accessed

By underground to Govan Cross,

By McGill bus 23 or 26 from city centre; also by First Glasgow,

By car although there is restricted parking, or

By walking from the Riverside Museum across the newly opened Govan-Partick bridge.