David Brown: Updated

It is with great sadness that the Society has learned of the sudden death of Mr David Brown, its Treasurer, on Thursday 25th February 2016. His funeral will take place on Tuesday 8th March 2016 at 10.30 am in Lenzie Union church followed by Daldowie Crematorium at 12.00.

Ivan Ruddock

Ivan Ruddock: "Alexander Bain; the real father of television?": Wednesday 9th March 2016, 2.00 pm

This year's Local History Week in East Dunbartonshire (5-12 March) with its theme of "Celebrate Engineering and Technology" is an appropriate occasion to look at the life and career of Alexander Bain, the nineteenth century clockmaker, telegraph engineer and inventor. Ivan Ruddock will explore the claims that he contributed significantly to the development of television. Bain, who is buried in Kirkitilloch's Auld Ailse Cemetery, was recently awarded a Technology and Engineering Emmy by the United States National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of his invention of scanning for image transmission. The Emmy was accepted by East Dunbartonshire Council and arrived in Kirkintilloch in early February where it go on public display in the Auld Kirk Museum. BBC Scotland coverage of the award can be seen by clicking here and here.

The event will be on Wednesday 9th March 2016 in the Barony Chambers, Auld Kirk Museum, Kirkintilloch at 2.00 pm.

The Emmy 
(© National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences)
Alexander Bain in 1876 (© IET)

Ivan Ruddock

Paul Bishop: "Mineral transport on the Forth & Clyde Canal": Thursday 3rd March 2016

In March 2015, Paul Bishop spoke to the Society on the watermills of Milngavie and Baldernock. Since then, he has retired as Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Glasgow and become a member of the Society. This time his topic is directly linked to Kirkintilloch and District; it focuses on mineral transport on the Forth & Clyde Canal arising from its roles as a transport artery for Central Scotland, and as a convenient outlet for mined coal to be exported due to its strategic location within the lowland coal field.

Cadder Pit No.17 (© East Dunbartonshire Council)
Ivan Ruddock

Members' Night: A Place to Remember: Thursday 18th February 2016

The Society's annual Members’ Night will be held on Thursday 18th February 2016, and this year the theme will be "A Place to Remember". Members are invited to speak for a few minutes on somewhere that is of significance to them. These presentations should be broadly historical, but ‘history’ can be widely interpreted in this respect, and no limits in time or space will be set. If anyone wishes to be added to the list of speakers, please contact Ivan Ruddock as soon as possible via the Society's email address.
A possible place to remember?
Ivan Ruddock

Report: "The Kilsyth Quilt" and The Garrell Vale Optimists Group

Eight members of the Optimists Group at Garrell Vale Community Centre visited the Society on Thursday 4th February 2016 to show and explain the background to the creation of the "Kilsyth Quilt". Marion McBride, Anne Russell and Violet Gourlay described in speech and verse how it was made as part of the members' participation in the Discovery Awards programme. A presentation of photographs from around Kilsyth focused on scenes which inspired the panels in the quilt. The visit was warmly received and appreciated by the members of the Society present.

Members of the Garrell Vale Optimists Group and the Kilsyth Quilt at the Antiquaries on Thursday 4th February 2016 along with Ivan Ruddock, Society President, (left ) and Don Martin, Secretary, (right).

Ivan Ruddock