Events
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James Foyer and Baker Brown's Well
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1812
James Foyer was a weaver from Campsie Parish. He was enlisted to fight in the Napoleonic wars and was killed in battle during the Siege of Burgos, Spain, in September 1812. During a battle to capture the Fort St Michael, Burgos on September 19th, Jamie was shot in the chest, and as he lay dying, he wished for a drink of water from Baker Brown's well in Lennoxtown. The Well was in Lennoxtown, down Well Lane, just off the Main Street, opposite the Health Clinic. However, despite the photograph of the well (in the Local Studies Collection of the William Patrick Library) and its known location, as well as an appeal for information, Don Martin's research of the site in 2003, revealed only a few stones, which may not even have been part of the original well.
An unknown author commemorated the incident in a 19th C Folk song, based on the words of the dying soldier. It's noted in the Lennoxtown history pages that locals sang the song in the streets of Campsie, especially in front of a shop owned by Mr. James Jack, who usually rewarded the singer. The account also notes that in 1887, Mr. Jack told of two strangers arriving in Lennoxtown, looking for the well. They wanted to fill bottles of water to take with them to Spain, where they intended to drink it as near as possible to the spot in Burgos where Jamie died.
'Oh! if I had a drink of Baker brown's well,
My thirst it would quench, and my fever would quell;
But life's purple current was ebbing so fast
That young Jamie Foyer soon breathed his last.
They took for a winding sheet his tartan plaid,
And in the cold grave his body was laid;
With hearts full of sorrow, they covered his clay,
And muttering "Poor Foyer," marched slowly away.'
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: Lennoxtown
Date: 1812
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Racing Pigeon Timer - John Bunce, Lennoxtown
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1960
Brought to us by Madeleine Bunce, this object belonged to John Edmund Bunce, better known as Jock Bunce from Lennoxtown Racing Pigeon Club. The timer is a Skymaster Ghost, High speed timing clock from around the 1960's, possibly earlier. Jock was a breeder and racer of pigeons and the birds were a very prized part of his life. So important were the birds and race days, that even washings couldn't be hung out on the line incase the birds were frightened!
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: Lennoxtown
Date: 1960
Size/Dimensions: 25cm high
Materials: Wooden Box and metal timer
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Newspaper report of Lunardi's balloon flight
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1785
Vincent Lunardi was a pioneering Italian aeronaut. On 5 December 1785 he took off in his balloon from St Andrews Square, Glasgow. However the poor weather caused him to come down in Milton of Campsie - much to the surprise of the local people. The Campsie parish minister, the Rev Lapslie accompanied him back to town. His landing is marked by a small plaque in the village.
Location of Origin: Milton of Campsie
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Local Studies
Date: 1785
Size/Dimensions: 10 x 8 in
Materials: Photographic print (copy of original)
Archive Reference Number: P13986
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Thomas Muir death extract
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1799
This is an extract from the civil register of Chantilly, France, recording the death of Thomas Muir, and is dated 26 Jan 1799. Thomas Muir (b 1765-d 1799) of Huntershill near Bishopbriggs, was a Scottish political reformer. He was one of the 'Scottish Martyrs', five men who were 18th century political reformers. In 1793 they were sentenced to transportation to Australia for sedition and writing and publishing pamphlets on parliamentary reform. Muir escaped and after a very eventful voyage made it to Paris, France. Unfortunately his experiences had caused his health to suffer and he died there in 1799. Thomas Muir is now known as 'The Father of Democracy' following a resurgence of interest in his story in recent years. This document, written in French, was found in the papers of Peter Mackenzie, (b 1799-d 1875) editor of the Glasgow Gazette, himself a staunch supporter of political reform.
Location of Origin: Chantilly, France
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1799
Size/Dimensions: 21 x 29.5 cm
Materials: Paper
Archive Reference Number: GD185/12/4
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Campsie Mechanics' Institution Poster
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1863
Poster for Campsie Mechanics' Institution Grand Concert on Friday 2 October 1863 in the Oswald School Room, Lennoxtown. The Campsie Mechanics' Institution was established in 1848 and appears to have operated a reading room and library for its members, as well as organising lectures and musical entertainments. The venue for this concert is the Oswald School in Lennoxtown, overlooking Whitefield Pond. Miss Oswald, the grand-daughter of the Laird of Kincaid, paid for two schools to be built - one in Kirkintilloch, and one in Lennoxtown, to promote 'the educational interests of the two parishes.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1863
Size/Dimensions: 50.5 x 37.5 cm
Materials: Paper
Archive Reference Number: GD157/1
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Cadder Pit Disaster memento
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1913
The disastrous fire at Cadder No. 15 Pit which was owned by the Carron Coal Company, took place on the evening of Sunday 3rd August 1913.
There were 26 men below ground when the fire broke out, 22 of whom lost their lives. This memento of the tragedy lists the names of the victims, where they were from, and includes a poem to their memory.
Location of Origin: Cadder
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1913
Size/Dimensions: 38 cm square
Archive Reference Number: Acc 2009/22
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Schaw Convalescent Home
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1914-1918
Wounded servicemen on the steps of Schaw Convalescent Home during the First World War with Matron Scott and Nurses Scrivener (on the left) and Rae.
Location of Origin: Bearsden
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Local Studies Collection
Date: 1914-1918
Size/Dimensions: 10 x 8 ins
Materials: Photographic print (copy of original)
Archive Reference Number: A378668
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Rowantreefauld Belgians concert
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1915
On the 4th of August 1914 Germany invaded Belgium and more than a million Belgian refugees subsequently fled from the advancing German armies. Around 8,000 refugees were housed in Glasgow and the surrounding towns and villages. In response to an appeal for help Kirkintilloch Town Council offered hospitality for a group of refugees. Accommodation was found for them at some empty estate cottages at Rowantreefauld in Lennoxtown courtesy of Colonel King of Antermony.
Generosity and support for the refugees began to fade as the War dragged on and food supplies began to dwindle. Nevertheless many of the refugees got local jobs, joined the armed services, and generally supported themselves until the end of the War.
The local committee in Kirkintilloch continued to raise money for the refugees throughout the War and created a repatriation fund to help them rebuild their homes and lives when they returned to Belgium in 1919. Few remained here, and there is little legacy of this small group of foreign refugees that was welcomed so openly into our local communities.
Location of Origin: Main Street, Lennoxtown
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1915
Archive Reference Number: GD239
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Remembrance card
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1918
The inside of the card reads:
In Loving Remembrance of our dear brother Duncan Miller Morrison, 6th Seaforth Highlanders, who was killed in action in France on Friday 22 March 1918 aged 20 years.
"Until the day break and the shadows flee away."
The card with the lock of blonde hair enclosed, was discovered by a family in Canada. They believe Duncan must have meant something to someone in their family although they are not sure who. The card and keepsake are now safely preserved in the Archives.
George Bennie Medelet
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1930
Uniface, gilt-bronze medelet, showing a monorail train above a steam locomotive. Lettering around depiction reads: “The George Bennie Railplane Opening June1930â€
George Bennie was born in Auldhouse, Glasgow, in 1892, the son of an engineer. The Bennie ‘Railplane’, which was essentially a monorail, would be built above existing railway systems as a passenger-only service, separated from the slower, heavy freight trains below.
During 1929-30 a test track of 426 yards was built at Burnbrae, near Milngavie, above the existing L.N.E.R. line. Although the car was capable of travelling 120mph, the length of the test track only allowed for a top speed of 50mph.
The official launch was a resounding success and adults and children could experience the short journey for a shilling and sixpence respectively.
Proposals for an Edinburgh-Glasgow line were suggested, however, George Bennie was unable to secure financial support for further development of the system.
He had invested large amounts of his own money in the construction of the test track and was eventually declared bankrupt in 1937. He died in obscurity in 1957. The track stood until 1956 when it was sold for scrap.
Campsie Show poster
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1987
This poster comes from the Campsie, Strathblane and Baldernock Agricultural Society collection. The purpose of the Society is to promote agriculture in the community. This includes a popular annual one day show on the first Saturday in June every year at Bogside Farm, Torrance.
Maker/Manufacturer: Campsie, Strathblane and Baldernock Agricultural Society
Location of Origin: Torrance
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1987
Archive Reference Number: GD204
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Indoor Bowling Trophy
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1995
Indoor bowling trophy presented by Strathkelvin District Council for the annual indoor ‘Age Concern Week’ bowling competition played in Milton of Campsie Hall.
This silverised plastic, two-handled trophy with a marbleised base was won by Winifred Findlay in 1995 and despite being intended as an annual award, Winifred was able to keep the trophy because it was the last year of Strathkelvin District Council and the competition was discontinued.
Winifred was seventy-seven when she won this trophy.
Maker/Manufacturer: G.M.C. Trophies, Glasgow.
Location of Origin: Milton of Campsie
Location Now: Auld Kirk Museum
Date: 1995
Size/Dimensions: 29.2cm (height) X 23.5cm (width)
Accession Number: KITAK: 2004.59
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Portrait bust of Thomas Muir
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2003
In 1792, at the age of seventeen, Thomas Muir abandoned his Divinity studies at Glasgow University in favour of Law. This was also the year Thomas’s father bought property at Huntershill in the Parish of Cadder and Thomas adopted the style of extended name then customary in Scotland and became Thomas Muir, Younger, of Huntershill.
When the French Revolution stimulated a desire for parliamentary reform in Britain, Muir associated himself with the radical wing of the movement. He was charged with sedition and stood trial on 30th August, 1793 for “exciting a spirit of disloyalty and disaffectionâ€, for recommending Thomas Paine’s “Rights of Man†and for distributing and reading aloud inflammatory writings. Muir defended himself at the trial but was found guilty by Lord Braxfield and four other anti-reform judges and sentenced to fourteen years transportation to Botany Bay in Australia.
In 1796 Muir arranged his escape to America aboard the “Otterâ€. Shipwreck, captivity among American Indians, detention in Mexico and imprisonment in Havana followed. Whilst returning to Europe he was severely wounded in a naval engagement with the “Ninfaâ€. It was as a result of these wounds that he died less than two years later at Chantilly in France.
Maker/Manufacturer: Alexander Stoddart
Location Now: Bishopbriggs Library
Date: 2003
Materials: Painted plaster
Accession Number: KITAK:2004.58
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WW2 social history
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1939
First Aid certificate related to Air Raid Precautions (ARP) issued by St Andrews Ambulance Association, June 1939 to Mrs Janet Y Primrose during WW2. This is a record of certification for First Aid related to ARP WW2. Brought to Trails and Tales by Carol Primrose, as part of a wide range of family material, the certificate belonged to Carol's mother in law, Mrs Janet Primrose, who was tragically killed when a German bomb was dropped on Bishopbriggs school - she was killed by the blast. Janet Primrose is on the Bishopbriggs war memorial as killed in enemy action. Other items include Willie Primrose's Air raid warden's note book and a notification of respirator inspections as well as a selection of post cards and photos belonging to Bill Primrose, during his time as an Army Signaller he was posted to Gibraltar where part of his work became as an interviewer - of people who travelled on/off the Rock - workers, refugees etc. He was transferred to Intelligence Core where his role was to monitor radio broadcasts - and he travelled widely as part of this. The collection of images, post cards reflects something of Bill’s journeys and locations where he was billeted and offers a window to the world from a very different time; there is a group photo where Bill can be seen on extreme left.
Bullet – A German bullet from a Mauser 726 WW1
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1917
This bullet shot Frances’ grandfather, Joseph Butler (born 17th January (?) - died 17th April 1917). It was kept by his wife and handed down in the family. Joseph was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He was shot by a sniper while walking through some woods. The bullet entered through his mouth, down his throat and lodged in his stomach. As the bullet went through soft tissue without hitting bone it did not explode. Joseph was transferred to hospital and operated on and the bullet removed. Unfortunately he died shortly afterwards. Joseph is remembered on the memorial in St Kentigern’s Cemetery, Glasgow and also in Ireland. Although the family lived in Milngavie, Joseph joined an Irish regiment so he would have access to a priest. Frances showed us a letter written by the regimental priest commending Joseph’s valour. The number 17 is noted as a recurring theme throughout Joseph’s life and death.
Joseph’s father was born in Ireland and the story goes an English lord gave his great grandmother a penny. She then named his father after this lord – Tristan.
Frances keeps this bullet safe in a Tiffany jewellery pouch. Other objects Frances brought were –
a photo of Joseph Butler;
a photo of Joseph Butler’s mother – Granny Butler;
Joseph’s marriage certificate to Mary McQueenie; a Canadian postcard, an example of WW1 embroidered silks which we believe was sent by the man who was next to Joseph in bed in the hospital; a
Widow’s Penny in the original envelope; letter from the Secretary state for War ;
Joseph’s will ;
his medal.
Antiquaries Society
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Photographic record and booklets, illustrating a wide range of activity undertaken by the Antiquaries Society, including visits, outings, and agenda items of meetings, and in particular visits to heritage sites and museums and other towns and villages. The images include photos, booklets and post cards of Wanlockhead visit, 1910 view of village and 1890 engine; Kirkintilloch canal with gypsy queen; Cowgate 1900; Old mill Waterside. The Photos are social in nature on bus trips, at talks, museums and include a wide range of neighbouring towns and villages and museums of heritage interest, locally and more widely across Scotland and further afield.
Location of Origin: Kirkintilloch
Materials: Photographic, Booklets, records
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