People
—
Hand made Quilt, Torrance - Clara Gillespie
—
1950
One of a number of beautiful Torrance Girl Guide related objects brought to Trails & Tales, in this case, a gift to Clara Gillespie, one of the 'Rangers'. It was a tradition set up by Miss Pirie - the much loved 'Captain' - that when any girl in the company was married, the other members of the group would make a hand made gift. In this case a beautiful patchwork quilt. Made from fragments of blouses and aprons, and other clothing no longer used. Miss Pirie worked to bring all the elements of the collaboration together, with added crocheting, backing and finishing work to form the finished piece. The word 'Captain' is clearly visible in the embroidery, along with the names of all the girls who contributed, including 'Clara' herself. The quilt was 60 years old on the 1st September 2016. Shena Pirie was the daughter of the artist Sir George Pirie and she lived in Wardend, Torrance - her memory and presence in the Torrance community extends beyond Guiding and she is warmly remembered by many. The Torrance Girl Guide log books have been accessioned into the Archive of East Dunbartonshire and offer amazing insight to the changing times and community of Torrance and the wider areas that the Guides explored.
Maker/Manufacturer: Torrance Rangers
Location of Origin: Torrance
Location Now: Torrance
Date: 1950
Size/Dimensions: 8' by 6'
Materials: Fabric, recycled material
Locations:
Lennoxtown primary school 1931
—
1931
Class photograph from 1931, Lennxotown primary school. The photo was brought to Trails & Tales by May Mack, whose husband, John or sometimes known as Jackie Mack is in the photo along with a friend James MacDonald. At that time the school also had a small Secondary department and young people from Torrance would travel to Lennoxtown to attend here. If anyone has any more information about the school or anyone in the photo, please get in touch.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown/Campsie
Location Now: Lennoxtown/Campsie
Date: 1931
Materials: Photograph
Locations:
Lennoxtown primary school 1938
—
1938
Class photograph from 1938, Lennxotown primary school. The photo was brought to Trails & Tales by May Mack, whose husband, John or sometimes known as Jackie Mack is in the photo along with a friend James MacDonald. At that time the school also had a small Secondary department and young people from Torrance would travel to Lennoxtown to attend here. If anyone has any more information about the school or anyone in the photo, please get in touch.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown/Campsie
Location Now: Lennoxtown/Campsie
Date: 1938
Materials: Photograph
Locations:
The Kirk Trophy
—
1930
Brought to T&T by Caurnie Angling Club Secretary Roger Hughes, the story of the Kirk Trophy starts with James Mathieson, who worked at the Lion Foundry, Kirkintilloch pre-WW1. James was the great uncle of Iain McNicol who handed over the trophy to the Caurnie Angling Club (CAC) in 2015. Iain wanted the CAC to retain the trophy - a trophy that his father, John McNicol, had won pre- WWII - and agreed that it should be awarded annually by vote of the committee, to a ‘worthy club member’ member, one who makes a significant contribution to the running of the club. The first recipient was John Harwood, of Milton of Campsie, who throughout the year, cycles daily to Antermony Loch, to clear the reeds and burns and undertakes other necessary maintenance work. Much of what Iain knows of the family history comes from his uncle Andrew who died in 2013 aged 101.
The story starts with Iain’s great- uncle James Mathieson, who worked at the Lion Foundry Kirkintilloch pre-WW1. Iain believes that James was a member of the Kelvin Valley Angling Club (KVAC) and a founder member of the Caurnie Angling Club (CAC). His father John was a junior member of the KVAC. Iain also thinks that James was Secretary of the CAC before his death in 1930 and John was a member of CAC until war broke out in 1939.
It is believed that in the late 1930’s, John had won the Kirk Trophy two times and, following the rules of that time, if he won it for a third time, he could keep the trophy in perpetuity. John did this in 1939 and so the trophy became his property. In March 1941, when John was an ack-ack gunner in Hastings and his wife Isobel was running a canteen for shipyard workers at Clydebank, her lodgings were bombed. Amongst the items recovered were the broken remains of the Kirk Trophy. The plinth with the engraved plaques was missing and the stem of the cup snapped in half. Isobel had one of the shipyard welders, Alastair McKissock repair this. Apparently Alastair was a well-known ’Red Clydesider’. When he returned home John replaced the plinth and proudly kept his trophy until his death in 1972.
Date: 1930
Locations:
Torrance Church Comfort Funds Poster
—
1945
The poster belonged to and was most likely made by Mr Julius Cook a resident of Torrance. Born in 1892 he lived in Torrance all of his life. Mr Cook was also the photographer behind a number of local Torrance photographs now in local studies, which document many local people, places and events. He also used to write reports about the village for the Kirkintilloch Herald, again related to what was happening in the village. He was involved in the Comforts Fund along with a number of other residents, including the school headmaster and minister amongst others. This group was instigated during the war years by the famous Torrance resident, Miss Shena Pirie. She served as a nurse during the war and encouraged the Comforts Fund group to raise monies to allow packages to be sent to the troops, and also to allow homecoming events and parties which would celebrate the return of people to the village and also provide them with a blanket and £5.00. The poster was brought to the timeline by Alison Graham, Torrance, who was passed the poster by Mr Julius's family.
Location of Origin: Torrance
Location Now: Torrance
Date: 1945
Materials: Paper/Poster
Links:
Locations:
Glass bottle, Lennoxtown
—
Brought to the timeline by Rena Sheriffs and donated by Mrs Betty Cassidy. It is marked/inscribed E.M. DALGLISH & Co CAMPSIE GLEN LENNOXTOWN. No further information's about the bottle or EM Dalglish.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: Lennoxtown
Materials: Glass
Locations:
Glass chemist bottle - Lennoxtown
—
Brought to the timeline by Rena Sheriffs. This was given to Rena by Mrs Jacqueline Cairns. The bottle is marked WM. SMITH CHEMIST LENNOXTOWN. There is no further information about the bottle or the chemist.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: Lennoxtown
Materials: Glass
Locations:
James Foyer and Baker Brown's Well
—
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
Links:
Locations:
Racing Pigeon Timer - John Bunce, Lennoxtown
—
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
Locations:
John Bell of Antermony
—
1763
John Bell of Antermony (1691-1780) was a Scottish physician and traveller. He wrote an account of his adventures called 'Travels from St Petersburg in Russia to Various Parts of Asia' which was published in 1763. This image shows the cover art for 'A journey from St Petersburg to Pekin, 1719-22', by John Bell of Antermony; edited with an introduction by J. L. Stevenson and published in 1965. This is reprinted from 'Travels from St. Petersburg in Russia, to diverse parts of Asia' originally published by R & A Foulis, Glasgow, 1763.
Location of Origin: Antermony, Milton of Campsie
Date: 1763
Size/Dimensions: xi, 248 p. front., illus., 28 plates (incl. ports., col. map) tables, facsim. 26 cm
Archive Reference Number: LC 915
Locations:
Newspaper report of Lunardi's balloon flight
—
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
Locations:
Thomas Muir death extract
—
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
Locations:
Apprenticeship indenture
—
1824/5
This is an official document recording the apprenticeship of Joseph Gibb of Bardowie in Baldernock Parish to James Millar, a weaver in "Brenzet Burn" or Branziet Burn, Baldernock. Joseph Gibb has signed on to a 3 year apprenticeship with James Millar to learn the "art of weaving" from him.
Location of Origin: Baldernock
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1824/5
Size/Dimensions: 32 x 42 cm
Materials: Paper
Accession Number: Acc 2014/25
Links:
Locations:
Valentines card
—
1849
Valentines card from the Buchanan Family of Milton of Campsie collection (GD121). Jessie Shearer (1828-1914) received this Valentines card in 1849 at the age of twenty one. The card is from a W. Robinson of Maryhill, who reminds Jessie that she has forgotten to send him a Valentines card and asks her to send one now.
It appears that this card did not win Jessie’s heart, as she married local farmer James Buchanan three years later and settled at Mount of Glorat. There they had eight children; David (1852-1913), Mary (1854-1941), Jean (1856-1937), Margaret (1859-1928), who spent 50 years as a teacher then headmistress at Milton School, and twin sister Jessie (1859-1933), James Shearer (1861-1951), a shepherd at Shields Farm and Mount of Glorat, William (1864-1930) and George (1868-1945).
Location of Origin: Milton of Campsie
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1849
Archive Reference Number: GD121/4/1/1
Links:
Locations:
Registrar’s Letter Book
—
1855-1859
Compulsory civil registration of births, marriages and deaths began in Scotland on 1 January 1855. Before this date, the Established Church were responsible for keeping these records. The new civil system of registration employed local registrars. The Campsie Parish Registrar, William Gilchrist, kept copies of his outgoing letters in this small book. In his letters to officials such as the Registrar General in Edinburgh, the Procurator Fiscal, Sheriff of Stirling etc he mentions local people by name and often gives details surrounding a birth, death or marriage entry. This is a colourful record of local 'hatches, matches and dispatches' which will be of interest to family and social historians. It has recently been fully transcribed and indexed by a volunteer.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1855-1859
Size/Dimensions: 20 x 24 cm
Archive Reference Number: PD/5/1/1
Links:
Locations:
Campsie Mechanics' Institution Poster
—
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
Links:
Locations:
Composite drawing of dog heads (foxhound) by Sir George Pirie
—
1863 – 1946
George Pirie was born at Campbeltown in 1863. He studied at Glasgow University, the Glasgow School of Art, the Slade School, and the Academie Julian in Paris. He moved to Wardend, Torrance in 1901, where he had a large studio.
Pirie is distinct from othert artists of the Glasgow School, with the exception of Joseph Crawhall, in that the majority of his paintings are of animals (an Animalière).
He became a member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1923, and was elected President in 1933. In recognition of his artistic achievement he received a Knighthood in 1937. He died at Wardend in 1946.
Lenzie villa plan
—
1877
This is one of the earliest Lenzie building plans in the archives, for a large villa called 'Norwood', on Beech Road, Lenzie, constructed for Mr William Borland. The 1870s saw a building boom in Lenzie following improvements to the water supply. Many of the residents commuted to Glasgow via the nearby railway. This villa was later occupied by Dugald Drummond, a railway engineer employed by North British Railway, and then by David Perry who was Provost of Kirkintilloch from 1908-1911. Perry presented the town with the bandstand and drinking fountain which can still be seen in Peel Park today.
Maker/Manufacturer: Alex McKenzie, architect, 251 St Vincent Street, Glasgow
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1877
Size/Dimensions: 58 x 76.5 cm
Materials: Waxed linen
Archive Reference Number: BK/9/4/1877/3
Links:
Locations:
Bryce B Morrison
—
1890s
On the back of this photo from the Morrison Family collection is written the caption "well dressed young local man of the 1890s – Bryce B Morrison".
The Morrison Family of Torrance collection includes family documents, photos and presscuttings mostly relating to J Morrison JP and precentor (someone who leads the worship) of Baldernock Free Church.
Harvesting at Bankell
—
c 1890s
This glass slide shows a harvest scene at Bankell Farm, Baldernock, on the outskirts of Milngavie. Bankell is described in the historical Ordnance Survey Name books 1858-1861 as "A good Farm Steading belonging to the Estate of Dougalston, the property of J. Gordon Glassford.â€
Location of Origin: Baldernock
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: c 1890s
Size/Dimensions: 8 x 8 cm
Materials: Glass
Archive Reference Number: Acc 2015/23
Locations:
...