Places
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Baldernock 18th century nails
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1700
Part of a process of dating and archaeologically exploring architecture, the nails form part of Paul Bishop's investigations into processes of construction as a means of dating and understanding change.
Location of Origin: Baldernock
Location Now: Baldernock
Date: 1700
Materials: iron
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Musket ball
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Location Now: Baldernock
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Hand made Quilt, Torrance - Clara Gillespie
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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
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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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Glass chemist bottle - Lennoxtown
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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
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Glass bottle, Lennoxtown
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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
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Strathkelvin District Council Park Management sign, Lennoxtown
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1970 - 80
A Park Management sign from Lennoxtown while under the former Strathkelvin District Council. Brought to the Trails & Tales' timeline by Rena Sheriffs. Among other things the sign flags up a number of interesting restrictions, including no cattle and no carpet beating.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: Lennoxtown
Date: 1970 - 80
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Torrance Church Comfort Funds Poster
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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
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Lennoxtown primary school 1931
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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
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Lennoxtown primary school 1938
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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
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The Kirk Trophy
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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
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Baldernock communion token
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1837
Part of a collection of material from Neil Logan, the token is a rare example from this small parish - such tokens were necessary before being permitted to take part in communion during mass.
Location of Origin: Baldernock
Location Now: Baldernock
Date: 1837
Materials: metal
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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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Lennoxtown Lamp
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2012
Brought to us by Madeleine Bunce, the lamp shows a number of important landmarks related to Lennoxtown. These include: Lennox Castle, St Machans RC Church, The War Memorial Arch, Campsie High Church, Campsie Memorial Hall and Primary School. The lamp was seen in an advert delivered to homes. It had no other information and may have been targeted at the local, tourist market. While not unique, it is a limited edition object and is a much prized and precious possession with strong local interest.
Location of Origin: Lennoxtown
Location Now: Lennoxtown
Date: 2012
Size/Dimensions: 45cm High
Materials: Cast metal base, glass panels with printed images
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The Bearsden Shark
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330,000,000 BC
This is a plaster cast – the original fossil is housed in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow University. The conditions in the shallow tropical seas of the Carboniferous period left Scotland with a wealth of well-preserved shark fossils. The fossil, ‘Akmonistion zangerli’ (affectionately known as ‘The Bearsden Shark’), is a complete skeleton of a 330 million year old shark, a species previously unknown to science. It was discovered by Stan Wood in the shale beds of the Manse Burn in Bearsden in 1981. The detail of the fossil reveals blood vessels and remnants of muscles, even the remains of the shark’s last meal can be seen inside its stomach. Edwin Morgan wrote a poem celebrating its discovery.
Location of Origin: Bearsden
Location Now: Lillie Art Gallery
Date: 330,000,000 BC
Size/Dimensions: 42.5cm X 78.5cm (Framed)
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Parchment and seal
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1518
This manuscript is written in old Scots and describes the transfer of a piece of land to the east of the Luggie Water in Kirkintilloch. The land is being passed to John Dollar by William Jack and his wife Janet. The wax seal was originally attached to the manuscript but has become detached sometime over the centuries. Recent cleaning of the seal by conservators has revealed the Latin inscription ‘SIGILLUM COMMUNITATIS DE KYRKINTOLAT’ which translates as the ‘seal of the community of Kirkintilloch’. There is a fortified tower depicted on the seal which could well be Kirkintilloch Castle. From this evidence it is likely that this is the earliest known example of the official Kirkintilloch Burgh Seal.
Location of Origin: Kirkintilloch
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1518
Size/Dimensions: manuscript 240 mm x 110 mm, seal 65 x 70 mm
Materials: The manuscript is on parchment (parchment was made from dried animal skin -usually from a calf, sheep or goat) and the seal is made from wax
Archive Reference Number: GD353
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John Bell of Antermony
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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
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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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John Henderson volumes
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1821-1830
This mystery donation was sent to Bishopbriggs Library in November 2013, and has since been added to the Archive collections. It arrived in the mail one morning, sent by second class post in an ordinary brown envelope. Luckily what was inside survived it's journey through the post, as the envelope revealed two volumes dating from the early 1800s. The first volume, dating from 1821-1825, appears to be a record of joinery work carried out at various places in 'Bishops Bridge' including Huntershill House, Cadder and Kenmure as well as surrounding areas such as Campsie Kirk. The work ranges from producing gates and doors to coffins and beehives. There is a record of individual men's work, together with a date, description of the work and the number of days taken to complete the job. There is also a second smaller volume with 'Mr John Henderson Bishop Bridge in account with James Martin & Sons' written on the front cover. This volume lists supplies purchased such as nails, screws, saws and hinges, and dates from 1827-1830. If you are the mystery donor, or if you have any more information on John Henderson of Bishops Bridge, please do get in touch.
Maker/Manufacturer: John Henderson, builder and wright, Bishopbriggs
Location of Origin: Bishopbriggs
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: 1821-1830
Materials: 20 x 24.5 cm, and 10 x 15.5 cm
Archive Reference Number: Acc2013/19
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Apprenticeship indenture
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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
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