Note that there may be a small charge for some of these events, and some may be for members only. We will be publishing lists of upcoming talks and events regularly - if you are organising a talk or event relating to Scottish genealogy or history, please let us know and we will be happy to add your events to our list.
Monday, February 15 2016, 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm
The Literary Forgeries of ‘Antique Smith’
Dr Ralph McLean, National Library of Scotland
Venue: National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
This talk examines the career of Alexander Howland Smith ‘Antique Smith’ who rose to notoriety in the 1890s through his forgeries of famous Scots such as Mary Queen of Scots, Robert Burns, and Sir Walter Scott. By looking at the Society of Antiquaries extensive Smith collection this talk will investigate Smith’s techniques, provide examples of his forgeries, and relate his eventual discovery and downfall.
Monday, February 15 2016, 7.30 pm
Cathedrals and Palaces of St Petersburg
David Wright
Venue: Morison Memorial Church, Dumbarton Road, Clydebank
Clydebank Local History Society
Preceded by AGM
Monday, February 15 2016, 7.30 pm
Thomas Smith Tait and the Glasgow Empire Exhibition 1938
Neil Baxter
Venue: Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow
Glasgow & West of Scotland Family History Society
Monday, February 15 2016, 7-9 pm
The Office of The Lord Lyon
Dr Joseph Morrow, The Lord Lyon of Scotland
Venue: Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
Preceded by AGM
Monday, February 15 2016, 8 pm
Mavisbank and the Villas of the Esk
Dr James Simpson, Architect & Historian
Venue: Dreghorn Loan Hall, Colinton, EH13 0DE
Colinton Local History Society
Tuesday, February 16 2016, 7.30 pm
Coats & Clarks – The Binding Thread of Paisley’s History
Valerie Reilly
Venue: Kilmarnock College, Holehouse Rd, Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock & District History Group
Tuesday, February 16 2016, 7.30 pm
Scotland's Air Ambulance
Andrew Farrington
Venue: West Kilbride Community Centre, Corse Street, West Kilbride, KA23 9AX
Air Ambulance generally crosses our path when watching the television news. Behind the scenes is an extraordinary organisation which responds daily to the day’s needs and emergencies. Come and fly with our speaker who, as pilot, will take us up in the air and behind scenes.
Tuesday, February 16 2016, 7.30 pm
Forth Cruise Tourism Group
Venue: Leith Community Education Centre in the New Kirkgate
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.00 pm
The pre-historic landscape of Edinburgh
Dr Tom Armitage
Venue: Augustine Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.00 pm - 8.00 pm
A founder’s workshop from the Bronze Age? Excavations in the shadow of Hunterston
Tom Rees, Consultant Archaeologist, Rathmell Archaeology Limited
Venue: Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Castle Wynd, Inverness, IV2 3EB
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Investigations during construction of the Western Link Convertor Station at Hunterston in Ayrshire (http://www.westernhvdclink.co.uk/) revealed a small area of intense prehistoric activity. Excavation revealed a sequence of enclosures bounding a hollow within which were dense pit clusters, working surfaces and post-holes. Field evidence for bronze and iron smelting, founding and smithing (respectively) combined with late Bronze Age pottery suggests a remarkable discovery – an open air workshop from the Bronze Age. Booking is essential: phone 01463 237 114, email mailto:cait.mccullagh@highlifehighland.com or in person at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery In association with High Life Highland
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.30 pm
Geology, Archaeology and History of Ettrick and Yarrow
Walter Elliot
Venue: Selkirk Parish Church Hall
Selkirkshire Antiquarian Society
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.30 pm
The Devil in Dirleton Green: Witch hunting in 17th Century Scotland
Laura Paterson
Venue: Gullane Village Hall
Gullane and Dirleton History Society
Speaker is Postgraduate researcher, University of Strathclyde
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.30 pm
Scottish Womens Hospitals
Allan Cumming
Venue: Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.30 pm
Our Evolving Avifauna
Stephen Welsh
Venue: Supper Room, Town House, Haddington
East Lothian Antiquarian & Field Naturalists' Society
Stephen Welsh, local ornithologist, will explain how some well-known and some lesser known species have evolved over the past centuries.
Wednesday, February 17 2016, 7.30 pm
The Disruption: the most significant event in 19th Century Scotland
Prof Stewart Brown, Edinburgh University
Venue: Torphichen Parish Church Hall, High Brae
West Lothian History and Amenity Society
Thursday, February 18 2016, 2.30pm
Missing in Action; Travellers and the Effect of War
Jess Smith
Venue: Moulin Hall, Moulin
North Perthshire Family History Group
£3 for visitors
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7 pm for 7.30 pm
Charles Cameron and Other Famous Architects of St Petersburg
Jeremy Watson
Venue: Adelaides, 209 Bath Street, at the corner of Pitt Street, Glasgow
Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland
Jeremy Watson, our former Chairman, will illustrate developments in Russian architecture, including a strong Scottish contribution, from the reign of Peter the Great up to the present day.
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm
The Cry of a Young Child: Pregnancy, Community and Infanticide in early 19th Century Sutherland
Elizabeth Ritchie
Venue: Brora Community Centre
Speaker University of the Highlands and Islands, Dornoch
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm
Archaeology at Culzean
Ian Joyce, National Trust for Scotland
Venue: Town Hall, Ayr
Ayrshire Archaeological and Natural History Society
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm
Venue: Council Chamber, Carnegie Building, Dornoch
Talk title not confirmed
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm
The Office of The Lord Lyon
Dr Joseph Morrow, The Lord Lyon of Scotland
Venue: Paisley Museum, High Street, Paisley
Renfrewshire Family History Society
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm
Kellogg Durland: Among the Fife Miners
Hugh Hoffman
Venue: Kirkcaldy Old Kirk, Kirk Wynd
Kellogg Durland, 1881-1911, was an American journalist and social reformer who spent four months living and working with the Fife Miners
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm
Roman frontiers in their landscape setting
Prof David Breeze
Venue: Haddington Town House
Thursday, February 18 2016, 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm
A founder’s workshop from the Bronze Age? Excavations in the shadow of Hunterston
Tom Rees, Consultant Archaeologist, Rathmell Archaeology Limited
Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Boyd Orr Buildings, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Investigations during construction of the Western Link Convertor Station at Hunterston in Ayrshire (http://www.westernhvdclink.co.uk/) revealed a small area of intense prehistoric activity. Excavation revealed a sequence of enclosures bounding a hollow within which were dense pit clusters, working surfaces and post-holes. Field evidence for bronze and iron smelting, founding and smithing (respectively) combined with late Bronze Age pottery suggests a remarkable discovery – an open air workshop from the Bronze Age. Booking is essential: phone 01463 237 114, email mailto:cait.mccullagh@highlifehighland.com or in person at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery In association with High Life Highland
Friday, February 19 2016, 6 pm
Preserving Historic Glasgow
Dr Tony Lewis and Anna Serafini
Venue: GCHT, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow
Delve into Eighteenth Century Glasgow with Dr. Tony Lewis and University of Strathclyde PhD candidate, Anna Serafini. Learn more about the architect Allan Dreghorn (1706 - 64) and Scottish timber roof structures from the period.
Friday, February 19 2016, 7.30 pm
An Archivist Life for Me!
Steve Connelly, PKC Archivist
Venue: Aytoun Hall, High Street, Auchterarder
Auchterarder and District Local History Association
Saturday, February 20 2016, 2.00 pm
Memories and Memory
Anne Reid
Venue: Manchester Central Library
Anglo-Scottish Family History Society
Saturday, February 20 2016, 2.30pm-4.30pm
Children Of The 1950s in Aberdeen
Lesley Diack (ANESFHS)
Venue: Unitarian Church Centre
Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society