The Collier’s Bearer and the Stolen Child

by Dr. Jean Barclay Part 1 – the Child-Stealing. In May 1817, in the harsh times after the Napoleonic Wars, a young woman, Janet Douglas of Gilmerton near Edinburgh, aged about 18, found herself out of work as a collier`s bearer.  The job, which involved hauling hewn...

The Lowland Canals

Our first meeting of the new session is on Thursday, 15th September, when Ian Scott will speak on “The Lowland Canals”. Ian Scott was Assistant Principal at Falkirk College and has been Director and National Chairman of the Saltire Society.  Ian’s main...

“Horses” by Mima Robertson, born 1901

(From Miss Robertson`s papers at the Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries) Looking back on my childhood it seems that horses and ponies played an important part in it. John Goodall had a large livery-stable, which provided cabs for the station – luggage on the...

Woodrow’s Lemonade

James Woodrow and Sons, Aerated Water Manufacturer By George Beattie Born and brought up in Edinburgh, James Woodrow spent much of his early working life employed as a lemonade bottler in the City.  He moved to a similar job in Leven around 1890, where he went on to...

May 2022 Meeting

Dunfermline Historical Society Thursday 19th May 2022, 7:30 pm (Doors open 7pm) Abbey Church Halls, Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline Excavations at Finlaggan, Islay, the Centre of the Lordship of the Isles by Dr David Caldwell Dr Caldwell is an archaeologist who has a...