Diary

November 2019 Meeting

Unfortunately, due to unexpected and unavoidable work commitments at Newcastle University, Dr Annie Tindley is unable to present her talk on Andrew Carnegie to the Dunfermline Historical Society as planned. Annie hopes to be able to re-arrange her talk to us for next season instead.

In the meantime, on 21st November 2019, Honorary President George Robertson will present a new talk on

The Rolland Family, Ropemakers of Dunfermline – and other places .”

As usual, this will take place at 7:30 pm, in the Abbey Church Halls and all members and visitors will be welcome.

SURRENDER AND SCUTTLE

How the Great War at Sea ended

Tuesday 22nd October 2019

Andrew Kerr, Expert in Residence in Aberdour Heritage Centre

The Centre is small and this event is planned as a round-table conversation not as a talk.

Come with – a question you have always wanted answered, to learn something new or to share your knowledge.

Come to either session at: 11.30 – 12.30 or 2.00- 3.00

Andrew Kerr has had a lifelong interest in ships and the Royal Navy. He was Consultant Naval Historian for the successful BBC Television programme “Scotland’s War at Sea”, and was a member of the Scottish Government’s Battle of Jutland Commemorations Working Group.

Andrew will talk about battleships, battlecruisers and the operation of the British Grand Fleet before describing how the German ships were met, 50 miles east of the Isle of May, and escorted into the Firth of Forth, thereafter being interned at Scapa Flow.  There, just over 100 years ago, they were scuttled by their crews. In terms of the Armistice of 1918, the best ships of the German High Seas Fleet were to be disarmed and thereafter interned to await allocation to the Allied navies.

Secessionist Rev. Ralph Erskine

Wed 6th November 2019

12:30 pm, Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries, £3.00

Hon. President George Robertson will discuss the story of the Rev Ralph Erskine’s life as a Minister in Dunfermline and his struggle with the Established Church in Scotland, and how, with other Ministers, he seceded from that Church. His “miraculous birth” after the “death” of his mother will be discussed as will his marriage to a “lassie from Lassodie”.

The Bruce Lectures 2019

All talks held in the Abbey Church, Dunfermline. Tickets will be available at the door.

October 2019 Meeting

17th October 2019

Ian Scott, “James Watt”

7:30 pm in the Abbey Church Halls, Dunfermline.

2019 is the 200th Anniversary of the death of James Watt, one of the most influential of the pioneering engineers of the industrial revolution. Those of you who were on the DHS outing to Kinneil House in 2016 will remember the brief biography we were given then, by James Watt himself, apparently, so we are very lucky to have a historian from Falkirk visiting to tell us more about him.

Ian Scott was Assistant Principal at Falkirk College where he taught history for a number of years.  He has been both Director and national Chairman of the Saltire Society.  Ian’s main interest is the history of the Falkirk area and he has written several books on the subject including Falkirk: a History published in 2006.  He has written over 400 historical articles for the Falkirk Herald and was a founder member of Falkirk Local History Society in 1981.