Talks
February 2025 Meeting
Thursday 20th Feb, 7:30pm, Abbey Church Halls.
Annual General Meeting followed by :
“Henry Duncan”, by Prof. Charles Munn
January 2025 Meeting
16th January 2025, 7:30pm Abbey Church Halls.
The Early Years of Mary, Queen of Scots: War, Destruction, Reconstruction and Reformation
Dr Amy Blakeway
Dr Blakeway is a Senior Lecturer in the School of History at St. Andrews University. She has previously held posts at the University of Kent, the University of Cambridge and visiting positions in California, Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
She is the author of two books on 16th century Scotland and is in the process of writing a book on the research for the talk she is presenting to us.
November 2024 Meeting
Thursday 21st November 2024
Dunfermline Historical Society
Bruce Keith “Scotland Beneath the Surface”
Bruce is a retired surveyor and environmentalist, who first spoke to us in 2018, when he presented a fascinating history of bridges in Scotland. Last year when, he gave us the memorable “Are We Nearly There Yet” , mostly about signposts.
His passion for Scottish history, geography and landscape is a recurring theme throughout his life and is well captured in his book, “Bridgescapes”. In addition to completing the book, Bruce has spent his retirement as an ambassador for the sustainable use of water resources globally, and as President of his professional institution, The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). He has travelled extensively from New Zealand to Finland via Africa.
This month, his talk is titled “Scotland Beneath the Surface”.
As usual, we meet at 7:30 pm in the Abbey Church Hall, Dunfermline. All welcome.
The Edinburgh of Deacon Brodie
Dunfermline Historical Society Meeting
17th October 2024, 7:30pm
Abbey Church Hall, Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline.
Eric Melvin will present “The Edinburgh of Deacon Brodie”
Eric is a well known Edinburgh local historian. He spoke to us last year, when he presented “The Athens of the North” a fascinating and informative history of Edinburgh’s New Town and, as usual, all will be welcome.
September Meeting 2024
The first meeting of Dunfermline Historical Society of the 2024-25 season will take place on Thursday 19th September at 7:30 pm in the Abbey Church Halls, Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline.
Ian Archibald will present “Island Jewels of the Forth“.
The Firth of Forth has been for centuries one of the major gateways to Edinburgh and Scotland. This presentation shines a spotlight on the deserted islands of the Forth. All within viewing distance of the land many of these abandoned islands are home to tales that deserve to be better known. From ‘Scotland’s Alcatraz’ at the mouth of the Forth to the ‘Iona of the East’ and then westwards to the iconic Forth Bridge this is a ten island hopping tour which explores and examines their character and rich natural heritage.
Ian has a deep interest in the history of Burntisland and the Firth of Forth and is Convenor of Burntisland Heritage. He is a former Cartographic and Geographic Information Systems Manager for the Crown Estate Office in Edinburgh and before that he worked for the Ordnance Survey as a land surveyor and survey manager.
Ian has spoken to us before, in 2016, when he presented an excellent talk on “Shipwrecks of the Forth”.
Admission is £3 for visitors, who will be made very welcome.