Sharron McColl – ‘Louise Carnegie – the Woman behind Andrew Carnegie’

21 April 2016

Many of us in Dunfermline know quite a lot about Andrew Carnegie, but how much do we know about his wife, Louise? She was an American, who first met Carnegie when she was 23, and seven years later they married. Carnegie was then 51, and they remained together until his death thirty two years later. She must have played a very important role in the second half of his life, where he put his philanthropic ideas into practice.

Sharron McColl is a reference librarian in Dunfermline. She has lectured to the Society previously and is an expert on Louise Carnegie. In this talk she will tell us the story of her life.

Matt Storey – ‘Bede and his Works’

17 March

Matt has worked in Historical Education since he graduated with an MA in Medieval Studies from Leeds University. He is currently the Pier Project Co-ordinator with Sunderland City Council.

He was Operations Co-ordinator at Bede’s World when the Society visited last year during the Northumberland Spring Trip, and has previously worked there as an Education Assistant, Volunteer Co-ordinator and Education Team Leader.

Those of you who were on the trip will remember Matt’s tremendously enthusiastic and informative tour and will be looking forward to hearing much more about Bede and his works at our March Meeting.

Thursday 18 February

Ian Archibald – ‘Shipwrecks of the Forth’

Ian is Convenor, and a founder member, of Burntisland Heritage Trust. He is involved in designing their summer heritage exhibitions and has helped develop the local Heritage Trail walks.

He is a former Cartographic and Geographic Information Systems Manager for the Crown Estate Office in Edinburgh and before that worked for the Ordnance Survey as a land surveyor and survey manager.

For many years Ian was much involved with the search for the ferry the ‘Blessing of Burntisland,’ which sunk in July 1633, carrying the treasure of King Charles 1st….. We are looking forward to hearing all that he has to tell us.

Our first meeting of the new year, on 21st January, will be given by Ian Low and is entitled “Where there’s Life there’s a Hope – the Hope Family of Hopetoun”.

Ian has been the head guide at Hopetoun House since 2005 and is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his subject. We are really looking forward to hearing what he has to tell us.

This is a timely talk as the Society wishes to visit Hopetoun House next April.

Our Christmas social event this year will be held on Thursday 10th December, in the Abbey Church Hall. We will again be entertained by the Limelight Singers.  Their repertoire includes music from West End musicals, operetta and opera classics, popular ballads and traditional songs, performed as solos, duets and ensemble pieces.

This promises to be a very enjoyable evening and we hope to see you all there, but please remember this is an event for Society members only.