Stirling Local History Society

We have had an enquiry from Stephen Dow, who writes:

Primarily I am looking for a Robina Horn(e). In the 1901 Census her address was 'Sunny Side', Park Place, Stirling in the parish of St Ninians. She worked as a servant and lived with Duncan and Elizabeth Robertson (both 64) and their daughter Jessie (40). This is the only census record I can find for Robina. While there are other Robina Hornes, no information matches her. Her place of birth on the census was Alva, Clackmannanshire and she was approximately 23 (born about 1878). I have been unable to find her birth registered with the Scotland's People website.

In 1899 Robina had an illegitimate baby boy with a farmer called William Menzies Dryden (of Midtown Farm, Cambus). William was already married with a son (Jeanie and William). The child was called Adam Dryden and was boarded with a couple called James and Margaret (nee McKay) Dow. Adam is listed in the 1901 census as staying with James and Margaret at 16 Lower Bridge Street, Stirling. In 1901 Adam was formally adopted by James and Margaret and named David Dow (my Paternal great grandfather) . I have the adoption document and Sunny Side, Park Place, Stirling is given as Robina's address. Having searched I do not think the solicitors exist anymore.

William Dryden and family emigrated to Canada in the early 1900's but that is another story

Would be grateful for any help or suggestions.

SLHS adds;
There is no house on Park Place displaying the name Sunny Side today. It is a road including several substantial villas where servants would have been employed. Duncan & Jamieson's Street Directory of 1868-9 lists a John Robertson, grocer,  as living at Number 19; however, new houses have been built since that time and all probably renumbered. There was a well-known Stirling grocery store called Robertson and MacFarlane c. 1900 and this might be the proprietor, the sort of person who would live on Park Place and have servants. Street Directories can be accessed via the National Library of Scotland website, Licensed Digitial Collections tab and it might help to check some of those around 1900.

Any help in finding Robina Horn's birth or other details would be appreciated. There must also be a story about what happened to her later - she has evidently been able to continue working with the Robertsons, in spite of the illegitimate baby.

A 'first' for the society with the launch of a new, hard-copy publication produced in conjunction with Friends of the Holy Rude Kirk. This 22 page booklet describes the burial grounds at the Top of the Town of Stirling and the gravestones and monuments they contain.
The changing use of the area and the emerging styles of gravestones over the centuries are discussed. So, too, is the 'educational sculpture garden' created in the late 1850s as a setting for the town's new cemetery.
The pamphlet brings together material previously only accessible in scattered sources. It has 26 illustrations (mainly in colour) and was written by historian John G Harrison.
Copies can be obtained through any of the Stirling Community Libraries or at the Church of the Holy Rude itself and cost only £2. Copies will also be on sale at the meetings of SLHS next season (if there are any left

Forth Naturalist and Historian who will be hosting a public lecture by Dr Iain Banks from the Glasgow University Centre for Battlefield Studies about local battlefields on Wednesday 5th June at the Raploch Community Campus at 7pm. This is the second of these annual lectures and is of immediate interest as Iain is amongst those presently investigating potential sites of the Battle of Bannockburn, as we prepare to mark the 700th anniversary next year.

There will be a short AGM at the beginning of the meeting and a chance for questions and discussion afterwards. Last year's lecture, about the Blairdrummond gold hoard, was a great success and this year's promises to be every bit as exciting.


You can download the poster here.

We have featured this site before. Today news arrives of some 8000 new images added to what was already an amazing resource. Many of these are from the 1930s - so surprisingly early for aerial photos. I have not had time to check out the new list so far - but take a look and if you find any Stirling goodies, do not hesitate to let us know!

Attached here is a list of forthcoming archaeology and heritage events in the area. There should, surely, be something of interest to almost anyone!

News arrives of a workshop at the Map Library in Edinburgh.

This year's LocScot Dayschool focusses attention on one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of the local studies researcher - the map.

The day's sessions will give an overview of the history of mapping, will look at working with maps specifically for local studies research, and of the practicalities of curating collections of these materials. A variety of types of map will be looked at (beyond the well-known OS maps) which all provide different types of information and are of interest to researchers in a wide spectrum of fields. The more technical aspects of cataloguing/classification/metadata/finding aids/storage/conservation will be looked at too, to provide guidance and assistance in dealing with these special collections materials. The day will also look at digital mapping and map resources available online, and the impact that these can have in the field of local studies.

It should be of interest to anyone working/researching in local studies; to those who are responsible for map collections as part of a wider remit; and to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of this extremely useful material.

Tea/coffee will be available at registration and a sandwich lunch will be provided.

This event is free to LOCSCOT members, and is available to non-members at the bargain rate of £3 (as a contribution towards catering costs). Non-members: please register using the Non-Member ticket option and pay on the day.

The Dayschool will take place at the National Library of Scotland’s Causewayside Building (159 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PH) on the 24th of April 2013, from 1000 to 1600.

Please register for this event at: http://locscot2013.eventbrite.co.uk/

Last week's excellent talk by Roanna Mourad of Stirling Council Libraries highlighted some of the many new on-line resources which have recently become available - and there aren't that many "good news" stories around these days!

SCRAN has been up and running for several years, with images and information provided by museums, colleges, universities and national institutions. But, hitherto, you could only access thumbnails and parts of the site, unless you subscribed or had institutional rights. Now, anyone who lives locally can access it FOR FREE using their Stirling Libraries card. So, I thought this was one to share.

You need to go via the Stirling Libraries site, click on the Online Resources tab and then the hyperlink to SCRAN in the text paragraph [not the SCRAN logo]. That takes you to the 'sign on' page. Pull down Stirling Council on the drop-down menu. Put in your library card number. And Hey Presto!

There are over 3000 hits for Stirling and they include lots of goodies. We had an enquiry, recently, about the Cyclsts Touring Club sign on the former hotel in King Street. I soon came across a view of King St taken in the early 1930s. At that time the hotel in question was Gill's Temperance Hotel; there are lots of contemporary cars and it all looks very different from today!

So, lots of fun and lots of interest here. If you don't have a library card, you can get one at any library.

We will highlight some of the other features available

The excellent National Library of Scotland website continues to add volumes of information. The latest news is of lists of officers in the Army, Navy and Air Force who served in the First and Second World Wars. Invaluable for family history but also for many other purposes. You can find the lists online here.

The Seven Incorporated Trades of Stirling were key organisations for many centuries. They, and particularly the Hammermen, were the subject of our last month's excellent talk by Stephen Bowman.

Meanwhile, we have been aware of efforts, by Stuart Campbell and others, to inject new purpose and life into these organisations.

Stuart has sent a short document with some details and preliminary or outline proposals.

This has

The SLHF spring conference, 'Sun, Sea and Shivering - Scots at the Seaside 1750-2000 is coming up on Friday April 26th at Kinghorn in Fife.

We are affiliated to SLHF and we encourage members and others to attend.

There is an intriguing list of speakers - incuding our own Alastair Durie - and if promises to be 'a good day'.

Download the flyer and booking form here.