Meetings about railways always seem to draw a good crowd. And visitors will be particularly welcome to January's meeting when : Jim MacIntosh of the Caledonian Railway  Association  will speak on                                                                          
“The Development of the Early Scottish Railways”
All the details on the flyer which you can download here.
We aim to start promptly. There will be a space for questions and discussion. We aim to finish by about 9pm. We do as visitors to contribute £2.50 towards costs.

The re-introduction of Red Kites to the area over the last few years has brought back a once widespread species = they are now even to be seen over the urban fringes!

Our enquirer writes:

I’m trying to do a bit of research into the history of red kites in the local area for an ornithology book I’m writing and wondered if any of your group might know of any historical records of the birds in the area. 
I’m keen to find any primary sources from the pre 1880 period (when the last pairs were killed off). In particular I’m looking for old estate records which might have accounts of people killing them, but also anything about people’s experiences with the birds.   I have some info already but any extras would be hugely appreciated!

So, if anyone knows of any sources, you can contact  us  via enquire@stirling-lhs.org and we will pass on the information.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 25 Oct 2018 in the Smith Art Gallery and Museum at 7.30pm. The speakers will be Dorothy Wilson and Stephen Digney and the topic "Kings Park and the Stirling Races'.

The park is one of Stirling's most ancient and important landscape features and the Stirling Races were a very significant feature of life in Stirling until terminated in the mid 19th century. See details on the flyer.

Admission is free for members. We ask visitors for a small fee (£2.50) to help cover costs.

All Welcome.

Stirling Local History Society website now has a new section highlighting some Victorian "characters' together with the Recollections of Dr George Galbraith, concerning life in Stirling between the 1820s and the 1890s.

Information on David Taylor, Poet is at;   https://www.stirling-lhs.org/david-taylor-poet.html

Information on John Allan, architect, at https://www.stirling-lhs.org/john-allan-architect.html

Information on the Town Criers and related worthies, such as Danny McVean, 'Tammy' Chalmers and Isaac Spyron is at https://www.stirling-lhs.org/stirling-criers.htmlwww.stirling-lhs.org/stirling-criers.html

The recollections of Dr Galbraith form by far the most extensive, personal account of life in Victorian Stirling,  covering matters from demographic changes to funeral protocol, church services to the impact of the railway. Originally published by the Stirling Field and Archaeological Society, they can now be found (with some explanatory notes) at https://www.stirling-lhs.org/dr-gt-galbraith.html

The annual Forth Naturalist and Historian conference is always an event to look out for. This year, held in association with Friends of the Ochils (who are marking their 25th anniversary) the Ochils will be the theme.

As usual the event will be at University of Stirling. There are speakers on environmental, historical and archaeological topics as well as explorations of modern (and future) use of the hills.
Further details, booking etc can be found here.

Our 2018-2019 season starts on 27th September in our usual venue, the Stirling Smith Museum, at 7.30 pm. The speaker will be genealogist Gary Lawrie, on “A Call of Two Duties - Stirlingshire Constabulary in WW1”.
The full details are on the attached flyer.

The exhibition marks the end of the King Street Funding Initiative 2012-18  an investment of some £800,000 made in the historic fabric of King Street. The work was delivered by Stirling City Heritage Trust (SCHT), a Scottish Charity, with investment from Historic Environment Scotland, Stirling Council and individual property owners.

Further details are available on the flyer which you can download here.

The lecture to mark the anniversary of the coronation of James VI has become an important annual event in Stirling. This year's lecture is by Prof. Jane Dawson who asks 'What was John Knox doing in Holy Rude on 29th July 1567?'.


For further details of time, place etc see the attached flyer.