News blog
Below you will find all the latest news for the Stranraer and District Local History Trust. Click on any news item to read more
Winter 2024 Newsletter - Winter 2024 Newsletter As the winter weather seems to have arrived with a blast, we’re happy to share with you the work of the Trust over the past few months. The Wigtown Spring Weekend was well attended and Elaine and I had a good audience for ‘Gallivanting Around Galloway’ a talk that linked history, tradition, landscape, literature and people across the region. We were also lucky enough to be introduced to author Lynne McEwan in The Old Bank Bookshop in… ...more Spring 2024 Newsletter - Spring 2024 Newsletter As the days are getting longer there is the promise of a few days at least of sunshine! In January we officially launched Ian Baldie’s new book about the secret radar station at RAF North Cairn in Stranraer Library. A slide show with photos from his book was running at the side and the launch was well attended. The book is one of 18 of our publications still in print. Read the full newsletter ...more Winter Newsletter - Winter 2023 Newsletter. The Trust have been busy in the intervening months since our last newsletter, so we have plenty to update you on! We were sponsors of the Spring Festival at Wigtown this year and a large crowd attended Wigtown County Buildings when I gave a tribute to Donnie Nelson through local photographs and stories. That particular event was sponsored by the Old Bank Bookshop, and we were very grateful for the opportunity to share these stories. Read the… ...more Spring News Letter - The Trust has been kept busy over the winter months. We had another successful sale over the festive season, and our Facebook page continues to grow with around one thousand followers! The carved stones from McCulloch Place are to be placed temporarily in Stranraer Museum store until refurbishment of the museum is complete. The Trust has placed a bench in memory of Donnie Nelson MBE, on the grassy area between Foreland Place and Broadstone Road. The bench is facing to… ...more
Book Launch - The Sinking of the SS Rowan and the Southern Syncopated Orchestra' book by author Sandy Rankin is to be launched in Galloway Gateway (the old harbour master's office), Breastwork, Stranraer on Saturday 27th November from 1030am to 1200noon. ...more
Trustee Lunch and Presentation - The Trust recently held a lunch and presentation at Henry's Bay House Restaurant. Founder History Trust Members, Eric and Christine Wilson, are stepping down in their respective roles as Oral History Facilitator and Honorary Secretary but will stay on as executive committee members. Trust Chair, Elaine Barton, thanked Eric and Christine for their relentless hard work over the years and their contribution to ensuring that much of our local history is preserved for future generations. Since 1998 the Trust has… ...more
Scottish actor Gary Lewis - Chair of Stranraer and District Local History Trust, Elaine Barton, was delighted to meet and present well known Scottish actor Gary Lewis with a selection of their local history publications. Gary was particularly interested in two of author David Kirkwood’s books, The Earls of Galloway & Galloway House and Glasgow’s Galloway School. Gary has fond memories of attending Galloway House School when he was 11 years old. During the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s the house was taken over by the Glasgow… ...more
News Archive - Archive of news from previous years 2021 Early this year we lost Donnie Nelson, to this awful virus. Donnie was a founding member of the Trust, and had been Chair for 21 years, and he remained very active on the committee. He authored a number of our books and so very much more. He has ensured the Nelson-MacDonald photographic collection is safe in Stranraer, and has left us with many notes and stories which are yet to be told, and… ...more