Wigtownshire Antiquarian & Natural History Society from previous years
WINTER TALKS 2019/20
Meetings will be held in Stranraer Library, Upper Meeting Room.
Thursday 26 October 2019, 7.30pm
Stranraer Library – Saving the Sparling
Courtney Rowland: Fisheries Biologist, Galloway Fisheries Trust
One of the sparling’s curiosities is its scent which has been variously described as being like cucumber or parma violets. Once a common species around Scotland, this enigmatic fish now only occurs in the Cree, Forth and Tay with overfishing and pollution being factors in its decline. For the past two years, Galloway Fisheries Trust has been studying the local population in the Cree and working with the local community to develop greater knowledge and appreciation of these fascinating fish. Fisheries Biologist, Courtney Rowland, will explain more about these mysterious creatures whose lifecycle includes a moonlit spawning spectacle right in the heart of Newton Stewart.
Bill Gill Memorial Lecture
The Wigtownshire Antiquarian & Natural History Society hosts a lecture each year in memory of the late Bill Gill, local historian and former Principal Teacher of History at Stranraer High School and Stranraer Academy.
Thursday 17 October 2019, 7.30pm
Stranraer Library – Saint’s footprints and ‘coal money’: clues to the origins of Portpatrick
Dr Fraser Hunter: Principal Curator of Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology, National Museum of Scotland
Portpatrick was an important port in the 18th and 19th centuries, but its earlier history is much less well known. Yet clues have been hiding in plain sight. This talk will take us on a tour of museum stores and newspaper archives to reveal exciting new evidence of Portpatrick’s early medieval origins.
Thursday 21 November 2019, 7.30pm
Stranraer Library – Recent Archaeology in Dumfries & Galloway
Andrew Nicholson: Archaeologist, Dumfries & Galloway Council
Uncovering the most significant local archaeological discoveries of the past five years, this presentation will take us on a region-wide tour of Dumfries & Galloway. Recent findings from Black Loch of Myrton and Drummore will be revealed along with the latest news about the Galloway Viking Hoard.
Thursday 16 January 2020, 7.30pm
Stranraer Library – The Magic of a Name
Julia MacDonald: Local historian
Old Stranraer and the changing names of places over the years will form the basis of Julia MacDonald’s illustrated presentation. The rich resource of historic photographs in the Nelson MacDonald Collection provide a wealth of material around which some of the fascinating stories of Stranraer’s past will be told.
Thursday 20 February 2020, 7.30pm
Stranraer Library – Four of a kind: Borgue’s unconventional Lairds
Jack Hunter: Local historian
The Borgue area seems to have had more than its fair share of colourful Lairds and Jack Hunter has been uncovering the stories of these unusual characters. High quality buildings pepper the landscape today, a stylish legacy of the eccentric and imaginative behaviour of some of these wealthy and extravagant individuals.
Thursday 19 March 2020, 7.00pm
Stranraer Library – AGM & Members’ Night All welcome!
The AGM will be followed by an open forum with short talks from Members. Anyone with an interest in the Society is welcome to attend.
Annual membership of the Society is a bargain at £10. Visitors are welcome to attend any of the talks for £3 per evening, with students free.
Anyone interested in joining our sister organisation, Wigtownshire Antiquarian and Natural History Society should contact the Secretary, Pam Taylor, Email – wigtownshireantiquarian@gmail.com Telephone Number: 07717 571720
