Along with a list of its office bearers, the Glasgow Post Office directory for 1856 to 1857 gives a brief summary of this club:

‘Its objects are to excite in its members (who must be Highlanders) a taste for mutual improvement; to cherish in them a love of History, Literature, and the Sciences, through the medium of meetings, for the delivery of Lectures, reading of Essays, and other communications; and also to form and secure for their behoof a select Gaelic and English Library. Meetings are held weekly in Hope Street Free Church Session House, on Wednesday evenings at 8 o’clock; half-yearly (for the election of directors) on the first Wednesdays of April and October; and annual general on Old New-Year’s-Day.’

(‘Fingalian Club’, ‘Educational and Literary Institutions’, Post-Office Glasgow Directory for 1856, 1857… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1856), p. 85)

Date of Existence

1855-?

Source of Information

‘Fingalian Club’, ‘Educational and Literary Institutions’, Post-Office Glasgow Directory for 1856, 1857… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1856), p. 85

Repository

Mitchell Library

National Library of Scotland

Reference Number

–

Additional Notes

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

This society was based at Anderston Church on University Avenue in Glasgow’s West End. Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — Anderston‘ on the Ecclegen website.) Meetings were held on Friday evenings at the church.

The information on this group comes predominantly from their society manuscript magazine (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). According to the article, ‘Memorandum for the Curious’, the society met fortnightly from January until June 1849, and from then on, they met weekly. The average attendance is also listed for the yearly sessions running from 1851 until 1871, and during this period it was around 20 (‘Memorandum for the Curious’, The Literary Bond, Vol. 12, No. 1, October 1872). In the 1871-72 session, the Annual Report gives the following as its then current state of membership: 14 Honorary Members; 3 Correspondent Members; and 49 Ordinary Members (‘Report. Session 1871-72. Read at Annual Meeting 2nd Octr. 1872’, The Literary Bond, Vol. 11, No. 2, November 1872, [pp. 9-21, p. 20].

There are 15 bound volumes of The Literary Bond, and 2 bound volumes of The Literary Magazine, its successor. Like other literary society magazines, these were also miscellanies containing contributions on a wide range of subjects.

Date of Existence

1849-1897?

Source of Information

1. ‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79;

2. The Literary Bond: the Mitchell Library has Vol. 2 (Sept. 1862) – Vol. 13 (Dec. 1875), Vol. 16, No. 1 (Oct. 1876) – Vol. 19, No. 6 (March 1880), and Vol. 21, No. 1 (Oct. 1881) – Vol. 22, No. 6 (March 1883) (Vols. 14, 15 and 20 no longer extant?); The Literary Magazine: the Mitchell Library has Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan. 1896) – Vol. 2, No. 2 (Feb. 1897) (MLSC)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (magazines, and Glasgow Post Office directory)

National Library of Scotland (Glasgow Post Office directory)

Reference Number

Mitchell (AL) 891310-11; Dewey Class: 820.80941443 (MLSC) (magazines)

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

See also entry for The Literary Bond of Free Anderston Church Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society on our sister website, Literary Bonds.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

This association met on Friday evenings at 7.30 in the Greek Class Room of the Free Church Presbytery House, which was located on Holmhead Street. Its object (i.e. the purpose for meeting) was its members’ intellectual as well as religious and moral improvement. Members were students of the United Free Church College, or were approved to become members by a general vote. (For more information about the Free Church College, see ‘Glasgow College of the United Free Church of Scotland‘, on the GASHE (Gateway to Archives of Scottish Higher Education) website.) The subscription fee was rather low, being only 1s per year.

According to the membership rolls, in 1869, the year of the association’s founding, there were 64 Ordinary Members, and in the following session (November 1869-April 1870), there were 57 members. This dropped to 37 in the subsequent year, when the association was dissolved.

In the first session from January until March 1869, the essays and debates were restricted to religious issues and debates on doctrine, but the subsequent years saw a more eclectic mix of subjects — including authors, their works and literature more generally — which was the norm for literary societies throughout the nineteenth century.

Date of Existence

15 January 1869-21 November 1871

Source of Information

Minute-book of Free Church Students’ Literary Association. Glasgow, 1869-1871 (Treasurer’s documents, letters, syllabuses in pocket) (12 items total)

Repository

University of Glasgow Special Collections

Reference Number

MS Gen 898

Additional Notes

Full description of 12 items is available on the University of Glasgow Special Collections Manuscripts Catalogue.

To date, there is little known about this society. The information that we have comes from the minute book of the Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association: the Free College Church Association was scheduled to take part in a Parliamentary Debate with Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association on 18 February 1896.

Date of Existence

1895?-?

Source of Information

(Mentioned in minute book of the Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association: Syllabus, 1895-96 [next to minute entry, 1 November 1895], Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association, Minute Book, 1892-1896)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

(See Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association, Minute Book, CH3/1238/2)

Additional Notes

See also Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association, with whom they had a Parliamentary Debate.

Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the East Campbell Street Free Church (East Campbell Street is just off of Gallowgate, to the east of Saltmarket in the city centre). (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — East Campbell Street‘ on the Ecclegen website.)

There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have comes from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1853-1854, which lists this group as part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1853?-?

Source of Information

‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79

Repository

Mitchell Library

National Library of Scotland

Reference Number

–

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

This group was located in the Gorbals, in the south side of Glasgow. Members might have belonged to the East Gorbals Free Church (previously and subsequently known as Gorbals Parish Church or the Parish Church of Gorbals), on Calton Place, which was the home of the area’s Free Church congregation between January 1853 and 1863 (see ‘Gorbals, Glasgow. Laurieston Guide‘ on the ScotCities website; see also ‘Glasgow — Victoria‘, on the Ecclegen website).

There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have comes from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1853-1854, which lists this group as part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1853?-?

Source of Information

‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79

Repository

Mitchell Library

National Library of Scotland

Reference Number

–

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Renfield Free Church, located on the corner of Renfield Street and Gordon Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — Renfield‘ on the Ecclegen website.)

There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have comes from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1853-1854, which lists this group as part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1853?-?

Source of Information

‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79

Repository

Mitchell Library

National Library of Scotland

Reference Number

–

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. David’s Free Church, located on Frederick Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Frederick Street UP Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website; see also ‘Glasgow — St. David’s‘ on the Ecclegen website.)

There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have comes from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1853-1854, which lists this group as part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1853?-?

Source of Information

‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79

Repository

Mitchell Library

National Library of Scotland

Reference Number

–

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of Free St. George’s Church, located on Bath Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — St. George’s‘ on the Ecclegen website.)

There is little currently known about this society. The information we have comes primarily from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1853-1854, which lists this group as part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). In addition, the Sandyford Church Literary Association report states that the Sandyford society held a joint debate with members of the Free St. George’s Literary Association.

Date of Existence

1853?-1883?

Source of Information

1. ‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854 (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79;

2. (Mentioned in ‘Extract from Report submitted to the Fifth Annual meeting of Sandyford Church Literary Association, 7th April 1884’, which is the last article in the Sandyford Church Literary Association MS Magazine (1883))

Repository

Mitchell Library (Glasgow Post Office directory)

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (magazine)

Reference Number

642424 (MLSC) (magazine)

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

See also Sandyford Church Literary Association and The Park Literary Institution, with whom this society held joint debates.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow

Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. John’s Free Church, located on George Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘St John’s Free Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website; see also ‘Glasgow — St. John’s‘ on the Ecclegen website.)

There is little currently known about this society. The information we have comes from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1853-1854, which lists the society’s representatives in the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union (see below), a programme for their annual soiree, and a short listing in the ‘General Directory’ of the 1867-1868 Post Office directory.

This group was one of 12 societies that made up the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union in 1853 (at least) (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1853?-1867?

Source of Information

1. ‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79;

2. ‘Soiree’, Free St. John’s Young Men’s Association, programme, 21 April 1859 [annotated];

3. ‘Free St. John’s Young Men’s Association’, ‘General Directory’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1867, 1868… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1867), p. 151

Repository

Mitchell Library (Glasgow Post Office directories)

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (programme)

National Library of Scotland (NLS) (Glasgow Post Office directories)

Reference Number

Glasgow Scrapbooks, No. 5, p. 122 (MLSC) (programme)

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

The Glasgow Post Office directories are available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland. Digitised copies are available through the NLS website: https://www.nls.uk/family-history/directories/post-office/index.cfm?place=Glasgow