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.

The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1906-1907 provides a list of this society’s objects, its membership requirements, along with its subscription fees:

‘[…] The objects of the Society are: — The cultivation of the Gaelic Language; the cultivation and development of Celtic Philology, Literature, and Music; the elucidation of Celtic antiquities; and the fostering of a Celtic spirit among the Highlanders of Glasgow. Persons of Celtic extraction, or such as take an interest in its objects, are eligible to become members. The Subscriptions of Members to the Funds of the Society are: — Life Members, one payment of £1 1s.; Honorary Members, annually, Ladies 3s., Gentlemen 7s. 6d; Ordinary Members, annually — Ladies 1s., Gentlemen 2s. The Society meets in the Religious Institution Rooms, Buchanan Street, on the last Tuesday of each Month, from October to April.’

(‘Gaelic Society of Glasgow’, ‘Educational Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1906-1907… (Glasgow: Aird & Coghill, 1906), p. 171)

At meetings, papers were read on various subjects, but all of these were linked to Gaelic, Celtic or Highland life and culture, which included  literature that was often read aloud. For example, at the meeting held on 31 January 1888, one or two excepts from “Caraid nan Gael” (Norman Macleod (Caraid nan Gaidheal?)) were read.

Date of Existence

26 October 1887-1974?

Source of Information

1. Gaelic Society of Glasgow, Cash Book, 1888-1935 (1 vol.); Minute Books, 1887-1909, 1924-48, 1948-74 (3 vols.) (MLSC, 891237);

2. Gaelic Society of Glasgow, Transactions, 1887-1894; 1956/7 (MLSC, Mitchell (GC) 941.15006041443 GAE 155056);

3. Gaelic Society of Glasgow, Jubilee brochure, 1887-1937 (1937) (MLSC, Mitchell (GC) 367 767302);

4. Maclean, Magnus, Skye bards: paper read before the Gaelic Society of Glasgow (1892) (MLSC, Mitchell (GC) 200826);

5. ‘Gaelic Society of Glasgow’, ‘Educational Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1906-1907… (Glasgow: Aird & Coghill, 1906), p. 171;

6.  Gaelic Society of Glasgow, Centenary brochure, [1987](MLSC, Mitchell (GC) 941.15006041443 GAE)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

–

This literary club was in fact an institution, in the sense of being a building where club members met for in/formal literary and social events and activities. The club was founded in 1911 and located at 266 St Vincent Street. It had club rooms, bedrooms, a dining room as well as its own library for club members. Membership lists were separated into town and country members.

Whilst later in date than the materials considered in this project (and later than the magazines investigated in our sister project, Literary Bonds), of interest amongst the collection for this group is the club’s magazine. The earliest is dated Christmas 1921, and is entitled the Glasgow Literary Club Magazine. This issue contains type-written original poetry, essays, artwork, music, and recipes. Later, in the 1930s, the club had another magazine called The Chap Book, which contains original essays and poetry, and reports on various events at the club. It also included news of various reading and study circles that were running within the club. For example, there was a study circle, French circle, and Poetry and Literature circle.

Date of Existence

Premises opened 1/5/1911 (Formal Opening 15/5/1911) -1964?

Source of Information

The Glasgow Literary Club (Constitution and bye-laws, 1928-51; membership records, 1911-49; magazines, 1921-35; visitors books, 1934-40; finance, 1958)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

GB243 TD1858

Additional Notes

The documents from this club are contained in 2 large boxes with the following reference numbers on them: first box: TD1858/8/1-6; second box: TD1858/1-7, TD1858/9-11. In pencil underneath is the following ‘(See Box 2/2 for TD1858/8)’.

From the University of Glasgow Archives Services online catalogue Archives Hub:

‘Administrative / Biographical History: Glasgow University Dumfriesshire & Galloway Literary Society was formed at the University of Glasgow , Scotland, in 1876 . The object of the society was to “hold discussions of the chief literary and philosophical, social and political questions of the day and to keep its members acquainted with the spirit of the age” . Membership was open to students of the University and natives of, or connected to, Dumfriesshire and Galloway, Scotland (now Dumfries & Galloway).

A committee consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and 4 regular members managed the society. The committee was elected at the annual general meeting held in the second week of November.

Regular meetings of the society were held on the second Monday of each month for the reading of essays, criticism and debate. The society was still functioning in 1882 but nothing is known about its activities after this date’ [accessed 28/01/18].

Date of Existence

1876-1882?

Source of Information

Records of Glasgow University Dumfriesshire and Galloway Literary Society, 1876-fl. 1882 (Constitution and bye-laws 1876; List of members 1881-1882; Treasurer’s account book 1876-1882)

Repository

University of Glasgow Archives Services

Reference Number

GB 248 DC 062/2

Additional Notes

–

This group had its own Club Rooms, which were located at 93 Douglas Street (just off St. Vincent Street, and to the west of the city centre). Later, it had its own library.

The ‘Club Notes’ of the 1905 Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory proudly announced the opening of the newly-rented rooms to its members:

‘NATIONAL BURNS CLUB.
The persistent efforts of Burns enthusiasts in Glasgow, aided by such well-known admirers of the poet as J. Jeffrey Hunger, Jas. Ballantyne, D. C. Wardrop, and others, to form a first-class institution as a permanent rallying place and centre, have been crowned with success. A large flat of commodious rooms were rented on the 11th November, 1904, and over twenty pounds expended on papering and painting.
Mr Joseph Martin, the honorary treasurer, was most indefatigable in adding to the list of membership, and when the lease was signed over a hundred members were on the roll and numerous additions promised.
The printed rules declare that the objects of the club are (1) the promotion of the study of Burns’s works, and Scottish literature generally; (2) the collecting of books, prints, and pamphlets connected therewith; and (3) social intercourse and recreation.
Already a copy of the first edition of Currie’s Life of Burns has been gifted, and other donations of prints or books will be gladly received by the honorary secretary,
D. C. Waldrop.
65 Oswald Street, Glasgow’

(‘Club Notes’, in Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIV (Kilmarnock: The Burns Federation, January 1905), p. 103)

This was a place where members — both town and country — paid entry money and then a yearly subscription. They could also own shares in the club. They could play billiards, buy magazines, use the telephone, buy liquor and tobacco, and generally hang out in the club rooms any day of the week except Sunday.

Date of Existence

1904-1932? Federated 1904

Source of Information

1. ‘Club Notes’, and ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1905’, in BC,  ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIV (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1905), p. 103, p. 160;

2. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XV (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1906), pp. 123-24;

3. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1907’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XVI (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1907), p. 171;

4. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XVIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1909), pp. 135-36;

5. ‘Club Notes’, ‘Obituary’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIX (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1910), p. 12;

6. ‘Club Notes’ in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XIX (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1910), pp. 131-32;

7. ‘Club Notes’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XX (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1911), pp. 130-31;

8. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1912’, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XXI (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1912), p. 175;

9. ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the Burns Federation, 1914′, in BC, ed. by D. M’Naught, No. XXIII (Kilmarnock: Burns Federation, January 1914), p. 2168;

10. (9 MS vols of minutes, cash, & visitors books, receipts, etc.; Annual Summaries, share ledger, minute, cash, letter and visitors’ books, 1909-1932 (MLSC, 891022)