There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have to date comes from a 1903 printed brochure for the Wellington United Free Church, Glasgow (see ‘Additional Notes’ below), which lists a a joint debate with the College United Free Church Literary Society.

It is likely that this society was connected with the Glasgow University United Free Church Students’ Society, which was founded in 1845, and was running about the same as the literary society (see, for example, The Glasgow University Calendar for the Year 1908-9 (Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons, 1908, p. 756).

Date of Existence

1903?-?

Source of Information

(Mentioned in printed brochure: ‘Wellington United Free Church, Glasgow. Supplement. March, 1903’, The Missionary Record of the United Free Church of Scotland (Edinburgh and London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1903); [annotated:] ‘First issue G.H.M’, p. 2; joint debate between the two societies, pp. 2-3)

Repository

University of Glasgow Library

Reference Number

Theology Pers MI700

Additional Notes

See also Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association, with whom this society at least one joint meeting.

Dowanhill is an area in the West End of Glasgow. (For a brief summary of its history, see ‘History of Byres Road. The birth of the West End‘ on the Visit West End website). This literary society was composed of young men and women from the area, or ‘adherents of Dowanhill Church’, which was located on Hyndland Street. (For a brief history of the church, see ‘Dowanhill UP Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website). The subscription fee was one shilling for the year, which was cheaper than the average for literary societies during this period (2s 6d).

The group met on the last Monday of each month to discuss three pre-selected books (members were only required to read one of these, or even part of one), and a paper was given on each book. It had very strict rules for reading: each member was to read (at least) half-an-hour a day, or three hours a week in total, the Sabbath excluded. In fact, a fee was incurred for not reading for this prescribed amount of time.

Date of Existence

1898-?

Source of Information

(Society brochure with ‘Objects’ and ‘Rules’)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections

Reference Number

Glasgow Scrapbooks, No. 23, p. 234

Additional Notes

Also includes a list of office bearers and committee members.

Eastpark is located in the Maryhill area of Glasgow, in the northwest of the city. The information on this society comes from a brochure advertising an upcoming opening talk. This is inserted into a press cuttings book (see below for reference). The lecture, entitled, ‘The Art of Forgetting’, was given by John Adams, Esq., M.A., B.Sc., Rector of the United Free Church Training College. It was held at 8pm at the Eastpark United Free Church, Gower Street, North Kelvinside, on Monday, 28 October 1901.

On the back of the brochure is an advertisement for the Eastpark Literary Association, which was then recently revived. Members of this group were to be formed of young men and women of the congregation of Eastpark United Free Church, with membership open to the young people in the district. The subscription fee was one shilling and six pence, which was cheaper than other societies at this time. Meetings were held in the church hall every other Monday in the evening. In addition to monthly lectures, they planned ‘to have a number of debates and musical evenings’.

Date of Existence

1898?-?

Source of Information

(Loose flyer advertisement for lecture, in presscuttings book between p. 94 and p. 95 (Lord Provost’s Office, Records of Public Events in Glasgow, Presscutting Book, General (Y.M.C.A. and other clubs, etc.) 15 Sep. 1898-4 Oct. 1901))

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

G2/3/7

Additional Notes

–

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

–

Caithness is a county in the far north of Scotland. This society is a type of nineteenth-century county association. In the stricter sense, county associations were groups whose members (or whose parents) were former residents of counties across Scotland who had moved to Glasgow. This type of group incorporated elements of a benevolent society in that they could offer a combination of accommodation, advice, referrals, and general assistance to newcomers in the city when they arrived, while also offering aid to widows, unemployed members, or members undergoing financial hardship. In addition, they might offer to provide for the education of their members’ children, or money to support their higher education.

This society developed out of the Glasgow Caithness Benevolent Association (1875?-1961?). At a meeting of the Benevolent Association held on 8 August 1882, a discussion took place regarding the formation of a literary society in connection with the association; a motion was called and passed unanimously. In the ‘Constitution and Rules’ that were subsequently drawn up, the society’s object (i.e. purpose for meeting) was given as being the intellectual improvement of its members.

While this society was based in Glasgow, their records are housed in Caithness Archives in Wick.

Date of Existence

19 September 1882-1931?

Source of Information

1. Glasgow Caithness Literary Association, Minute Books 1-4, 1882-1931 (CAC, P294/2/1-4);

2. (See: Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association, Annual Report, 1897-98 (p. 3) (SA, D58/4a/9));

3. (See: Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association, Annual Report, 1898-99 (p. 2) (SA, D58/4a/10));

4. (See: Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association, Annual Report 1900-01 (p. 2) (SA, D58/1/5));

5. (See: Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association, Annual Report 1903-1904 (p. 3) (SA, D58/4a/12));

6. Glasgow Caithness Benevolent Association Centenary Souvenir 1836-1936 (CAC, P8/1/5);

7. Portfolio of Portraits. A Souvenir of the Opening Ceremony (CAC, P8/1/4(1-2));

8. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Glasgow Caithness Benevolent Association’, Northern Ensign, 31 January 1905 (CAC, P8/1/1);

9. (Unsigned manuscript poem:) ‘Glasgow Caithness Literary Society’ (CAC, P8/2/1)

Repository

Shetland Archives (SA)

Caithness Archive Centre, now Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives, Wick (CAC)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

See Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association

‘Glasgow’s Literary Bonds’ would like to thank Ken Ross for kindly sharing additional information and photos of historic materials of the Glasgow Benevolent Association.

The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1908-1909 provides an overview of this society:

‘The objects and aims of the Society are: — (1) To knit together in a common bond of friendship lovers of that great master of humour and pathos, Charles Dickens, and to encourage a more general study of his works; (2) To spread the love of humanity and to help in every possible direction the cause of the poor and the oppressed which is the key note of all his works. Life Membership subscription, £1 1s.; annual subscription, 2s. 6d. […].’

(‘The Glasgow Dickens Society’, ‘Educational Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1908-1909… (Glasgow: Aird & Coghill, 1908), p. 1778)

Among the charitable works of this society was the raising of money for the annual dinner, or ‘The Annual Treat’, in order to give children of the poor a Christmas meal.

According to an article in the Glasgow Herald in 1909,  the Honorary President reported there were 100 members when the society was founded, and the number had since grown to 450.

Date of Existence

1906 (newspaper article give 7 February 1907) -1950?

Source of Information

1. ‘The Glasgow Dickens Society’, ‘Educational Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1908-1909… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1908), p. 1778;

3.  ‘Dickens Anniversary. Glasgow Celebration’, Glasgow Herald, 11 February 1909, p. 12;

3. (Printed advertising circular, with subscription request form:) ‘The Annual Treat of the Glasgow Dickens Society to A Thousand Poor Children of Glasgow’, 21 December 1921 (MLSC, Glasgow Scrapbooks, No. 23, p. 230);

4. ‘Jane Mitchell’, in Breakthrough: Autobiographical Accounts of the Education of Some Socially Disadvantaged Children, ed. by Ronald Goldman, Vol. 212 (London and New York: Routledge, 1968), pp. 124-41 (pp. 135-6)

Repository

Mitchell Library (Glasgow Post Office directory)

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (Glasgow Scrapbooks)

National Library of Scotland (Glasgow Post Office directory)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

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

The Glasgow Herald is available at the Mitchell Library and the National Library of Scotland in both hard copy and microfilm (check libraries for availability in both formats). Digitised issues are also available through the British Newspaper Archive: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

The Provand’s Lordship Literary Club was set up for the preservation of one of the very few medieval buildings left in Glasgow. The group was founded in 1906 and met in this house, and through subscriptions and various fundraising activities, raised money for the building’s preservation. (For more information on this building, see ‘Provand’s Lordship‘ on The Glasgow Story website, and ‘Glasgow Photo Library. Provand’s Lordship‘ on the Rampant Scotland website

In the winter, they held meetings that included hearing talks about various historic Glasgow events and personas. Several volumes of Young’s Scrapbooks contain articles on this club and its activities (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1906-?

Source of Information

1. (Prospectus for ‘Proposed Provand’s Lordship Literary Club) (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 14, p. 26a);

2. ‘Provand’s Lordship Literary Club. Syllabus’ (1906-07) (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 19, p. 66a);

3. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Provand’s Lordship’, (annotated:) ‘Herald. 25 July 1906.’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 14, p. 26a);

4. (Newspaper clipping, annotated:) ‘Provand’s Lordship Literary Club. […] Herald. 28 July. 1906’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 14, p. 28);

5. (Newspaper clipping:) (Provand’s Lordship, with illustration, annotated:) ‘News. 14 Aug. 1906’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 14, pp. 32-3);

6. (Newspaper clipping, annotated:) ‘Provand’s Lordship. […] Citizen. 7 Dec. 1906’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, No. 14, p. 84);

7. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Provand’s Lordship Club’, (annotated:) ‘Herald. 22 Dec. 1906’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 14, p. 91);

8. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘”Provand’s Lordship”. A quaint Dinner Party’, (annotated:) ‘Citizen. 22 Dec. 1906’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, No. 14, p. 92);

9. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘An Old Glasgow Dinner’, (annotated:) ‘Times. 10 Dec. 1906’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 14, p. 56);

10. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘”Provand’s Lordship”‘, (annotated:) ‘The Bailie. 9 Jan. 1907. W. Young.’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 15, p. 3);

11. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Glasgow’s Oldest House’, (annotated:) ‘T.P.’s Weekly. November 8, 1907’ (MLSC, Glasgow Scrapbooks, Vol. 5, p. 14);

12. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Glasgow Provand’s Lordship Club’, (annotated:) ‘Herald. 27 May 1908’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 19, p. 6);

13. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Provand’s Lordship Club’, (annotated:) ‘Herald. 27 May 1909’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 23, p. 80);

14. (Brochure for application for membership, including newspaper clipping, annotated:) ‘Herald. 4 Dec. 1909.’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 26, pp. 96A-96B);

15. (Newspaper clipping:) ‘Provand’s Lordship Club. The Glasgow Poets’, (annotated:) ‘Herald. 4 Dec. 1909’ (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 33, p. 14);

16. (Printed illustration of building, with William Young’s handwritten notes) (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, No. 14, p. 99);

17. ‘Provand’s Lordship Literary Club’ (Certificate of Membership) (MLSC, Young’s Scrapbooks, Vol. 19, p. 31)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

This list is not all-inclusive; numerous other newspaper clippings in William Young’s Scrapbooks, housed in Mitchell Library Special Collections.

Queen’s Park is located in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information about this park and the surrounding area, see ‘Queen’s Park‘ on The Glasgow Story website, and ‘Queen’s Park: A short history‘, on the Friends of Queen’s Park website). Members of this literary institute were most likely part of the congregation of Queen’s Park St. George’s United Presbyterian Church, which was located on Langside Avenue. (For more information on this church, see ‘Queen’s Park UP Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

According to the printed ‘Constitution’ ([1874-1875 session?]) for this group, the society was called the Queen’s Park United Presbyterian Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (later, it would be called the Queen’s Park U.P. Church Literary Institute). Its object was to encourage its members’ improvement and a sense of conviviality. The group met every other Monday at 8pm from October until March.

To give a snapshot of this society, in the 1902-1903 session, the group met in the church Class Room on Monday evenings (an increase from the bi-weekly meetings in the 1870s) at the church. Meetings during the session included a lecture, five debates, 16 essays, and one Musical Evening. In the Annual Report for this session, the secretary reported that there was an average of 63% of the members (or 25.9 Ordinary Members) present at the 21 meetings held that year. At the end of March, there were 27 Honorary Members, and a total of 53 Ordinary Members (18 of which were new that session) on the roll. After calculating the number of resignations (n. 7) and deaths (n. 1), there were in total 45 members.

To compare, the annual report for the 1913-1914 session shows that there was an average attendance of 28.4 members at the meetings, and 28 Honorary Members and 57 Ordinary Members on the roll, thus this group appears to have been growing during the early decades of the twentieth century. Without any extant membership rolls, it is unknown if this society ever allowed women to join.

Members of the group produced a magazine between 1874 and 1878 that included original essays, poems and artwork (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). It appears that a magazine was started again in February of the 1913-1914 session, but it does not seem to have survived (Minute entry, 30 March 1914, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Latterly Camphill Queens Park, Literary Institute Minutes, 1909-20).

Date of Existence

1872-1927?

Source of Information

1. The Queen’s Park Literary Institute Magazine, 1874, 1875, 1877-78 (GCA, CH3/1471/42-44);

2. Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912 (GCA, CH3/1471/45);

3. Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Latterly Camphill Queens Park, Literary Institute Minutes, 1903-09; 1909-20; 1921-27 (GCA, CH3/1471/39-41)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

See also John Street U. P. Church Literary Institute, with whom they had joint debates in the 1870s, Govanhill Literary Association, with whom they had a joint debate in 1889, Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute, Queen’s Park Free Church Literary Society, Camphill United Presbyterian Church Literary Institute, Langside Hill United Free Church Literary Institute, and Pollokshields Parish Church Literary Society, with whom this society held joint debates in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

See also entry for The Queen’s Park Literary Institute Magazine on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds.

Prior to its official formation, the members of this Burns club met for an annual dinner in 1859 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Burns. In the following year, the Waverley Burns Club was founded at a meeting held at the Waverley Hotel, located at 18 George Square in the city centre.

The club gathered monthly at the Waverley Hotel for dinner, with the meeting following thereafter. At the meetings, various items were read, including original poetry, and songs were sung. The original poetry and songs are occasionally included in the records following the minutes. Following the dinners, there was customarily ‘Harmony, Joke[s] and Eloquence’. In 1863, the club voted to celebrate Shakespeare’s tri-century birthday with a club dinner. On 23 April 1864, the Waverley Burns Club, along with some of the members of the Pen & Pencil Club, celebrated with a dinner at the Bedford Hotel. Between 1862 and 1865, there were 44 members on the roll.  In the minute entry of 24 February 1863, there is a mention of a club library that was beginning to be formed.

In March 1872, the group changed its name to the Western Burns Club. There were approximately 70 members. It appears that over the years, the minute books become increasingly focused on the social events and outings, and include less on the readings that were done at the meetings. The last entry in Minute Book 4 is dated 21 October 1882.

Minute Books 1 and 2 are from the Waverley Burns Club, and most of Minute Book 3 and all of Minute Book 4 are from the Western Burns Club.

Date of Existence

25 January 1860-26 March 1872; (Western Burns Club) March 1872-1882?

Source of Information

1. Sederunt book, Waverly Burns Club (3 notebooks), 1860-72 (MLSC, Robert Burns Collection, Mitchell (AL) 391557-59);

2. [Printed papers] Waverley/Western Burns Club, 1867 (Pamphlets and papers bound together) (MLSC, Robert Burns Collection, Mitchell (AL) 13 WES 644307);

3. [Minute book] Waverly/Western Burns Club, 1872-1882 (from Mitchell online catalogue: ‘Handwritten records of meetings, with printed cuttings, menu cards, correspondence, obituary notices, etc., inserted Minute books nos. 3 and 4, the first two being minutes of the Waverley Burns Club. Book 3 records the change of name to the Western Burns Club in March 1872’) (MLSC, Robert Burns Collection, Mitchell (AL)391559-60);

4. ‘A natal lay: written for the anniversary of Burns birth-day, 25th January, 1875’ (MLSC, Mitchell (AL) 12A WIN52901);

5. Robert Burns, [The Western Burns Club] (reports of Burns suppers, and excursions) (MLSC, Mitchell (AL) 13 WES 907654);

6. (Mentioned in minutes of Glasgow and District Burns Club: Minute entry, 30 March 1908, Glasgow and District Burns Club, Minutes, 8 November 1907-5 September 1912, p. 18 (MLSC, 891709)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

See also Glasgow and District Burns Club.