The members of this group and/or their parents were originally from Orkney and had since settled in Glasgow. 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.

There is little information currently known about this society, which further research will help to rectify. The group is mentioned in the ‘Ninth Annual Report of the Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association’ (1871). The report states that there was some discussion during the session to amalgamate the Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association,  Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Benevolent Society, and the Glasgow Orcadian Literary and Scientific Society, to form a Benevolent Literary and Scientific Association. There were various difficulties with this for the Benevolent Society, but regardless, the Glasgow Orcadian Literary and Scientific Society was clearly against the idea.

Date of Existence

1870?-?

Source of Information

1. (Mentioned in the Ninth Annual Report of the Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association, given 2 May 1872, 1870-71 session, in Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association, Minute Book No. 2, 8 March 1867-15 April 1878, p. 199 (SA, D58/1/2);

2. [Prospectus], Glasgow Orcadian Literary and Scientific Society, Session 1872-3 [includes list of Office-Bearers, 1872-3 and Syllabus] (OLA, ‘Papers – Literary societies: miscellaneous’, 800YZ);

3. [Prospectus], Glasgow Orcadian Literary and Scientific Society, Session 1873-74 (OLA, ‘Papers – Literary societies: miscellaneous’, 800 YZ)

Repository

Orkney Library & Archive (OLA)

Shetland Archives (SA)

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

See Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association.

The National Home Reading Union was formed in 1889 by John Brown Paton, and was based on the popular Chautauqua movement in North America. Its object was to provide a guided reading programme for all classes, but particularly artisans and young people. (For more information on the history of the National Home Reading Union, see Robert Snape, ‘The National Home Reading Union’, Journal of Victorian Culture, 7 (2002), 86-110).

Oatlands is an area in the south side of Glasgow and is part of the Gorbals. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Gorbals, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website). Oatlands Public School was located on Caledonia Road.

According to the prospectus for this school, in addition to the ‘Evening Classes for Lads, Girls, Young Men and Women’, also on offer were ‘Commercial Classes’, which included a class in English literature. This class was to be a branch of the National Home Reading Union.

Date of Existence

1908-?

Source of Information

Departmental Records; Further Education; Evening Classes, Continuation Classes and Further Education; Prospectuses 1908-1909

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

D-ED 6/2/2

Additional Notes

–

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.

Camden Street Public School was located on Florence Street, which is located just south of the River Clyde in the Gorbals area. (For more information on this school, see ‘Ballater Occupational Centre‘ on The Glasgow Story website. For information on the Gorbals, see ‘Gorbals, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website).

In the School Board of Glasgow’s 1907-1908 prospectus for its evening continuation classes for boys and girls as well as young men and women, a Reading Circle was advertised. The class was to use ‘cheap editions of popular educational works in Romance, Travel, Biography’, and was to be connected with the National Home Reading Union.

The National Home Reading Union was formed in 1889 by John Brown Paton, and was based on the popular Chautauqua movement in North America. Its object was to provide a guided reading programme for all classes, but particularly artisans and young people. (For more information on the history of the National Home Reading Union, see Robert Snape, ‘The National Home Reading Union’, Journal of Victorian Culture, 7 (2002), 86-110).

It is currently unknown how many young men and women did attend the course or what works they read.

Date of Existence

1907-1908?

Source of Information

Departmental Records; Further Education; Evening Classes, Continuation Classes and Further Education; Prospectuses 1907-08, 1908-09

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

D-ED 6/2/1; D-ED 2/2/2

Additional Notes

See also Reading Circle (associated with Napiershall Public School).

Napiershall Public School was located on Napiershall Street, off Great Western Road in the Woodside area in the West End of Glasgow. (For more information about this school, see ‘Napiershall School‘, ‘Napiershall Street School‘, and ‘Napiershall Street Public School‘ on The Glasgow Story website. For more information about the Woodside area, see ‘Glasgow’s West End. Woodside & Firhill‘, on the ScotCities website.)

The School Board of Glasgow’s prospectus for its continuation classes announced the commencement of basic and advanced commercial and science classes in September 1907 for boys and girls, and well as young men and women. In addition, there was to be a special class just for girls and young women: a free reading circle was being started wherein they would read and discuss ‘interesting books’, the aim being to make reading ‘pleasant and profitable’.

It is currently unknown how many women and girls attended this reading circle or what they read.

Date of Existence

1907-?

Source of Information

Departmental Records; Further Education; Evening Classes, Continuation Classes and Further Education; Prospectuses 1907-1908

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

D-ED 6/2/1

Additional Notes

See also Reading Circle (associated with Camden Street Public School).