Pollokshields is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see Gerald Blaikie’s article, ‘Pollokshields, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website). Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Pollokshields Parish Church. (For more information about this church, see ‘Shields Road‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have to date comes from the syllabi of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which list the date on which the Pollokshields Parish Church Literary Society was scheduled to participate in a joint debates with them (see below).

Date of Existence

1901?-?

Source of Information

1. (Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 18 January 1904: ‘Syllabus’, 1903-1904, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912);

2. (Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 16 January 1905: ‘Syllabus’, 1904-1905, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

Langside is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information about this area, see Gerald Blaikie’s article, ‘Langside & Battlefield. Illustrated Guide‘ on the ScotCities website.) Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Langside Hill United Free Church. (For more information about this church, see ‘Langside Hill Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have to date comes from the syllabus of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which lists the date on which the Langside Hill U.P Church Literary Institute was scheduled to participate in a joint debate with them (see below).

Date of Existence

1901?-?

Source of Information

(Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 25 November 1901: ‘Syllabus’, 1901-1902, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

Camphill refers to the estate and Camphill House in the south side of Glasgow which were bought by Glasgow City Council in the late nineteenth century. (For more information about this area, see ‘Camphill Park‘ on The Glasgow Story website). The area is now part of Queen’s Park. Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Camphill United Presbyterian Church, located at 20 Balvicar Drive.

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have to date comes from the syllabi of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which list the dates in various years on which the Camphill United Presbyterian Church Literary Institute was scheduled to participate in a joint meetings with them (see below).

Date of Existence

1891?-?

Source of Information

1. (Listed as having a joint meeting with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, the Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute, and Queen’s Park Free Church Literary Institue on 26 January 1891: ‘Syllabus’, 1890-1891, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912);

2. (Listed as having a joint meeting with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, the Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute, and Queen’s Park Free Church Literary Institute on 1 February 1892: ‘Syllabus’, 1890-1891, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

[Note: this is not an exhaustive list; there are other later debates that were scheduled between this society and the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute; see Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

Queen’s Park refers to the eponymous park as well as the surrounding area 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). Queen’s Park Free Church (now Queen’s Park Church of Scotland) was located on the corner of Queen’s Drive and Albert Avenue. (For more information about this church, see Gerald Blaikie’s article, ‘Queen’s Park Churches, Illustrated Guide‘, on the ScotCities website.)

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have to date comes from the syllabi of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which list the dates in various years on which the Queen’s Park Free Church Literary Society was scheduled to participate in a joint meetings with them (see below).

Date of Existence

1889?-?

Source of Information

1. (Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 26 October 1889: ‘Syllabus’, 1889-1890, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912);

2. (Listed as having a joint meeting with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, the Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute, and Camphill United Presbyterian Church Literary Institute on 26 January 1891: ‘Syllabus’, 1890-1891, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

[Note: this is not an exhaustive list; there are other later debates that were scheduled between this society and the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute; see Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

Govanhill is an area in the south side of Glasgow, and north of Queen’s Park. (For more information about this area, see the entry for ‘Govanhill‘ on Wikipedia.) It is currently unknown if this association was attached to one of the local churches (which is quite likely) or was an independent group.

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have comes from the syllabus of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which lists the date on which the Govanhill Literary Association was scheduled to participate in a joint debate with them (see below).

Date of Existence

1889?-?

Source of Information

(Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 14 February 1889: ‘Syllabus’, 1888-1889, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

CH3/1471/45

Additional Notes

See also Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UK Church Literary Institute, with whom they had a joint debate in 1889.

This church was located on the corner of Victoria Road and Pollokshaws Road in the south side of Glasgow in the Gorbals area. (For more information about this area, see ‘Gorbals, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website). Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Victoria Free Church. (For more information about this church, see ‘Glasgow — Victoria‘ on the Eccelen website, and see ‘Tram procession 1905‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have comes from the syllabus of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which lists the date on which the Victoria Free Church society was scheduled to participate in a joint debate with them along with Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1875-?

Source of Information

(Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, and Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute on 3 December 1888: ‘Syllabus’, 1888-1889,  Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute, Session 1888-1889 (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

John Street is located in the heart of Glasgow’s city centre. Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the John Street U. P. Church. (For more information about this church, see ‘John Street UP Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

There is little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have comes from the syllabus of another literary group, the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute, which lists the dates in various years on which the John Street society was scheduled to participate in a joint debate with them (see below).

Date of Existence

1875-?

Source of Information

1. (Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 30 November 1875 and on 29 February 1876: ‘Syllabus — 1875-1876’, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute, Session 1875-1876 (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912);

2. (Listed as having a joint debate with the Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Institute on 30 October 1877 and on 22 January 1878: ‘Syllabus — 1877-1878’, Queen’s Park U. P. Church Young Men’s Literary Institute, Session 1875-1876 (Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UF Church, Literary Institute syllabus, 1875-1912)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

Members of this literary society were most likely part of the congregation of the Barony Free Church, which was located at 43 Castle Street, in the Townhead area of Glasgow. (For more information about this church, see ‘Glasgow — Barony‘ on the the Ecclegen website, and Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Barony North Church of Scotland‘, on the East Glasgow History website. For more information about the Townhead area of Glasgow, see Gerald Blaikie’s article, ‘Townhead Glasgow. Cathedral Precinct‘, on the ScotCities website.)

There is very little currently known about this society. The sole evidence comes from the 1883-84 syllabus of another literary group. According to their syllabus for this year, the Wellpark Free Church Young Men’s Literary Society had a joint debate with the Barony Free Church Literary Society on ‘Monarchism v. Republicanism’, which was held on 20 November 1883.

Date of Existence

1883?-?

Source of Information

Members of this literary association were most likely part of the congregation of the Berkeley Street United Presbyterian Church, which was located at Charing Cross. (For more information about this church, see ‘Berkeley Street UP Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website).

There is very little known about this group. The association is mentioned as taking part in a Parliamentary Election, along with the Free St. Matthew’s Y.M.C. Union and the Wellington Church Literary Association, on 28 November 1892.

Date of Existence

1892?-?

Source of Information

(Mentioned in records for Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association: Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association, ‘Syllabus 1892-93’, in Fifth Minute Book, 1892-96, p. 26)

Repository

Glasgow City Archives

Reference Number

This association initially met on Saturday mornings from 9.30-10.30 (later changed to 12.30-1.30pm, and then to 10-11am) in the Hall of Blythswood Church, located at 258 Bath Street (near Charing Cross). The yearly session ran from November or December until April. Membership was open to students who belonged to the Church of Scotland, some of whom were studying at the University of Glasgow for the ministry of the Church of Scotland. The group’s objects were to encourage conviviality and literary culture. As was the norm for many of these societies, meetings were opened and closed with prayer.

There are no (extant?) roll books for this association, but the number of members who attended each meeting was recorded in the minutes. From these, in the 1877-1878 session, it appears that there were at least 50 members of this group (the number of attendees at the opening meeting), but normally only between 10 and 20 people attended. In the following year, there seems to have been a drop in numbers, with only 15 members attending the opening meeting, and between 7 and 10 members at the meetings thereafter. The minutes end part-way through the session, on 8 February 1879.

The minute book is then taken over by the Glasgow University Theological Society in 1881. There was some continuity between the two societies in that there were several office bearers and committee members of The Church of Scotland Students’ Literary Association who later served the same or similar roles in the Theological Society. The new society was more focused on religious issues and doctrine than the previous group, which regularly included essays on authors (e.g. Tennyson, Byron, Milton, Wordsworth, Scott, and Schiller in the 1877-1878 session alone), and on literature and language more generally.

Date of Existence

1877?-1883?

Source of Information

1. Minute Book, Church of Scotland Students’ Literary Association, 1877-83;

2. Minutes of Church of Scotland Students’ Literary Association, 10th November 1877 to 8th February 1879;