Overview
Arbroath is a town in Angus, and is northeast of Dundee. (For more information on the town, see ‘Arbroath‘ on Undiscovered Scotland website.) 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 group. The details that we have come from the Glasgow Post Office directory, which lists its objects, patrons and Office Bearers:
‘The objects of this Association are — To assist natives of Arbroath in obtaining lodgings or situations in Glasgow; to relieve temporarily, by pecuniary or other aid, deserving and necessitous Arbroathians, resident in or passing through Glasgow; to promote the intellectual improvement of the members, and to cultivate social and friendly intercourse, by literary and other meetings. Patrons — D. Corsar, Esq., J.P., The Elms, Arbroath; John Tullis, Esq., Inchcape, Dennistoun. Hon. Presidents — J. Wylie Guild, Esq., C.A.; J. Stephen, Esq., Wm. Jolly, Esq., F.R.S.E., F.G.S., D. S. Salmond, Esq., J. M. M’Bain, Esq. Hon Secretary — Thos. Mason. President — J. Winton Mackie. Vice-presidents — A. W. Anderson and W. R. Calder. Directors — J. L. Brewster, James Burnett, H. Croall, W. M. Brown, D. Knowles, Arthur Hovell, J. Carragher, H. M’Bain, D. P. Taylor, Jas. R M. Smith, John A. Peebles, David Simpson. Treasurer — G. B. Croall. Secretary — G.D. Ferguson, 10 Mauldslie Pl., Partick.’
(‘Glasgow Arbroath Association’, ‘Religious and Friendly Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1886-1887…(Glasgow: William MacKenzie, 1886), p. 110)
Date of Existence
1877-?
Source of Information
‘Glasgow Arbroath Association’, ‘Religious and Friendly Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1886-1887…(Glasgow: William MacKenzie, 1886), p. 110
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