Overview 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 Read More …
Type of Society/Group: Church
Langside Hill United Free Church Literary Institute
Overview 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 Read More …
Camphill United Presbyterian Church Literary Institute
Overview 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 Read More …
Govanhill Literary Association
Overview 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 Read More …
Victoria Free Church Literary Institute
Overview 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). Read More …
John Street U. P. Church Literary Institute
Overview 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 Read More …
Barony Free Church Literary Society (not the same as the Barony Mutual Improvement Society, later the Barony Young Men’s Association)
Overview 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 — Read More …
Barony Mutual Improvement Society (later became Barony Young Men’s Association) (not the same as Barony Free Church Literary Society)
Overview Members of this literary society were most likely part of the congregation of the Barony Church (Church of Scotland), which was located in the Townhead area of Glasgow and near the cathedral. (For more information about the church, see Read More …
Berkeley Street United Presbyterian Church Literary Association
Overview 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). Read More …
Calton Wesleyan-Methodist Congregational Young Men’s Society
Overview Calton is a district just to the east of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information about this area, see Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Calton’ on the East Glasgow History website.) Members of this young men’s society were most likely part of the Read More …
The Church of Scotland Students’ Literary Association
Overview 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 Read More …
College United Free Church Literary Society
Overview 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 Read More …
Dowanhill Society of Belles Lettres
Overview 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 Read More …
Eastpark Literary Society (currently unknown if this is same society as Park Literary Institution)
Overview 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 Read More …
Eglinton Young Men’s Literary Association
Overview This group belonged to the Eglinton Congregational Church, which was located on 341 Eglinton Street, south of the River Clyde, in the Laurieston area. (For more information on this area, see ‘Gorbals, Glasgow. Laurieston Guide‘ on the ScotCities website). Designed by John Read More …
Free Anderston Church Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society (also includes the Free Anderston Church Literary Society)
Overview This society was based at Anderston Church on University Avenue in Glasgow’s West End. Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — Anderston‘ on the Ecclegen website.) Meetings were held Read More …
Free Church Students’ Literary Association
Overview 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 Read More …
Free College Church Association
Overview To date, there is little known about this society. The information that we have comes from the minute book of the Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association: the Free College Church Association was scheduled to take part in a Read More …
Free East Campbell Literary Society
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the East Campbell Street Free Church (East Campbell Street is just off of Gallowgate, to the east of Saltmarket in the city centre). (For more information on Read More …
Free Gorbals Literary Society
Overview This group was located in the Gorbals, in the south side of Glasgow. Members might have belonged to the East Gorbals Free Church (previously and subsequently known as Gorbals Parish Church or the Parish Church of Gorbals), on Calton Read More …
Free Renfield Literary Society (currently unknown if this is same society as Young Men’s Association (Renfield Street United Presbyterian Church))
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Renfield Free Church, located on the corner of Renfield Street and Gordon Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — Read More …
Free St. David’s Literary Society
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. David’s Free Church, located on Frederick Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Frederick Street UP Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website; Read More …
Free St. George’s Literary Association
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of Free St. George’s Church, located on Bath Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — St. George’s‘ on the Ecclegen website.) There is Read More …
Free St. John’s Literary Society (currently unknown if this is same as Free St. John’s Young Men’s Association)
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. John’s Free Church, located on George Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘St John’s Free Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website; Read More …
Free St. Luke’s Literary Society
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. Luke’s Free Church, which at this time was installed in a new church built for them on Great Hamilton Street (now London Road, SE) in Glasgow’s Read More …
Free St. Mark’s Literary Society
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. Mark’s Free Church, located at 161 Main Street, Anderston, an area to the west of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow Read More …
Free St. Matthew’s Literary Society (currently unknown if this is the same as or part of the Free St. Matthew’s Y.M.C. Union)
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. Matthew’s Free Church, located at the west end of Bath Street, to the west of the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘St Read More …
Free St. Peter’s Young Men’s Association (later became Free St. Peter’s Literary Society)
Overview Members of this society were part of the congregation of St. Peter’s Free Church, located at 53 Mains Street (now Blythswood Street), off Argyle Street in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see John Goodwin’s History of Read More …
Glasgow and West of Scotland Catholic Literary Association
Overview There is little information currently known about this club. The details that we have come from the Glasgow Post Office directory, which lists the society’s patron, Office Bearers, object and subscription fee: ‘[…] Patron, His Grace Archbishop Eyre, LL.D. Read More …
Glasgow Clerical Literary Society
Overview This society is particularly interesting as some of its members were ministers of churches that later ‘came out’ in 1843; that is, their congregations broke away from the established church in what is known as the Disruption of 1843, Read More …
Glasgow Foundry Boys’ Religious Society, Wellington Palace Branch
Overview The Glasgow Foundry Boys Religious Society was instituted in 1865, two years before the founding of the Wellington Palace Branch. According to the ‘Plan of Tea Tables and Names of Branches’ in the 1900 ‘Souvenir Programme’ for the annual Read More …
Glasgow Free Church Literary Union
Overview The Union was formed in 1850, seven years after the Disruption, when the Presbyterian church split in two. Its institution occurred during a period of active church building—and apparently society founding—by the newly-established Free Church. In 1853, this group Read More …
Glasgow Free Tron Literary Society
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Free Tron Church in the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — Tron‘ on the Ecclegen website.) There is little currently known about this society. Read More …
Glasgow Jewish Literary and Social Society (currently unknown if this is same as Glasgow Jewish Young Men’s Institute)
Overview The information that we currently have for the Glasgow Jewish Literary and Social Society comes from a 1904 catalogue of the society’s library. Use of the library was restricted to society members, but was free of charge. The library Read More …
Glasgow United Young Men’s Christian Association
Overview The Glasgow Young Men’s Society for Religious Improvement was founded in 1824. In 1877, it amalgamated with the Glasgow Young Men’s Christian Association (aka the G.Y.M.C.A., instituted in 1841, but this date is debatable) to become the Glasgow United Read More …
Glasgow Young Men’s Christian Association
Overview The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was formed in London in 1841. (For a history of this association, see ‘History and Heritage’, on the YMCA website.) There is a discrepancy in the records as to the start date of the Glasgow Read More …
Glasgow Young Men’s Society for Religious Improvement
Overview This society was instituted in 1824. In 1877, it amalgamated with the Glasgow Young Men’s Christian Association (aka G.Y.M.C.A., instituted in 1841, although this date is debatable) to become the Glasgow United Young Men’s Christian Association in 1877. In Read More …
Govan Parish Young Men’s Association (later became Govan Literary Association, and then Govan Parish Young Men’s Literary Association)
Overview This society was based in Govan, an area south of the River Clyde and southwest of the city centre. (For more information about this area, see Gerald Blaikie’s article, ‘Govan, Glasgow. Architecture & History‘ on the ScotCities website.) The group weekly met in Read More …
Greyfriars Young Men’s Institute (of Greyfriars U.P. Church)
Overview This group of working-class young men met fortnightly on Tuesdays at 8pm in the Committee Rooms (and later in the North Hall) at Greyfriars United Presbyterian Church. The church was located at 186 Albion Street in the city centre Read More …
Hope Street Free Gaelic Church Literary Society
Overview This society was made up of young men from the congregation of the Hope Street Free Gaelic Church. (For more information on this church, see ‘Glasgow — Hope Street‘ on the Ecclegen website, and ‘Glasgow, 58 Waterloo Street, Gaelic Free Church‘ on Read More …
Hutchesontown Free Church Young Men’s Literary Society
Overview Hutchesontown is an area to the south of the River Clyde and forms part of the Gorbals. (For more information about the area, see ‘Gorbals , Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website.) Members of this society were most likely Read More …
Kelvinside Literary Association (Kelvinside United Free Church) (later becomes The Young People’s At Home)
Overview Members of this association were most likely part of the congregation of the Kelvinside United Free Church (earlier known as the Kelvinside Free Church) which was located at the corner of Byres Road and Great Western Road in the West Read More …
Kelvinside Parish Church Literary Society
Overview Kelvinside is an area in the West End of Glasgow. The information on this group comes from a magazine founded by and for its own members. This was a Church of Scotland society comprised of both young men and Read More …
Kent Road United Presbyterian Church Young Men’s Institute
Overview This society was made up of young men from the congregation of the Kent Road United Presbyterian Church, located near Charing Cross, to the west of the city centre. (For more information on this church, see ‘Kent Road UP Church‘ Read More …
Langside (Literary) Society
Overview Langside is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Langside‘ on TheGlasgowStory website, and ‘Langside & Battlefield. Illustrated Guide‘ on the ScotCities website). There is little currently known about this society. Read More …
Lansdowne Literary Association
Overview Lansdowne is an area in the West End of Glasgow. There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have comes from the minute book of the Kelvinside Literary Association. In the minute entry for 19 Read More …
Lansdowne Young Men’s Christian Association (aka L.Y.M.C.A.)
Overview This group met in the early 1890s (at least) at Lansdowne United Presbyterian Church in the more affluent West End of Glasgow. (For more information on this church, see ‘Lansdowne UP Church‘ on TheGlasgowStory website.) The association was one branch Read More …
Literary and Scientific Association (associated with the Chartist Church, Glasgow)
Overview There is little currently known about this association. The article in the Northern Star mentions that there were three Chartist churches in Glasgow at the time (‘Chartist Intelligence. Glasgow’, Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser, 31 July 1841, p. Read More …
Literary Society of St. Ninian’s Parish Church
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of St. Ninian’s Parish Church, located at 429 Crown Street, in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Gorbals, Glasgow. Origins Read More …
Newton Place Literary Society, Partick
Overview This literary society was based at the Newton Place United Presbyterian Church on Dumbarton Road, Partick, in the West End of Glasgow. (For more information on this church, see ‘Newton Place United Presbyterian Church‘ on The Glasgow Story website.) The Read More …
Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute
Overview Pollokshields is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see 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 Free Read More …
Queen’s Park, St. George’s UP, UK Church Literary Institute
Overview 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). Read More …
Renfield Free Church Young Men’s Society for Mutual Improvement (currently unknown if this is the same society as Young Men’s Association [Renfield Street United Presbyterian Church])
Overview In the early nineteenth century, the East Campbell Street Old Light congregationalists moved around to different premises before a church was built for them in 1823 on the corner of Renfield Street and Gordon Street. In 1858, a new Read More …
Renwick Free Church Branch Glasgow United Young Men’s Christian Association
Overview The congregation of this church was known as the Southern Reformed Presbyterian Congregation and their church was located on Salisbury Street, located in the south side of the city in the Laurieston area. (For more information on this area, Read More …
Renwick Free Church Literary Association (not the same as Renwick Book Club, but part of same Church)
Overview The congregation of this church was known as the Southern Reformed Presbyterian Congregation and their church was located on Salisbury Street, in the south side of the city in the Laurieston area. (For more information on this area, see Read More …
Sandyford Church Literary Association (appears to be the same as Sandyford Established Association)
Overview Sandyford is an area located just to the west of Charing Cross. The evidence for this group comes solely from the manuscript magazine that its members founded. At the very end of the 1883 issue is transcribed an ‘Extract Read More …
Spoutmouth Bible Institution (St James’ Free Church) Mutual Improvement Association
Overview A manuscript magazine was produced by this institution in 1873 (see ‘Additional Notes’ below), but it is unclear if it was the production of a society formed within the organisation, or the result of a group effort by those Read More …
St. Columba Literary Association (later became St. Columba Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association)
Overview Members of this association were most likely part of the congregation of St. Columba’s Gaelic Chapel in Glasgow. The National Records of Scotland’s online catalogue offers a brief history of the church: ‘Admin history A separate place of worship Read More …
St. John’s Parish Church Eclectic Literary Association (not the same as Eclectic Literary Society)
Overview St. John’s Parish Church was built between 1817 and 1819, and was located at the corner of Macfarlane Street and the Gallowgate. The parish was one of the poorest and most deprived in the city. (For more information about Read More …
St. Stephen’s Literary Association
Overview Members of this association were most likely part of the congregation of St. Stephen’s Church. At the time that this group was running, they would have been based at the church built in 1850 for the congregation on New Read More …
Strathbungo Parish Literary Association (aka Strathbungo Parish Church Literary Society)
Overview Strathbungo is an area in the south side of Glasgow. Members of this association were most likely part of the congregation of the Strathbungo Parish Church, located at 605 Pollokshaws Road. The earlier church was replaced by a new building Read More …
The Debating and Literary Society, St. Ninian’s Episcopal Church, Glasgow
Overview Members of this society were most likely members of the congregation of St. Ninian’s Episcopal Church, which is located in Pollokshields, an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information about the area, see ‘Pollokshields, Glasgow. Origins Read More …
Wellington United Presbyterian Church Literary Association
Overview A good summary of the history of the Wellington Church can be found on the Discover Glasgow website: ‘The Wellington United Presbyterian Church congregation gained its name from their original church that was located on Wellington Street in the city Read More …
Wellpark Free Church Literary Society
Overview The Wellpark Free Church was located in Dennistoun, an area in the east end of the city. (For more information about this church, see ‘Glasgow — Wellpark‘ on the Ecclegen website, and Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Wellpark Church of Scotland‘ on the East Glasgow Read More …
Young Men’s Association (Renfield Street United Presbyterian Church) (currently unknown if this is same society as Free Renfield Literary Society)
Overview Members of this society were most likely part of the congregation of the Renfield Street United Presbyterian Church. The church, completed in 1848, was located on the corner of Renfield Street and Sauchiehall Street. (For more information about this Read More …
Young Men’s Friendly Society, St. Mary’s Branch, Glasgow, Debating Society
Overview Members of this debating society were most likely members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, which was located on Great Western Road, in the West End of Glasgow. (For a history of this church, see ‘History‘, on the St Mary’s Cathedral, Read More …
Young Women’s Christian Association (aka Glasgow Young Women’s Christian Association)
Overview The earliest evidence we have to date for the Glasgow branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association comes from the 1870s, about twenty years after the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was formed in London, and about thirty years after Read More …
Youths Reading and Recreation Club (Glasgow Foundry Boys Religious Society, South Cumberland Street Branch) (later became Renwick Halls Branch)
Overview Members of this club were most likely part of the congregation of the Renwick Free Church. To go back a bit to the early nineteenth century, the congregation was known as the Southern Reformed Presbyterian Congregation and their church Read More …