The evidence for this society comes from the syllabus for the Spring 1862 session and from the three extant issues of a magazine produced in manuscript by its members (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). The ‘Order of Readers’ at the front of the April 1862 issue lists 21 readers (presumably all male; the July issue only lists 17), which suggests that this was a relatively small group.

At the front of the April 1862 issue of The Albion Journal can be found a flyer for the April to June 1862 syllabus. From this, we know that members met weekly on Wednesday evenings at 1 Cross Gibson Street in the Gallowgate area (in the heart of the city centre). They read essays and held debates on a variety of subjects. According to a note at the bottom of the syllabus, ‘Grammar, &c., will be engaged in each evening’, and a formal ‘Conversation’ between the members on a pre-arranged topic was held on nights when essays were read.

Within the April 1862 issue is transcribed an address given by their President to the group at the inauguration of the society in September 1860. Speaking  for the society, he said that it was through their mutual improvement class, through reading, writing and debating — indeed their ‘labour‘ — that members hoped they could improve their position in and contribute to society.

Date of Existence

13 September 1860-1863?

Source of Information

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 ‘Barony Church, Glasgow. History‘, on the University of Strathclyde Archives online catalogue. See also Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Barony 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.)

This group met weekly on Wednesdays at 8pm in M’Lauchlan School Room (Free School), which was located at 107 Cathedral Street in the city centre. The subscription for membership was three shillings per annum (a bit more expensive than the average, which was 2s 6d) and entitled members to use of the society’s Library. The Library (also located at the M’Lauchlan School Room) was open on the last Wednesday of every month at 8pm. While membership was restricted to male members of the congregation, women nonetheless contributed to the society’s magazine, which was not unusual.

The group produced a magazine for their society in manuscript between 1863 and 1875 (at least) (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Date of Existence

1863-1875?

Source of Information

Bridgeton is an area to the east of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information about this area, see Gordon Adams’s chapter, [Bridgeton & Dalmarnock], ‘Historical Background‘, on the East Glasgow History website.)

According to the evidence given in 1836 to the Commissioners of Religious Instruction by Reverend John Edwards, Minister of the Relief Congregation, Edwards’ church was the only one in the village, and his congregation was comprised chiefly of the poor and the working classes. More specifically, he lists them as being ‘[e]very species of handicraftsman, weavers, cotton spinners, masons, wrights, and shopkeepers’. At that time, the Association was a collective of 10 Sabbath Schools in the area that were supported by voluntary subscription from the villagers. In addition to a library, there was also a charity reading school. The Association’s listing in the 1870 to 1871 Glasgow Post Office directory suggests that their original aims were still being carried out:

‘The principal object of the Assocation is the moral and religious improvement of the population of Bridgeton by the circulation of the Scriptures; the delivery of lectures; the establishment of Sabbath schools; the support of week-day and evening schools; and such other measures as appear best calculated to promote those ends. Institution Buildings, Bridgeton Public School, 96 Main Street, Bridgeton.’

(‘Bridgeton Association for Religious and Intellectual Improvement’, ‘Religious and Moral Societies’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1870-1871… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1870), p. 81)

Date of Existence

1824-?

Source of Information

1. ‘Declaration of Mr Andrew Thomson, Relief Congregation, Barony Parish, Glasgow, 13th April 1836’, Report of the Commissioners of Religious Instruction, Scotland, Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: printed by W. & A. K. Johnston, 1837), p. 441, https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=p-NHAQAAMAAJ [accessed 20/08/17];

2.’Bridgeton Association for Religious and Intellectual Improvement’, ‘Religious and Moral Societies’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1870-1871… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1870), p. 81;

3. Records for Glasgow: Bridgeton Friendly Association (NRS, FS1/16/51)

Repository

Mitchell Library (Glasgow Post Office directory)

National Library of Scotland (Glasgow Post Office directory)

National Records of Scotland (NRS) (records, Bridgeton Friendly Assoc.)

Reference Number

(see Source of Information)

Additional Notes

Andrew Thomson was a Clerk to the managers of the Relief Congregation, Barony Parish, Glasgow. Thomson was an elder of the church and the Director of  the association.

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 object of this society was its members’ intellectual improvement through the reading and discussion of essays written by society members, but this was to exclude the subject of religious doctrine.

A couple of examples of the essays read in their meetings include: ”Friends in Council’ or Reading and Criticism’, ‘Literary Societies’, and ‘a series of extracts from Leigh Hunt’s ‘Jar of Honey from Mount Hybla’ (Minute entry, 23 November 1853, Minute Book, City of Glasgow Literary Society, 1853-63).

Some of the authors that were discussed included Leigh Hunt, Victor Hugo, Thomas Hood, Nicolas Gogol (a member read an original translation of ‘Tarass Boulba’ from the French), and Cervantes.

This group was fairly small in size: the number of members in the early years fluctuated between 12 and 22. They met every other Wednesday from October until April. The subscription charge was two shillings and six pence for the session, which was the average fee for societies during the second half of the century. The society met at various venues across the city, including: the Tontine Hotel (for more information on this hotel see, ‘Tontine Hotel‘ on The Glasgow Story website); Angus’ [sic] Coffee House (Argyle Street); and the Bedford Hotel (54 St George’s Place, off the west side of Buchanan Street in the city centre).

Date of Existence

14 November 1850-1863?

Source of Information

Minute Book, City of Glasgow Literary Society, 1853-63

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections

Reference Number

436004

Additional Notes

From the Glasgow Libraries Online Catalogue: ‘Note: Handwritten minutes of meetings, and rules of the Society adopted in 1853, with signatures of members at that time’ [accessed 22 January 2018].

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 on Friday evenings at the church.

The information on this group comes predominantly from their society manuscript magazine (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). According to the article, ‘Memorandum for the Curious’, the society met fortnightly from January until June 1849, and from then on, they met weekly. The average attendance is also listed for the yearly sessions running from 1851 until 1871, and during this period it was around 20 (‘Memorandum for the Curious’, The Literary Bond, Vol. 12, No. 1, October 1872). In the 1871-72 session, the Annual Report gives the following as its then current state of membership: 14 Honorary Members; 3 Correspondent Members; and 49 Ordinary Members (‘Report. Session 1871-72. Read at Annual Meeting 2nd Octr. 1872’, The Literary Bond, Vol. 11, No. 2, November 1872, [pp. 9-21, p. 20].

There are 15 bound volumes of The Literary Bond, and 2 bound volumes of The Literary Magazine, its successor. Like other literary society magazines, these were also miscellanies containing contributions on a wide range of subjects.

Date of Existence

1849-1897?

Source of Information

1. ‘Glasgow Free Church Literary Union’, ‘Local Institutions–Religious’, Glasgow Post-Office Annual Directory for 1853-1854… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1853), p. 79;

2. The Literary Bond: the Mitchell Library has Vol. 2 (Sept. 1862) – Vol. 13 (Dec. 1875), Vol. 16, No. 1 (Oct. 1876) – Vol. 19, No. 6 (March 1880), and Vol. 21, No. 1 (Oct. 1881) – Vol. 22, No. 6 (March 1883) (Vols. 14, 15 and 20 no longer extant?); The Literary Magazine: the Mitchell Library has Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan. 1896) – Vol. 2, No. 2 (Feb. 1897) (MLSC)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC) (magazines, and Glasgow Post Office directory)

National Library of Scotland (Glasgow Post Office directory)

Reference Number

Mitchell (AL) 891310-11; Dewey Class: 820.80941443 (MLSC) (magazines)

Additional Notes

This society was part of the Glasgow Free Church Literary Union, which is listed separately.

See also entry for The Literary Bond of Free Anderston Church Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society on our sister website, Literary Bonds.

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 information on this society comes from two issues of The Glasgow Mechanics’ Magazine. The May 7th issue for 1825 provides a good overview of this group:

‘The Gas Workmen’s Institution. – Out of these public associations has arisen one upon a more confined but most useful plan, applicable to every large manufactory. The Gas Light Company’s men, between 60 and 70 in number, have formed themselves, on the suggestion of Mr. J. Neilson the manager, into a society for mutual instruction; laying by a small sum monthly, they have collected about 300 volumes, and the Company giving them a library room, which they light and heat, the men meet every other evening, to converse upon literary and scientific subjects, and once a week to lecture; any one who chooses, giving a fortnight’s notice that he will treat on some subject which he has been studying. The books are of all kinds, with the exception of theology, which, from the various sects the men belong to, is of necessity excluded […]’.

(‘History of Mechanics’ Institutions. Glasgow. The Gas Workmen’s Institution’, The Glasgow Mechanics’ Magazine; and Annals of Philosophy, Vol. III, No. LXXII, 7 May 1825, pp. 216-7)

Date of Existence

1825-?

Source of Information

1.‘History of Mechanics’ Institutions. Glasgow. The Gas Workmen’s Institution’, The Glasgow Mechanics’ Magazine; and Annals of Philosophy, Vol. III, No. LXXII, 7 May 1825, pp. 216-7;

2. ‘Glasgow Gas Workman’s Institution. Re-opened for the Season. Introductory Address’, The Glasgow Mechanics’ Magazine; and Annals of Philosophy, Vol. IV, No. XCVII, 29 October 1825, pp. 169-72

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections

Reference Number

Mitchell (AL) 19 GLA 52873

Additional Notes

See also University Printing Office Literary & Scientific Institution. The staff at the University Printing Office of the University of Glasgow followed the model set by the Gas Workmen’s Institution (1825-?) in setting up their own institution.

For full holdings of The Glasgow Mechanics’ Magazine, apply to staff at Mitchell Library Special Collections.

Alexander Smith (1829-1867) was a well-known working-class Scottish poet, and was one of the founding members and Secretary of this society. (For more information on Smith, see, for example, ‘Alexander Smith (1829 – 1867)‘ on the Scottish Poetry Library website.) Named after Joseph Addison (1672-1719), co-founder of the influential magazine, The Spectator, this mutual improvement group consisted of approximately a dozen young men who met on Saturday evenings in a coffee house in Candleriggs (in Merchant City, in the heart of the city centre).

Date of Existence

22 May 1847-1852

Source of Information

1. Glasgow Addisonian Literary Society, Minute Book (Note: currently unknown if this is still housed at Dick Institute, Kilmarnock (20/09/17));

2. Brisbane, T., The Early Years of Alexander Smith, Poet and Essayist. A Study for Young Men, Chiefly Reminiscences of Ten Years’ Companionship (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1869) (ML, Mitchell (GC) 821.8 SMI 9/BRI 31794);

3. Kilpatrick, James A., Literary Landmarks of Glasgow (Glasgow: Saint Mungo Press, 1893), p. 248 (MLSC, Mitchell (AL) KIL);

4. Berry, Simon, Applauding Thunder: Life, Work and Critics of Alexander Smith (Inverness: FTTR Press, 2013), [passim] (MLSC, Mitchell (AL) 821.8 SMI 9/BER);

5. ‘Alexander Smith (poet)’, Wikipedia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Smith_(poet)> [accessed 20/08/17];

6. (Note: several newspaper clippings throughout Young’s Scrapbooks (various volumes, e.g. Vol. 12, pp. 4-5; Vol. 14, p. 13-15) on Smith (MLSC)

Repository

Mitchell Library (ML)

Mitchell Library Special Collections (MLSC)

Dick Institute, Kilmarnock

Reference Number

(See Source of Information)

Additional Notes

–

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. Office-bearers for 1899-1900 — President, M. J. Connell, B.A., LL.B.; vice-president, Mr. James W. Turnbull; treasurer, Mr. M.A. Boyle, secretaries, Messrs. E. Henry, 3 Roslea Drive, Dennistoun, and Arthur Meehan, St. Mungo’s Academy, Townhead, Glasgow. The Association is established for the purpose of promoting a series of lectures annually, and thereby furthering a knowledge of Catholic and general literature; for the intellectual advancement of its members; and for the better cultivation socialof [sic] intercourse amongst Catholics. The course of lectures lasts from October until April each year, meeting weekly. During the summer occasional visits are made to localities of archaeological and historical interest. The Annual Subscription is 2s. 6d.’

(‘Glasgow and West of Scotland Catholic Literary Association’, ‘Artistic, Literary, and Scientific Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1899-1900… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1899), p. 174)

Date of Existence

1890-?

Source of Information

‘Glasgow and West of Scotland Catholic Literary Association’, ‘Artistic, Literary, and Scientific Institutions’, Post Office Glasgow Directory for 1899-1900… (Glasgow: William Mackenzie, 1899), p. 174

Repository

Mitchell Library

National Library of Scotland (NLS)

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

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

Bute, or the Isle of Bute, is an island in the Firth of Clyde. Bute is also a county that comprises this island and number of surrounding islands. 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.

The information on this society comes from their First Annual Report for their 1876-1877 session (October through March). There are 39 members listed on the roll. Membership was open to young men from the Isle of Bute who had moved to Glasgow. A meeting was held at Aitken’s Temperance Hotel, Argyle Street, on 20 March 1876 to discuss the formation of a new society.

According to this report, members met weekly on Tuesday evenings from October until March at 8pm at the Washington Temperance Hotel (located on Sauchiehall Street) for the purpose of encouraging study and self-education.

Date of Existence

3 October 1876-?

Source of Information

First Annual Report of the Glasgow Bute Literary Institute [1876-77] (Glasgow: K. & R. Davidson, Printers, 1877)

Repository

Mitchell Library Special Collections

Reference Number

Mitchell (GC) 806 26180

Additional Notes

–