Libraries across Falkirk District are hosting special events to celebrate local history.
The talks and celebratory events will include a presentation on the partnership of James Watt and Dr John Roebuck – and their links to Kinneil House and the Carron Iron Works. This evening talk is taking place on May 21 in Larbert Library.
There’s also a talk in Bo’ness Library on local war graves on May 17.
Full details of all the events are listed below. The information below has been provided by Falkirk Community Trust.
If you have questions, contact the individual libraries through the Trust website.
You can also find details on Eventbrite.
- Tuesday May 7th – Larbert Library – 18:30-19:30.
- 1919 – Larbert, Glasgow, Paris and London – a talk by Russell MacGillivray.
Larbert Library is pleased to host local historian Russell MacGillivray. Russell is the author of two fabulous books on the subject of the Great War and its impact on Larbert, but on this evening he will join us to tell us a little bit of the Great War’s aftermath. 1919 proved to be a pivotal year – the people of Larbert were looking forward to peace, but the news that year featured events such as the Iolaire Disaster, the scuttling of the German Fleet, Victory Day celebrations, the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles. Russell will be discussing some of these events along with fascinating insights into the Jottings column of the Falkirk Heralds of 1919. Russell will also be giving us highlights from his new book, Larbert and the Great War, Volume two. Join us on May 7th, for an entertaining and insightful cultural overview of a year which proved to be a turning point in history.
- Thursday May 9th – Grangemouth Library – 14:00-15:00
- 130 years of Grangemouth Library – a celebration
Join Geoff Bailey at Grangemouth Library to help us celebrate 130 years of Grangemouth Library! Geoff will take us on a journey through time with photographs, insights and anecdotes to help us celebrate a very grand birthday of our beloved Carnegie Library.
Once a year Scottish Libraries host a Local History Week using a common topical theme – last year it was the First World War and this year it is the Year of the Conversation and printed communication. This year the week runs from Monday 13th May to Friday 18th, with some spill-over to either side.
This year is the Year of Conversation and to help us celebrate this, local historians have been invited into libraries throughout the Falkirk districting to present talks on this theme and to start a conversation. Falkirk Community Trust Libraries are pleased to welcome Geoff Bailey to Grangemouth Library to tell us more about the history and development of Grangemouth Library and its community in the last 130 years. This is a story that places the library firmly at the heart of a vibrant and bustling community.
Join us on May 9th, for an expert’s insight into the history into one of our favourite Grangemouth icons.
- Thursday May 9th – Falkirk Library – 19:00-20:00
- A window into the past – Falkirk in historical maps.
Join Gray Allan at Falkirk Library to learn more about maps and their use for local history. We will take a wander through history and learn a little more about our local area through time.
Once a year Scottish Libraries host a Local History Week using a common topical theme – last year it was the First World War and this year it is the Year of the Conversation and printed communication. This year the week runs from Monday 13th May to Friday 18th, with some spill-over to either side.
This year is the Year of Conversation and to help us celebrate this, local historians have been invited into libraries throughout the Falkirk districting to present talks on this theme and to start a conversation. Falkirk Library is pleased to welcome Gray Allan to Falkirk Library to tell us more about the fantastic array of historical maps that are housed in the Falkirk Libraries’ map collections. Gray will explain their history, their use for local history and show us how important maps have been to people of yesteryear.
Join us on May 9th, for an expert’s insight into this little known area of local history research.
- Wednesday May 15th – Meadowbank Library – 14:00-15:00
- The Muiravonside Kirkyaird – A talk by David Leask
As part of the 2019 Local History Festival, Falkirk Community Trust Libraries are pleased to welcome David Leask of the Maddiston and Rumford Local History Group to Meadowbank Library.
The theme of the 2019 is the Year of the Conversation and printed communication, which includes newspapers, letters and memorials. What better way to start a conversation, especially in Good Death Week, than to look at the information that local and family historians can find in our very own kirkyards.
Join us in Meadowbank Library for what will prove to be an informative and interesting talk.
- Friday May 17th – Bo’ness Library – 19:00 onwards.
- War graves and family memorials in Bo’ness Cemetery – a talk by Robert Jardine
Come along to Bo’ness Library and join Robert Jardine for a fascinating insight into the War Graves and family memorials in Bo’ness Cemetery.
This year our libraries’ local history week coincides with Good Death Week, and this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about our fascinating and very important war memorials.
- Monday May 20th – Falkirk Library – 19:00.
- Matters of Grave Concern – a talk by Ian Scott
Falkirk Library is pleased to host local historian Ian Scott as part of our local history week celebrations. Ian is the author of many fabulous books and is the very esteemed and knowledgeable Chair of the Falkirk Local History Society.
Ian will be joining us to talk about ‘Matters of Grave Concern’ – which will include a fascinating insight into gravestone iconography and a virtual tour of our local graveyards. Ian will also treat us to a light-hearted overview of some of the more memorable Falkirk epitaphs.
Join us on May 20th, for an entertaining and insightful overview – a real mixture of the grave and serious.
- Tuesday 21st May – Larbert Library – 18:30-20:00
- The story of Dr John Roebuck (Carron Iron Co) and James Watt at Kinneil House, Bo’ness – talk by Ian Shearer of Friends of Kinneil
Larbert Library is pleased to host Ian Shearer of the Friends of Kinneil. Ian will be visiting Larbert Library in the bicentenary year of James Watt’s death to discuss the story of Dr. John Roebuck of the Carron Iron Company and James Watt of Kinneil House. This is a fascinating story of invention, technology and innovation which played out across the Falkirk area involving the iron works at Carron and a Hidden Gem cottage nestled in the Kinneil Estate.
Join us on the evening of May 21st, to help us celebrate the 250th anniversary of their patent for James Watt’s steam engine.
- Friday 24th May – Bonnybridge Library – 14:00-15:00
- Radicals: A cultural and historical celebration of the 1820 Battle of Bonnymuir – Jim Thomson of Balfron Heritage Group and Provost Buchanan
Join Jim Thomson and Provost Buchanan at Bonnybridge Library to help us celebrate the bicentenary of the insurrection. Bonnybridge Library is hosting a Radical Art Exhibition featuring an array of fabulous work by third year art pupils at Balfron High School. The artwork is designed to commemorate the anniversary of the 1820 Battle of Bonnymuir. This fabulous exhibition was initiated by Jim Thomson of the Balfron Heritage Group who will be joining us at this event to tell us about the background to the exhibition and preparations for the insurrection bicentenary in an illustrated talk. There will even be a reading from Tom Lannon’s The Boys from Bonnymuir.
Provost Buchanan will also join us to present on the 1820 Battle of Bonnymuir itself and Scottish Radicals. Join us on May 24th, for an entertaining and insightful cultural foray into an important aspect of our local history.
Kinneil 
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