Overview The Albany Burns Club was founded by a few members of the soon-to-be-defunct Albany Bowling Club in order ‘[t]o keep up the old and valued friendships that were made on its turn’ (‘Club Notes’, ‘ALBANY BURNS CLUB’, in Annual Read More …
Archives: Societies
Albion Mutual Improvement Union
Overview 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 Read More …
Anderston Social Club (not the same as the Anderston Club)
Overview Anderston is an area just over a mile to the west of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information about this area, see Michael Moss’s article, ‘Industrial Revolution: 1770s to 1830s. Neighbourhoods. Anderston‘ on The Glasgow Story website). According to John M’Dowall, Read More …
Auld Clinkum Burns Club
Overview There is very little currently known about this club. According to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, members met on the first Saturday of each month at an establishment on St. Vincent Street (to the west of the Read More …
Bank Burns Club
Overview This Burns club met weekly on Saturday evenings at Mrs. M’Arthur’s in 1883, later the Club Rooms at M’Culloch’s in 1892, both of which are listed as 109 Argyle Street, before moving in 1896 (at least) to Whyte and Read More …
Barns O’ Clyde Burns Club, Clydebank
Overview Clydebank is located to the west of Glasgow and is situated on the north of the River Clyde. The Visit Scotland website offers a brief history of the area: ‘Clydebank is the historic heartland of the Scottish shipbuilding industry […] During 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 …
Bridgeton Association for Religious and Intellectual Improvement
Overview 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 Read More …
Bridgeton Burns Club
Overview 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.) The Bridgeton Burns Club’s website gives the group’s earliest Read More …
Brougham Literary Club (possibly same as Brougham Literary Institute)
Overview It is possible that this society was named for Henry Brougham (1778-1868), a highly influential advocate of social reform who helped to found the Edinburgh Review, and whose utilitarian philosophy was behind his Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The Read More …
Caledonia Burns Club (not same as Caledonian Burns Club)
Overview The ‘Club Notes’ in the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory for 1901 includes this club’s Constitution, which gives its objects: ‘The objects of the Club shall be to foster an intimate acquaintance with the works of Burns, and Read More …
Caledonian Burns Club (aka Glasgow Caledonian Burns Club) (not same as Caledonia Burns Club, Glasgow)
Overview There is little currently known about this club. According to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, in 1898, the group met every other Thursday. From 1899 until 1912 (at least), this was changed to every other Tuesday from 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 …
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 …
City of Glasgow Literary Society
Overview 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 More …
Clarinda Burns Club (currently unclear if this is Glasgow Clarinda Club)
Overview This club was named after ‘Clarinda’, the name adopted by Agnes McLehose (or MacLehose, M’Lehose, Meklehose), whose affair with Robert Burns (‘Sylvander’) is the subject of ‘Ae fond kiss’ (1791). The Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory for the Read More …
Clifton Literary Society (currently unknown if this is the later Clifton Road Literary Society)
Overview Clifton is an area just to the west of Charing Cross. Not a great deal is currently known about this society, which was composed of both men and women. However, their (members’?) location near the West End, along with Read More …
Clydebank Burns Club
Overview Clydebank is located to the west of Glasgow and is situated on the north of the River Clyde. The Visit Scotland website offers a brief history of the area: ‘Clydebank is the historic heartland of the Scottish shipbuilding industry Read More …
Co-operative Burns Club
Overview This Burns club met on the first Saturday of each month between October and May at 8pm. Its meetings were held at various local restaurants (e.g. in Room No. 10 at M’Culloch’s Restaurant, Croy place, 9 Maxwell Street, at 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 …
Dennistoun Burns Club (not the same as Dennistoun Jolly Beggars Burns Club)
Overview Dennistoun is an area located to the east of Glasgow’s City Centre. (For more information about this area, see Ian R. Mitchell’s article, ‘Dennistoun: No Mean Streets‘ on the Glasgow West End website). There is not much currently known Read More …
Dennistoun Jolly Beggars Burns Club
Overview Dennistoun is an area located to the east of Glasgow’s city centre. (For more information about this area, see Ian R. Mitchell’s article, ‘Dennistoun: No Mean Streets‘ on the Glasgow West End website). There is not much currently known about this 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 …
Eclectic Literary Society (not same as St. John’s Parish Church Eclectic Literary Association)
Overview There is not a great deal currently known about this society. The Glasgow Post Office directory offers a list of office bearers in 1854 (these are also given in the newspaper articles listed below), while the articles in the 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 …
Fingalian Club
Overview Along with a list of its office bearers, the Glasgow Post Office directory for 1856 to 1857 gives a brief summary of this club: ‘Its objects are to excite in its members (who must be Highlanders) a taste for 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 …
Gaelic Society of Glasgow (not same as Gaelic Club)
Overview The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1906-1907 provides a list of this society’s objects, its membership requirements, along with its subscription fees: ‘[…] The objects of the Society are: — The cultivation of the Gaelic Language; the cultivation and Read More …
Gas Workmen’s Institution
Overview 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 Read More …
Glasgow Addisonian Literary Society
Overview 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 Read More …
Glasgow and District Burns Club (aka Glasgow and District Burns Club Association, aka Glasgow and District Association of Burns Clubs and Kindred Societies) (currently unclear if this is same as Glasgow And West of Scotland Burns Club Association)
Overview This club was made up of several local and regional Burns clubs: in 1908, one year after its founding, there were 23 clubs, and the group grew to include 40 clubs by 1914. It met at various venues across 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 Arbroath Association
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 Read More …
Glasgow Athenaeum French Literary Club
Overview Modeled on the Manchester Athenaeum, the Glasgow Athenaeum was founded in 1847 as a literary an scientific institution. (For more information about this organisation, see ‘Athenaeum opening‘ on The Glasgow Story website, and ‘Administrative / Biographical History‘ for the ‘Records of Read More …
Glasgow Ballad Club
Overview The founder and first President of this club was William Freeland, who served from 1876 to 1903. There were 11 original members. The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1902-1903 gives a good overview of this club and its activities: Read More …
Glasgow Bankers’ Debating and Literary Society
Overview The evidence for this society comes from the ‘Preface’ to William Graham’s Deirdre: A Scoto-Irish Romance of the First Century A.D. (1908), which states: ‘The larger portion of the following compilation was read to the Glasgow Bankers’ Debating and Literary Read More …
Glasgow Border Counties’ Literary Society
Overview 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 Read More …
Glasgow Bute Literary Institute
Overview 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 Read More …
Glasgow Caithness Literary Association (aka Glasgow Caithness Literary Society)
Overview Caithness is a county in the far north of Scotland. 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 Read More …
Glasgow Carlton Burns Club
Overview Carlton is a district in the east end of Glasgow. (For more information about this area, see Gordon Adams’s article, ‘Carlton’ on the East Glasgow History website.) This club met on the first Tuesday of the month between October and April. Read More …
Glasgow Carrick Burns Club
Overview Carrick is a district that is now part of South Ayrshire. Members of this Burns club were presumably from this area but had since settled in Glasgow. In the 1890s, the club had 40 members on the roll, and Read More …
Glasgow Central Burns Club (aka Glasgow Central Burns Club and Literary Society, Ltd.)
Overview This club’s object was ‘[t]o promote the study of Burns’s works and other literary and social subjects’. (‘No. 145. -GLASGOW Central Burns Club and Literary Society, Ltd.’, ‘Directory of Burns Clubs and Scottish Societies on the Roll of the 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 Coleridge Club
Overview There is very little information currently known about this society. The only details we have come from the minutes of the Glasgow Addisonian Literary Society, a group discussed in Simon Berry’s Applauding Thunder (2013). According to Berry, in 1848, Read More …
Glasgow Cowal Society, Literary Department
Overview The name for this society refers to Cowal, a peninsula in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands, thus its members were almost certainly from the Highlands. This group is a type of nineteenth-century county association. In the stricter sense, Read More …
Glasgow Daisy Burns Club
Overview There is not much currently known about this Burns club. The details we have come from the 1912 Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory. The group met at the Christian Institute on Bothwell Street (to the west of the city Read More …
Glasgow Dickens Society
Overview The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1908-1909 provides an overview of this society: ‘The objects and aims of the Society are: — (1) To knit together in a common bond of friendship lovers of that great master of humour Read More …
Glasgow Dundee Association for Literary and Social Purposes
Overview 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 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 Haggis Club
Overview This Burns club was of a (purposefully) moderate size, limiting its membership to 40 in 1894, and expanding this only slightly to 50 in 1897. According to the 1904 Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, it was a ‘social’ Read More …
Glasgow Hutchesontown Burns Club
Overview This Burns club was based in Hutchesontown, located to the south of the River Clyde and southeast of the city centre. Members met at 572 Rutherglen Road (premises of R. Young, spirit merchant) on the first Friday of the 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 Jolly Beggars Burns Club
Overview There is very little currently known about this club. Outwith a mention of this group in the Memorial Catalogue of the Burns Exhibition, the only other information we have to date is from the 1892 Annual Burns Chronicle and Read More …
Glasgow Literary Club
Overview This literary club was in fact an institution, in the sense of being a building where club members met for in/formal literary and social events and activities. The club was founded in 1911 and located at 266 St Vincent Read More …
Glasgow Literary Forum (aka Glasgow Public Literary Forum)
Overview This ‘literary forum’ was primarily a debating society that posed one question at each meeting which its members then discussed. In 1823, gentlemen were allowed to introduce a lady to the meetings. Included in the earliest minute book is Read More …
Glasgow Montefiore Literary and Musical Society
Overview The only information we currently have on this society comes from the 1885-1886 Glasgow Post Office directory, which lists the group’s object, admissions policy, subscription rate, and office bearers: ‘The object of this society is to give a course Read More …
Glasgow Mossgiel Burns Club
Overview Mossgiel Farm in Ayrshire was the home of Robert Burns. (For more information about the farm, see ‘Mossgiel‘ on The Burns Encyclopedia website.) This Burns club had a modestly-sized membership of 50 in the late nineteenth century. Meetings were held Read More …
Glasgow Northern Burns Club
Overview There is very little currently known about this society. Outwith a mention of the group in the Memorial Catalogue of the Burns Exhibition, the only other details we have are provided by the Annual Burns Chronicle, which are sparse Read More …
Glasgow Orcadian Literary and Scientific Society
Overview The members of this group and/or their parents were originally from Orkney and had since settled in Glasgow. This society is a type of nineteenth-century county association. In the stricter sense, county associations were groups whose members (or whose parents) Read More …
Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Literary and Scientific Association
Overview The members of this group (and/or their parents) were originally from Orkney and Shetland, and had since settled in Glasgow. This society is a type of nineteenth-century county association. In the stricter sense, county associations were groups whose members (or whose Read More …
Glasgow Philological and Literary Club (aka This Club of Ours, or ‘Ours’ Club)
Overview According to club records, this group was founded in 1871 by William Sloan, and its ten original members were dominies (Scots for schoolmasters). Meetings took place on Friday nights on North Street (in the Anderston area, to the west Read More …
Glasgow Primrose Burns Club
Overview In 1910 (the earliest year for which we have any details on this club), members met in the Arcade Café (possibly Sloan’s Arcade Café, 109 Argyle Street), before meeting in the Alexandra Hotel (148 Bath Street, in the city Read More …
Glasgow Queen’s Park (Burns Club)
Overview There is very little currently known about this club. There is only a brief mention of this group in the minutes of the Glasgow and District Burns Club. We learn a bit more from the ‘Club Notes’ of the Read More …
Glasgow Shakspere Club
Overview This club was formed in Glasgow as it was thought there was a need for the city to have its own society similar to the ones then running in Edinburgh and beyond. The object of the club was to Read More …
Glasgow Society of Science, Letters, and Art
Overview There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have comes from the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1885 to 1886, which offers the following details on what appears to be a high-status club with a Read More …
Glasgow Southern Burns Club
Overview There is little currently known about this Burns club. The only details provided by the 1901 Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory are its then current office bearers and their addresses, while the 1904 directory is even less helpful, only Read More …
Glasgow St. David’s Burns Club
Overview There is little currently known about this club. From the 1892 and 1895 editions of the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, we know that members met in the Club Rooms located at 163 Ingram Street. This is the address Read More …
Glasgow Sunday Society
Overview Details on this group come from the Glasgow Post Office directory for 1884-1885, that gives the following summary, which includes a rather lengthy list of its 26 vice-presidents: ‘Objects of the society — (1) To obtain the opening of Read More …
Glasgow Sutherlandshire Association
Overview Sutherland is a county in the Highlands of Scotland. 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 Read More …
Glasgow Training College Literary Committee
Overview There is little currently known about this literary committee. To date, the evidence for it consists of four photographs. A brief description is available on the University of Strathclyde Archives Online Catalogue: ‘Name of creator Glasgow Training College Literary Committee (Established 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 University Dialectic Society
Overview The online catalogue of the University of Glasgow Archives Services, Archives Hub, offers a summary of this society and its activities: ‘Administrative / Biographical History Glasgow University Dialectic Society was instituted in 1861 at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, Read More …
Glasgow University Dumfriesshire & Galloway Literary Society
Overview From the University of Glasgow Archives Services online catalogue Archives Hub: ‘Administrative / Biographical History: Glasgow University Dumfriesshire & Galloway Literary Society was formed at the University of Glasgow , Scotland, in 1876 . The object of the society Read More …
Glasgow Western Literary Union
Overview There is little currently known about this union, which appears to have been a debating society. The only information we have comes from the minute book of the Kelvinside Literary Association, which discusses a Union circular that was received 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 …
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-Ardgowan Burns Club
Overview Ardgowan is located near Inverkip, Inverclyde, on the west coast of Scotland. It is possible that the members of this club were originally from this area before moving to Glasgow. There is little currently known about this Burns club. Read More …
Glencairn Burns Club, Glasgow
Overview Glencairn is a parish in Dumfries and Galloway. It is possible that the members of this club were originally from this area before moving to Glasgow. In the late nineteenth century, this Burns club met on the first Thursday Read More …
Gorbals Burns Club
Overview This club took its name from the Gorbals, an area in the south side of Glasgow where, presumably, the members were based. (For more information about the area, see ‘Gorbals , Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website.) The group met at Read More …
Govan Burns Club
Overview This club 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.) It is currently unclear if Read More …
Govan Fairfield Burns Club
Overview This club 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.) It is currently unclear if 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 …
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 …
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 …
Holyrood Literary Society
Overview This group is an interesting example of a literary society whose history was not straight-forward, being the result of alliances made and broken — societies being formed, amalgamated with other societies, dissolved and/or re-formed as new clubs — over 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 …
Hunterian Club
Overview According to its listing in Charles Sanford Terry’s A catalogue of the publications of Scottish historical and kindred clubs and societies, the Hunterian Club was founded ‘for the reproduction of the works of Scottish writers of Elizabethan times‘. (Terry, Charles Sanford, A 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 …
Irving Club (aka Irving Literary and Dramatic Club)
Overview The listing for this club in the 1886 t0 1887 Glasgow Post Office directory gives a good summary of the group and its activities: ‘[…] This Club, which is under the direct patronage of Mr. Henry Irving, devotes its 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 …
Juridical [Society]
Overview The listing for this society in the 1854-1855 Glasgow Post Office directory gives a brief summary of this group and its activities: ‘[…] The Society meets in the Sheriff Court Hall, County Buildings, every Wednesday evening during the session, 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 …
Kingston Burns Club
Overview Kingston is an area just to the south of the River Clyde and site of the Kingston Dock. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Kingston Dock‘ on The Glasgow Story website). The Kingston Burns Club Read More …
Kinning Park Burns Club
Overview Kinning Park is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see W. Hamish Fraser’s article, ‘Neighbourhoods. Kinning Park‘ on The Glasgow Story website). In 1908, the Kinning Park Burns Club met at 8pm on the Read More …
Kintyre Young Men’s Literary Association (later resurrected as Kintyre Literary Association)
Overview Kintyre is a peninsula on the west coast of Scotland. 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 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 …
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 …
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 Commercial Society of Glasgow
Overview The Glasgow Literary Society was founded in 1752 and changed its name at the beginning of the nineteenth century to the Literary and Commercial Society of Glasgow. They changed premises as well, moving from the University of Glasgow (at 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 Debating Society
Overview The information that we have on this society comes from the magazine that was produced by the group members (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). In the three issues that were produced, there is no mention of how often the group 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 …
Macaulay Literary Club
Overview It is currently unknown if this club was named for Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859), possibly as a tribute to him and his influential writing on British history, his death occurring only five years prior to the club’s formation. To Read More …
Mauchline Society (aka Glasgow-Mauchline Society)
Overview Mauchline is a town in East Ayrshire. Robert Burns lived there for a time on Mossgiel Farm. This group is a type of nineteenth-century county association. In the stricter sense, county associations were groups whose members (or whose parents) were Read More …
Monday Shakspere Club
Overview According to the 1881 printed list of rules for this group, the group’s object was the study of Shakespeare’s works. The meetings were to alternate between the reading of a play and criticism (i.e. discussion). The meetings in which Read More …
Mosspark Burns Club
Overview Mosspark is an area of Glasgow located south of Bellahouston Park, in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see Irene Maver’s article, ‘No Mean City: 1914 to 1950s. Neighbourhoods: Mosspark‘ on The Glasgow Story website). There is Read More …
National Burns Club, Ltd., Glasgow
Overview This group had its own Club Rooms, which were located at 93 Douglas Street (just off St. Vincent Street, and to the west of the city centre). Later, it had its own library. The ‘Club Notes’ of the 1905 Read More …
National Home Reading Group (Oatlands Public School English Literature Branch)
Overview The National Home Reading Union was formed in 1889 by John Brown Paton, and was based on the popular Chautauqua movement in North America. Its object was to provide a guided reading programme for all classes, but particularly artisans Read More …
New Literary and Philosophical Society
Overview The formation of this new group is discussed in an article published in 1824 that also included a summary of a number of different Glasgow literary societies. The foundations of New Literary and Philosophical Society were laid out at Read More …
New Literary Club (later became Literary Twenty-One Club)
Overview This group is an interesting example of a literary society whose history was not straight-forward, being the result of alliances made and broken — societies being formed, amalgamated with other societies, dissolved and/or re-formed as new clubs — over 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 …
Original Union Club
Overview There is very little information currently known about this club. The information that we have comes from a newspaper clipping from the ‘Times’, possibly the Glasgow Evening Times. This newspaper article was placed in a scrapbook complied by William Young Read More …
Overnewton Literary Club
Overview Overnewton was part of the Yorkhill area in the West End of Glasgow, located roughly across the road from the grounds of the Kelvingrove Museum. It is currently unknown if this group was associated with the Overnewton Public School Read More …
Palaver Society
Overview The first meeting of this society was held at the Ramshorn Inn (which might be the same as the Ramshorn Bar, 437 Arglye Street, in the city centre) at the end of May 1831. (For more information on this Read More …
Partick Burns Club
Overview Partick is an area in the West End of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Partick, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website). This was a fairly large Burns club, having 213 members in 1896. Membership Read More …
Partick Western Burns Club (not same as Partick Burns Club, nor the Western Burns Club)
Overview Partick is an area in the West End of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Partick, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website). The evidence for this group comes from issues of the Annual Burns Chronicle Read More …
Pollokshaws Burns Club
Overview Pollokshaws is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see Irene Maver’s article, ‘No Mean City: 1914 to 1950s. Neighbourhoods: Pollokshaws‘ on The Glasgow Story website). This Burns club had 70 members in 1896, which dropped 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 …
Pollokshields Literary and Art Circle
Overview Pollokshields is an area in the south side of Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Pollokshields, Glasgow. Origins & History‘ on the ScotCities website). The information that we currently have on this society comes solely from the Read More …
Pollokshields Parish Church Literary Society
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 …
Possilpark Burns Club
Overview Possilpark is a district in the north of the city. (For more information on this area, see Michael Maver’s article, ‘No Mean City: 1914 to 1950s. Neighbourhoods: Possilpark‘ on The Glasgow Story website). There is little currently known about this club. The Read More …
Provand’s Lordship Literary Club
Overview The Provand’s Lordship Literary Club was set up for the preservation of one of the very few medieval buildings left in Glasgow. The group was founded in 1906 and met in this house, and through subscriptions and various fundraising activities, Read More …
Queen Margaret College Literary and Debating Society
Overview This group of young women met at 4.30pm on the first and third Thursdays of the month at Queen Margaret College. (For more information on this college, see’ Queen Margaret College‘ on The University of Glasgow Story website, and Read More …
Queen Margaret College Reading Union
Overview This group of young women were — or were previously– students of Queen Margaret College, membership being open to current and former students. (For more information on this college, see’ Queen Margaret College‘ on The University of Glasgow Story website, and ‘North Read More …
Queen’s Park Free Church Literary Society
Overview 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 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 …
Reading Circle (associated with Camden Street Public School (School Board of Glasgow) Continuation Classes)
Overview Camden Street Public School was located on Florence Street, which is located just south of the River Clyde in the Gorbals area. (For more information on this school, see ‘Ballater Occupational Centre‘ on The Glasgow Story website. For information on the Read More …
Reading Circle (associated with Napiershall Public School (School Board of Glasgow) Continuation Classes)
Overview Napiershall Public School was located on Napiershall Street, off Great Western Road in the Woodside area in the West End of Glasgow. (For more information about this school, see ‘Napiershall School‘, ‘Napiershall Street School‘, and ‘Napiershall Street Public School‘ 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 …
Rosebery Burns Club (not same as Kilbirnie Rosebery Burns Club)
Overview This was a fairly large Burns club, with 94 members on the roll in 1893, and it nearly doubled its size in 1902, with 180 members reported. The group met from September until April on Tuesdays at 8pm (later Read More …
Round Table Club
Overview There is little currently known about this club. The evidence is limited to the record of a joint meeting that appears in another literary society’s minute book (the New Holyrood Club) (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). According to the minute Read More …
Royalty Burns Club
Overview According to the club’s website, this Burns club was formed by a few Glasgow Publicans in 1882. Various issues of the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory published at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries provide more details. Read More …
Ruskin Society of Glasgow; Society of the Rose
Overview The Glasgow Post Office directory published in 1881 provides the earliest information we have to date on this group and lists the office bearers and committee members. In addition, it gives the aims of the society, which were: ‘(1) Read More …
Sandyford Burns Club
Overview Sandyford is an area located just to the west of Charing Cross. The Glasgow and District Burns Association website gives a brief history of the founding of this club: ‘The clubs’ [sic] motto is taken from the poem “Contented Wi 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 …
Scotch Girls Friendly Society
Overview There is little information currently known about this group. The only information that the 1894 Glasgow Post Office directory provides is an address, which is given as 59 Elmbank Street, located to the east of Charing Cross. It is Read More …
Scottish Burns Club
Overview According to the 1915 Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, this Burns club had 101 members and nine life members on its roll in 1914. This is the only evidence we have in regards to the size of the Read More …
Scottish Society of Literature and Art
Overview The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1887-1888 provides a good summary of this society and its activities. Along with the society’s object — ‘[t]he cultivation of literature, music, elocution, and art generally, by the holding of meetings for the Read More …
Select Literary Society
Overview There is very little currently known about this society. The only evidence we have to date comes from a contemporary magazine article that provides only one line on the group: ‘The communication of the Select Literary Society, is not Read More …
Shakespeare Reading Class (Toynbee House, University Settlement Association)
Overview This society was one of several classes, clubs and societies formed by the University Settlement Association, Toynbee House, which was located at 130 Parson Street, Townhead, Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Townhead Glasgow. Read More …
Shettleston Burns Club
Overview Shettleston is an area in Glasgow’s east end. (For more information on this area, see Gordon Adams’s article on the ‘History of Shettleston‘ on the ‘East Glasgow History‘ website). According to the 1902 Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, this Burns club Read More …
Sir Walter Scott Club
Overview The Glasgow Post Office directory for 1896-1897 lists the prestigious office bearers and prominent members of the community who belonged to this club. In addition, it gives the group’s object, which was ‘[…] to promote the study of Sir Walter Read More …
Speculative Society
Overview An article on Glasgow’s societies appeared in the February 1824 issue of The Western Luminary, a literary magazine published in the city. It briefly reports on the first meeting of this society: ‘The Speculative Society of Glasgow, has, for 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 …
Springburn Burns Club
Overview Springburn is a district in the north of the city. (For more information on this area, see Gilbert T. Bell’s, ‘Second City of The Empire: 1830s to 1914. Neighbourhoods: Springburn‘ on The Glasgow Story website.) There is very little currently Read More …
St. Andrew Society
Overview In a scrapbook housed in the Mitchell Library, there can be found a type-written document about the St. Andrew Society. The (unknown) author records a brief history of the group, and gives its object (i.e. the purpose for meeting) 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. Rollox Burns Club
Overview St. Rollox was located in the north of the city in the Springburn area. The area was home of the St Rollox Railway Works, and St Rollox Chemical Works, which was reportedly the largest in Europe. (For more information on Read More …
St. Rollox Debating Society
Overview St. Rollox was located in the north of the city in the Springburn area. The area was home of the St Rollox Railway Works, and St Rollox Chemical Works, which was reportedly the largest in Europe. (For more information on Read More …
St. Rollox Jolly Beggars
Overview St. Rollox was located in the north of the city in the Springburn area. The area was home of the St Rollox Railway Works, and St Rollox Chemical Works, which was reportedly the largest in Europe. (For more information on 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 …
Tam O’ Shanter Club (aka the Tam O’ Shanter Burns Club)
Overview According to the 1882 Glasgow Post Office directory, the object (i.e. purpose for meeting) of this Burns club was ‘the annual celebration of the birth-day of Robert Burns; occasional reunions for the cultivation of social and intellectual intercourse amongst Read More …
The British Empire Shakespeare Society
Overview This society was the Glasgow branch of the larger British Empire Shakespeare Society that was founded by Greta Morritt (actress) in 1901. According to The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, she founded the society ‘to promote Shakespeare’s works throughout the Empire 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 …
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 …
The Literary and Artistic Society (aka Literary and Artistic Association) (possibly same society as The Literary and Artistic Club)
Overview The information that we have on this group comes mostly from an article written (anonymously) by Thomas Gildard that was published in May 1892 in The Bailie, a Glasgow weekly magazine. The article itself was transcribed by William Young (Glasgow Read More …
The Park Literary Institution (currently unknown if this is same as East Park Literary Society)
Overview There is little currently known about this society. The only information we have to date comes from a mention of the group in an annual report of the Sandyford Church Literary Association written in 1884, which states that of Read More …
The Poetry Society (aka Poetry Recital Society)
Overview There is very little currently known about this society. The only information we have to date comes from the Glasgow Post Office directory. From this, we know that it was the Glasgow branch of The Poetry Society that was Read More …
The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow (not the same as Philosophical Society, 1795-1796?)
Overview This group began as the Glasgow Philosophical Society and later became the Philosophical Society of Glasgow. A Royal Charter was granted in 1901. The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow’s website offers an excellent summary of the long history of this Read More …
The Scottish Poets’ Club
Overview There is very little currently known about this club. The only information we have to date comes from the Glasgow Post Office directory, which briefly states the group’s object and lists the then current office bearers: ‘THE SCOTTISH POETS’ Read More …
The Thirteen Club (aka The Glasgow Thirteen)
Overview From the start, this club was intended to have a small, exclusive membership limited to 13 members. Discussions were to be on literature and art. The first meeting was held on Friday, 15 January 1891 at Moir’s Restaurant on Read More …
The Thom Society
Overview The evidence for this society comes George Hull’s The Poets and Poetry of Blackburn (1793-1902) (1902). This Glaswegian literary group was devoted to the study of the poetry and songs of Robert W. Thom (30 December 1816-?). Thom was author Read More …
Thistle Burns Club
Overview This is little currently known about this Burns club. What we do know is that it was a relatively small group by design: according to the Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory, in 1894, the club had 30 members, Read More …
Tollcross Burns Club
Overview Tollcross is an area in Glasgow’s east end, approximately three miles from the city centre. (For more information about this area, see Gordon Adams’s A History of Tollcross & Dalbeth, a digitised copy of which is available on the Read More …
Toynbee House Literary Society (University Settlement Association)
Overview This society was one of several classes, clubs and societies formed by the University Settlement Association, Toynbee House, which was located at 130 Parson Street, Townhead, Glasgow. (For more information on this area, see the entry for ‘Townhead Glasgow. Read More …
University Printing Office Literary & Scientific Institution
Overview 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 (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). A library was formed first and began 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 …
Waverley Burns Club (later became Western Burns Club)
Overview Prior to its official formation, the members of this Burns club met for an annual dinner in 1859 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Burns. In the following year, the Waverley Burns Club was founded at a meeting held Read More …
Waverley Literary & Drama Association
Overview This is little currently known about this society. The evidence that we have comes from a programme for the group’s ‘Thirty-first Dramatic Entertainment’, which was scheduled to be held on 30 April 1880. The front cover states that the 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 …
Western Literary Club (currently unknown if this is Western Club, founded 1825)
Overview There is little currently known about this club. The information we have comes from an 1846 newspaper article in the Glasgow Courier, which was reprinted in the London Morning Post. According to the article, in 1841, William Wordsworth accepted the Read More …
Western Scientific Association
Overview The information that we have on this society comes solely from a newspaper article attributed to Thomas Lugton and written over fifty years after the group’s last recorded activity. The article states that this association was founded in 1843 Read More …
Ye Govan Cronies Burns Club (aka Govan Ye Cronies Burns Club)
Overview This club 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.) In 1913, there were 50 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 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 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 …