Old Edinburgh Club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Old Edinburgh Club (OEC) is the local history society for the city of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The OEC is one of the oldest history societies in Scotland, inaugurated in 1908[1] and was established to collect evidence of Edinburgh's history and local traditions: objectives which remain to this day.[2] Its first honorary president was the former Prime Minister, Archibald Primrose, the 5th Earl of Rosebery.
The Club coordinates a series of lectures, October to March, year on a range of Edinburgh-related topics and publishes the annual journal, the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club. Summer visits and guided walks are organized for members[3] and, additionally, grants and bursaries are awarded for projects,[4] research and collaborations[5] relating to Edinburgh's history.
The OEC is a member of the Scottish Local History Forum,[6] and of the British Association for Local History.[7] It is registered as a charity (SC007177) by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
The OEC was founded early in 1908 by a group who were passionate about the history, architecture and culture of the city. It was initiated by William Hay, a bookseller and curator of John Knox's House on the High Street. The Club first met in January 1908 in Edinburgh City Chambers, the head office of what is now City of Edinburgh Council.
Members at the first meeting agreed the constitution including the club's objectives: "The collection and authentication of oral and written statements or documentary evidence relating to Edinburgh; the gathering of existing traditions, legends, and historical data; and the selecting and printing of material desirable for future reference". The early history of the club, including Rosebery's involvement has been recounted by historian Owen Dudley Edwards.[8]
Notable members of the Club have included:
- Lord Lyon King of Arms, Sir James Balfour Paul
- engineer and antiquarian, Charles Boog Watson
- architectural historian, Charles McKean
- social historian, Professor Robert Morris
- urban historian, Professor Richard Rodger
The OEC promotes relevant research, improving access to records and generating fresh interest in the city's history.
The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club
The Club produces an annual journal, The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club. Prominent in the first issue in 1908 was an article, "Provisional List of Old Houses Remaining in the High Street and Canongate of Edinburgh" by Bruce J Home. This revealed that "since 1860, two-thirds of the ancient buildings in the Old Town of Edinburgh have been demolished". This topic reflected an early priority of Club members to preserve historic buildings, especially in the light of pressures to clear slums and redevelop the Old Town. This theme has recurred from time to time, as demonstrated by coverage in The Scotsman newspaper.[9][10]
More than 50 volumes and 300 learned articles have been published to date. The contents of the Book have been reviewed in scholarly journals from time to time. For example, the Scottish Historical Review featured pieces on the history of the Burgh Muir in 1920[11] and on George Square in 1950.[12] Paton in 1953 noted the significance of the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club for enhancing to the store of knowledge that underpinned the Ancient Monuments Commission's Inventory of Historical Monuments in Edinburgh.[13]
More recent topics have included the British Linen Company and its slavery connection; the evolution of Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden; the Edinburgh Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor; James Nicolson, a Jacobite Martyr from Leith; and the role of Sir Walter Scott in inventing Scotch Baronial Architecture. Volumes published between 1908 and 2008 have been digitized and are accessible on the Club's website.