Programme 2017 - 2018

 7.30pm in the Village Hall

2017

Thursday October 5th – Kathy Fairweather –Yester Castles; the unanswered questions.
Recent archaeological projects at important sites have revealed new details about local castles. Kathy will give us an insight into the colourful, violent, spiritual, rich, real mediaeval life of Southeast Scotland

Thursday October 19th – Professor Lindsay Paterson – “Can the Attainment Gap be closed?”
Children from low-income households in Scotland do significantly worse at school than those from better-off homes. Lindsay will explore the causes and possible solutions.

Thursday November 2nd – Rev Anne Dyer – “Virtue (and a little Vice).
This talk looks at how goodness and virtue have been represented in Western art. What makes women 'good' or men 'virtuous'? Pictures tell us what people in the past thought about these things.

Thursday November 16th –Dr Hector Chawla – St Helena
Hector will talk to us about the British presence on St Helena. He has a particular interest in Napoleon who spent his last six years in exile. He has visited the island and will enlighten us about the cause of his death – was he poisoned?

Thursday December 7th – Simon Scott, John Love, Tom Young – An Antiques Evening
A short talk on the current state of the market, followed by an “Antiques Roadshow”. Bring along a piece for discussion and valuation.

Wine and Mince Pies will be served at this pre-Christmas meeting

2018

Thursday January 18th – Doug Morrison - Farming in East Lothian
Doug is the managing partner, of D M Morrison and Partners, Amisfield Mains, Haddington, the director of Agricultural Management (Haddington) Limited, Barneymains, Haddington, and chairman of Scottish Quality Cereal. He now lives in Gifford and will discuss current day farming and its problems

Thursday February 1st –Mhairead Monelle – "The Druids, the Green Man, and the Deep Dark Forest". Our ancestors depended on, feared, and loved the great forests all around them. We will look at the rich inheritance of folklore and stories that honour the mystery and magic of the ancient woods.

Thursday February 15th –  Ruth Boreham- Mary Somerville.
The Scottish scientist Mary Somerville was the first woman other than a royal to appear on a Royal Bank of Scotland banknote. A quite remarkable lady. "Queen of nineteenth century science” she explained the leading scientific ideas of her day in terms that much of the educated public could understand.

Thursday March 1st – .Derek Janes - Smuggling in East Lothian and Berwickshire c.1750 – 1790
Increased taxes covering the expense of the Napoleonic War had communities pursuing novel ways to “cheat the King” from his excise duty. Derek has conducted considerable research into the principle goods smuggled at this time - Tea, Brandy and Gin. 

This meeting will be preceded by the AGM.

April 2018 - Outing to Hopetoun House

Gifford Society Committee: Rita Buchan (Treasurer), Sandy Buchan (Secretary) Tel 01620 811058, email ), Gordon Hall, Mary Hedderwick, Mhairead Monelle (Chairman), Jane Steven, Francis White, Michael Williams.