Stretching along the Ken-Dee valley from Carsphairn in the north to Tongland in the south, the Galloway Hydro-Power Scheme is a remarkable feat of engineering, renowned for its stylish architecture. Our November talk will be Martin McGhie from Drax exploring its history, construction and operation, how it has evolved over 90 years, and the challenges of running it.

The meeting takes place in Kirkcudbright Parish Church Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 11^th November.  It will also be available on Zoom.

Visitors (£5) are welcome in the hall or on Zoom. As it will be a popular subject please register for Zoom in good time.

For Zoom details contact the Web Secretary on: secretary@kirkcudbrighthistorysociety.org.uk

Today’s Museum photo shows an Academy class with Mrs Collin as the teacher. I recognise two names: Anne Moss (Mullender) and Moira Davidson (Jones). Posting it made me realise that I’m the modern-day equivalent of Jeanette Millar’s window. How m

any of you remember it?

The Museum has sent us several school photos, which we’ll share here over the next few days. Some include everyone’s names, but others are missing names, locations and dates. This one was clearly taken outside the Cochran Gym and may feature some of your dads or grandads. Do you recognise anyone?

The YouTube video “Kirkcudbright Master Class: CEG Universe Arriving in Kirkcudbright” reminded me how the tankers used their anchors to turn in the harbour.  I’ve looked out some photos including one of the Kis Skuo,1975, which didn’t make it and hit the bridge. Note the onlookers on the harbour edge with no safety concerns. There used to be crab fishing competitions with kids sitting on the harbour edge and no life jackets!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3K92huOuqA

David Collin’s talk to the History Society traced a lifetime of connections between the sea and Kirkcudbright. Born in a cottage on the St Mary’s Isle Estate while the ruins of Isle House still smouldered, he is still living in a cottage there 85 years later. He bridged the intervening years with reminiscences and coincidences showing how Kirkcudbright followed him to distant places. If you missed last night’s entertaining and informative talk, you can watch it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_f1ImoSpxQ&t=24s

We have received an enquiry about a medal awarded to I. Palmer in 1931. The address listed is “Collieburn, Kirkcudbright”. Does anyone know where this was? Palmer may have been a farmer or smallholder, as the medal was awarded for egg-laying trials. We also found a reference to Collieburn in a local diary from 1940. “Jean and I had a “brambling expedition” in the afternoon, left Town [Kirkcudbright] about 2 and returned about 7 o’clock. Picking on the roadside near Collieburn and easy picking, great crop lovely and dry”.   Any ideas contact secretary@kirkcudbrighthistorysociety.org.uk

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