Reports

Chairman’s report 2023.

The town walks proved to be popular throughout the summer as did the kirkyard tours. A film of the tour, organised and filmed by the Galloway Glens Project, can be found on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szpuOeRO7yQ. A special Kirkyard Tour was laid on for 60 members of the Archaeological Summer School.. One very exciting development has been the examination of a copy of the memoires of Kirkcudbright marine engineer John McKie which was kindly donated by Bud Gordon from her late husband Jimmy’s collection. Such is the importance of this document as a record, not only of John’s remarkable naval career but also of local history, that a community project is being initiated by David Devereux to transcribe and examine the potential for further research. We have managed to complete a full programme of talks, but these have been delivered in hybrid form with a live audience in the hall and as many as forty tuning in on Zoom from as far away as Canada and the USA. This has involved having to master the technology to achieve the best balance between the needs of both audiences. Sincere thanks go to Ron McHugh for his patient handing of the challenges of the technology. The Website and Facebook social media provision remains vibrant and together with the monthly newsletters have kept the membership, and the wider public, abreast of a wealth of topics of historical interest. I am indebted to Helen Bowick for her splendid work in keeping all these communication outlets relevant and interesting. The club remains in a healthy financial position with very few transactions having taken place. I am very grateful to Treasurer Donald Cowell for his careful management of our funds. We have been very fortunate in recruiting Carol McQuistan as our new secretary. Not only does she offer her impressive organisational skills but also her wide knowledge of the town and its people. So, to her and all the committee members I offer my sincere thanks. Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the outstanding contribution given to the History Society by David Collin who will be stepping down from the committee. As a founder member in 2001 and chairman for 10 years, and as a fount of knowledge about the town and its environs, he has been a towering figure in all the Society has achieved. We are extremely grateful. We will soon be choosing speakers for the 2023/24 programme, We would be grateful for your suggestions for potential topics and speakers on the lists which are circulating.