Something is happening...

Do you have an interest in Graveyards? Our Family History Cafe will be look at graveyards today. There is a great potential to rediscover the history connected to the sites and those who now reside within. shorturl.at/Eams6 #graveyards #Genealogy #renfrewshire #Paisley #Scotland #archaeology

Our events for October and into November 2025. Full details at www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk

This coming Saturday, we have our Local History Cafe at Blend Coffee Lounge in Paisley Arts Centre. See theurbanhistorian.co.uk for details. Later in the day I'll be @ @govanstones.bsky.social for Glasgow Doors open Day with a Renfrewshire Historic Graveyards Dispaly

Saturday 6th September 2025 I am giving free tours of the Laigh Kirk Graveyard at Paisley Arts Centre. Tours will be at 10am, 12noon and 2.30pm. Booking is essential as only 15 places are available on each tour. Each time slot has its own booking page at theurbanhistorian.co.uk/book-an-event/

We will be at Sma' Shot Day in Paisley this Saturday 5th July. Our stall will be on Abbey Close with local history books for sale, information on our 2025 events, and a local history display. #SmaShotDay #renfrewshireevents #paisley #renfrewshire #history #heritage #seethehistoryaroundyou

This Dutch delft plaque is on display at St Bartholomew’s in Gourock, Scotland. It memorializes the hospitality bestowed on “sailors, soldiers and airmen” from 1940-47. But what is the wartime history of the Dutch military on the Clyde? #maritimehistory #navalhistory #coastalhistory 🧵1/9

#Inchinnan4 a 10th to early 12th century carved stone fragment of the Govan School. It is seen here where it was discovered in 2009. The stone is now in the care of Paisley Museum. There are three Govan School Stones on displayat Inchinnan Parish Church.

The image looks all the way down to Cotton Street with Cochrans Department Store (later Arnotts, now Pendulum Scottish Kitchen & Bar) window canopies open and the original spire of Sherwood Greenlaw Church visible in the distance. Image: Studio Orchard

Out and about in Paisley today and grabbed a shot of the War Memorial in the Paisley Abbey Cloister Garden.

Rev Dr George G Cameron, 2nd minister of Glenburn Parish Chuch in Paisley and later assistant at @londonkirk.bsky.social and author of The Scots Kirk in London (St Columba's) a history of the church. He is seen here in the Vestry at Glenburn.

There are still a few places left for Saturday's Family History Cafe. If you're close to Paisley, why not come along and talk #Genealogy

See the history around you. Image of the week this week is of some traditional houses close to Renfrew Cross around 1900. #Renfrew #renfrewshire #history #heritage #scotland

Our History Cafe sessions are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month in Blend Coffee Lounge Paisley within Paisley Arts Centre on New Street Paisley PA1 1EZ For March, our topic is Paisley's early thread industry theurbanhistorian.co.uk/history-cafe...

Oakshaw East UP Church #Paisley graveyard at Meeting House Lane... can you spot some of the headstones? This is probably the best time of the year to see them before the spring growth hides them again. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #Renfrewshire #Scotland

Hello BlueSky! This is the official page for the upcoming conference on James VI & I that will be held in July to mark the quatercentenary of his death👑 Please follow us here for updates & news ...

The next Family History Cafe will be on Sat 1 March, again at Blend Cofee Lounge in Paisley Arts Centre. Full details on the link below. #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #Paisley #Rwnfrewshire #Scotland renfrewshireancestors.uk/family-histo...

See the history around you! Paisley High Street during the 1880's. This image shows Thomas Graham's shop at No 21 (where No 31 is today), High Street with Thomas standing at the front door and presumably a staff member behind him. #Paisley #Renfrewshire #history

Join us on the 15th February 2025 at 10am in Blend Coffee Lounge at Paisley Arts Centre for our first in-person history Cafe of 2025. There are only 6 places available for this event. discoverrenfrewshireheritage.com/history-cafe...

Join us on Sat 1 Feb at 10am for a free Family History Cafe at BLEND Coffee Lounge in Paisley Arts Centre. Booking is essential. Visit www.renfrewshireancestors.uk to book. #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #Paisley #Renfrewshire #Scotland

I've been rather quet since before Christmas as i picked up Norovirus. With my weakened immune system, it's still hanging about, but im gradually getting back into the occasional bits of research and adding the odd postcard to my #Paisley collection. I hope to hold some history cafes shortly.

Some great architectural heritage is showing up in the new premises of the Art Department in Paisley. A 1930s department store and laterly Argos... #heritage #architecture #paisley #scotland #BuildingArchaeology

Another visit to Renfrewshire Heritage Centre today to view Mary Ann Semples second volume on Paisley Monumental Inscriptions. This time relating to Paisley Abbey. I love this entry for the Inglis family dating to 1502, 1533 and 1559. Its form is very typical for the Abbey in this time period.

Dark deeds in Bargarran, Erskine & Paisley in 1697 Over the last few weeks, Paisley has been talking about the disappearance of the Bargarran witch hunt commemorative horseshoe, part of the Tondo designed by the Kings Sculptor and Buddie, Alexander Stoddart. Discover more below. #history #paisley

One of only two surviving memorials from the North Street Burial Ground in Anderston in Glasgow (on which part of the M8 motorway was built in the 1960s). Cont./ #glasgow #anderston #glasgowhistory #robertburns #m8

It's here! Today we launched the new Your Scottish Archives portal at https://buff.ly/3BwyQwp This is the first stage of this exciting new resource for archivists and users of archives. Have a play and let us know what you think.

With so many new followers, Im reposting next Mondays Online talk. 9th Dec 2024 3pm UK time Paisley: Burgh Records & lesser known genealogical resources from the 17th Century Donations via buymeacoffee.com/urbanhistorian Registration via us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi... renfrewshireancestors.uk/

Check out the latest GEMMS blog post by @nicolemaceira.bsky.social, one of GEMMS's researchers: "Communion Season in Glasgow and the Surrounding Areas, c.1695-1720: Evidence from the Wodrow Collection" gemmsproject.blogspot.com/2024/04/comm... #earlymodern #17thC #c18th

Each year, Archives and Special Collections at the University of Glasgow advertises several Fellowships for visiting researchers. The application deadline for 2025 is 6th January. It’s an amazing collection, especially for medievalists and early modernists - apply! www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/li...

Working on Monumental Inscriptions in the Laigh Kirk graveyard in Paisley. Many of Paisley's Merchants and Burgesses rest there, including the Carlile family. Arriving in the 1740s they formed the 1st large linen thread manufactury in the town. They are related to Thomas Carlyle writer and historian

Great news if it goes ahead - the former Lyceum cinema in Govan, grade B listed building from 1938, is hopefully going to reopen next year after being on the buildings at risk register. www.glasgowworld.com/news/lyceum-...

Another book i need to read soon is by another local author, Dr Stuart Nisbit. Who has resesrched Scotlands links with #Slavery for many years. The book of Here & Now explores the topic as historical fiction based on his research from the slaves point of view rather than the slave owners.

Currently on the reading list is Fire & Sword by local Renfrewshire author Louise Turner - Sauchiburn 1488 James III is dead and we follow the feud betweeen the Sempill Sheriffs of Renfrew and the Montgomeries. As true to life as historical fiction can be. Based on real events and people.

I've started a little open access dataset to help trace all the people who attended the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland between 1638 and 1654: generalassemblies.wikibase.cloud The idea is to grow this resource over time, add visualisations, write some guides on how it was built, &c

Tidying up and came across this Mauchline Ware box featuring #PaisleyAbbey before restoration. Originally, it would have held a small glass. Part of my teaching collection that is now partly a collection for window dressing at a local chip shop. A great use of unused space for heritage.

I'm currently preparing for a project for the local council on graveyards and have been walking around the old Laigh Kirk in #Paisley this is the grave of Francis Bunner, Lace Maker who died in July 1771 now being used as construction storage afrer the redevelopment of the building #Genealogy

#Paisley recently launched the Buddie Walk of Fame featuring stars like #DavidTennant #JohnByrn #GerryRaffery and many more. One star located close to Anchor Thread Mills honours all of the Paisley Thread workers. See shorturl.at/BWtJl #PaisleyFirst #WalkofFame #Renfrewshire #Heritage #Scotland

Intro time… I’m Suzie, I was a doctor in a hospital until one day I stormed out in a fanfare of bagpipes and glitter spray. Now I hide in the mountains and write books about human bodies in history. Mortal Monarchs, Vital Organs and the History Stinks kids series so far… with more to come. ✍️👑⚰️🗡️💀🕯️🪦🥃

Online Talk Monday 9th Dec 2024 3pm UK time Paisley: Burgh Records & lesser known genealogical resources from the 17th Century Join me as I discuss records relating to Paisley from the 1600s onwards. Donations via buymeacoffee.com/urbanhistorian Registration via us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Doesn't time fly? On 22nd October 2013, I gave the very first talk of a four-part lecture series in the Panel Room of Paisley Abbey. The topic of the lecture series was the History of Paisley Abbey.

This #gravestone, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in his distinctive style, reads "erected by Margaret Henry Reid in remembrance of her husband James.." The couple were parents to Jane Steel Reid, wife of William Davidson of Windyhill, Kilmacolm, patron of Mackintosh #CRM #Art #ArtHistory

On the 16th Nov 1903 HRH Princess Henry of Battenburg vistied Paisley while she stayed at Blythswood House in Renfrew. This tram photographed at the Elderslie Depot was probably decorated to transport Paisley Burgh officials to the Abbey where HRH was shown around.

So, who is the Urban Historian? I graduated from Glasgow Univeristy after studying Scottish history with as many joint archaeology courses as possible. I went on to work seasonal in archaeology and then moved back into teaching local history and archaeology at Uni of the West of Scotland.

Funeral invitation, 1688. Funeral invitations first appeared in the 17th century, and acted as an admission ticket to both the church & the funeral feast. Pallbearers were often assigned a number on the ticket to signify their position in carrying the coffin. Follow me for more trivial nonsense!

Our new album of songs about our hometown Paisley, its rich & colourful history & people, is released on all streamers today. (CDs also available & make great Christmas gifts 😉) open.spotify.com/album/3fQvH6...

Have you ever excavated an early medieval processional roadway? Thanks to University of Glasgow Archaeology, Clyde Archaeology and volunteers, we have uncovered a Viking-Age road that led from our 1,500-year-old graveyard towards the (now lost) vast assembly mound known as Doomster/Dempster Hill!

Back in February 2009, this was discovered in the River White Cart close to the site of Inchinnan Old Kirk (St. Convals). Inchinnan 4 as it is known, is now in the Paisley Museum collection, separated from the other 3 Inchinnan Govan School Stones at Inchinnan Parish Church. @govanstones.bsky.social

Spaces are getting booked up for this year's conference. Make sure to get your ticket to hear from a range of speakers on how archives and records support Scotland's Historic Environment. View the programme and book here:

For our first post on Bluesky, we thought we'd take a wee twirl around the Sun Stone, an early medieval standing cross carved in the lost Viking-Age kingdom of the Strathclyde Britons and found in our 1,500-year-old churchyard in Govan, located in Glasgow, Scotland.