Renfrewshire History

08/03/2024

28/01/2024

I've not had a chance to change the window display since Christmas due to Covid (and I'm still testing positive which is holding up treatment) but i have a few new items to add to the display as soon as I'm covid feee! Here is the 1930 designed "Paisley Shawl' by Royal Doulton. This is the earliest incarnation of the design but is seen as a good representation of a Paisley Shawl.

02/12/2023

Tait's Tower was a tower in the art deco style constructed at the summit of Ibrox Hill in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow in Scotland as part of the Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938. It was designed by Paisley's own Thomas S. Tait. It stood 91 metres high and had three separate observation decks which provided a view of the surrounding gardens and city.

20/11/2023

A short Heritage Cast looking at Linen Thread, Renfrewshire & Scotland and the Bargarran Thread Company,

17/11/2023

J & P Coats, Ferguslie Mills No 1 to 7 - all sadly now gone. Paisley
canal and the turn to the basin can just be seen to the left of the image.

11/11/2023

https://www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/J-P-Coats-WW2-Employees_web.pdf

As we remember those who thought in past conflicts this weekend, this booklet from J & P Coats relating to those who served during the Second World War is available for one week from today. I recently came across it in a online bookshop and made a quick scan of it. Covering all of the UK Mills of the group it is a useful document for WW2 where records are not as accessible as WW1. Download from link above.

Glasgow & West of Scotland Family History Society Scottish Indexes Scottish Genealogy Society Scottish GENES Blog

28/08/2023

Sitting waiting on an appointment at the Beatson at the moment so I thought I'd share some artwork deprived from an old photograph I took of Staneley Castle around 10 years ago. The water was very still at the and I always liked the reflection of the Castle. Although it can't be accessed, the Renfrewshire Local History Forum along with the late Dennis Topen (former head of History at Stanley Green High School) produced a great standing building survey many years ago when the water level was greatly reduced. The book is scarce but I'm sure the local libraries will have copies.

18/08/2023

After 8 months I have managed to install a new window display at Allan's fish and chip restaurant in Paisley. The theme is Coats and Clarks threads along with related artefacts. The display was long over due because of my treatment for leukemia, so I took the chance before I go back in for more treatment at the end of the month. I plan to begin working again early 2024.

18/08/2023

Working on my digital art again. Which do you prefer?

17/08/2023

A MONUMENT in a Paisley cemetery is set to be “listed” higher due to it being of interest, either architecturally or historically.

06/06/2023

A new history post looking at the arrival of John Carlile in Paisley in the 1730s and his establishment of the first large scale linen thread mill in the town, copying Christian Shaw's techniques.
Further history blogs will be getting posted on the family and the mill over time...

A new history post looking at the arrival of John Carlile in Paisley in the 1730s and his establishment of the first large scale linen thread mill in the town, copying Christian Shaw's techniques.

Further history blogs will be getting posted on the family and the mill over time...

https://www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk/annan-to-paisley-the-carlile-family-of-paisley/

05/06/2023

Are you about to start on the journey of discovering your family history? This Genealogy Organiser has been designed to help you create your family tree, covering 4 generations, which means up to 30 Ancestors in once concise journal. Over 103 pages you are provided with the following charts over 2 sections allowing your father and mothers side of the family to be recorded seperatly: Four generational family tree, 30 Ancestor details pages, 30 Ancestor census information and documents tracker pages, 30 Ancestor life events timeline pages and 6 Notes pages.

Each ancestor has been assigned their own person ID number on the four generation family tree, which then continues onto the detailed record pages that follow, allowing easy identification as you progress your research.

Available now on Amazon for £12.publisher by Stephen, The Urban Historian

Are you about to start on the journey of discovering your family history? This Genealogy Organiser has been designed to help you create your family tree, covering 4 generations, which means up to 30 Ancestors in once concise journal. Over 103 pages you are provided with the following charts over ...

26/05/2023

Today's Looking Back, from 1953, tells the story of a bell connecting old and new churches. https://www.lifeandwork.org/features/looking-back-this-bell-unites-old-and-new

17/04/2023

Due to illness, I have had to cancel all planned Urban Historian events until at least October 2023. I am currently receiving treatment in the Beatson for a form of Leukemia. When I get out I will have work to do to get my energy and fitness back for the walking tours, but hope to make a start on talks and history cafes before the walks. I do intend maintaining the website by researching and publishing new history stories as and when I’m able. Stephen

If you’d like to support myself over the next 6 months or so to keep the website online, donations can be made via https://buff.ly/3HcHoZh I also have a good selection of local history books and notebooks available on Amazon - See https://buff.ly/3L6lKYY for details.

I look forward to getting back to what I like doing best, passing on my knowledge of Paisley & Renfrewshire history to locals and visitors alike.

20/03/2023

8pm tonight is the deadline to book your place on our Mapping Paisley's Textile Heritage Workshop on Wed night. If you want to join us get you booking in now...

Discover Paisley's textile industries using 19th Century maps and See the history around you.
https://www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk/product/mapping-paisleys-textile-heritage-workshop-wed-22nd-march-6-30pm/

18/03/2023

Photograph of Paisley Cross and town hall.
It was taken by Matthew Morrison, one of the founder members of the Paisley Amateur Photographic Society in 1886 and became president of the society in 1891
Archive Ref: TD557/1

03/03/2023

All of our walks, talks, history cafés and workshops are now on our website until the end of April. A mix of topics that should grab your interest, from Paisley Abbey, the Origins of Paisley, Mapping Paisley's Textile Heritage, Gordon's Loan (Gordon St in the 1820s) and much much more. Check it out the programme at buff.ly/3kArDmQ All events will be held at while walks have their own individual starting points as stated in their listing.

02/03/2023

Let's pull all the threads of Paisley's textile heritage together on our next Heritage Walk this Saturday at 1pm. Linen, Silk, Cotton thread, weaving, batching, dying, scouring and much more will be talked about as we wander Paisley's streets.

The weather is looking great, and we will meet outside Sma' Shot Cottages on Sma' Shot Lane at 1pm.

Book now at https://buff.ly/3EwEQDP

28/02/2023

We have just updated our website to add booking infor for our next History Cafe and History Talks/ Workshops that will be held in Restoration & Creation in March and April. See the link below for full details!

Topics to be covered include: Paisley's Poorhouses, The Abbey and Mapping the textile heritage of the Paisley.

Our list of Scheduled Online History Talks for Winter 2020/21. Ranging from local villages to textile and religious history we have it all.

23/02/2023

The Threads of Paisley Heritage Walk
Discover Paisley's textile heritage as we explore the town centre on Saturday 4th March at 1pm. Lets rediscover the industries that contributed to the weaving and linen/ silk and cotton thread making industries from the 1700s and earlier! See https://buff.ly/3EwEQDP to book.

22/02/2023

A reminder of our next History Cafe at Restoration & Creation on Monday 27th Feb at 1pm.
Starting your family history journey. Booking essential, but event is free.
https://www.theurbanhistorian.co.uk/product/history-cafe-starting-your-family-history-journey/.

15/02/2023

Announcing our History Cafes, Workshops and Talks until April 2023