NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 2000 Hello and welcome to this preview of our 2000-2001 programme. This is the first Newsletter for some years, which has not been written by Neil Stewart. Neil, as many of you know, retired as Chairman at the AGM of the Society in April of this year. We thank Neil for all that he has done for the Society during his years as Chairman but we are delighted that he will still be involved with us in a number of capacities. We extend our best wishes to all members and friends of the Society and hope that the content of our programme will contain something of interest for everyone. We start on Saturday 9th September 2000 with a visit to the David Livingstone Centre at Blantyre. Those of you who attended the AGM in April 1999 will recall this as a suggestion from Mr Campbell. As that year marked the 125th anniversary of the burial of David Livingstone's remains in Westminster Abbey, it was thought that we might arrange a lecture on the Explorer and a visit to Blantyre. However due to changes that were taking place at the Centre, it was not possible to have a visit at that time. In March of this year, Mr George Paton gave us a very interesting talk about David Livingstone. The David Livingstone Centre is under the control of The National Trust for Scotland and as all major redevelopment work has now been completed, we are pleased to say that an outing has been arranged. The 18th century tenement building commemorates David Livingstone's life and work. His childhood home -just one room -remains very much as it would have done in his day and gives the visitor an insight into the living conditions endured by workers in the 19th century. The rest of the Museum is given over to the Explorer's journeys and work in Africa and is home to a wide range of his personal belongings including his diaries. As well as the Museum, there is a waymarked walk, the inevitable shop and a tea-room where one can enjoy sandwiches, home baking, tea/coffee and a selection of light meals such as fish and chips, steak pie or ham salads. Although there are car parking facilities at Blantyre we have arranged a bus by courtesy of Abbot Travel. This will leave from the car park behind Bonnyrigg Public Library/Spar supermarket at 12 noon. In anticipation that members will find the visit of interest and to give them time to enjoy the afternoon, the bus will leave Blantyre at 5pm, arriving back in Bonnyrigg, at approximately 6.30pm. The cost of the bus is £5.20 per person and that is based on the bus being full and includes a gratuity for the driver. If the bus is not full an extra charge will have to be made but this will be collected en route. We have obtained a block-booking discount for entry to the Museum and the costs for this are £2.70 per person, with an age concession rate of £1.80 per person. For members of The National Trust for Scotland entry is free - but please remember to bring your membership cards. If you plan to use the bus and/or if you wish to order any of the light meals (which have to be ordered in advance but paid for in the restaurant), please complete the attached form. It should be returned to our Secretary, Sheena Johnson, 23 Park Road, Bonnyrigg (or telephone Sheena on 663 8048 with details), no later than 31st August, with your bus fare and entry money. As the bus is a 37 seater, could we ask please that the 31st August deadline is respected. In the unlikely event of it not being required it gives us time to cancel it at no cost to the Society. As far as the evening meetings are concerned, these will take place in the Pitcairn Centre, High Street, Bonnyrigg, at 7.30pm. Some speakers have still to be finalised but provisional details are as follows: - Wednesday 18th October 2000: Herbert Dryden (Chairman) - "Royal Mile Reflections". Wednesday 15th November 2000: Dr. Miles Oglethorpe (The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland) will talk to us about our "Industrial Heritage". December 2000: No meeting Wednesday 17th January 2001: Alastair Anderson will speak to us on the history of the "Gothenburg Pubs". Wednesday 21st February 2001: Jan-Andrew Henderson (Visitor Services Manager at St. Giles' Cathedral) will speak to us on either Edinburgh's Underground City or the Scotland Nobody Knows. Wednesday 21st March 2001: Mrs. Celia Pattle, from Kirkurd in Peeblesshire, will hopefully speak to us about the French Artist Pierre Langlade who lived for a time in Lothian Street and who was a designer in the carpet factory as well as having worked for the French royal family. Wednesday, 17th April 2001: AGM. A sincere thank you is extended to those who provided the buffet at the AGM in April. This was enjoyed by all. We hope to have another buffet following the first meeting in October. Please return to Sheena Johnson, 23 Park Road (0131-663 8048) by 31st August. I/We will be using the bus to the David Livingstone Centre on 9th September. Name(s)...................................................... Phone number.............. Cheque/Cash enclosed to cover: Cost of bus (£5.20 per person) Entry (£2.70 per person) (£1.80 concession) (NTS member free) I/We wish to order Fish and Chips, Steak Pie, Ham Salad