Superb 2 course lunch plus coffee /tablet.

Lecture to be confirmed soon. 

Tickets from member sof the society or from the committee 

This is a bookable lunch withan added lecture focussing on the setting up of an exhibition on the scottish painter Rayburn, from a well known letcurer , Amanda Herries

This will be a whole day visit , with 3 pick ups for the coach.

There will be a guided tour round what is reputed to be one of Scotlands most beautiful homes. Its a remarkable and beautiful stately home , filled with stunning collections, and sits in majestic grounds with nature trails and scenic walks. Lunch will be provided. There  is also a cafe and gift shop.

Hopetoun dates from the 17th century , and has been a home to the Hopetoun family since then . The present Lord Hopetoun and his family still live there.

This will be a lovely se=tting for our firts post covid lunch , with a lecture from Elaine Hansen, a very well liked and popular lecturer.

This is a new coach outing to the newly opned Burrell.  

A visit to the Charles Mackie exhibition in Edinburgh, with Pat Clark to take us round.

No date yet, currently on hold.

A lunch and lecture by Norman Tennent on "Artists Travels in Scotland", at Brig o"Doon House Hotel, Alloway, Ayrshire KA7 4PQ

A visit to Lyon and Turnbull Auctioneers, 182 Bath St. Glasgow, where we will visit an exhibition and have a lecture on Oceanic and African Art.

On the 10th May 32 members joined an outing to the Borders. The main attraction was a visit to Floors Castle, Scotland’s largest inhabited castle. In 1721 the 1st Duke of Roxburghe commissioned William Adam to make additions to the eastern end of the existing tower house to create a plain but symmetrical Georgian Country House. The 6th Duke invited the leading architect in Edinburgh William Playfair to remodel and extend the castle between 1837 and 1847. In the early part of the 20th century the 8th Duke’s marriage to May Goelet, a beautiful American heiress, brought to Floors her outstanding collection of fine art. Several of the rooms were altered in the 1930s including the drawing room and the ballroom, which were refitted to display the set of Brussels’s tapestries and the Goblins’ tapestries.

In addition to coffee, a guided tour of the castle and lunch, members had the opportunity to look at the impressive grounds and gardens on a beautiful day. The group then made the short trip to St Boswells to The Mainstreet Trading Company where members were able to explore the bookshop, deli and café| before the journey back to Ayrshire.

Carole Barrie. (Days of Special Interest Secretary)

Dr Robyne Calvert Monday

For our group of 24, the first stop was The Trades Halls of Glasgow in Glassford Street where, after coffee, we had a fascinating lecture from Dr Robyne Calvert, the Mackintosh Fellow at Glasgow School of Art. The topic was the collaborative work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh; and Margaret and Frances Macdonald. Robyne demonstrated the symbolism of the work, assuming correctly that her audience would be familiar with the appearance of the work, particularly the Willow Tearooms. She believed that some critics had rather overdone the search for symbolism. She reminded us that Rennie Mackintosh believed that, while he had talent, Margaret had genius!

This was followed by a revealing tour of The Trades Halls which incorporate 14 historical trades. The roots of the crafts go back to medieval times and the building work commenced in 1791. Robert Adam was the architect, but did not live to see it completed; and his brothers James and William oversaw the completion in 1794. There are several most attractive and interesting rooms and the guide also gave a fascinating history of the incorporated Trades - definitely worth a visit on Doors Open Days. It is in fact the second oldest building in Glasgow still being used for its original purpose, the oldest being the medieval cathedral.

After an enjoyable lunch at the Osteriadel Tempo Perso in John Street ,we repaired to the City Chambers for the afternoon tour. This is a most ornate and prestigious building completed in 1887 and opened the following year by Queen Victoria. Glasgow City Council generously organise two free tours each day and these are well worth attending. The Council Chamber is particularly engrossing; and we were amused to hear that the chairs in the raised public gallery are nailed to the floor so that disgruntled Glaswegians cannot throw them at the councillors! As a Glaswegian myself I’m sure that this is a gross slander! It was also interesting to see the magnificent Banqueting Hall where among others of great note, Nelson Mandela and Sir Alex Ferguson, were given the Freedom of the City. Many of the stunning paintings in this room are by the “Glasgow Boys”.

I hope everyone enjoyed this fascinating and worthwhile day. I suspect that most of us  slept well that night!

Angela Taylor