LCT Past Lectures

Chris Long
Thursday 21 November

Queen Margaret Hall, Blackness Road at 7:30pm.

Author of ‘Looking At Linlithgow’, Chris worked for many years as an architect in local and central Scottish government after studying architecture in Canterbury, Kent. He has lived for almost twenty-five years in Linlithgow, many of these serving as chair of Linlithgow Civic Trust. He combines family interests with running, hill walking, painting, and service to the community through Linlithgow Burgh Trust. His favourite places are Venice, the Isle of Man and, of course, Linlithgow.
 

Chris will talk about his research and the background to Linlithgow Civic Trust’s latest publication “Putting Linlithgow on the Map”.

Copies of the book can be purchased from local outlets or online for £17.50, including delivery.

Dr John McGregor
Thursday 24 October

The first talk of this season’s series was presented by Dr John McGregor to an attentive audience of more than thirty who were entertained by John’s detailed account of the development of Scotland’s railways. As the talk’s subtitle – “a Linlithgow-centred survey” – promised, much of the talk focused on the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway which served the town.

Peter Wright
Thursday 25 April 2024

The final talk of this season was given by polymath Peter Wright, local resident and an author with a passion for wild places. Peter told the tale of his strenuous, meandering 745-mile walk along Scotland’s watershed from Peel Fell on the border to Duncansby Head near John O’ Groats in Caithness illustrated by numerous photographs of the majestic landscape.

Rev Dr Liam Jerrold Fraser
Thursday 21 March 2024

The penultimate talk of the 2023-24 season was given by Rev Dr Liam Jerrold Fraser, Minister of St Michael’s Parish Church. Liam told an attentive and appreciative audience of fifty about the centuries of political and spiritual conflict witnessed by St Michael’s and reflected on what the building’s past can tell us about its possible future.

George McBirnie
Thursday 22 February 2024

The fourth of the 2023-24 season’s talks was given by George McBirnie, Senior Project Manager with Scottish Canals. George told the story of the engineering works to reopen the Lowland Canals and the development and realisation of the world’s first and only rotating boat lift to an appreciative audience of around 50 which included members of the Linlithgow Union Canal Society.

Kathryn Welch
Thursday 18 January 2024

The third of the 2023-24 season’s talks was presented by Kathryn Welch – a woman fascinated by the connections between community, creativity and activism. Kathryn entertained and informed an audience of nearly 120 with fascinating stories of the women, some of whom lost their lives, working with dangerous and poisonous chemicals to make munitions during the two world wars.

Bruce Jamieson
Wednesday 29 November 2023

The second of the 2023 season’s talks was presented by Bruce Jamieson, raconteur, local historian, and author of Linlithgow Through Time, Linlithgow Lives and many other publications. Bruce presented a fully illustrated account of the effects of the various pandemics that have spread across Europe over the centuries – and their impact on Linlithgow.

Brian Lightbody
October 2023

An appreciative audience of nearly fifty attended the first of this season’s illustrated talks which was presented by Brian Lightbody, a former senior partner in Michael Laird Architects and an elder of St Michael’s Parish Church.

Brian, the kirk’s lead project manager for the restoration work explained, graphically, the background to the restoration work, how the extensive repairs are being carried out, as well as bringing us up to date with progress.