! NEW !
Winter AFTERNOON Talk
at 2pm,
on Thursday 23 October 2026,
at Camelon Indoor Bowling Centre (opposite the Mariner Centre).
ALL WELCOME
A History of Falkirk in Ten and a Half Pubs.
Public houses were more than just places where alcohol was consumed. They were meeting and debating spaces and often the only public halls available – giving rise to the local and national trade union movement (and the committee of the Falkirk Local History Society which met in the Wheatsheaf). Here news and gossip was exchanged and public roups were conducted; roups for furniture and houses alike. The public houses reflect national history, with visits from Robert Burns and the Tsar of Russia, amongst others. One of the least welcome visitors was cholera and one publican in Falkirk Town centre, along with his entire family, succumbed to this disease. And, of course, the Roman Bar reminds us of the Roman connection and fraud!
Winter EVENING Talks
Meetings start at 7.30p.m. in Falkirk Trinity Church on the 3rd Wednesday of winter months. ALL WELCOME.
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||
| 16 September | The Lost Village of Kingscavil and Shale Mining in West Lothian | Bruce Jamieson |
| 21 October | Recent Archaeological Discoveries | Geoff Bailey |
| 18 November | La Scala, Grangemouth. | Fiona McLachlan |
| 16 December | John Reid Memorial Lecture A History of Falkirk in 20 Objects | Ian Scott |
| 2027 | ||
| 20 January | Jacobite Archival Sources at the National Library of Scotland. | Ralph McLean |
| 17 February | The Battle of Linlithgow Bridge, 1526. | Jonathon Cooper |
| 17 March | Oor Club – The First 150 Years of Stenhousemuir Cricket Club. | John MacNeil |
| 14 April | AGM The Unheard of Villainy / a Falkirk witch story. | Ian Mackintosh |
Summer Walks
2026 PROGRAMME In the summer months, during June, July and August, there will be at least three guided historical walks around local areas of interest. Everyone is welcome and there is no charge. Please email flhs.secretary@yahoo.co.uk for details of meeting point if you want to join us.
| DATE | LOCATION | LEADER |
|---|---|---|
| Sun 21 June, 2p.m. | Polmont Station to Redding Cross | Geoff Bailey |
| Sun 26 July, 2p.m. | Kennetpans Distillery | Bryan Frew |
| Sun 23 Aug, 2p.m. | Airthery Castle | Bill Kidd |
Annual Outing
Our last outing was on the weekend of 21/22 April 2024. We visited: the Verdant Works in Dundee; the House of Dun; Cultybraggan Camp, Comrie and Dunblane. Regrettably, due to changes complicating transport and hospitality services since covid, we are suspending the outing in the form of a weekend away. We reserve the possibility of making alternative arrangements and are open to suggestions.
Previously:
Here are some photographs from our penultimate trip, when our itinerary included: Blair Castle and Gardens, The Highland Folk Museum, Fort George and Dunkeld.
During the weekend of 27/28 April 2019, we visited : Glamis Castle; Montrose Air Heritage Centre; Arbroath Abbey; Hospitalfield House & Mortuary; V&A Museum, Dundee
On the weekend of 21/22 April 2018, we visited : Scottish Crannog Centre ; Ruthven Barracks; Cawdor Castle ; Brodie Castle
