We were sad to hear about the death of Edward Wilson in February. Eddie was a passionate collector and his well documented portfolios relating to Burntisland and the surrounding area have been handed over to the Trust. We are very grateful to Eddie. His collection includes folders relating to Burntisland and Kinghorn shipbuilding which give details of all the ships built in the yards. This comes at an opportune time as Trustees John Burnett and Ian Archibald have been busy collating and documenting the Trust's growing collection of information on the heritage of the town. This includes over 3,000 images. If you have any information or photographs which you think may be of interest to us (e.g. on the miniature railway on the Links), please contact John or Ian at the numbers given below or call in and see us during the summer exhibition. We can scan and return material quickly.
The new computerised inventory includes links to the full transcripts and recordings of the interviewees who featured in the oral history project and the publication 'Burntisland Voices'. The book has been well received in the town and we are grateful to everyone who contributed and took part in the project. The oral history project is now under way again with a second round of interviews and a wide range of possible new topics.
Planning for the summer exhibition is well under way. Following the success of last year's exhibition, another entirely different but equally provocative set of over seventy contemporary photographs by Allan Hutchison have been selected. To complement this, there will be a small display on the local Rotary Rambles Project showing walks around the town and its marches. In the entrance room, 'The Growth of Burntisland' will be the main theme. Also available for viewing and browsing are videos and large collections of other types of historical material.
This summer's exhibition will open on Saturday 24th June and then run from Thursday 29th June to Saturday 1st September at 4 Kirkgate, Burntisland. It will be open only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11.00am to 4.00pm. In addition, our free guided historic walks will take place every Wednesday in July and August at 2.30pm, meeting at 4 Kirkgate. The walks include visits to the Parish Church and Rossend Castle.
Would anyone wishing to get involved with the oral history project or the work of the Trust please contact Ian Archibald (873557), Helen Mabon (873624), John Burnett (873419) or Iain Sommerville (874933).
Ian Archibald
CANCER RESEARCH UK SCOTLAND
BURNTISLAND LOCAL COMMITTEE
50 YEARS ON - £342,345.39 RAISED
AND STILL GOING STRONG!
On Thursday 10 th May 1956 a public meeting was held in the Library Hall, Burntisland, chaired by the late Provost RM Livingstone, and a Committee was formed. Office Bearers appointed were: -
Chairman: A MacPherson (Headmaster)
Vice Chairman: Dr R W Smith
Treasurer: H S Lillico (Banker)
Secretary: Miss M E C Graham
(Now Mrs Horton)
A donation of £5 started the years of fundraising which now totals £342,345.39, a tremendous total for a town of Burntisland's size. The whole-hearted support given to all our fundraising efforts has given us the incentive to keep going and a special mention should be made of the door-to-door collectors who, over the years in all weathers and circumstances, have taken the time and energy to do this.
Although there are now many other cancer charities, who have the need to raise funds, our main efforts have been concentrated on research, as so many people are affected in some way by this disease. It would be a great blessing if some day through this research we could finally see the end of the road to a cure.
At the start, membership of the Committee was by "invitation only", though this has now changed and new members would be very welcome, who have the energy and enthusiasm to help the team carry forward the work for another 50 years and allow some members to take a less active role.
The present Committee consists of: -
Hon. President - Margaret B MacDonald
President - Moira Baynham
Secretary - Aneris Grant
Treasurer - Jack Mitchell
Eleanor Fisher; Jennifer Kinnear; Betty Dewar; Marion Taylor; Sadie Edwards; Jean Welch; Mary Brownlie; Alison Wardlaw; Jean Quinn and Paul Croxford.
Our next fundraising event is to celebrate our 50 th anniversary and we are holding a Coffee Morning in the Parish Church Hall on Saturday 20 th May 2006 at 10.00 am - 12.00 noon.
It is with sadness that we note the death of Margaret McDonald, shortly after this article was written. She had been in poor health for some time. Margaret joined the Cancer Research UK local committee in 1986 and became President in 1990. Margaret also served as Secretary to the Community Council for many years, as well as in the A.T.C. and other organisations in Burntisland