The Coldstream and District Local History Society is very busy just now and amongst several initiatives is start of the Autumn/Winter monthly talks. Details of these – held every first Thursday in the month – can be found on the website www.coldstreamhistorysociety.co.uk. The first one is on Thursday 1st October at 7:30pm in the Eildon Centre and is 'A Family Life Revealed; The Stuarts of Traquair 1491-1875', by Catherine Maxwell-Stuart and Margaret Fox.
Another stock of Coldstream history books 'Second to None – A History of Coldstream' are on sale in the local newsagents at £10 a copy.
The society has for some time listed and photographed all the war memorials in Berwickshire, Roxburghshire and north Northumberland and researched details of the fallen. As progress, Lilliesleaf and Bowden have just been completed.
There has also been considerable work carried out in transcribing and photographing headstones in around 15 church/kirk yards in south Berwickshire and north Northumberland. Volunteers are currently involved in Swinton and Simprim kirkyards.
The Society is supporting the project to repair, conserve and interpret the medieval Lennel kirk and the improvements to the Jacob's Well area and this website shows other discrete projects being progressed like the Coldstream photo gallery, research into kirk session records and notable Coldstream people.
The Society is being nominated by Historic Environment Scotland for an Angel Heritage Award and the results are due in November.
The annual subscription for members is £6 but non-members are most welcome, paying £1 at the door.
In terms of the fallen in wars, and people mentioned on headstones, the society would welcome further details on these and contact can be made on war memorials on 01890-882661, 01890-882176 and for the headstones on 01890-882574 or 01890-882685.