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Talks Archive

Session 2023-24

  •  Tarradale Through Time — Remarkable Discoveries on the Black Isle,   Dr. Eric Grant
  • A New perspective on the Highlands Before Culloden — The life‐writing of ‘curious cleric’ Rev. James Fraser (1634‐1709),    Professor David Worthington
  • Maps and Map Making in the Scottish 18th Century — A transition in surveying, maps amd map-making in Scotland,    Roland Spencer‐Jones
  • A Tale of Two Shopkeepers — and their families,    Ross Couper
  • All Hail Macbeth, Thain of Cromarty? — Good king, bad king: the making of an historical myth,    Liz Broumley
  • Are We Nearly There Yet? — A journey exploring Scotland’s milestones, Bruce Keith
  • National Archive Papers regarding the Black Isle.,    Nicola Mills
  • A Tour of Black Isle Place Names — Revealing the people, languages, values and changes over time ,    Sheila Currie

Session 2022-23

  •  William & Paterson Murdoch — Engineers of Highland Railways,   Anne‐Mary Paterson
  • The Herring Gutters of N.E. Scotland — a coastal history,   Anne Coombs
  • Cromarty Town Council — and the end of local democracy,   Sandy Thomson
  • From Pupil to Teacher — One Cromarty Girl’s journey in the first decade of the 20th century,    Paul Monk
  • James Braidwood, father of the modern fire service — A true Scottish hero,    Diana Hamilton‐Jones
  • General Sir Richard O'Connor of Rosemarkie; A hero of two world wars,    Roger Young
  • Where Angels Fear to Tread — Setting an historical novel in your own backyard,   Shona MacLean
  • The Story of Cromarty in Six Maps — (and a few diagrams),   Liz Broumley and Pat Haynes

Session 2021-22

There were no talks from September to January due to Covid

  • 7 Braehead  —  a Pickletoun House,    Arthur Bird
  • Resistance and Uprising — enslaved Africans defy their Highland masters, Guyana 1800-1814,   David Alston
  • AGM followed by — From the Courthouse archives: Cromarty — the story of a town: memories of Fishertown

Session 2020-21

There were no talks due to Covid

Session 2019-20

  • Archaeology and the Historic Environment  —  in Scotland’s National Forests,   Matt Ritchie
  • Healing wells  —  Their contemporary use, history and folklore,   Roddy McKenzie
  • Cromarty Emigrants  —  and the Ships that took them,   Sandy Thomson
  • Telling the Highland Story  —  30 years reporting the news from the north,   David Ross
  • Three Doctors  —  Highland medics at home and in the Empire,   Dr. David Alston
  • ‘One of the best portes in this yslande’ — A history of Cromarty harbour,   Pat Haynes

Session 2018-19

  • Kirkmichael  — Back from the brink of destruction,    Dr Jim Mackay
  • The Yankee Mining Squadron  — Impact on the Inverness Firth in 1918,   Richard Jenner, Chanonry Sailing Club
  • The Great North Road  —  The story of the A9,   Jim Miller
  • Cromarty Cameos  —  Portraits from our Town,   Committee Members
  • Making Plans for Daldon:  — the story of Cromarty’s Provost and Edinburgh College of Art’s class of ‘62’,   Gordon Haynes
  • From factor’s house to The Factor’s House — a journey through 170 years,   Fran Tilbrook
  • Hector the Hero — Evidence, interpretation and musical judgement,   Liz Broumley
  • AGM Meeting,   Paul Monk & Gordon Haynes

Session 2017-18

  • Interpreting the Black Isle and Beyond  —  The history and mystery of 21st. century interpretative storytelling,   Verity Walker
  • The Hospitals of Inverness — Their origin and development 1650 – 2000,   Jim & Steve Leslie
  • The Remarkable Miss Yule of Tarradale — A woman in a man’s world,   Dr. Eric Grant
  • A Brief History of Cromarty  — 800 years on one page,   Dr. David Alston
  • Walking with Cattle:  — A writer’s journey in search of the last drovers of Uist,   Terry J. Williams<
  • Playing the Game:  — 19th Century Sports in Ross and Cromarty,    Sandy Thomson
  • A Tale of Two Homes:  — A wee journey through the life of two Cromarty houses,   Sheila Currie & Jane Verberg
  • Crime and Punishment at the Courthouse,   Paul Monk

Session 2016-17

  • Cromarty School 1913 – 1946  —  Eric Malcolm’s last talk,   Presented by Sandy Thomson
  • The Ross and Cromarty Mountain Battery  — Players on the global chessboard that was The Great Game,   Dave Rendell
  • The Diary of a VictorianLady  —  A visit to Dingwall in 1892,   Jonathan McColl
  • All Shall Have Prizes —  A look at some of Cromarty’s cups, awards and more
  • A New Way of Living —  Georgian Town Planning in the Highlands and Islands,   Gordon Haynes
  • Rosemarkie Caves — Some finds and a puzzle,   Simon Gunn & Mary Peteranna
  • A Few Treasures from the Courthouse Museum — Objects Seldom Seen,   Paul Monk

Session 2015-16

  • Inverness Man Lost at Sea — Highlanders on the Titanic,   Norman Newton
  • A Curate's Egg — Hugh Rose Ross of Cromarty, 1767-1846   Dr Jim MacKay
  • Tea and Rusty Bicycles — The Great Black Isle Drought of 1955   Sinclair Dunnett
  • Eric Malcolm — Readings and Reflections
  • Every Object Tells a Story,   Dr. Alix Powers Jones
  • Scandals and Reay House,   Roger Young
  • Still Life —  Distilling in the Black Isle and surrounding area in the 18th Century,   Meryl Marshall
  • In the wake of the Betsey  — Following Hugh Miller to Eigg,   Ro Scott and Martin Gostwick
  • Does Archaeology Matter? — Engaging the local community in the Cromarty Medieval Burgh,   Mary Peteranna and Steve Birch

Session 2014-15

  • The Black Isle Railway,   Jack Kernohan
  •  From Crofting to Oil Rigs —  the 1970s 'clearance' of Nigg,   Sandy Thomson
  • The Evolution of the Highland Hospital,   Steve and Jim Leslie
  • State-owned Pubs Around the Cromarty Firth,   Sandy Thomson, and Forty Years of Cromarty Fourways Club,   Anne Short
  • 4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders — the Great War,   Lynsey Easton and Robert Shanks
  • A Safe Place for Cromarty's Poor — the Black Isle Combination Poorhouse,   Dr Jenny Fyfe
  • Thief's Row Re-visited — an Update on the Cromarty Medieval Burgh Archaeology Project,   Steven Birch
  • Two Communities Changed by War — Cromarty and Resolis in WW1,   Dr Jim MacKay

Session 2013-14

  • The Baby in the Biscuit Box — A Case Study from 1882,   Norman Newton
  • Tent Pegs and Treasures — Metal Detecting at Belladrum,   Eric Soane
  • Building Your Own History — Climbing the family tree,   Jonathan McColl
  • Christmas Crackers — James Thomson and Hugh Miller,   Society members
  • Monumental Isles of Historic Scotland,   Kenny Taylor
  • A Wander along Thief's Row — community archaeology at the Reeds Park,   Steven Birch
  • The Murchisons of Tarradale,   Eric Grant
  • Sutherland Murray — the Yukon Gold Rush to Cromarty,   Paul Monk

Session 2012-13

  • How the Highlands and Islands Pioneered the Health Service,   Dr Miles Mack
  • Buildings of the Western Seaboard ,   Mary Miers
  • Maps of the Black Isle,   Graham Clark
  • Cromarty Radicals (not the friends of Hugh Miller),   Dr David Alston
  • Robert Dick — Baker, Botanist and Geologist of Thurso,   Jane Verburg
  • Nigg and Rigs,   Ross Couper
  • Remember who stole the Mulbuie? — The division of a Black Isle Commonty,   Ro Scott
  • Spinning a Yarn — The Cromarty Hemp Factory,   Dr David Alston

Session 2011-12

  • David Urquhart of Braelangwell 1805-77,   Sandy Thomson
  • James Thomson of Tain — A Highlander in Quebec,    Estelle Quick
  • Ferries of the Black Isle,   Dr Jim Mackay
  • The Execution of John Adam,   Dr Graham Clark 
  • Post-War Cromarty 1945-75,   Sandy Thomson and David Alston
  • HMS Natal  — A Reappraisal ,   Paul Monk
  • Hugh Miller's Visit to Olney,   Dr Lindsay Hemy
  • The Wardie Legacy to the Courthouse Museum,   Paul Monk

Session 2010-11

  • Oral History and Archaeology for Black Isle Communities,    Susan Kruse
  • Cromarty Schools and Schoolteachers,   Dr Jenny Fyfe
  • Heresy, Murder and Witchcraft,   The Story of the Cromarty Bible,   Dr David Alston
  • George Bain — Pioneer in Celtic Art,   Susan Seright
  • The Changing Fortunes of Seals and Seabirds in Scottish Waters,   Professor Paul Thompson
  • RNAS Cromarty  — The Cromarty Seaplane Base,   Paul Monk
  • Cromarty in Context 1901-1939,   Sandy Thomson and Dr David Alston
  • The Excavation of the Caird's Cave, Rosemarkie,   Simon Gunn

Session 2009-10

  • History of Education in the Highlands,   Eileen McCaskill
  • The MacKenzies of Redcastle,   Dr Graham Clark
  • The Episcopal Church in the Highlands,   Very Rev. Mark Strange
  • Cromarty in the Victorian Age,   Dr David Alston and Sandy Thomson
  • Cromarty Estate Farms in the 18th and 19th Centuries,   Sandy Thomson
  • Highlanders in Poland/Lithuania 1500-1800,   Dr David Worthington
  • Gravestones at the East Kirk,   History Society Members
  • Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty,   Helma Reynolds

Session 2008-09

  • Charming, and other sins, on the Black Isle,   Dr Jim Mackay
  • Historic Buildings in the Highlands and Islands,   Mary Miers
  • The Highland Archive Network,   Susan Beckley
  • The Cromarty Fishing Community,   CHS Members
  • Cromarty from 1707 to 1839,   Dr David Alston and Sandy Thomson
  • Progress at the East Church,   Caroline Vawdrey and Dr David Alston
  • Jacobites and Russia,   Dr Becky Boyd
  • The Geological History of Cromarty and the Surrounding Area,   Dr Ian Basham

Session 2007-08

  • Inverness Museum 'Future-Proofed',   Catherine Niven
  • Archaeological Investigations in Cromarty,   John Wood
  • Slaves, Highlanders and Freedom,   Dr David Alston and Margot Henderson
  • Cromarty from 1513 to 1707,   Sandy Thomson and Dr David Alston
  • The Fleet in the Cromarty Firth,   Estelle Quick
  • Cromarty in the 1950s,   Dougie MacPhee

Session 2005-06

  • The Parish of Edderton,   Reay Clarke
  • Unearthing Redcastle's Secret History,   Colin MacLeod
  • The Grahams of Drynie,   John MacDonald
  • Cromarty Town CouncilThe Last Days,   Sandy Thomson
  • A Walk through Resolis Parish,   Dr Jim Mackay
  • Restoration of the East Church,   Sam Russell and Ian Fraser
  • Cromarty Place Names,   Dr Jenny Fyfe
  • The Nigg Fabrication Yard,   Bill Shannon

Session 2004-05

  • Archaeology around Cromarty,   John Wood
  • Rosehaugh House,   Kathleen MacLeman
  • Hugh Miller — Hero or Villain?,   Martin Gostwick
  • A Tale of Two Hospitals,   Lilah Dowsett
  • Reverend Alexander Stewart,   John Tallach
  • Strathcarnoch,   Dr David Alston

Session 2001-02

  • Press Coverage of Cromarty in the 19th Century,   Sandy Thomson and Dr David Alston
  • A Highland Monastery — Fearn Abbey,   Father Mark Dilworth
  • Ross-shire Man Finds Gold in the Klondyke,   Caroline Shepherd-Barron
  • The Cromarty Stone — a Relic from Sir Thomas Urquhart's Castle,   Eric Malcolm
  • Kilts, Pipes and the Highland Soldier,   Gordon Urquhart
  • Cromarty Church Papers Discovered,   CHS Members
  • Remembering the Clearances,   Christine Mackay
  • Cromarty Treasure Trove,   Dr David Alston

Session 2000-01

  • Cromarty and the Civil War,   Calum Davidson
  • E.A Mackintosh — Poet of the Highland Division:,   Colin Campbell MSP
  • Forestry in the Black Isle,   Ian Ross
  • Strathpeffer Spa Recalled,   Ian McCrae
  • Black Highlanders,   Dr David Alston
  • George Romanes and the Nigg Laboratory,   Dr Jenny Fyfe
  • Playing the Game in Ross and Cromarty,   Sandy Thomson
  • From Baltic Seals to the Cromarty Volunteers,   CHS Members
  • Moray Firth Ships and Trade,   Ian Hustwick

Session 1999-2000

  • The Medieval 'Power Centre' of Cromarty,   Dr Richard Oram  
  • Our Episcopal forefathers,   Colin Page,   ,   
  • Bringing Power from the Glens,   Eric Malcolm  
  • Brewing on the Black Isle,   Dr David Alston
  • Archaeology of the Moray Firth,   Dr Alex Hale
  • Highland Drovers and Wild West Cowboys,   Rob Gibson MSP
  • Cromarty in the 1930s,   Eric Malcolm

Session 1998-99

  • Images of Highland Archaeology,   Sena Mackay
  • The Five Euphemias of Ross,   Elizabeth Sutherland
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