Bowerswell House – Refurbishment
Three plaques associated with the donations given to refurbish the property, and an award to mark the quality of the work.
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24/09/2023
Robert Douglas Memorial Park
The Robert Douglas Memorial Park in Scone was set out and equipped by funds provided by the Robert Douglas Trust. More about Robert Douglas can be found at www.douglashistory.co.uk The land was donated by Charles Hutchison, described as a local benefactor. The park was opened in 1931 by the widow of Robert Douglas.
24/09/2023
Norie-Miller Riverside Walk
In May 1971 the walk within the parkland east of the River Tay and north of the Queen's Bridge was presented and gifted to Perth, for the use and pleasure of the citizens, by the directors and staff of The General Accident in recognition of Sir Stanley Norie-Miller’s contribution to the life of the city of Perth. A plaque on Queen’s Bridge commemorates this event. Within the park there is a plaque concerning a Civic Trust Award in 1972. At the car park entrance on Riverside there is a relief bust of Sir Stanley Norie-Millar on the wall and inset into the pavement is a plaque remembering Aonghais MacDonald of General Accident who inspired the walk and gardens.
24/09/2023
Perth Royal Infirmary Plaques
A plaque records the gifting of a large portion of his estate to Perth Royal Infirmary by John Graham of Tippermalo, Methven in 1922. A second plaque records a similar gift by Robert Douglas in 1932 which was used to create wards in the hospital known as “The Douglas Wards”. Robert Douglas, a native of Scone was a resident of Rochester, New York. These gifts were donated before the advent of the National Health Service when the Infirmary must have been dependent on public benefactors. A plaque records the services of Sir Francis Norie-Miller as Chairman of the Directors of the Infirmary. Perhaps this administrative arrangement might indicate the Infirmary was run on partially business-like grounds before the creation of the NHS.
24/09/2023
Thomas Hay Marshall
Thomas Hay Marshall (1770-1808) and his father-in-law Thomas Anderson, who owned the previous Blackfriars lands, were responsible for the construction of much of Georgian Perth. The construction included the building of Atholl Crescent and Street, Marshall Place and the first steps in the development of Tay Street. Rose Terrace was built on land donated by Hay Marshall. The Old Academy at its centre was built using funds raised by private subscription. Thomas Hay Marshall was Lord Provost in 1800 to 1802 and again from 1804 to 1806. During this time, he was able to upgrade the status of Provost to Lord Provost to reflect the ancient importance of the city. His statue, sculpted by the Cochrane brothers of Perth, stands inside the pillars of the dome at Perth Art Gallery. Confusingly it was a different Thomas Hay Marshall (1807-1882) who later wrote a heavy tome on the history of Perth published in 1849, a book which we have used extensively in this web site.
24/09/2023
Marjory Kennedy-Fraser
This plaque sits just to the left of Perth's Job Centre at 60-62 High Street. Erected by the Gaelic Society of Perth, it commemorates the birthplace of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, renowned collector of Hebridean Songs, in 1857. The Scots Opera Project made its Perth Festival of the Arts debut with Marjory Kennedy-Fraser’s and Granville Bantock’s Celtic folk opera, The Seal-Woman on May 21st and 22nd 2024. See more about this opera at the Scots Opera Project website.
21/05/2023
2023 SPRING LECTURE – Proposed Map of Historic Perth
Saturday 13th May 2023 at 10.30am We are delighted to announce that our new lecture series of 2023 will start with a talk inthe Soutar Theatre at the A K Bell Library. The subject matter will be an update on a veryexciting project that is being taken forward by the Perth Society of Natural Science inconjunction with the Historic Towns Trust, together with members of Perth Civic Trust toprovide a map of Historic Perth with buildings and locations of particular interesthighlighted upon it. It is the intention that this will subsequently be accompanied by a moredetailed atlas produced from the information gathered initially to produce the map, which isthe current focus. Copies of previous maps produced by the Historic Towns Trust will be ondisplay at the meeting. Speakers from Perth Civic Trust, the Perthshire Society of NaturalScience and the Historic Towns Trust will provide background on the project and updatethe meeting on current progress. We issue a warm invitation to all to come to this meeting.
10/05/2023
PCT assisting in new project to map history of Perth
Perth Civic Trust members are on a PSNS working group to design a new Historical Map of Perth.
10/04/2023
Soutar-inspired sculpture on High Street
This sculpture by David Annand at the junction of High Street and King Edward Street was inspired by William Soutar’s 1941 poem ‘Nae Day Sae Dark’.
22/01/2023
Soutar poem on Tay Street
A simple plaque on the Tay Steet flood defence wall commemorates the Scottish poet William Soutar. Inscribed upon one of the pillars is the second verse of ‘Aince upon a day’ one of Soutar’s best known poems. To accompany the poem, tiny sculptures of the creatures mentioned adorn the top of the wall.
22/01/2023