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HISTORY CONTINUED/
By the time of the next Annual General Meeting Sir Robert Scott, GCMG OBE of Lyne, a distinguished former diplomat and Colonial public-servant, had agreed to become the first Honorary President of the Society. When he died in February 1982 Lady Scott was invited to succeed him. This honorary position is now held by a
former Lord Lieutenant of the County, Lt. Col. Aidan Sprot.
From the beginning the Society adopted the pattern of activities which still operates today, namely some three or four summer outings to places or buildings of special interest, and six winter meetings at which
lectures were given on subjects within the remit of the Society's constitution. In later years Scottish Literature was added to the range of interests. Winter meetings were at first held in the Picture Gallery of the Chambers Institution, but by 1973 it was deemed to be too cramped for audiences of some sixty members and so the venue was changed to the larger Burgh Hall which had the advantage of being on the ground floor. More
recently the conversion of a former Church into a Theatre and Arts Centre gave us a new home although we still use the Burgh Hall for our Annual General Meetings.
During the 40 years of its present life the Society has been addressed by a wide range of speakers, all highly
qualified to talk about their specialist subjects, and has visited many places and buildings of special historic or social importance. In this the Society has been fortunate in being able from time to time to seek guidance from the Extra Mural Studies Department of Edinburgh University on the choice of speakers and subjects.
Many of the Society members who gave specially valuable service are no longer with us. J. Halkett Hendrie, President from 1967 to 1975, who died in February 1977, spent many years in India with a large mercantile firm before retiring to Broughton. In his retirement he gave valued service to the Church of Scotland and the
Society of Antiquaries, and travelled widely in pursuit of his ornithological interests. Charles Morrison, who followed him as President from 1975 to 1984, was distinguished in the field of education, first as a missionary in the African Gold Coast and later as a lecturer in Scotland, retiring as Vice Principal of the Dundee College of Education. In his retirement to Peebles he followed many interests, especially as a naturalist, historian and churchman, and of course the Tweeddale Society. Both Halkett Hendrie and Charles Morrison are
remembered in the Society by designated lectures in each winter's programme. Ian C Lawson, Secretary from 1967 to 1973, was an outstanding local historian whose promising army career was cut short by the Korean War where he was severely wounded. In Peebles he became a recognised authority on the history of
Tweeddale and was in great demand as a speaker. Up to his death in 1989 he supported the Society by giving talks and leading outings to places of historical interest. Another prominent member was James L (Jim) Davidson OBE, who was Treasurer from 1980 to 1991 and died in February 1992. Jim was a forestry expert who was in Burma when the Second World War caught up with him. He made his way through the jungle to China where he joined the 14th Army. For a time after the war he remained in Burma, but returned to Britain in the late 1940's and worked for the Forestry Commission as a District Officer. After his retirement he returned to Peebles and served the local community in many ways. As Treasurer his contribution went far beyond the strict requirements of the office.
Others there are to whom the Society owes a special debt but happily most of them are still with us, for which reason they are not mentioned in this account.
Apart from its winter and summer activities the Society has contributed over the years to the social and
cultural life of Tweeddale. It is often consulted about local historical matters by other societies and
organisations, students, and people seeking information about their Border roots. It participates from time to time in local exhibitions. Among its past efforts were an exhibition of old maps of Tweeddale, a survey of
local place names, and it has, for some years, sponsored the Festival Lecture during the Peebles Arts
Festival. In the late seventies it did much to promote the reactivation and enhancement of the Peebles (now Tweeddale) Museum. It also helped to compile and update an inventory of public records relating to the
period before the reorganisation of local government in 1975. One of its former members, Miss Sheila Scott, was the author of a number of excellent local historical booklets and helped to set up the John Buchan Centre in Broughton.
After 40 years the Society can truly be described as flourishing. Current membership is about 150, and growth over the years has enabled the Society to maintain the present annual membership subscription at a very modest figure. Summer outings are well supported and attendances at winter meetings usually top the
hundred mark. Annual General Meetings form part of a social evening which includes a buffet supper and a short illustrated talk, often by a Society member.
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