Between a rock and a hard place: our geological heritage on Royal Deeside

The rocks of Deeside are dominated by granites , which have an enormous impact upon our landscape and upon our economy.  Emeritus Professor Gordon Walkden, the coordinator of the  Royal Deeside Centre heritage and tourism project, will give an illustrated talk on the origin and significance of these amazing rocks.

On Thursday 12 December, Colin Johnston presented this timely talk on Aberdeen’s Freedom Lands, as this is the 700th anniversary of their donation to the Burgesses of Aberdeen by Robert the Bruce, in acknowledgement of those who had helped him establish the independence of the Kingdom. The background to the donation by Charter, and the location of the lands, was highlighted, as was the clash between Bruce’s original intentions and what actually came to pass in Aberdeen. Historically this was a unique donation which is now in many ways forgotten or misrepresented. Rectifying that, Colin revealed what became of the lands, and the original boundary march stones.

Henry Grey, Surgeon of the Great War

On 21st November, Tom Scotland gave a splendid talk on the surgical innovations pioneered in WW1 by the Aberdeen surgeon Henry Grey- made all the more poignant by the inclusion of poems from the war.