The village has a newly formed HISTORY GROUP. We are holding an exhibition on the history of the village but we need your help.
Do you have any old photos, postcards or anything else that you feel is important and could be shown?
We will scan anything and return the original.
If you feel you can help please contact any of the people listed below
James Bolton 01890 818210
Tam Simpson 01890 818685
Susan Latheron 01890 818573
Linda Gray 01890 818474
Mark Kinghorn 01890 818467
Ken Brown 01890 818972
Chirnside History Group is planning to hold a small exhibition displaying photographs and memorabilia from the village's past.
If anyone has any items that they would be prepared to loan for the exhibition could they please call George Brown on 10890 818374, email the site by clicking the link in the bottom right corner of this page or call in at the Beacon.
All such items will be treated with care.
We would be particularly interested if anyone has any photographs, etc. related to the Italian/German prisoner of war camps sited near to the village towards the end of the Second World War.
If you have any photographs showing views of the village from the past and would be happy for them to appear on this page please email them to the site.
For information on Chirnside from the 1930s to 1960s, visit this website (opens in new window)
PROGRAMME FOR 2009/2010
December 21st –
January
18th Andrew Tulloch – Coldstream Guards
February15th – Sandra Gann
- Lady Almoners at Bart’s
March 15th Gareth
Burgess – History of the Postcard
April 19th
– Memories of Chirnside Past
May
17th - Outing ?
November 16th – Bill Henderson – Dr Henderson Chirnside Surgeon and Poet
On Monday night the group were given a talk by Bill Henderson Great Great Grandson of Dr George Henderson, doctor, poet and surgeon of Chirnside 1800 to 1864.
We learned of the doctor's life from his birth at Little Billie Farm House, his education at Lintlaw School, Grammer Hall Auchencrow and Edinburgh University where he first studied English then medicine and eventually surgery.
After qualifying he came back to Chirnside in 1829 and set up as a doctor and surgeon. Bill read some of the many poems written by the Dr. which were published in the Berwick Advertiser and, eventually, the book 'The Popular Rhymes Sayings and Proverbs of the County of Berwick' was published in 1856.
Dr Henderson was a founding member of the Berwickshire Naturalists Club and when he died, in 1864, he was much missed.
He was regarded as a good poor man's doctor. He married Margaret
Hood who was twenty years younger and they had 13 children, although
only seven survived to adulthood.
His widow lived on in Chirnside for another thirty years and one of
his sons, Robert, was the village chemist and died in 1915.
The Parish Church
October 19th – Dr Gaskin - David Hume
A well attended meeting heard Dr Gaskin give an interesting and informative talk on DAVID HUME one of Chirnside’s famous sons.
Chirnside and Duns can lay claim to two of the greatest ever philosophers Duns Scotus and David Home.
There is little to commemorate David Hume's connection with Chirnside except a small plaque on the bridge at the paper mill; unfortunately no trace remains of the family home at Ninewells.
What was the history of this great man born in Edinburgh 26th April 1711, who lived at Ninewells for 11 years? The family were not very wealthy.
There are no records of his time in Edinburgh where he studied law between 1926 and 1934. On leaving Edinburgh he went to Bristol to work in commerce, which he did not like, and after a short time we went to Anjou in France were he stayed for a number of years. Here he wrote ‘ Treaties of Human Nature’ which people of the time did not understand, it was regarded an anti religious.
In 1752 he became Librarian to the Faculty of Advocates During this time he wrote the History of England. He spent a number of years in the diplomatic service and returned to Edinburgh in 1768 where he settled until his Death in 1776.
Dr Gaskin also explained why David Hume’s works in philosophy and economics are so highly regarded today.
Chirnside Primary School
The original mill buildings form part of Ahlstrom's modern factory
The Doocot