The annual South Ayrshire History Fair will take place in the Walker Halls, Troon on Saturday 7 June 2008. Councillor Margaret Toner, Depute Leader of the Council and Portfolio Carrier for Community Services will open the Fair.
Councillor Margaret Toner said: “The South Ayrshire History Fair is always a great event and I am really looking forward to it. There will be a large range of stalls available from 9 am to 4.30 pm and admission to them is free. These will include family history societies, local and national history organisations, professional/commercial businesses and a specialist Scottish bookshop, with books covering a wide range of topics.
“The Fair is very interesting with something to appeal to all ages, so I would encourage people to come along.”
A full programme of events has been organised with guest speakers talking for approximately one hour on the following topics:
10 am Robert Cunnynham of Glengarnock and the West Indian Plantocracy
Dr Eric Graham, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
11am Celebrating 100 years of the work in the West of Scotland of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland Dr Alex Hale, Archaeology Projects Manager, RCAHMS
12 noon Lunch
2 pm Early Maps of Ayrshire, an Ayrshire centred introduction to Scotland’s Map Library
Laragh Quinney, Map Services Manager, National Library of Scotland
3 pm How to use the National Archives of Scotland without coming to Edinburgh
Pete Wadley, Search room Archivist, Historical Search Section, National Archives of Scotland
The cost of attending an individual talk is £3, and tickets may be purchased from Troon Library and Carnegie Library, Ayr, prior to the event, or at the door on Saturday 7 June 2008. For anyone who wishes to attend the all day programme of events the cost is £10 and £18.00 for those who wish to have lunch at the venue. These types of bookings must be made in advance of the event.
Stalls can be booked at a charge of £10 for societies and organisations and £20 for commercial businesses, there are limited places available so it is advisable to book early. Two stallholder passes that allow access to all the talks will be issued for each stall that is booked.
Anyone who would like further information, or wants to make a booking should contact South Ayrshire History Fair, Library Headquarters, 26 Green Street, Ayr, telephone number 01292 288820. Alternatively leaflets on the event, which contain a booking form, are available at libraries throughout South Ayrshire.