Tam O'Shanter

Our next talk is on 8 February 2018 at 7.30 in the Lecture Room of Paisley museum. The speaker is Jim Thomson on Tam O'Shanter. The talk will explain the origins of the poem, how the poem fits in terms of social history, who the characters were and a light hearted exploration with the audience of the lost language the poem contains.

Non-members welcome at a cost of £3.00

The speaker has provided the following biography.

A native of East Ayrshire he joined the Police in 1973.  He served in a variety of roles in uniform and CID rising through the ranks to Superintendent where he held the posts of Head of Operational Policing at South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire.  He has obtained several professional qualifications and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.  He retired from the police in February 2004.

On retirement he started a management and HR consultancy company.

Away from work his main pastime relates to the life and works of Robert Burns.  He is Past President of New Cumnock Burns Club, Past President of Kilmarnock Howff Burns Club and an Honorary President of Greenock Burns Club.   He is also Past President of the Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs, a member of the Robert Burns Guild of Speakers and is a Past President of the Robert Burns World Federation.  In 2010 he published the book In and Out of Tam o’ Shanter, The Story of a Tale which examines and explains that great epic poem.

the non-medical use of drugs, a vicious indulgence, or common human behaviour?

Our next talk will take place on 25 January 2018 at 7.30 pm in the lecture hall at Paisley Museum. non-members welcome, entrance fee £3.00.

The speaker will be Dr Iain McPhee from the UWS, Paisley.

Summary of the talk

Iain introduces the subject of the use of drugs from a historical position.  He presents data about the consequences of drug taking, and the consequences of criminalising and medicalising human behaviour.

Iain provides an often humorous and irreverent position on how medicine, the police, academics and the public stereotype drugs and drugs users.

In this discussion Iain provides evidence to answer the question is taking drugs a normal part of human experience or a vicious indulgence that results in degradation and death?

Iain provides some answers to the use of drug in ceremonial religious practice, giving an alternative view of drug use in history.  In the presentation Iain will reveal:

¡  The true story of father Christmas

¡  Why reindeers with red noses are important in the story of Rudolph

¡  Why people actually do eat ‘yellow snow’…

The following is a brief extract from his biography:

Iain has worked within the addiction field since 1991, working in a variety of drug services and therapeutic institutions and with a range of drug users.

He completed an honours degree in Psychology and sociology in 1995.

A Master’s degree in 2003 and in 2012 Iain completed his PhD at University of Stirling.

Iain is currently working as a full time Senior Lecturer at UWS in the School of media culture and society. 

Since 2000 he taught on the postgraduate Alcohol and Drugs Studies.

His research interests include exploring the experiences of non-treatment seeking drug takers.  Iain currently supervises 5 PhD students.  2 to completion most recently.

He has written 2 books and 25 peer reviewed academic papers.  He has delivered over 40 peer reviewed conference papers in Europe on his specialist subjects of drug and alcohol addiction.

Chinese Imperial Court Costume: A Journey through the Imperial Wardrobe

Our next meeting will take place on Thursday 11 January 2018 in the Lecture Theatre at Paisley Museum. Our speaker will be David Rosier. Please note that this meeting will commence at 2 pm.

Non-members welcome entrance fee £3.00

A synopsis of the talk is  below with a brief biography of the speaker:

Chinese Imperial Court Costume and Accessories (1644-1911)

‘A Journey through the Imperial Wardrobe’

This lecture provides an insight into mandated  Court Costume, plus dress accessories, that would have been worn  by men and women on formal and semi-formal occasions (Regulated Court Costume) whilst at Court or positioned within Central or Provincial Government during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Initial consideration will be given to the history, nature, structure and iconography of formal, mandated, Court Costume, plus Insignia of Rank, worn by the Imperial Clan plus Civil and Military Officials.

The focus will then move to a review of the full scope of the Emperor’s Wardrobe from State Robes, and regalia, through to informal wear

In contrast, consideration will be given to robes, and dress accessories, worn on an informal basis, or for special family occasions, by members of the Court either in their official capacity or in their private lives.

The lecture will include an insight into the highly decorative costume worn by high ranking Chinese Ladies

David Rosier is a Chartered Insurer, and Fellow of the Assurance Medical             Society, by profession with a specialization in medical risk assessment.

He has spent in excess of 25 years focusing on business in Asia, and China in particular, and for 14 years he and his family lived in Hong Kong.

During the years in Hong Kong David, and his wife Wendy, created a collection of in excess of 500 Imperial Qing Dynasty, and related items, of costume and dress accessories.

He is a past committee member of the Hong Kong Textile Society.

Since returning to UK David has lectured extensively on Chinese Court Costume of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) plus the history, culture and arts of this period.  Groups visited have been as diverse as The National Trust, Textile Guilds, Confucius Institutes, Art Fund and Oriental focused societies, university departments and museums.

David is an Accredited Lecturer for The Arts Society (formerly NADFAS) and lectures regularly around the UK and in Europe. In addition, David has undertaken lecture tours to New Zealand and Australia and leads tours to China that focus on Imperial Art and Culture.