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See the history around you! This image shows Thomas Graham’s shop at No 21 (where No 31 is today), High Street with Thomas standing at the front door and presumably a staff member behind him. Thomas was an Outfitter and his window dispay of hats and stiff collars can be clearly seen in the…
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With the demise of the Facade of the second Territorial Drill Hall on Paisley High Street in the last few weeks, this may be a good time to remember the original Drill Hall that sat on the site before 1896. I’m not sure when first Drill Hall was constructed, but by 1896 it is…
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This event is now fully booked Join us on the 15th February 2025 at 10am in Blend Coffee Lounge at Paisley Arts Centre for our first in-person history Cafe of 2025. Get a drink from Blend, and then let us talk Paisley & Renfrewshire Heritage! There is no set topic, so come prepared to…
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Over the last few weeks, Paisley has been talking about the disappearance of the Bargarran witch hunt commemorative horseshoe, part of the Tondo designed by the Kings Sculptor and Buddie, Alexander Stoddart. In the past the Bargarran witches have been blamed for dark times in Paisley when the horseshoe has previously disappeared, such as…
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Paisley in March 1838 On the 1st of March 1838 Messers Barr and McNab of the Abercorn Foundry launched the first ever steamer built on the white Cart. This iron boat was 38.1 meters in length a breadth of 4.27 meters and a depth of 2.84 meters. The hull weighed 45 tons. The Royal…
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The Welcome Library has published a fascinating book from 1658 to c1662 with a list of witches named in Scotland. The original manuscript list is written by several hands but also contains a later transcript. The original document is endorsed: ‘Names of the witches. 1658’. There is one short section on Renfrewshire. The document…
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Today if you mention Paisley ship building to residents or visitors they are very surprised. Paisley’s shipbuilding heritage has a long history, from building canal boats at Saucel to numerous shipyards on the White Cart. Fleming & Ferguson has its origins in 1885 when William Y Fleming bought over the Phoenix shipyard of H…
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Paisley’s 19th century County Buildings & Jail, sat between county Square and the River White Cart. They replaced Paisley Tollbooth which sat at the corner of the High Street and Moss Street. In turn, The County of Renfrew decided that their space in the buildings was too small and in 1887 they decided to…
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From the New Paisley Repository No.4 Saturday, January, 15th. 1853 SONG. To the Air – ” CAPTAIN PATON.” Composed after reading the life of Peter Burnet, commonly known in Paisley by “BLACK PETER.” Peter Burnet – “Black Peter” was born on the estate of Thos. Todd, Esq. in the state of Virginia,…
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From 2019: We are a bit behind when it comes to adding news and research to the website just now, but here is the story of the discovery a few weeks ago of the outlet of the Paisley Abbey Drain and most likely part of the old river wall as well. We already knew…