Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Abertay Historical Society
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Abertay Historical Society was founded at a meeting in University College, Dundee on 29 May, 1947 by the Principal, Major-General D.N. Wimberley and History Lecturer, Dr Wainwright. It was formed to encourage the study of local history in Angus, Perthshire and Fife. The Society and the University of Dundee have maintained close links: its meetings are normally held on University premises, while many members and office-holders have been University staff, including several presidents. The Society's original remit has been implemented through talks and lectures, excursions and annual publications, and with other agencies, it has also lobbied for the preservation of local historical buildings. It was instrumental in the creation of Dundee Heritage Trust. The Society also takes part in the Dundee Afternoon Lecture Series, which is run jointly by the Dundee Centre of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, the Dundee Members' Group of the National Trust for Scotland, the Dundee Naturalists' Society and the Abertay Historical Society. While based in Dundee, the Society also organises events in other parts of the Abertay area. The Archaeological Section of the Society was originally started as a semi-independent division of the Society, organising local excavations, and its own series of meetings, but from 1993, it was decided that the Council would oversee the running of the Section. The mid-1990s also saw the end of members excursions. For a brief period in the early 1970s, there was also an Industrial Archaeology Section, mainly concerned with recording the local industrial heritage. The archaeological work carried out by the Society has, since 2015, been organised by its Fieldwork Division. Since 1953, the Society has produced publications, usually on an annual basis, with the majority written by members.