Renfrewshire Heritage

13/05/2025

All of our Family History and Local History Cafe sessions for May, June and July are now available to book online. Our July History Cafe session is a week later than usual due to Sma' Shot Day on Sat 5th July.
You can book all events on our booking website at
https://theurbanhistorian.co.uk/book-an-event/
You can discover more local history at DiscoverRenfrewshireHeritage.com or more about our Family History services at renfrewshireancestors.uk

Heritage Walks There are currently no Heritage Walks planned. History Café History Talks There are currently no History Talks planned.

13/05/2025

Did you know Andrew Coats wrote his own history of the family and the early history of J & P Coats?

I republished his orginal version a few years ago and you can get it on Amazon as a paperback or for your kindle. The original version was privatly published for family and friends, so not many copies exist.

From the Cottage to the Castle was published privately by Andrew Coats in 1892 telling the history of the family and the story of the growth of J & P Coats, cotton thread manufactures in Paisley Scotland. "If the following sketch should fall into the hands of a single member of a future generatio...

13/05/2025

Update 13 May 12noon
This session is now fully booked. Keep watching in case any places become available.

Hello all, we still have one place available for this Saturdays History Cafe in BLEND Coffee Lounge, Paisley . This month we are looking at the Cotton Thread Mills of Paisley.. we will of course looknat Coats and Clarks but the focus will be on the other manufactures that are always forgotton! We meet between 10 and 11.30am

See https://theurbanhistorian.co.uk/product/history-cafe-17th-may-2025-10am/ to grab rhe last place.

Our May Local History Cafe Session

08/05/2025

08/05/2025

Five-month-old lion cub 'Leo' in the forecourt of a petrol station in Johnstone, Renfrewshire. Leo's owner Tom Gillespie ran the garage. Customer is Helen Gillespie. (1975)

07/05/2025

Although our main heritage walks will not return until later in the year, we can offer a set walking tour for small groups (up to 4 people). See our listing on Visit Scotland for details, and contact us directly by email or Whatsapp for availability.

Starting with Lunch at Paisley's well-known Allan's Fish and Chip Restaurant on Storie Street, we then explore the history of the town.

07/05/2025

Although our main heritage walks will not return until later in the year, we can now provide limited bespoke tours for small groups (of up to 4 people). See our listing on Visit Scotland for details, and contact us directly by email or Whatsapp for availability.

Designed to suit your needs, our bespoke Heritage Walks in Renfrewshire will give you a glimpse into the varied and amazing history of the County. Come and explore the well-known medieval Abbey & thread mills and weavers cottages that still survive

06/05/2025

On a day when Paisley remembers the Woodside First Aid Post Disaster on the 6th May 1941 we need to remember that others also died that day such as John Sydney Farrow and David Wilson who died when a land mine dropped on the Newton Street Patrol Post. John (16) was a Messenger and David (30) was a Fireman. Both were members of the Auxiliary Fire Service. John was buried in Woodside Cemetery and David in Abbey Cemetery, Elderslie.

Another death on the 6 May 1941 was Duncan Smith, a civilian, of Renfrew. He died after being injured at 11 Queen Street, and was buried in Arkleston Cemetery.

We remember everyone.

02/05/2025

01/05/2025

I know it is only the 1st of May, but I'm planning ahead. The Family History Cafe on the 7th of June is now available to book. In June, we are going to look at Renfrewshire Church records to see how they can help us find missing relatives. Despite civil registration arriving in 1855, most churches continued to record baptisms, marriages and deaths (to the present day), so post 1855 records can be as useful as the pre 1855 Parish records.

See https://theurbanhistorian.co.uk/book-an-event/ to book your place. As usual the session is free, though small donations are welcome.


Scottish Genealogy Society Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS Group Renfrewshire Ancestors Group BLEND Coffee Lounge, Paisley Paisley Arts Centre Mill Renfrewshire

26/04/2025

Coming up next Saturday, 3rd May we have our next Family History Cafe at BLEND See the link below for information and booking.

Our May Family Cafe Session

24/04/2025

'Auld Simon' otherwise known as St John's Kirk or St Winnock's in Lochwinnoch

Today's outing was to Lochwinnoch - Here is 'Auld Simon' otherwise known as St John's Kirk or St Winnock's. Sitting on Johnshill, this is an early church site, and it was in use until the early 19th Century when an irregular octagon church was built on Church Street between 1806 and 1808