FoDH Spring Talks Programme
These talks are open to all with no need to book. There is no extra charge to those with entry to Duff House nor to members of FoDH; a nominal charge is payable by others. The talks are timed to allow attendees to enjoy lunch, and/or afternoon tea, in the downstairs Tea Room. There is disabled access to all floors.
Important: The Friends Talks are a perfume free zone. We politely ask that all those coming along do not use perfumed products beforehand
| Thu 25th Jan
2 to ~3pm |
“Words for Wellbeing”. Sally Givertz is a local practitioner in the Arts and Health movement. The aim is that the use of the Arts can help people to express themselves more freely and start to feel a greater sense of wellbeing. You are invited to bring along pen and paper to perhaps add a few words of your own. The theme for this Talk is Kindness. |
| Thu 1st Feb
2 to ~3pm |
“Aberdeenshire – A New Perspective” Andy Hall is a local photographer with international recognition who has delighted Friends previously. This audio visual presentation about his new published book, is aimed at enticing us into the heartbeat, energy, spirit and wonders of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. |
| Thu 8th Feb
2 to ~3pm |
“Elgin Museum” is owned and managed by The Moray Society. The Museum is the oldest independent museum in Scotland, with artefacts from all over the world but with a special focus on Moray. It covers all periods from before the dinosaurs to the present day. Janet Trythall is well know for all her work at the museum as Vice-president of the Moray Society and as a Volunteer at the Museum and gives an extremely interesting Talk about Elgin Museum. |
| Thu 15th Feb
2 to ~3pm |
“Cullen Auld Kirk” John Aitken is a former Head of Keith Grammar and also author of “Deskford – a Lower Banffshire Parish”. His latest project has been a new guide book for Cullen Auld Kirk, a site and building that of course has links with Duff House and the Duff family. John is always informative, and the history of this Church makes for an interesting Talk. |
| Thu 22nd Feb
2 to ~3pm |
“Life Behind Bars” by Rev Ali Harvey. Alison is the Co-ordinating Chaplain at HMP and YOI (Young Offender Institution) Grampian; ie the new facility at Peterhead. |
| Thu 1st Mar
2 to ~3pm |
“Casting Light on the Picts of Northeast Scotland”. Dr Gordon Noble is Senior Lecturer and Head of Archaeology at Aberdeen University. He runs the “Northern Picts” project focusing on the post-Roman societies of northern Britain, and local digs have included Gaulcross just west of Fordyce (some of this Hoard was on display at Duff House in 2017), at Rhynie, and at Dunnicaer on the coast near Stonehaven. This allows Gordon to give us new perspective on the early kingdoms of Scotland. |
| Thu 8th Mar
2 to ~3pm |
“Recording Sound”. Ben Kennedy has had a long interest in the invention and development of phonographs, gramophones, records and some of the personalities involved with them. Not only will he give us some interesting stories but will bring along some of his collection which we can study. |
| Thu 15th Mar
2 to ~3pm |
“John Kay” was a Scottish caricaturist and engraver in Edinburgh in the late 18th and early 19th century. Wendy McGlashan is an Aberdeen PhD student who will give us an insight into this barber turned printmaker and portrait miniaturist, whose published works form a unique record of the social life and popular habits of this interesting period in Edinburgh. |
| Thu 22nd Mar
2 to ~3pm |
“Wildlife photographs” Katy Rewston is an award winning local wildlife artist who captures her subjects with her patience as a photographer. She started giving us a flavour of this over a year ago but her portfolio was much larger than one session could cover, so she returns to delight us further. Hopefully we’ll get to see some of her paintings too! |
| Thu 29th Mar
2 to ~3pm |
“Portraits by Mosman for Lord Braco” Nel Whiting studied at Dundee University using Scottish family group portraits as primary sources to explore family life in the second half of the 18th century. Lord Braco, before he became the 1st Earl Fife, had several family members painted by William Mosman, an artist probably born in Aberdeen who later returned from London and Rome to teach.
The paintings were intended to hang in Duff House and Nel will make the argument that they represent part of a determined intent to demonstrate a dynasty. William the 1st Earl and his son James, who became the 2nd Earl Fife, seem to have used paint and stone to show their family importance. |
| Thu 26th Apr
2 to ~3pm |
“Prisoners of War in the Great War” by Jim Mackay. Jim proved the depth of his research skills when a year ago he told us so much about the bombing of Duff House, and this Talk will have similar interest. This slightly shortened Talk will be followed by literally a few minutes of Friends of Duff House AGM – all welcome to stay. |