Biggar and Clydesdale Museum

Many HSS members will remember our member, the late Brian Lambie MBE, quondam Provost of Biggar, whose indefatigable love of heritage led to the creation of several museums in Biggar and surrounds, most notably the Biggar and Clydesdale Museum. An obituary for Brian, who died in 2015, can be found HERE.

Now, by courtesy of one of our distinguished Vice-Presidents, Elizabeth Roads LVO, in her capacity as Secretary to the Order of the Thistle, the Biggar and Clydesdale Museum is organizing a Summer Exhibition - from mid-June until mid-August - of some of the CRESTS of the Order of the Thistle which are permanently stored at the Lyon Office.

The Manager of the Museum, Elaine Edwards (centre) visited the Office last week accompanied by two trustees, Anne Seawright (2nd left) and Sharon Bradley (second right). Artists Clare McCrory (1st left) and Maggie Spalding (1st right) delighted the visitors by showing them some of their work.

Many of the Thistle Crests are superb examples of the art of wood-carving so it is great that they are getting an outing. The current ones are too high up in the Thistle Chapel for viewing and some of those in the Lyon Office are not very accessible either so this is a great opportunity to see them properly. The comparatively simple blazons for crests seem to me to be a very good start to teaching the art of blazonry to children so this is also a great educational opportunity, much enhanced by the book on  Thistle Stall-Plates by two HSS Fellows, Charles Burnett and Leslie Hodgson.

Do plan a visit to Biggar over the Summer - exact details to follow. Here are some samples, expertly caught by Social Secretary Edward Mallinson - which reminds me: remember to get your entries in ASAP for the HSS Photographic Competition. You can find another form here if you have lost yours.

Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope

Duke of Argyll

The