Contents and Contributions: Article (non-fiction)

Saltcoats Literary Society Magazine

Overview The records for the Saltcoats Literary and Debating Society are housed in Ayrshire Archives Headquarters, Ayr. They include the minutes from 1897 until 1982, along with lists of members, syllabi, cash books, correspondence and newspaper articles for various years. Read More …

The Excelsior Manuscript Magazine

Overview There are nine extant issues of the manuscript magazine that was produced by this mutual improvement society. The title was taken from the poem, ‘Excelsior’, written in 1841 by the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and the poem’s message Read More …

The Spoutmouth Institution Magazine

 Overview A summary of the history of the Spoutmouth Bible Institution is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). There is only one extant issue of this group’s manuscript magazine. It consists of 136 pages with 11 Read More …

The Literary Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the Literary Debating Society is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). Whilst becoming more proficient in their rhetorical skills at their meetings, the purpose of starting a society magazine Read More …

Aemulus

Overview The mutual improvement group that produced this magazine was based at River Terrace Church (River Terrace was later renamed Colebrooke Row), Islington, London. The church was built in 1834 for its Scottish congregation. The River Terrace Young Men’s Association Read More …

The Athenaeum: An Original Literary Miscellany

Overview Like The College Stethescope, this magazine was founded by and for the students of the University of Glasgow (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). In the ‘Preface’, the purpose of the magazine was set out: ‘Our aim has been to relieve the Read More …

Barony M.S. Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the Barony Mutual Improvement Society is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). The society was formed in 1863 by young men from the congregation of the Barony Church (Church Read More …

Dundee Diagnostic Society’s Volume for 1846

Overview Unusually, The Dundee Diagnostic Society’s Volume for 1846 was published in the ‘traditional’ manner, printed specially for the society by McCosh, Park & Dewars. The content is partially highlights from the society’s MS magazine, and partially pieces specially composed Read More …

Dundee Literary and Scientific Institute Magazine

Overview George Tawse, one of the founding Literary and Scientific Institute members, wrote a light-hearted and affectionate recollection of the society’s early days in 1846, in which he depicted its humble beginnings as eight or ten “mere lads”, meeting on Read More …

Edinburgh Collegiate Magazine

Overview Members of this literary club were enrolled at Edinburgh Collegiate College. Opened in 1868, the College was located at Nos. 27/28, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. From a photograph of the group in the 1871 magazine, the club was quite small Read More …

GENII, A Monthly Circulating Magazine

Overview This literary group was a bit unusual in that the members formed solely for the purpose of producing a magazine of original works. While they referred to their group as an ‘Association’ and collected subscriptions, it appears that they Read More …

La Bouquet

Overview The only surviving manuscript magazine from an all-female society in Dundee. The Editorial Preface pre-empts criticism by giving a very modest account of the work: “However much ladies in general, are disposed to self delusion, we can not imagine Read More …

New Literary Club Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the New Literary Club is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). The first issue of this magazine was produced in January 1893, four months after the club was founded. According Read More …

Newington Literary Magazine

Overview The young men’s association that founded this magazine met on Friday evenings in the 1860s at least. It is currently unknown if it was connected to the Newington United Presbyterian Church. The church was opened in 1848 and located Read More …

Our Literary Album

Overview The one (extant?) issue of this magazine currently housed in Argyll and Bute Archives is a photocopy of the original manuscript. The ‘Order of Circulation’ at the front of the issue lists 36 male members. From the ‘Introductory remarks Read More …

P.L.A.C. Monthly Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the Pollokshields Literary and Art Circle is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). Only one issue of this society magazine, 106 pages long, has been located, though as earlier January Read More …

Sandyford Literary Association MS Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the Sandyford Church Literary Association is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). This was a first attempt at a magazine from this association, and either it was not a success Read More …

The College News, A Quarterly Magazine

Overview This magazine was founded by Frances Martin, an influential foundress of the College for Working Women (Queen Square, Bloomsbury) which was to take Martin’s name following her death. (For more information about the College for Working Women — later Read More …

The College Stethescope and Literary Index

Overview Like The Athenaeum, this magazine was founded by and for the students of the University of Glasgow (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). The idea to start a periodical was raised at a student meeting presumably in late 1827.  There are Read More …

The Dundee Literary Society’s Magazine

Overview Dundee Literary Society’s decision to launch a magazine in December 1846 was mainly focused on extending the reach of its influence, meaning that those who could not attend meetings because of time or location could share in some of Read More …

The Essayist. A M.S. Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the Pollokshields Free Church Literary Institute is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). One 74 page volume (the second) survives of this magazine. The volume is neatly written in Read More …

The Foundry Boy

Overview A summary of the history of the Glasgow Foundry Boys’ Religious Society, Wellington Palace Branch is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). This magazine is printed in double columns and laid out in newspaper format. It Read More …

The Literary Twenty-One Club Magazine

Overview A summary of the history of the New Literary Club (which later became the Literary Twenty-One Club) is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). There is one (extant) issue of this club’s magazine, which clearly carries Read More …

The Monthly Instructer

Overview The London Metropolitan Archives suggests that this Sunday school was connected to a Baptist church that was located on Worship Street, City of London. The church itself was running from at least 1791. It was still running in the 1870s, Read More …

The Overnewton Whisper

Overview A summary of the history of the Overnewton Literary Club is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). This society’s magazine (as it was called by its contributors) is unusually presented on single sheets, with articles on Read More …

The Weekly Miscellany

Overview According to the ‘Preface’ of the 1849 volume, The Society for Mutual Improvement was formed in 1846. Since that time, it had admitted 48 men (see below) and had 108 essays delivered at its meetings. The society had its Read More …

(Magazine Evening: Magazine Later Bound)

Overview A summary of the history of the Renwick Free Church Literary Association is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). At the first formative meeting of this group in October 1889, a proposal was made to Read More …

(Title currently unknown)

Overview A summary of the history of the Western Scientific Association is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). The members of this all-male group wrote down the papers that they gave at the meetings into a Read More …

(Magazine Evening)

Overview A summary of the history of the Govan Parish Young Men’s Association is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). This association held its first ‘Manuscript Magazine Evening’ on 6 December 1892. These meetings took place Read More …

Wellpark F. C. Literary Society M.S. Magazine

On Overview A summary of the history of the Wellpark Free Church Literary Society is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below). There are three extant issues of this magazine, which together contain an eclectic mixture of prose Read More …