Paisley Museum team uncovers links to Scotland’s Victorian lost world champion runner, William Cummings The team behind the £45 million refurbishment of Paisley Museum have unearthed the story behind a Paisley distance runner who was the Mo Farah of his time. William Cummings, was born in 1858 in Paisley, to a family of shoemakers....
Read MoreRichard Vassie, Cameron Swanson and John R Hume talk to us about Ferguslie Thread Works and their place in both local and international history When it comes to Renfrewshire, it’s safe to say that we don’t shy away from our proud industrial history, particularly as it pertains to our storied relationship with thread. Once...
Read MoreThousands turned out to enjoy a day of spectacular parades, performances and live entertainment at Paisley’s annual Sma’ Shot Day celebrations on Saturday 2 July 2022. The event is one of the world’s oldest workers’ festivals and celebrates the famous victory of Paisley’s weavers in a 19th century industrial dispute. The fun began with...
Read MoreA time capsule containing memories of life in Paisley has been placed inside the foundations of Paisley Town Hall during the £22m transformation into a landmark entertainment venue for the west of Scotland. The striking Victorian-era town hall – part of the legacy of Paisley’s proud past at the centre of the world’s textile...
Read MoreThe second article that looks back upon some of Renfrewshire’s pioneering figures that helped to mould our area into the prosperous and forward-thinking community that it is, artist and heritage consultant Lil Brookes guides us through the revolutionary and civic duty-led life of Jane Arthur as she becomes the first woman in Scotland to...
Read MoreIn the first of a series of articles that looks back upon some of Renfrewshire’s pioneering figures that helped to mould our area into the prosperous and forward-thinking community that it is, artist and heritage consultant Lil Brookes guides us through the revolutionary and civic duty-led life of Jane Arthur. The bells of the...
Read MoreA new walking tour app is being launched to highlight the story of the Scottish Radical War of 1820 and Paisley’s role in the conflict. Paisley Radicals: Catalysts for Change is part audio play, part walking tour where history will be brought to life as participants immerse themselves in the stories and places in...
Read MoreSocial historian Lil Brookes reveals her thoughts on the painting, Paisley Cross 1868. This painting is one I’ve known and loved for many years and was prominently displayed until Paisley Museum & Art Galleries closed for refurbishment. I find it fascinating as it seeks I think to tell many stories about Paisley. The setting of...
Read MoreDress and Textiles History Scholar Lucy McConnell transports us back to the heyday of textile production in Renfrewshire at the time of the Paisley shawl. Recognised for its level of production and the quality of industrial output, Renfrewshire was a major manufacturer of textiles across numerous decades. As woven textile production spread throughout the...
Read MoreGo deeper underground in the company of urban historian Stephen Clancy, as he takes us on a fascinating journey through time. The hidden gems of Renfrewshire’s past are mostly hidden beneath our feet, never to be seen again. However, in some cases such as Paisley Abbey’s magnificent Medieval Drain, currently under excavation once again,...
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