A SHORT HISTORY OF THE LEICESTER CALEDONIAN SOCIETY

Creation of the Society was first suggested at a Burns Festival held at the Bell Hotel, Leicester in January 1877 and confirmed at a Burns night banquet in the Masonic Hall, Halford Street, Leicester on 25th January 1878. The banquet was chaired by Mr J M Brown and was reported in the Leicester Daily Mercury. A silver quaich commemorating the event is still in our possession.

The first AGM was held on Burns night 1879 when Mr A Ross was elected President. Unfortunately, records of the early years before 1904 were lost some time ago but the remaining Minute books and more recent financial records have been deposited in the Leicestershire Public Records Office, Wigston for safe keeping. www.leics.gov.uk

During World War I, social functions were abandoned but Society members took good care of wounded servicemen and nurses at the RAMC’s 5th Northern General Hospital in Leicester.

After the war, activities were revived and ladies were admitted to the Society as Associate members from 1922 when the subscriptions were raised to 7/6 for Full members and 5/- for Associate members. A regular news Bulletin was first issued in 1929 and continued ever since.

The President’s badge of office was purchased for 12 guineas in 1930 and is still worn with pride by successive Presidents.

The Society was formally affiliated with the Burns Federation ( Roll No 461 ) on 17th July 1932 as another way of perpetuating our Scottish heritage. Membership was around 250 persons at the time.

In the second World War, Monday evening socials and Scottish country dancing continued with good support from the Royal Army Pay Corps based in Leicester but no other major social events were held.

After the War, ladies were admitted as Full members from a Special General Meeting on 17th June 1946 and have since been Council members and Presidents with great success.

The original Leicester Caledonian Society Pipe Band was formed on 19th April 1948 and followed by establishment of a choir, the Caledonian Singers in 1950.

At the Society’s 75th anniversary in 1952, membership was 540 and all was going well but later social changes and an aging population saw numbers falling.

The centenary celebrations centred on a splendid Burns dinner at the Grand Hotel, Leicester attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, the Lord Mayor of Leicester and Mr R K Sprigg, a grandson of founder member, John Morris Brown. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II sent a telegram of congratulations in her own Jubilee year. A centenary banner was embroidered by Mrs Julia Wells and has been in use ever since.

In 1980, Leicester was the venue for the annual conference of the Burns Federation attended by over 500 delegates from around the world. They enjoyed a Civic reception in De Montfort hall given by the Lord Mayor Councillor Herbert Sowden and the installation of Mrs Mollie Rennie as the new Federation President at the inaugural dinner. A successful conference concluded with a service at St Margaret’s church.

A significant change to our Rules was adopted after heated debate at the AGM in 1999 to allow anyone who supports our Objects to become Full members of the Society. This has not diluted our Scottishness or activities and our numbers are steady at around 160 members.

A recent spectacular event was the Scottish Festival held in conjunction with SICUL at the National Space Centre, Leicester as our contribution to the Burns 250th anniversary year celebrations. Over 130 visitors enjoyed a pipe band, singers, dancers, slide show, accordionist and speakers plus a traditional haggis supper. The event raised £1,000 for the National Burns Memorial Homes and the Space Centre’s own charity.