Banffshire Field Club, The

'The Banffshire Field Club was founded in 1880 by a number of professional and business men, among whom was Thomas Edward, the naturalist. An enthusiastic membership soon gathered and that summer three excursions were held, led by John Home, geologist, to Gamrie; Rev’d John Wilson to Fyvie; and William Cramond, historian, to Cullen.

'The club was part of the Northern Association of Literary and Scientific Societies and hosted their third annual joint meeting, in Banff, with representa­tion from Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Ross-shire and Nairn. Following the reading of papers by various members and supper at the Fife Arms Hotel, by 8 a.m. next day hundreds of spectators watched the procession of carriages, each drawn by a pair of horses, first stop at the Old Church of Boyndie, then at Boyne Castle, followed by the Old Kirk of Cullen and finally Cullen House. A business meeting was held on the lawn, before the carriages took the guests back to Banff.

'Following a paper by Mr.Thomas Edward, the club decided to print his paper and distribute it to other societies, and also decided that all future papers would be printed by the Banffshire Journal and be free to members. This is the source of the papers held by the club's transactions secretary today, available for a modest sum to anyone interested in a particular subject ...'