Bute Museum & Natural History Society (Scottish Charity No. SC009667)
Understanding the archaeology, history, flora, fauna and geology of Bute and beyond
Information for members: if you have changed your address, please let us know,
either at the Museum or email info.butemuseum@gmail.com .
Meetings take place on alternate Tuesday evenings in the library of Bute Museum, Stuart Street, Rothesay, commencing at 7.30pm.
Scroll down for details of speakers and topics – to appear as the programme takes shape
- Membership enquiries to info.butemuseum@gmail.com .
- Meetings take place on alternate Tuesday evenings in the library of Bute Museum, Stuart Street, Rothesay, commencing at 7.30pm.
- See also indoor meetings of the Bute Bird Group.
2026
6th October Scott McFie, University of Glasgow: ‘Fishing on Bute during the age of improvement, 1750-1815’
27th October Rebecca Synnott (SETU) & Malcolm Newdick: ‘’Red Squirrel Genetic Study on Bute – the results’.
3rd Nov Iain Murray, author and researcher: ‘Bouncing bombs in Loch Striven – a Cinderella story (with robots)’
17th Nov Society and Friends: ‘Centennial – a potted history and the future.’
1st Dec Matt Knight, National Museum of Scotland: ‘Scotland’s First Warriors: Conflict and violence from the Neolithic to Roman period.’
2027
5th January Members magazine
19th January Lynette Robertson & Alison McKenzie: ‘A race against time: the work of Scotland’s Churches Trust Rapid Recorders.’
2nd February Neil Hammatt, Holy Loch Nature Reserve: ‘Wilding and rewilding the Holy Loch: a look at how nature has created the habitats and species we see at the reserve today.’
16th February Claire Hallybone, Wreckspeditions: ‘Wrecks of the Clyde’
2nd March Nicki Whitehouse, Dept of Archaeology, University of Glasgow: ‘Arran’
16th March Annual General Meeting followed by the Annual Social Event
2026
6th January tbc (possible talk on excavation at Creag Liath, Kilfinan)
20th January Rebecca Synott, South-Eastern Technical University in Ireland, and Malcolm
Newdick: ‘Getting DNA from Bute’s red squirrels’
3rd February ‘Lucy Lapwing’, naturalist and broadcaster: The BIG drama of little lives of Bute:
Stories of the tiny life under our noses
17th February Harriet Tatton, DigVentures: ‘The work of Dig Ventures in Cowal and the west of
Scotland’
3rd March Leif Bersweden, naturalist and author: Couch to 10 Mosses: Bringing Bute’s
bryophytes to life
17th March Annual General Meeting followed by the Annual Social Event
2025
7th October Stuart Nisbet, local historian: ‘From the Clyde to the Caribbean’
21st October Scott McFie, University of Glasgow: ‘ The Bute Agricultural Society, the Early Years
1806-1850’
4th November Sophie Shields and Michael Amos, Clyde Dolphin and Cetacean Group: ‘Cetaceans
of the Clyde’
18th November Helen Spenser, Head of Research , Society of Antiquaries of Scotland:
‘Archaeological Research in Argyll and Bute’
2nd December Paul Unwin, Bute Museum Natural History Curator: Biodiversity monitoring on
Bute
Bird Group Lecture Programme
2025
14th October Malcolm Newdick: My Favourite Bute Bird – an audience participation evening. Audience
members can name their favourite Bute bird and say why. Our panel of local bird experts
will discuss the bird, adding their thoughts and knowledge. With some nibbles.
11th November Paul Unwin: Owl pellet dissection – a fascinating, microscopic delve into an owl’s diet.
9th December Ray and Jackie Eddie: A review of 12 highlights of the year. The audience are encouraged
to participate again, providing their own particular highlights. Wine and cheese too.
2026
13th January Malcolm Newdick: Why do birds lay eggs?
10th February Ron Forrester, Ian Hopkins & Ray Eddie: A beginners guide to gull identification. Covering:
▪ The gulls regularly seen around Bute
▪ How to identify them in summer and winter
▪ Clues to help with immature birds
10th March AGM followed by a bird trivia quiz. Cheese, wine and nibbles. Chris Moss
2024/25
Tue 8th October Laura Millar: Historic Environment Scotland, Rothesay Castle
:
Tue 22nd October Greg Beecroft: Friends of Wemyss Bay Station, A History of Wemyss Bay Station
Tue 5th November Roger Connard: BM&NHS, Wild Flowers of Bute – what’s in a name
Tue19th November Paul Thomas: Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd & University of Stirling, Mycorrhizal Research
Tue 3rd December Jason Coles: Dunoon Divers, Marine Life on Shipwrecks in the Clyde
2025
Tue 7th January Matthew Young: Linn Botanic Garden, Helensburgh,
Linn Botanic Garden and Monkey Puzzle Trees
Tue 21st January Ian Dow: Argyll Countryside Trust, Temperate Rainforests
Tue 4th February Adrian Maldonado: National Museums Scotland, Christianity on the Clyde
Tue 18th February TBC
Tue 4th March Billy Shields: BM&NHS, Ospreys on Bute
Tue 18th March AGM & Social evening
Bird Group Programme
Indoor meetings
2024
Tue 15th October – Jean Ainsley – Focusing on the Wild
Tue 12th November Ray Eddie Bird Watching on the Island of Lesvos
Tue 10th December DVD & Cheese and wine
2025
Tue 14th January – Malcolm Newdick- A tale of Two divers, Great Northern diver & the Great Auk
Tue 11th February – Mike- TBC
Tue 11th March- AGM – Ray Eddie Review of the Year. Wine and nibbles
Field trips;
Friday 25th – Monday 28th October 2024 – East Coast
Leader – Ray – Leaving on the 8.05am ferry for a three night stay on the east coast
Wednesday 13th November 2024 – Hogganfield Loch, Frankfield Loch and Binghams Pond –
Leader – Ray – Leaving on the 8.05am ferry for a day birding around Glasgow. Please bring a packed
lunch
Saturday 14th December 2024 – Bays of Bute –
Leader – Liz – Meet at 10am Guildford Square for a few hours birding around the Island
Saturday 11th January 2025 – Bird Race –
Leader – Ron – The usual race round the Island from !0am – 1pm with lunch afterwards
Wednesday 12th February 2025 – Lochwinnoch, Castle Semple and Rowbank –
Leader – Mike – Details to follow
Saturday 15th March 2025 – Bird Hides of Bute –
Leader – Malcolm – Meet at 10am Guildford Square for a few hours birding from the hides
Wednesday 16th April 2025 – Gigha –
Leader – Ron – Details to follow
2023/24
10 October Eileen Budd: The Travelling Folk Museum; island and fishing related folk objects.
24 October Dr Stephen Harrison: The Drumachloy Sword; exploring a potential Viking burial on Bute.
7 November Dr Mark Young: Freshwater Pearl Mussels.
21 November John MacCallum: Hidden in plain sight; Lord Bute’s lost warehouses and MacLea’s Manse.
2024
9 January (Member’s Magazine) TBC
23 January Tony Prosser: The Mini submarines on operation.
6 February Sue Hothersall: The survey of Deserted Farmsteads on Bute.
20 February Gordon Rothero: Bryophytes; mosses, liverworts and hornworts.
5 March Jim Malcolm: Where geology meets archaeology in Kilmartin Glen.
19 March AGM
2022/23
11 October Robert Patterson: Marine Operations and the work of the British Antarctic Survey
25 October Andrew Whitely: wheat varieties and “Scotland the Bread’
8 November Dr Matt Knight: Treatment and Deposition of Bronze Age Metal
22 November Tertia Barnett: The Rock Art Project
6 December Tony Prosser: The secret submarines of Port Bannatyne
2023
10 January Malcom Newdick, Samuel Lindsay. Jackie Eddie and Barbara Rimington : The Red Squirrel Project
24 January Jean McMillan and Anne Speirs: The Marshall Family
7 February David Hill: Butterflies and Moths of the Clyde.
21 February Peter Creech: Scotland’s rain forests
7 March Amanda Duffy: Bee Behaviour and Bee Keeping
21 March Annual General Meeting
2022/23 Bird Group Programme
Indoor Meetings
18 October Billy Shields: Birding in Gambia
15 November Lucy Hodson: ” A Seagull ate my Chihuahua’
13 December Ray Eddie: Review of the Year. Jackie Eddie: Website update. Cheese and Wine
17 January Nadia Shaikh: The Right to Roam Campaign
14 February David Jardine: Great Northern Divers
14 March Annul General Meeting
Outdoor Meetings
Sat 1 October Musselborough: Meet Rothesay Ferry Terminal for 8.05am Ferry. Leader Ray Eddie (500626)
Tue 8-11 November Possible 3 night trip to Islay. Details to follow. Leader Margaret MacDonald (503799)
Sat 3 December Lochs of Bute. Meet Guildford Sq. for 10am start. Leader Dougie Menzies (505732)
2021/22
5 October Anne Bissell: From Perinthus 430BC to 21 Century Rothesay; Why all the work of the Bute Museum & Natural History Society Matters More than Ever.
12 October Bird Group: Ray Eddie, A birding week in Orkney.
19 October Leslie Hills, Skyline Productions: Margaret Davidson; Researching the Forgotten Women
02 November Alison Sheridan: Neolithic Bute and its place in the big picture of Neolithic Scotland
09 November Bird Group: Bernie Zonfrillo “Gannets”
16 November Jean McMillan: A Walk round Rothesay 70 years ago
30 November Chris McInerney: Orchids.
12 December Bird Group: Review of the year plus Cheese & wine
14 December Sue Hothersall: The Kelp industry in Scotland
11 January Members Magazine
18 January Bird Group: ” Members night ” organised by Liz McKirdy
25 January Tertia Barnett: Rock Art Scotland 2017 – 2022
8 February Iain McLeod: The Highland Clearances
15 February Bird Group: Billy Shields, Birdwatching in the Gambia.
22 February Ron Forrester: Bute’s colourful, charismatic flying animals – birds, butterflies and moths’.
8 March Ian Dow: (Woodland Co-ordinator) Saving Scotland’s Rainforests
15 March Bird Group: AGM short presentation plus drinks & nibbles
22 March AGM
2020
14 January Members’ Magazine
28 January Philippa Ascough (Glasgow University): Advances & endeavours in scientific archaeology, a Scottish perspective.
11 February Paul Yoxon (International Otter Survival Fund): Eurasian otters in the UK & the work of the International Otter Survival Fund
25 February Ashleigh Whiffin (National Museum Scotland): Carrion, Coleoptera and Curation
10 March Nicky Bird (Glasgow School of Art): Photographs, archives and islands
24 March Annual General Meeting, weather report, social
2019
08 October Peter Baxter (RBGE): Benmore Botanic Gardens – recent projects & future plans.
22 October John Davies (Glasgow University): Old Testament names in Medieval Scotland.
05 November William Yeomans (Clyde River Foundation): The Clyde River Foundation – twenty years of science, education & public engagement from Leadhills to Wemyss Bay.
19 November Jo Davis (Butterfly Conservation) The life of moths
03 December Ray Perman: The financial ruin of Walter Scott and how he got out of it.
2018
09 January 2018 Members’ Magazine
23 January 2018 Marian Pallister Giving a voice to the past: grassroots history
06 February 2018 Tertia Barnet – Rock Art
20 February 2018 Fraser Hunter – Scotland’s early silver – from Roman bribes to Pictish bling
06 March 2018 Jeanne Robinson Invertebrates of Scotland’s ancient oaks
20 March 2018 Annual General Meeting, Weather report, Social
2017
03 October Jess Smith – Belonging to a Tinker Clan
17 October Rebecca Crawford, Butterfly Conservation Peatlands for People
31 October Moira Cunningham History of Mosaics
14 November Ben Harrower, Beavers, wildcats & Knapdale
28 November Manuela de los Rios – Community of Arran Seabed trust
Previous years’ meetings
2016
11 October 2016 Jess Smith [Invergeldie] Belonging to a Tinker Clan
25 October 2016 Neil McCheyne [Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh] Plant collecting in tiger country
08 November 2016 Jean McMillan [Bute Museum & BNHS] Men and women of Bute in World War One
22 November 2016 Isabel & Colin Sharp [Bute Museum & BNHS] Namibia
Wed 23 Nov 2016 Jazz at the Museum with Tim Saul and his band (fundraiser)
06 December 2016 George McKenzie [Bute Museum] The River Clyde
2017
17 January 2017 Members’ magazine
31 January 2017 Paul Duffy [Brandanii Archaeology & Heritage / BNHS] Bute’s deserted farmsteads
14 February 2017 Chris McInerny [Glasgow University] Reptiles & their conservation at Loch Lomond
28 February 2017 Sean Donaldson [BAE Systems] Constructing an aircraft carrier
14 March 2017 Greg Chamberlain [BSG Ecology] The work of an ecological consultant
28 March 2017 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report, Social
Previous Years’ General Meetings
* change of speaker from advertised programme – usually due to bad weather
2015-2016
13 October Gabrielle Flinn [Buglife] Iconic Invertebrates of Scottish Woodlands
27 October Cairns Mason [Stirling] Beauty from Adversity: Craftwork by Napoleonic
Prisoners of War
10 November David Gray [Ace Marine] Alfred Mylne’s legacy,his yachts then and now
24 November David Palmar [Photoscot] An Excursion to Shetland
08 December Laragh Quinney [National Library of Scotland] The National Library’s map
collection
12 January Members’ magazine Members’ magazine – edited by Shirley McFarlane &
Billy Shields. Speakers – Adam Ellis-Jones [Mount Stuart Trust] and Gordon
Stephenson with Jessica Heriot [Woodwatch Bute]
26 January Jeanne Robinson [Hunterian Museum] Bug hunting on Mingulay
09 February Paula Baker [RSPB] Work of RSPB at Loch Lomond
23 February Fiona Mills [Firth of Clyde Forum] Managed realignment of the Clyde
08 March Heather James [Northlight archaeology] Hidden Heritage of a Landscape –
A Community Archaeology Project in Arrochar
22 March Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report, Social
2014-2015
14 October Peter Livingstone [Eadha Enterprises] Aspen Conservation
28 October Alice Martin [Mount Stuart] Churchill and Chartwell
11 November Robyn Stewart [Glasgow University] Water voles in Glasgow
25 November Alison Sheridan [National Museum of Scotland] Bute 4000 to 1500 BC: an
everyday story of farming folk
09 December *George McKenzie [Bute] Roskilde Ship Museum
06 January Members’ magazine, edited by Patrick O’Sullivan and Liz McKirdy. Speakers Billy
Shields – Twenty years of Bute’s Ranger Service and Ian Brown – Before we came to Bute.
20 January Philip Robertson [Historic Scotland] Scotland’s Historic Shipwrecks
03 February Natasha Ferguson [Treasure Trove Unit] Treasure Trove
17 February Gill Smart [Scottish Wildlife Trust] Scottish Wildlife Trust reserves in south-west Scotland
03 March Lorna Pearce [Rothesay THI] Rothesay THI – before and after
17 March Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report, Social
2013-2014
08 October Vanessa Banks [British Geological Survey] Landslides
22 October Catherine Gillies [freelance curator & researcher] Dunollie Castle
29 October Special find-raising Film Night: The Dam Busters (1955). Proceeds from ticket sales to Museum and RNLI.
05 November Tom Christian [Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh] International conifer conservation
19 November Peter Wright
03 December Geoff Hancock [Hunterian Museum] Why William Hunter’s eighteenth century insect collection is so important
14 January Members’ magazine, edited by Chris Peveril, Betty Norris Smith and Roger Connard. Speakers: Chris Peveril – a visit to New Zealand; Betty Norris-Smith – wildlife incidents on Bute; Roger Connard – A to Z of Bute’s Wild Flowers.
28 January Angus Hogg [Ayrshire] Ayrshire Bird Life: Winners and Losers
11 February Cairns Mason [Stirling] John Napier of Merchiston and logarithms
25 February Gavin MacGregor [Northlight Heritage] From crossing the bridge to burning the circle
11 March Fraser Hunter [National Museums Scotland] Celtic Art
25 March Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report, Social
2012-2013
Oct 09 *Charles Woodward [Muirshiel Regional Park] Muirshiel: a park for people.
Oct 23 Robert Williams [Froglife] Amphibians and reptiles of Scotland
Nov 06 Rosemary Hannah [Mauchline] Grand Designer: 3rd Marquess of Bute beyond the Gothic.
Nov 20 *Sue Hothersall [Bute] The Battle of Largs
Dec 04 Stewart Redwood [Rothesay & Panama] The Scottish Colony in the Darien, Panama (1698-1700).
Jan 15 Members’ magazine, edited by Paul Duffy, Doug Menzies and Janet O’Sullivan. Speakers: – Doug Menzies Ospreys. Duffy – Archaeology of Cnoc an Rath, Ruth Slater – a contemporary Bute artist.
Jan 29 Ian Maclagan [Bute] The Maritime Rights of the Magistrates of Rothesay.
Feb 12 James Brown [Cormack Brown] The St Ninian Ways: pilgrimage to Whithorn.
Feb 26 Chris Cathrine [Caledonian Conservation Ltd / Brit. Arachnological. Soc] Scottish Spiders.
Mar 12 Gilbert Markus [Glasgow Univ] The Cult of Saints: Bute and Beyond.
Mar 26 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report by Viv Shelley, Social.
2011-2012
Oct 11 James Bray [British Trust for Ornithology] The BTO in Scotland: the work of volunteers.
Oct 25 George Geddes [RCAHMS] – North Rona & St Kilda: archaeology, history and culture.
Nov 01 Special Scott centenary film night – Scott of the Antarctic. Proceeds from ticket sales to Museum and RNLI.
Nov 08 Heather James – [SERF project] Archaeological investigations at Castle Craig.
Nov 22 Simon Green [RCAHMS] Dumfries House.
Dec 06 John Knowler [Milngavie] Why study moths – surely they are brown, boring and nocturnal?
Jan 17 The Discover Bute Landscape Partnership Scheme. Speakers: Billy Shields – Organisation of the DBLPS, paths, bird hides and Rhododendron control, Paul Duffy – Archaeology, Angus Hannah – Walls, hedges and woodlands.
Jan 31 Scott Shanks [Butterfly Conservation] Scottish Butterflies.
Feb 14 Richard Matts [Bute Forest] A forester’s view of Bute Forest.
Feb 28 *Iain MacLeod [Bute] Carved in Stone.
Mar 13 Alison Morrison-Low [Museums Galleries Scotland] Scottish lighthouses past and present.
Mar 27 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report by Viv Shelley, Social.
2010- 2011
Oct 12 Davie Galloway [British Geological Survey] Earthquakes.
Oct 26 Angus Martin [Campbeltown] Davaar Island.
Nov 09 James Brown [Baltersan castle] Crossraguel: a hidden history.
Nov 23 Lewis Pate [Scottish Wildlife Trust] Red squirrels.
Dec 07 *Glyn Collis [Bute] Pill Woodlice, *Donald Kinnear [Bute] Four early Bute settlements, *Angus Hannah [Bute] Evolving field systems at Nether Ardroscadale.
Jan 11 Members’ Magazine, edited by Gloria fear and Allan Martin. Speakers: Gloria Fear – Bute’s connections with Cardiff and the Welsh valleys, Allan Martin – Compiling the book “Bute Connections”.
Jan 25 Rebecca Boyde [Archaeology Scotland] Reconstructing ancient diet.
Feb 02 Special Wednesday meeting. Alex Hale [RCAHMS] Bute’s archaeology inside out.
Feb 08 Robin Harvey [Oban] What makes Argyll and Bute’s Seas so special?
Feb 22 John MacCallum [Bute] A stroll down memory lane: images of Bute.
Mar 08 Elizabeth Cumming [Glasgow university] The arts and crafts movement in Scotland.
Mar 22 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report by Viv Shelley, Social.
2009-2010
Oct 13 Craig Macadam [Buglife Scotland] 4000 years of mayfly recording.
Oct 27 Jeanne Robinson [Glasgow Museums] Entomological investigations in Trinidad.
Nov 10 Deborah Long [Plantlife Scotland] Conserving Scotland’s native plants.
Nov 24 Alexander MacKinnon [Glasgow university] The night sky this autumn.
Dec 08 John Steele [Ardrossan] Welcome to Wee Cumbrae.
Jan 12 Members’ Magazine, editors Anne Howie & Ron Forrester. Glyn Collis – Bute’s moths, Paul Duffy – The work of an archaeologist, Ron Forrester – Birds of Kenya.
Jan 26 Ian Scott [Perth] Forty years on: art and landscape.
Feb 09 Grace Strong [Bute] A trip to the Arctic.
Feb 23 Gerald Cummins [Ayrshire] History of roads and tracks in Scotland.
Mar09 Chris Dalglish [Glasgow University] Clans and estates: an archaeology of Highland society.
Mar 23 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report by Viv Shelley, Social.
2008-2009
Oct 14 Derek Alexander [National Trust for Scotland] Archaeology at Culzean Castle.
Oct 28 Pat Batty [Kilmichael] Scottish Dragonflies.
Nov 11 Fraser Hunter [National Museum Scotland] Romans in Scotland.
Nov 25 John Steele [Ardrossan] Horse Island.
Dec 09 Rosie & John Wells [History of Armadale Association] Kite and pole aerial photography.
Jan 13 Members’ Magazine, editors Sue Hothersall & Iona Gray. Patrick O’Sullivan – Old picture postcards, Graeme Connor – The history of Rothesay’s water supply, Sue Hothersall – Architectural ironwork.
Jan 27 Mauvis Gore [Edinburgh] Plankton-eating sharks.
Feb 10 Geoff Moore [Millport] History of marine natural history in the Clyde.
Feb 24 Bill McQueen [Bute] Wildlife of the Falkland Islands.
Mar 10 Simon Jones [Scottish Wildlife Trust] Return of the Beaver.
Mar 24 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report by Viv Shelley, Social.
2007-2008
Oct 16 Euan Clarkson [University of Edinburgh] Archie Lamont, Bute’s Geologist.
Oct 30 Donald Reid [Mellor Archaeological Trust] Excavations at Mellor.
Nov 13 *Pete Drummond [Scottish Place Names Society] Scots and Gaelic hill-names in southern Scotland.
Nov 27 Rob Wilson [University of St Andrews] Studying environmental and climatic change using tree-rings.
Dec 11 Jim McIntosh [Botanical Society of the British Isles] The work of BSBI Scotland.
Jan 15 Members magazine, editors – Linda Mellor & Chris Shelley. Speakers – Ray Bruce, Iain MacLeod, William Scott.
Jan 29 John Knowler [University of Glasgow] Wildlife and flora of Spitzbergen.
Feb 12 Ian Marshall [Glasgow Archaeological Society] Environment, people & history of Glasgow.
Feb 26 *Phil Kirkham [Bute] Wildlife photography & *Glyn Collis [Bute] Species named after Bute people.
Mar 11 Stuart Nisbet, [University of Paisley] Waterborne lime trade in the West of Scotland.
Mar 25 Annual General Meeting, Meteorological Report by Viv Shelley, Social.