The Norman & Janey Buchan Collection
The Norman and Janey Buchan Collection, with the
exception of The Queen's College Special
Collection which had been accumulating for several decades,
was the first collection to be donated to the Library;
in many ways it helped us to establish our collecting criteria,
and it remains one of our core collections. Janey first contacted
the Library in the autumn of 1994, and, following visits to her
home to discuss the selection of materials, the transfer of several
thousand books and pamphlets began in the spring of 1995. Janey
selected the material for donating to the Library by considering
potential use and the appropriateness of subject matter to our teaching
and research needs; material was also donated to some other libraries
using similar guidelines. The Collection is, therefore, very much
an active, working, collection and it is interesting to note that
the material is proving popular with a wide range of users, and
is being used not only by social sciences students reading politics,
economics, and history, but also by those engaged in publishing
and media-related studies.
Apart from the books and pamphlets, and a wealth of journal literature,
the Collection contains some fascinating items of particular note.
A list of examples would have to include:
- A copy of Berthold's Political Handkerchief - a rare example
of a radical press publication on linen from 1831
- A series of newspaper billboards from 1931 found under the
carpet of a house being demolished. Headlines range from "Scots
Pit Disaster: Two Dead" to "Mr M'Govern Prefers Prison"
- A bound 2 volume set of "The Statesman" from November
1818 to February 1821 Political pamphlets by William Hone published
in 1820 and 1821
- A photograph album compiled by Harold Mitchell of Spanish scenes,
including war damage. The album carries his "pass to enter
Nationalist Spain, signed by General Franco" dated 15th December
1936.
Although, as has been mentioned, the material was selected to be
of maximum benefit to our users, it nonetheless illustrates the
eclectic interests of the collectors, and consequently the subject
coverage is wide-ranging. Some of the key areas covered include:
- Civil rights
- Labour movement and trade union history
- Media studies and censorship
- Political biography
- Political song
- Radical press
- Red Clydeside and Glasgow activists
- Scottish culture and literature
- Southern Africa and apartheid
- Spanish Civil War
Janey Buchan was also instrumental in bringing a very intesting collection of pamphlet gathered the William Taylor to Special Collections. Check the catalogue for details of pamphlets in the collection.
William Leonard Taylor CBE, BL, JP, DL. was born in Glasgow in 1916 and was a Solicitor. He was a Councillor in the then Glasgow City Corporation from 1952 to 1969 where he was also leader of the Labour Group from1962 and Leader of the Council 1968. In addition he was Magistrate and later Senior Magistrate in the City of Glasgow.
Bill Taylor was also Chairman of Livingstone Development Corporation from1965 to 1972 and a member Scottish Economic Council and Chairman of the Scottish Special Housing Association. In addition he was on the management committee of the Scottish Civic Trust and a member of organisations as diverse as the Scottish Advisory Committee on Aviation, Scottish Water Advisory Committee, Assessors River Clyde Planning Study and the Scottish Advisory Council on Social Work.
He had a great love of theatre and Chairman of Glasgow Citizens Theatre in the 1970’s and in 1971 he became a Knight of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland)*
(*The Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland Restored) was established on the 4 February 1921, not as a chivalric order but as an award for outstanding service in the field of Art, Science, Literature, Improvement of Industry, Agriculture, Commerce; and for Acts of Civil Bravery.)
Collection contents
Collection contact
Philip Wallace
T: 0141 273 1186
E: T.Wallace@gcal.ac.uk
Last Updated:
8 June, 2007
Edited by: Learning Services
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