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June 25, 2018
Those interested in Paisley’s rich past can attend a day-long conference that will examine Paisley’s heritage.
The event, Paisley’s Industrial and Cultural Heritage, taking place on Wednesday 27 June from 9.30am – 4.30pm at the Alexander Wilson Suite at Paisley Town Hall is jointly presented by The Paisley Centre for Business and Industrial History (UWS), the Business Archives Council of Scotland and Renfrewshire Council.
The keynote speech will be delivered by Professor John Hume – a leading academic on economic and industrial history and former Principal Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Historic Scotland.
Throughout the day a range of presentations will be delivered including topics from The Making of the Paisley Shawl and Classical Sculpture and Paisley to The Life and Times of Alexander Wilson 1766 – 1813 and The Philanthropic Influence of Coats and Clark.
The event is being supported through the £4.5 million Paisley Townscape Heritage and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (TH.CARS2) which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and Renfrewshire Council. The scheme aims to make the area around the High Street a more attractive place to visit and invest and engage a diverse range of audiences with the heritage and culture of Paisley.
Renfrewshire Council Leader, Cllr Iain Nicolson, said: “This event is a real celebration of Paisley’s rich story and will provide a unique look into our town’s industrial and cultural heritage and show why we were renowned the world over.
“There are some fantastic speakers and presentations lined up for the day and I’m sure that those who attend will come away with even more reasons to love Paisley.”
Professor Sam McKinstry, Director of the Paisley Centre for Business and Industrial History at UWS and prizewinning architectural and business historian, said: “Paisley is as Scottish as any other place in our country. However, it’s different from other places, with its important mediaeval Abbey and its royal links, its tradition of weaving fine cloths and wonderful shawls, its gigantic thread mills and fine engineering works, all of these trades supplying the rest of the world in their day.
“Today, there remains the poetry of its clever, radical weavers, the products they made and many of the churches they attended. A large number of fine buildings erected by its industries or given by its philanthropists still survive to delight us. Come, look, learn, read. Paisley will surprise, delight and instruct.”
Although this is a free event there are only a few places remaining so those wishing to attend should book in advance by emailingth.cars2@renfrewshire.gov.uk or by calling 0141 61 8 7939.
