The Rev. D. Norman Maclean founded Colinton Parish Church Literary Society (the ‘Lit’) in October 1903 with three Members of the congregation. They met in a wood and corrugated building in Dreghorn Loan, known as the Old Tin Hall. For more than 100 years the Lit programmes have covered both literary topics and those of general interest across the entire community from whom our membership is drawn. The Lit has hosted many eminent academics, authors, artists and musicians at its events. In 1911, Sir Ernest Shackleton gave a lecture entitled ‘Furthest South’ and in 2011, author Ian Rankin let us into his secrets of crime writing and now, in our 2023-2024 season, experts in the fields of history, music, politics and art will enthrall us again. Colinton Parish Church Literary Society
The Committee Honorary President The Minister, Colinton Parish Church Secretary Sally Fischbacher cmfischbacher@yahoo.co.uk Treasurer Katie Davidson Programme Coordinator Colin Fischbacher cmfischbacher@yahoo.co.uk Committee Members Colin Fischbacher, Joe McGeough, Bob Mylchreest, Gemma Roper-Caldbeck, Lorraine Veitch-Rutherford Hon. Accounts Examiner A W Murray 
Dreghorn Loan Hall
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An Invitation to The Lit
The 111th season of Colinton Parish Church Literary Society gets underway in October 2023. Our meetings are held in the Dreghorn Loan Hall, Colinton EH13 0DE. Tea, coffee and wine is served from 7:30pm. Each talk will commence at 8pm and the evening finishes at 9pm. Membership costs just £15 for the full programme of 17 meetings, or £3 per meeting for visitors. New members of all ages are assured of a warm welcome. Our programme covers both literary topics and those of general interest which should be attractive across the entire community from which our membership is drawn. Proposals for future talks may be handed in to the Programme Co-ordinator at any time. Talks for the 2023 - 2024 season are listed below. 2023
11 Oct: The Shetland Bus. Who was the driver? What was the route? Who were the passengers? Was it a bus? Kath Hay tells all in this modern Nordic Saga. 18 Oct: How I came from Iran to a new life in Scotland. Frith Robb tells her life story, based on her memoir In the Shadow of the Shahs 25 Oct: Mungo Park and the exploration of the River Niger. Professor Charles W.J. Withers tells the story of this Scottish explorer and his exploration of the River Niger 01 Nov: Travelling Scotland with One Yellow Welly. Reta MacLennan gives us an insight into the real work of a Quality Adviser with the Scottish Tourist Board, with examples of situations and people she met 08 Nov: Old churches - why bother? Simon Green, from Historic Environment Scotland, celebrates Scotland’s rich ecclesiastical history 15 Nov: A Family History of Slavery. Alex Renton tells the story of slavery, through the experiences of his own family, as told in his book Blood Legacy 22 Nov: The Vikings in Scotland. Arne Kruse assesses the impact of the Vikings on Scotland’s history 29 Nov: Buffet Supper 7.30pm with musical entertainment 2024 10 Jan: Heart and mind - Robert Louis Stevenson’s lasting legacy. Donald Smith assesses the continuing impact of Colinton’s famous literary connection 17 Jan: Death in the New Town. Ken Donaldson tells the story of the mysterious epidemic among Edinburgh stonemasons 24 Jan: Sir David Lindsay. David Dow and the Dovecot Singers explore the life and times of the Scottish author of Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaites 31 Jan: Hitchcock’s heroines. Caroline Young explores the legacy of Alfred Hitchcock’s leading ladies 07 Feb: The time of troubles. David Warnes draws on personal experience and his writing to reflect on how Russia’s history, recent and more distant, is shaping a turbulent present. 14 Feb: Wild history. Jamie Crawford draws from his new book to describe his journeys into lost Scotland 21 Feb: The American Civil War. Ian Gardiner gives an overview of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the last 200 years 28 Feb: The Zoo. The Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society perform the one act opera by Arthur Sullivan 06 Mar: AGM followed by Joe McGeough’s talk on how Edinburgh’s Theo Williamson changed the Sound of Music |