Beaconsfield Club (Paisley) Papers

An album containing 392 manuscript letters and political addresses, mainly relating to the Paisley Beaconsfield Club and Conservative Association, 1880-1905, held at shelf-mark MS Gen 1586.

Most letters are addressed to the Club's Secretary, Alexander Macfarlane, or President, Sir Archibald Campbell, from Conservative peers, members of Parliament and other supporters.

As well as general letters relating to meetings, the album includes correspondence relating to:

  • attendance at the Scottish National Banquet to the Prime Minister (A.J. Balfour), originally planned for 23 November 1904 but postponed to 12 January 1905; the joint Hon. Secretaries for this event were George H. Robb and Robert Bird.
  • discussion of controversial topics such as Orangeism in Ireland and the Boers in South Africa.
  • three addresses to the electors of Paisley - by Lord Ernest William Hamilton (1884) and Major R.M. McKerrell (1885 and 1891) 
  • an address by the Marquess of Lorne (undated) 

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