Ken Swinton to give talk on fascinating New Town history

Ken Swinton

During the pandemic, Mr Swinton assiduously researched the history and life stories of the residents of St Bernard’s Crescent from 1820 to 1914 leading last year to the publication of his History of St Bernard’s Crescent.

Part biography, genealogy, history and storytelling, the book offers glimpses into the more memorable and colourful residents who provided a rich tapestry of life in this iconic street. A sense is developed of the roles played by Scots in the burgeoning British Empire.

The book is divided into eight chapters, each with an introductory essay providing a framework for over 100 individual biographies.

Maintaining station in life, a Georgian preoccupation, involved extravagant expenditure and ill-judged investment decisions which often led to financial failures.

Scots abroad are considered, particularly in the Caribbean, with its slave plantations, and in India. The financial rewards and generous pensions of the East India Company permitted returning sojourners from India a comfortable life in the Crescent.

By 1914, the Crescent evolved from a fashionable address to a vibrant creative hub with authors working in a range of genres, architects, engineers and generations of artists.

Book your place here.