SPEAKERS 2026

Our guest speaker Roberta Goodall has an impressive CV and her talk on Ancestry was as impressive. Focusing on her own family history she carefully outlined several key hints about family history research which will provide a rich vein for the researcher. The joy of discovery draws many eureka moments, but one should never be surprised by the hidden surprises that ‘ moving the stones’ reveal. For example, you might not know you have another family member- a long lost relative you had no idea about. Imagine the psychological impact that has, let alone a necessary alteration in the family tree and direction of study. Caution at such times is wise as is the routine triangulation of source material at all times, coupled with an abundance of patience. Discipline too, lest the process becomes an obsession. Thus we discovered the fascinating history of some of her family, and we felt the joy, excitement, danger, pathos and grief wrapped up in these individuals lives. These days it is also possible to provide some well known ancestry research sites with your DNA. The results they produce enhance the process. This was a joyous talk and it was keenly appreciated by the forty members present many of whom have traced their own roots. A past President gave the vote of thanks. It would be great if Robert’s could return to the club to present us with more family history.

Following its introduction in Scotland, the Hebert Protocol has been used many times to trace missing people with dementia and return them home. It is another example of how emergency and care services are working together to keep those with dementia safe.

Joe Fitzpatrick gave 36 members of Glenrothes Probus club an update on the excavation of the royal Pictish site in Falkland. He held our attention for an hour of a well informed detailed briefing which made you feel as if you were there unravelling well hidden local history. His audience was riveted and judging by their questions appreciated the eclectic skill base required of archaeology. This superb talk enhanced that appreciation of local history, geomorphology, ancient social structure, and the interplay between Roman invader and indigenous Pict population. The well established ancient local and European trade routes and the cultural melting pot of history, in the unique setting of what is now Fife where the Romans’ treatment of the population stood in contrast to their response to the population further north of what is now Scotland. As my history teacher in upper school used to say ‘ the past is the present flowing into the future.’ Archaeology certainly brings the term ‘ rock on’ into a different dimension.
https://falklandsociety.org.uk/.../JoeFitzPatrick11Dec201...

43 members enjoyed a well researched detailed in house presentation by Ron Campbell.

The subject matter was the Flying Witches who were the Soviet Union’s elite all female crew, who attacked and bombed the invading Nazis in a combination of three low flying aircraft at low rev.

Listening to this I imagined them to be air warfare’s equivalent of guerrila warfare.

The planes including the Polikarpov Po2, flew so deadly quiet and low they evoked the image of flying witches.

Ron detailed the political, social, logistic, economic and patriotic factors in the creation of the 588 and 46 squadrons, their specific missions, track record, political oversight, the evolution of Smersh, and the post war casual dismissal of the pilots who were expected to return to the make decided stereotypical female domestic role.

The latter process was similar to the treatment of the all female pilots in the UK’s ATA during WW2 and also to their peers in the USA.

Reference was also made to literature on this subject.

Members expressed their delight in the quality of Ron’s research, the shared view of members is that he is clearly a master of this subject.

An equally detailed vote of thanks was delivered by Chris Simpson.

Club member Alistair McCabe delivered a well received talk on the process of de commissioning a North Sea oilfield.This is an intricate technical and lengthy process which his presentation explored in detail supplemented with photographs of key installations, diagrams of critical exploratory events including oil rig and well construction.He concluded the talk by explaining the equally complex multi organisation termination procedures reflecting on the contrast in the wider environmental factors taken in to account in the 2020’s compared to the 1970’s rush to explore and exploit.

Thanks Alistair.