Annie Croall, Founder of the Stirling’s Children’s Home

Founder of the Stirling’s Children’s Home, Annie Knight Croall (1854-1927) is one of the unsung heroines of Scottish history.  She was the daughter of the first curator of the Smith Institute, and came from Leeds to Stirling at the age of 19.  A deeply spiritual person, her work for neglected

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Freedom is Best, Joan Sommerville

This watercolour by Joan Somerville represents the followers of William Wallace awaiting the English army before the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.  The Latin inscription beneath is the lesson taught to Wallace by his uncle, the Priest of Dunipace: Freedom is best, I tell thee true Of all things

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Beer Porters by Frank Brangwyn (1867 – 1956)

This scene may be familiar to older readers of the Observer in more ways than one. Stirling was at one time a brewing centre, and workplace scenes such as this must have been common in breweries like St. Ninian’s Well, Burdens and Duncan’s. The image was sketched as part of

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Dunblane Doll’s House, 1940

Shown here is a detail of the Nursery, one of the many rooms in the Dunblane Doll House. Each of the pieces is functional, as well as beautifully detailed. The Nursery has its own Doll’s House (on the left), a rocking horse which rocks, a bed, cot, and tea table.

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