About the MHA

The Morningside Heritage Association is the local history society for the Morningside area of Edinburgh. It exists to stimulate and promote interest in the history of the area and to further the study of this history. Towards these ends it organises an annual series of winter talks on relevant topics and a series summer visits to places of local historic interest. It also organises various projects to research aspects of the area’s history.

The MHA draws most of its membership from the Morningside area and it now has over 150
members. It is registered in Scotland as charity SC044409.

Aims

The aims of the Association are:

  1. To promote a historical, educational and cultural interest in the are.
  2. To collect and preserve any material relevant to the area.
  3. To assist in the protection of the heritage of Morningside and Lothian.
  4. To make available to the public such material as may be appropriate.
  5. The Association shall be non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion.

Benefits of Membership

Membership of the Association is open to anyone with an interest in the history of Morningside. The principal benefits of membership are:

  1. Free attendance at the annual series of winter talks. The talks are typically held monthly and run from October to April.
  2. Attendance at the series of summer visits. There are typically 5-6 visits spread over the summer months.
  3. The opportunity to take part in the various research projects that the Association organises.

Enquiries about membership should be sent to the Membership Secretary at e-mail address mha.membership@hotmail.com

History

The Morningside Heritage Association was established in 1982 on the initiative of Charles Smith, who lived in the area for much of his life and wrote extensively on the history of Morningside and South Edinburgh. The Association met for some years in South Morningside Primary School before moving to the Old Schoolhouse, on Morningside Road. Since the autumn of 2013 talks have been held at Morningside Parish Church.

In 2012 the MHA had about 40 members. The Committee subsequently focussed on providing a varied and quality winter lecture programme and actively promoting these and the Association’s other activities. As a result of these initiatives the membership grew rapidly throughout the decade. The MHA’s activities were necessarily curtailed during the pandemic of 2020-21, though it offered some events on-line. It has now returned to a full programme of talks and visits. In 2024 the membership stood at more than 150.

The Association gained Scottish charitable status on 11 November 2013 as charity number SC044409.

Committee

The MHA is run by a Committee consisting five Office Bearers, together with a minimum of three and a maximum of eight charity trustees (Ordinary Members) elected by, and from, the membership of Morningside Heritage Association.

Office Bearers are : Convener, Vice-Convener, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary

Ordinary Member roles are : Programmes Co-ordinator, Archivist and Project Co-ordinator, and Publicity and Events Co-ordinator.

The Committee structure for 2022-2023 is as follows (term of office in brackets) :

Office Bearers
Convener: Kerr Fraser (2021-2024)
Vice-Convener: David Milne (2023-2024)
Secretary: Fiona Kelly (2023-2024)
Treasurer: Ian Hastie (2023-2024)
Membership Secretary: Venetia Thomson (2023-2026)

Ordinary Members
Programmes Co-ordinators: (Vacancy)
Archivist and Project Co-ordinator: Janette Gollan (2021-2024)
Publicity and Events Co-ordinator: Frances MacLeod (2021-2024)
Webmaster: Clive Davenhall (2023-2024)

Ordinary Members without Portfolio
Eric Melvin (2022-2024)
Annie Simpson (2022-2023)