The Spalding Club was the name of three successive
antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary () is an fan (person), aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifact (archaeology), artifac ...
and
text publication societies founded in
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, which published scholarly editions of texts and
archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
studies relevant to the history of
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...
and its region. The clubs were named after the 17th-century historian
John Spalding.
First club
The original club was founded by
Joseph Robertson (1810–1866) in 1839, and included among its members
Cosmo Innes
Cosmo Nelson Innes FRSE (9 September 1798 – 31 July 1874) was a Scottish advocate, judge, historian and antiquary. He served as Advocate-Depute, Sheriff of Elginshire, and Principal Clerk of Session.
He was a skilled decipherer of ancien ...
and
John Stuart. Stuart served as secretary and was editor of many of the works published.
Thirty-eight quarto volumes appeared in the club's main numbered series, as well as another six volumes uniform with but not part of that series. Seventeen of these volumes were edited by John Stuart: his more important works included ''Sculptured Stones of Scotland'' (1856 and 1867), a highly valued work of antiquarian reference; and ''
The Book of Deer'' (1869), an edition of an important manuscript
Gospel Book
A Gospel Book, Evangelion, or Book of the Gospels (Greek: , ''Evangélion'') is a codex or bound volume containing one or more of the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament – normally all four – centering on the life of Jesus of Nazar ...
held at one time at the
abbey of Deer
Deer Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Buchan, Scotland. It was founded by 1219 under the patronage William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan, who is also buried there.
History
There was an earlier community of Scottish monks or priests, ne ...
.
The club ceased to be active after 1870.
Second club
The New Spalding Club was founded at Aberdeen in 1886.
Its founders included
Alexander Forbes Irvine
Alexander Forbes Irvine, 20th Laird of Drum FRSE JP DL LLD (1818–1892) was a Scottish landowner, advocate, philosopher and amateur astronomer. He was a prominent member of Clan Irvine and held the family seat of Drum Castle until his death.
Life ...
FRSE
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...
.
It published forty-five volumes in its numbered series, and another seven uniform with but not part of that series. Its last volume appeared in 1924.
The Secretary from its founding was
Peter John Anderson
Peter John Anderson (1853 – 12 May 1926"Mr. P.J. Anderson, M.A., L.L.B." by Edward Denny Bacon in ''The London Philatelist'', Vol. 35, No. 413, May 1926, p. 107.) was the Librarian of the University of Aberdeen from 1894 and a noted philatelis ...
(1853–1926), Librarian of the
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
.
["Mr. P.J. Anderson, M.A., L.L.B." by ]Edward Denny Bacon
Sir Edward Denny Bacon, KCVO (29 August 1860 – 5 June 1938)[Biography](_blank)
in the ...
in ''