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), ...
, 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 landscape ...
studies relevant to the history of
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.
It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially different boundaries. The Aberdeenshire Council area incl ...
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 ancient ...
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
The ''Book of Deer'' (''Leabhar Dhèir'' in Gaelic) (Cambridge University Library, MS. Ii.6.32) is a 10th-century Latin Gospel Book with early 12th-century additions in Latin, Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic language, Scottish Gaelic. It cont ...
'' (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. 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 so ...
. 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 (1853–1926), Librarian of the
University of Aberdeen
, mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
, established =
, type = Public research universityAncient university
, endowment = £58.4 million (2021)
, budget ...