East of Scotland Tactical Society

The collection of records of the East of Scotland Tactical Society consists of bundles of correspondence from prominent landed individuals, rules of the Society, discussion papers, transactions of the Society, and rules of other related bodies such as the Border Rifle Association.

The East of Scotland Tactical Society was formally constituted on 12 January 1887 with the object of promoting the study of tactics and other military subjects. The Society was open to anyone holding a commission in any branch of the naval or military services, or to anyone who had held a commission. At the first annual meeting of the council of the Society, held on 26 October 1887, a membership roll of one hundred and twenty-two was reported. The work done by the Society during the previous months included: a course of six lectures on minor tactics; a lecture on the German army and its discipline, organisation, and system; lectures on marches and volunteer finance; war games; and, a competition in military sketching. The syllabus for 1887-1888 was to include: war games; lectures and papers on the use of railways by troops, the chemistry of explosives, the defence of seaports, the defence of Glasgow, and maps and mapping; and, a demonstration of ambulance work. Society lectures took place in Dowell's Hall, George Street, Edinburgh, and war games took place in the city's Waterloo Hotel, Waterloo Place.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.