Archives and Group Histories
Group Histories
Welcome to your new Glasgow South Intergroup archive page. Here you will find a group history information section, where we can upload your group history form, you can get this from your Archivist.
All previous group history and all archives were previously held at our head office in York, they have now been moved to the Borthwick Institute in York and they can only be accessed by appointment only. This now allows us to access and add to our group history and anniversaries.
Our history is so important to us as a fellowship, for the people coming in to know about who started a group, when it started and where it started.
There will also be an audio section, where you will find some of our intergroup liaison officers explain their role. Also, some short share from our long timers from our Intergroup, who have held the torch for us over the years.
Please help us to build on our Archive collection with any material that you may have. I have attached forms on how best to do this. I can also bring to your group and uplift any material.
Lots more information on Archives to follow.
Yours in service
Alex M / email archives.glasgows@aamail.org
STEP 11 PRAYER AND MEDITATION
Opened on Sunday 11th Oct 2015, in Giffnock south Parish Church 8pm till 9pm.
Founder members Poacher John and Alexandra H.
First group members Postman Dan, Jill, Mhairi
Opening rent 10 per hour, initial lease time 2.5 hrs.
The first meeting was chaired by Poacher John and first speaker Nurse Betty. The format of the meeting, 20min share on step 11, 20 min body of the hall and 20 min silent meditation.
The meeting was first held in the small back room of the church hall, however by the time of the groupâ??s first anniversary, they were in the main church hall with 93 in attendance. This was the first meeting of this type to open within the Glasgow South area. The group started to contribute to Glasgow South Intergroup.
Group members held service positions and had a group subscription to Roundabout magazine.
All literature at meeting is AA conference approved. On 11th November 2016 the first step 11 meeting was opened at the Hub in Fort William by Donny and Ian, who were and still are regular weekly attendees of the Giffnock step 11 meeting and continued the exact same format.
In April 2017 it was agreed by the Paphos group that a 11th step prayer and meditation meeting be held at their convention for a 5 day period starting at 7am. This was greatly welcomed and the bond that was established through this was amazing. It was agreed that the step 11 meeting would be part of the next convention in 2018, and for following conventions through the year ahead in Birmingham, Torrevieja and Fort William.
GOVANHILL BIG BOOK [AKA THE CRYPT]
Date Founded – September 1991
Place of First Meeting – Holy Cross R.C. Church Dixon Ave G44
Place of current meeting – As above
The group was opened by members, Jimmy Red, Frank K, Tv
Tommy aka Tommy S, Pat L, Cathy, Manas, Gerry, later joined by Arch Tom.
Frank K and Arch Tom still group members to present date.
As to date most of original members are still sober.
We have been an all-embracing group, where we share premises with other recovery groups that commence on different evening throughout the week.
Format of the group is Chairperson opens the meeting with preamble and then 10mins on explaining what AA has to offer and a reader will read an extract from the big book, then the meeting is opened to the body of the hall and the meeting is based on going around the room. The meeting is a 2hour meeting starting from 8pm till 10pm, breaking in the middle for tea and fellowship.
We have monthly group conscience meetings; we also have a literature table and current group members who hold positions within Glasgow South
intergroup. – Frank K
12 STEP DVD JOE AND CHARLIE
Date founded – 1997
Place of first meeting – Crypt Govanhill
Place of current meeting- Crypt Govanhill Sunday night.
Founders – Jimmy K, Jimmy Glasgow, Tommy C, Lizzy H.
Group members– Anne Mc, Terresa.
Group followed the DVD Joe and Charlie from the Possil group and Raymond.
MERRYLEE ROAD SATURDAY MORNING
Date Founded – 28th April 2012
Place of First Meeting – Merrylee Parish Church
Current Meeting – Merrylee Parish Church
Group History – Founders Jimmy K. , Fran , Louis D. , Richard C. , James C. , Chris, Sandra
Currently 20+ Group Members
Meeting Time 1hr 30mins.
Format – Chair Opening 10mins, General Share 25mins, Remainder of meeting open to body of hall (share time 3mins).Last 5mins open to anyone unable to share and any newcomers.
Tea and Coffee and Fellowship at End of meeting.
REBOS
Date Founded – November 1987
Place of First Meeting – St Helen’s Church
Current Meeting – Cooper Institute, Clarkston Road
Previous venue – Landside Halls
History is available at York Office.
PARK GROUP
Name of Group – Park Group
Date Founded -1973
Place of first Meeting – Parkview Hotel
Current Meeting – Govanhill Parish Church , 170 Queens Drive ,G42 8QZ
Background and Group History
Bill W in A.A. comes of age, wrote that A.A. in Scotland started when “a Scottish nobleman, Philip, journeyed to America and met an old Philadelphia A.A., George R. and sobered up on the spot .Philip (Sir Philip Dundas)was instrumental in starting the first regular meeting in Scotland, in the St Enoch Hotel, Glasgow (1950).In 1953, refurbishment meant that this Glasgow Group had to vacate and this resulted in Groups being set up, more or less, at each point of the compass. The new Scottish group met first in a boarding house and then from 1965 in the Parkview Hotel on a Thursday night. In 1973 Guy and some others decided that an additional group was necessary and started on Monday nights. This became known as the Park Group after the name of the Hotel. In 1974 the hotel was sold and both groups had to vacate. The Monday group moved to the Queens Hotel for 10 Months before moving to its long lasting Home – Landside Halls at Shawlands Cross. However Due to refurbishment work again the group had to move in 2017 to its present venue at Govanhill Parish Church on Queens Drive
The Group policy has been and still is to keep the doors open.
The Park Group has benefited from a core of long standing members. Over the years Flora and Alex , both well over 20yrs when they past away but are fondly remembered. and more recently David (Taxi Davie), tea convener, John (Cousin John) group secretary
Maureen (Treasurer), Wullie (Intergroup and Round about Rep),Shirlie Anne, Allan (Minutes Secretary),Andrina (program Chair) and new members Marion, Kevin and James
POLLOKSHAWS YOUNG PERSON'S DISCUSSION
Date of first Meeting Sat 30th September 2023
Place of current Meeting St Ninian’s Episcopal Church, Albert Drive
Founder Member Leah
LEDARD ROAD SATURDAY MORNING GROUP
Original Name – Priory Group
Original Venue – Langside Priory Hospital, Mansionhouse Road, Langside, Glasgow.
Date First Meeting – 27thFebruary 1993 at 11am
Original Members – Wallace, Robert, John M, Hazel, Nurse Anne
Present Name – Ledard Road Saturday Morning AA Meeting (10am)
Present Venue – Langside Parish Church, Ledard Road, Battlefield, Glasgow
The last history update of the group was submitted in 2005.
Since that year we have seen many members join then move on to other groups or pass away or unfortunately go back out.
We had to move premises in April 2009 when fire destroyed the church at Ledard Rd.
We were in Battlefield East Parish Church (Now Clincarthill Parish Church) from then until Langside Parish Church was rebuilt and we moved back there in June 2011.
While a lot of our members came from being in the Priory Hospital in the early years this was not the case in the years before we were forced to suspend meetings for Covid. From having an average of 15 members from 2010 to 2019 we currently have 8 members in 2024.
Covid forced the group to temporarily cease face to face meetings on 21st March 2020 when we had our last meeting at Ledard Rd before re-opening on 4th September 2021.
During that time the group members continued to meet online on Zoom on our usual Saturday morning slot at 10am. We took turns to read chapters from the Big Book and discussed afterwards. We also continued to have Group Conscience meetings once a month via Zoom. We also kept in touch with a Whatsapp group messaging system, often posting photos or funny sayings to keep up morale.
Since re-opening on 4th September 2021 we have lost a significant number of members and attendees. This has resulted in us having to dispense with having 2 meetings running concurrently and now only having 1 meeting in the smaller room of the premises. We average 18 -20 people at our meetings at present.
We used to have refreshments and fellowship at the end of our meeting before Covid but as we only have the premises until 12pm now we only have tea/coffee and biscuits at the beginning of the meeting. We also had to re-negotiate the rent we paid to the church if we were able to survive there. We currently pay the church £20 a week.
The group celebrated it’s 30th anniversary on Saturday 25th February 2023 when we had an anniversary meeting. Everyone contributed food and fellowship. We had invited Kelly and Robert P to share and Jane C chaired. Moira read How it Works and David read the Promises. The attendance was better than expected at 38.
Our group has always contributed to Intergroup and Jane C is our current GSR.
James B has taken on the position of treasurer for the third time in his 20 years as a member of the group. James also acts as secretary with a little help from Jane C. Moira who joined us in 2021 is our literature secretary.
David G arrives earlier than most and sets up the room. Our most recent member is 3 months sober and already makes a valuable contribution to our group.
Unfortunately 2 of our long time members, Susie M and Jim M are about to move to the island of Islay and will be very much missed. Derek F who had been a member of the group almost since the start had to leave in August 2023 due to health reasons and distance traveling from Lesmahagow.
Jane F left the group 8 years ago but returned in 2022 in order to bring the Priory patients to the meeting every week.
The current members are:
Alex, David G, James B, Jane C, Jane W, Jim M, Joe, Moira, Susie M.
