Researching the history
A group of Juniper Green diggers at an early planning meting in July 2006 with David Geary, Gordon Campbell and Christine McBean in the picture
Many of the articles on this website have been created by the Juniper Green Diggers, a group of local researchers who formed in the summer of 2006.
The Diggers group was formed in June 2006 after two Open Meetings in the village. It comprises enthusiasts who want to know more about the history and living memories of the village and its people.
Some of the group have researched topics in archive collections in the Edinburgh Room of Edinburgh City Library and in the Tweedie Collection at Heriot-Watt University. Others have studied documents at the National Archives of Scotland, consulted the census returns of the nineteenth century or investigated school and church records.
The Juniper Green diggers at a visit to the Heriot-Watt University archive which houses the John Tweedie Collection. The diggers in the picture from left to right are Judy Hill, Cliff Beevers, Gordon Campbell, Irene Thomson, Christine McBean and Wilma Baxter.
Several diggers (seated Lynda Anderson then left to right Wendy Geary and Liz Beevers) being trained for reminiscence work by John McGauchie of the Living Memories Association
Yet others, after training with the Living Memories Association, have worked with individuals and groups listening, taping, transcribing and editing their oral histories. As you can see elsewhere on this website several local residents have already shared their memories of the past life in the village.
Another trio of diggers have collected, sorted and chosen fourteen old photographs of Juniper Green for a commemorative calendar to run from November 2007 through the whole of 2008. These calendars will be on sale by the summer of 2007.
There are plans for an exhibition and a book to follow later in 2007. Please consult the What's On link to find out where and when the exhibition will be held.