Family donates 'treasure trove' book collection

German university is thrilled to receive wonderful library

- KAIYA MARJORIBANKS

Donation From left to right, Leslie Wilson, Maureen Wilson, Stewart Smith, Sigrid Riewuerts, Christiane Hullman and Ronnie Young

A Stirling family’s Scottish book collection - described as a "treasure trove for researchers" - has been presented to a German university.

Generations of Dr Stewart Smith's family have shared a love of literature.

But on the death of his mother Lorna Smith, a former local teacher and community stalwart, he acknowledged he did not have the space to keep the collection himself and that it was time to find a new home where it would be similarly cherished.

Now the collection, which includes rare titles belonging to Stewart's grandfather Rev Alexander Borrowman, has been donated to the University of Mainz in Germany.

Stewart said: “My mother was an English teacher at Wallace High for many years and continued to be involved in the local community after her retirement, both through music and visual art, and Riverside Community Council.

“She passed away in November last year and is fondly remembered by many people in the area.

“She was a lifelong advocate for Scottish literature and language in education, and a key member of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, co-editing their Scotnote study guides for many years. In recent years, she wrote Scotnotes on former Machars Jackie Kay and Kathleen Jaimie - the latter will be published next year. A great legacy.

“My grandfather grew up in Stirling and attended the High School in the 1910/20s. His work as a Church of Scotland minister took him away from Stirling, but he always maintained the connection, and after he passed away in 1979, my grandmother moved to the city.