Edward Duvall - OEC President
Edward has always been interested in the history of his native city. He left it to study medicine at the University of Oxford. After six years study and post-graduate research there he returned to Edinburgh for his clinical training and a career in research, teaching, and practice as a pathologist in the Medical School.
He has developed interests in the history of the Plewlands estate in Morningside, particularly that of Morningside Cemetery; the role of Edinburgh in the medical education of women in the nineteenth century; and the history of Edinburgh’s medical societies.
Since retiring he has applied his interests in medicine and history as a volunteer guide at the National Museum of Scotland.
Alison Macdonald – OEC Vice-President
Alison is a former Head of Products at Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh who enjoyed a successful professional career in the Bank’s Retail and Corporate Divisions, leaving in 2008 shortly before the banking crisis.
Alison has a long-term passion and interest in Scottish history and genealogy. She is part-time researcher and Secretary of the Greater Liberton History Group, devoting much of her time to researching the history of the area. Her current specialism is the history of the Little and Gilmour Families of Liberton and Craigmillar. Alison has been a member of the OEC for many years and currently chairs the Marketing Sub-committee.
Steven Robb - OEC Vice President
Steven Robb is a chartered town planner who studied building surveying before taking a masters degree in European Urban Conservation. He has worked in historic building conservation for almost thirty years, including a decade in London for English Heritage, before returning to Edinburgh seventeen years ago to work for Historic Environment Scotland.
He is particularly interested in Edinburgh’s built heritage and the conservation movement, and has written on Edinburgh’s early council housing, from the late 19th century to 1945. He also has interests in genealogy and in the later stages of the nonjuring Jacobite movements in both England and Scotland.
Derrick Johnstone – OEC Secretary
Derrick is pursuing postgraduate research with the University of Glasgow on Scots emigrants to New Jersey in the 1680s, a little known but successful venture predating the debacle of Darien. He studied Economics and Economic History at the University of Edinburgh followed by a Masters at Glasgow specialising in urban economics and public policy. He spent his career in England and Scotland, including a national role in promoting good practice in local economic development.
Derrick is delighted to play a part in promoting the history of Edinburgh on returning to his home city. He was inspired by his father’s love of geography and history and W F Arbuckle’s ‘Scotland’s Capital’. Some of you may remember this from primary school
Jim Gallacher – OEC Treasurer
After graduating from Edinburgh University Jim trained as a chartered accountant. He worked in a number of finance roles in Edinburgh, London and the Middle East.
He now lives in London where his three sons reside and work and makes frequent trips to Edinburgh, not least to attend OEC lectures. Jim has a longstanding interest in Edinburgh history and has been a member of the club since 2009.
Wilson Smith – Editor, Book of the Old Edinburgh Club
Wilson enjoyed a career in academic librarianship as Principal Librarian at Edinburgh College of Art. After retirement he undertook a PhD at the University of Edinburgh on the Edinburgh International Exhibition of 1886, graduating in 2015. Wilson is an Honorary Fellow in the Centre for Research Collections at Edinburgh University Library.
He is currently working on a set of Victorian scrapbooks of Scottish topography and culture compiled by the naturalist Adam White. In 2014 Wilson gave a talk to the Old Edinburgh Club on his research into the Old Edinburgh exhibit at the 1886 Exhibition. He has been a member of the Club ever since. As well as his work on the Book he has been involved in the creation of the Club’s Bibliography of Edinburgh History.
Jerry Ozaniec – Membership Secretary
Jerry spent his career as a software developer and educator primarily in the financial sector specialising in large systems performance. Originally from Chicago he moved to the UK in 1975 and to Edinburgh early in this century. He has two sons and two gorgeous granddaughters.
Jerry developed an interest in the history of the city spurred by a curiosity about the locale in which he found himself living. It wasn’t long after he discovered the Club and eventually joined the Council. His other main historical interest revolves around the tragic figure of Mary Queen of Scots. Now retired, he pursues his interest in the arts by being a benefactor of the Edinburgh International Festival, collecting original art, and indulging in his appreciation of fine food and wine.
Richard Rodger – Programme Secretary
JRichard has always been interested in the ways cities have developed throughout history. This has led him in his academic career to researching and publishing on housing, building and property ownership; the local economy and national policies; social relations and organisations; health and wealth; and the use of spaces in the context of the changing relations of power in the city.
Edinburgh has provided one of several cities he has researched, most notably in his book, The Transformation of Edinburgh: Land Property and Trust in the 19th Century. This was awarded the Frank Watson Book Prize in Scottish History in 2002. Richard’s research has taken a stronger ‘Edinburgh turn’ since his return to the city in 2007 following academic posts in Liverpool, Leicester, and Lawrence (Kansas). For further information see his profile on the University of Edinburgh website.
Jo Chapman - Publicity Officer
Joanne’s main interests lie in the world-changing religious reformations that evolved over time within this great city and the more gruesome happenings along the Royal Mile! Joanne worked as a TV producer for many years with Discovery, National Geographic and MTV amongst others. She studied Philosophy and Comparative Religion at the University of Edinburgh and took an HND in Communications at Telford College.
Currently Joanne is completing studies in Psychology, in particular Compassionate Inquiry, the field established by Dr Gabor Maté. Joanne and her son thoroughly enjoy exploring the city’s streets and museums. She is delighted to be supporting the Club as a trustee in promoting Edinburgh’s deeply rich and endlessly fascinating history.
Andrew Boyd - Council Member
Andrew is a retired solicitor practising in his native Edinburgh. He is married with two grown-up children.
Andrew has been a member of the Club for about 15 years and attributes his general interest in history, and that of Edinburgh, to the inspiration of his father who was also an OEC member for many years. He has a particular interest in and knowledge of transport history and development and led summer walks for the Club in 2023 exploring some of the former railways of Leith. This took advantage of the newly extended tram service.
He is a trustee of or consultant to a number of museum or archival charitable bodies in the industrial and transport heritage fields. In some instances he was closely involved in their foundation and is fully familiar with the statutory regime that applies to Scottish charities. He maintains his membership of the Society of Writers to HM Signet.
Fiona Alexander – Council Member
Fiona is a graduate of Stirling University and the Scottish College of Textiles. She had a career in administration and management, undertaking a variety of roles spanning 32 years.
Since leaving her job in 2018, Fiona has enjoyed pursuing her many interests which include history, travelling, hill-walking, singing and learning Scottish Gaelic.
Hetty Lancaster – Council Member
Moving to Edinburgh from Orkney in the early 1990s, Hetty worked in a variety of sectors before fulfilling her lifelong interest in history, graduating in 2018 with an MA (Hons) in Social and Architectural History from the University of Edinburgh.
She is particularly interested in Edinburgh’s social history, urban development, and industrial heritage and currently has her own business, Hetty’s History Walks, offering guided walking tours of the city.
In 2023 she led one of the Old Edinburgh Club’s summer walks and became a tutor for the City of Edinburgh Councils Adult Education Programme.
Alison Moodie – Council Member
A retired RAF Nursing Officer and Midwife, Alison returned to Edinburgh in 2018 after many years away. As well as her involvement with the OEC, she is a trustee of Veterans Housing Scotland, a volunteer with the RAF Benevolent Fund, a Committee Member of the Royal Scots Club and Chairman of 603 Squadron Association.
Alison is passionate about Edinburgh and its history, including that of Leith where she was brought up from the age of seven, having moved with her family from Aberdeen. She recently completed a Certificate in Higher Education at the University of Edinburgh, taking her back to study after many years and really feeding her history interests!