BBC Radio Scotland visited the University of Dundee Archives Department today to issue a challenge to the public to celebrate 25 years of Radio Scotland.
With University Rector and BBC personality Fred MacAulay, the 15 members of the public were asked to find an item of interest that would have been of interest to the newspapers from a wide-ranging selection of archival records which spanned 300 years, including case records from Dundee Asylum, the 18th century Dundee Weekly Magazine, a Bowbridge Works accident register, photograph albums from the 19th century to the 1960s and many others.
Professor Charles McKean, who demonstrated Dundee's historical development, found a story in the Dundee weekly published in 1780 about an enterprising woman who had joined the army pretending to be a man and had then fallen for one of the other soldiers, which no doubt took a bit of explaining.
The visitors were given Radio Scotland goodie bags after their visit. Members of the public are welcome to visit the Archives and use the collections
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk