Armistice Day: Prayer and Meditation. The Memorial Chapel will be open for prayer and meditation. 10.45-11.15am, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Lothian Road.
TOGETHER Remembrance Event: marking the eleventh day of the eleventh month with a musical reflection held jointly with City Centre partner churches St John’s Episcopal and St Cuthbert’s. There will be readings, responses, and new music composed especially for this occasion. 7.30-8.30pm, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, George Street. All welcome.
Words and Music for Armistice Day: music and poetry by, and dedicated to, those who fell in World War One, including music by Elgar, Butterworth and composers whose careers were cut short by war. Simon Nieminski (organ) and Monica Toll (soprano). Words read by Fr Jamie Boyle. 7.30pm, St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, York Place. Free: retiring collection.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Alanna Knight: The Balmoral Incident. Edinburgh-based crime writer Alanna Knight launches the latest novel in her Rose McQuinn series. As Rose travels with her niece Mabel and trusty dog Vane to stay with her friend Olive on the Balmoral Estate, little does she know that within 48 hours of her arrival, death will have visited the great castle. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from Blackwell’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218 or emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.
Remembrance Day Talk: Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) during the First World War. Yvonne McEwen discusses this much-neglected story. Based on ground-breaking original research, this talk examines the long-held, uncritical and overly-romanticised views of First World War nursing and addresses the professional, personal and political consequences that arose for nurses in the pivotal period 1914-18. The talk will include a Q & A session and the launch and signing of Yvonne’s new book In The Company Of Nurses. 6-7.30pm, The Symposium Hall, The Royal College of Surgeons, Hill Square. Free tickets should be booked via eventbrite. Part of Previously….Scotland’s History Festival.
Bookbug Rhymetime: rhymes and songs for the under 3s. 10.30-11.ooam or 11.30am-12 noon, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Free, no booking required.
War Poets Collection: Exhibition Guided Tours. Edinburgh Napier University’s Craiglockhart campus has a fascinating past. It opened as a hydropathic establishment in 1880 but was requisitioned during the First World War as a hospital for shell-shocked officers; Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon famously met here. From the 1920s the building became home to the Convent of the Sacred Heart and Craiglockhart College of Education. The university houses a small special collection of material relating to the history of Craiglockhart. Catherine Walker will provide a guided visit and talk about the many interesting characters who have had links with Craiglockhart over the years. The exhibition is open to the public and all are welcome to visit. Tours will take place 11am-12 noon and 2-3pm today and on 13th, 19th, 21st, 25th and 28th November, Napier University, Craiglockhart Campus, Glenlockhart Road. Free but please register by calling 0131 455 4260 or emailing events@napier.ac.uk. Part of Previously….Scotland’s History Festival.
Baby Cafe: enjoy coffee and a chat, with toys, books and games for babies and toddlers. 11am-12 noon today and every Tuesday, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace.
ESOL Chatabout Reading Group (intermediate level): a great opportunity for adults to learn English as a second language. Free, informal and relaxed monthly sessions – practice your English and share your ideas about the book the group is reading; build your confidence in reading, speaking and understanding the language. 10-11am, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. To find out more please contact Mohammed.boussaboun@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 529 5617. Next meeting Tuesday 9th December 2014.
Lunchtime Concert: Music Students from the University of Edinburgh. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Pat Dishon: The Delaneys of Edinburgh. Pat will talk about researching and writing her book, set in St Patrick’s Church in the Cowgate during the ‘Little Ireland’ period in the 19th century. 7pm, Portobello Library, 14 Rosefield Avenue. All welcome.
Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links: autumn meeting. Dr Chris Wigglesworth will talk about The Geology of The Meadows. 7.30pm, The German Church, Laudate House, 1 Chalmers Crescent. All welcome – bring your questions and ideas! More information about the Friends and their activities here.
Lee Miller’s Transgressive Eroticism: Patricia Allmer, Chancellor’s Fellow at Edinburgh College of Art, will focus on the engagement of the American photographer Lee Miller with the writings of the Marquis de Sade. The talk will explore her Sadean work, both as model and photographer, in relation to the Sadean philosophies of her Parisian avant-garde peers, such as the American writer and alleged cannibal William Seabrook, and the anti-Surrealist group around Georges Bataille’s publication Documents. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Level Up: Reading XP – reading and gaming teen group for boys aged 11-14. 6-7pm, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. For reading list click here.
North Edinburgh Community Circle: if you would like to feel more connected, offer support to other people, have people to turn to when life gets tough, build friendships with people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, or get a fresh perspective on things, come along to the Community Circle. The group shares a meal at the start of the meeting; this is free but any contributions of food to share are welcome. 5.30-8pm today and the second Tuesday of every month, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Road. For more information contact Linda at Edinburgh Development Group on 0131 476 0522.
Imagination Mill: a new exhibition of work by Hannah Botma (illustrator), Caroline Halliwell (illustrator), Tess Barnard (printmaker/fine artist) and Katie Forrester (illustrator), a group who met at Edinburgh College of Art and are all recent graduates or current postgraduates. Explore their works of fictional vision and be inspired to use your own individual ‘imagination mill’. Opening 5.30-7.30pm tonight, then 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 10am-12 noon Saturdays, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Road. Call 0131 315 2151 for more information.
Christmas Carol Singing Sessions: fancy a wee sing? Come along to these sessions, which will be held every Tuesday in November, working towards singing at the Christmas Craft Fair on 6th December. 12.30-1pm, Craigmillar Community Arts, 58 Newcraighall Road. No booking necessary – speak to Mike or Tricia if interested.
