Our lovely permanent exhibition at the John Gray Centre Museum, The Land, The Sea and The People, is explored below. Enjoy exerts from information panels, watch footage from our galleries, explore objects, listen to oral histories and our Talking Museum audio guide.
This page explores East Lothian’s community history. When you are finished why not enjoy our other pages focusing on the sections of the galleries concerned with East Lothian’s agricultural and maritime past, plus industrial and trading history.
East Lothian’s many communities have their own distinct but interlinked histories. Working, living and socialising together, people formed close-knit groups, often crossing geographic and sometimes social boundaries to develop their own traditions, stories and identities.
People come together to form diverse types of communities for many reasons. From living in company housing, such as the miners’ rows at Cuthill in Prestonpans, to more formalised groups, such as Unions, working together has created many communities.
Banding together as a community can sustain people who might otherwise be isolated, such as those in rural areas. In 1917 women from farming areas met to form the first Scottish Women’s Rural Institute at Longniddry. Grouping together also opened up possibilities not available to individuals. The mutual improvement clubs of the 1800s were often formed by ordinary working people for education and ‘improvement’.
Across East Lothian different groups developed their own customs or ceremonies, giving a strong sense of identity and belonging. This is especially true of the many religious communities in East Lothian, such as the monastery of Nunraw near Haddington. Other formal or institutional groups such as schools, military units and elected bodies wore distinctive clothes or regalia for ceremonies. As these industries developed people began to move into towns, just as the increased use of machinery on farms led to a reduced demand for workers.
Click on the thumbnails below to take a closer look at our exhibition panel
 Prestonpans Cooperative |  Display Panel |  Nunraw Monks |
 North Berwick Guides |  Haddington Curling Club |
Highlights from the large scale case in this area of the museum.
This case has been audio described for the Talking Museum. Why not listen here.
The Women’s Land Army (WLA) made a significant contribution to boosting food production during the Second World War. Before the Second World War Britain had imported much of its food. When war broke out it was necessary to grow more food at home. When male farm workers joined the armed forces women when needed to provide a new rural workforce. The WLA had originally been set up in 1917 but disbanded at the end of the First World War it reformed in June 1939. Land girls worked in all weathers and conditions and could be directed to work anywhere in the country. At its peak in 1944 there were more than 80000 land girls.
Women’s Voluntary Service WVS Uniform
The Women’s Voluntary Service was formed in 1970 originally so women could help the country’s air defence network during the Second World War. Over 1 million women played a fundamental role in factories and in farms and also provided social welfare to families of service people and helped promote the war effort. The WVS cared for evacuees, worked in knitting parties to make essential items for the forces such as gloves and salvaged metals to build tanks and weapons. In larger towns and cities where bombing was a threat they ran mobile canteens to feed the hungry and rest centres during major incidents.
Civil Defence Uniform and kit Warden Branch C.1941
Worn by Fred Mills Divisional/District Warden; a senior rank. The red chevrons on the right sleeve denote war service. The medal ribbons above the left breast pocket reflect service in the First World War. Left to right they are:
- The military Cross (purple and white ribbon), third level award for gallantry awarded to officers only.
- The British War Medal (orange and blue ribbon), campaign medal awarded to all British and Empire forces engaged on operations during the First World War.
- The Allied Victory Medal (rainbow ribbon) awarded to all forces engaged on operations against the Central Powers during the First World War. The Civil Defence was originally called the Air Raid Precautions ARP before 1941 and volunteers were called Air Raid Wardens.
Uniform of a Private c.1870-1888 of the East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry
This uniform originates from the 1870s with a private’s tunic, trousers, cape and helmet plus a cavalryman’s lance.
Trousers and Jacket
Pillbox hat
Sgt. P.H. Hume of Lawfield, latterly the regimental quartermaster wore these. Plenty of gold braid was common on uniforms of all ranks in Yeomanry regiments.
2009.29 Helmet of black leather. Originally had a plume of white horsehair. Fittings were either gilt or brass depending on rank; silver and gilt were for officers.
Cape worn whilst riding on horseback.
Yeomanry regiments were part of the British Army throughout the 19th century. They were volunteer units where each man had to supply his own uniform and horse.
The East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry was formed in 1797 to defend Britain in case the French invaded under Napoleon. It disbanded in 1838 but reformed in 1846 and changed its name in 1888 to Lothians and Berwickshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry.
In 1908 the Regiment was renamed the Lothians and Borders Horse and attached to the 51 (Highland) Division.
After WWII the Regiment was amalgamated into the Queen’s Own Lowland Yeomanry. The Regiment exists today as E Squadron of the Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry.
Banners and Flags
East Lothian Museum Service has a large collection of banners and flags all associated with the people of East Lothian. They were created in times of great social change, as campaign tools, as symbols of pride and collective identity and as works of art. They were taken on marches, displayed at public gatherings and a crucial part of official ceremonies. The collection includes banners from trade guilds, cooperative societies and the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute. They are very delicate and a changing selection will be displayed here.
Reform Banner
This banner was created in the early 1830s. Its strong language was very topical. Scotland and Britain were changing from an agricultural and rural centred economy to one where industry was dominant. Ordinary working people faced radical changes to their lives and began to campaign for better representation in parliament and for better working conditions. This banner belonged to Musselburgh activists in favour of the Reform Act (Scotland), 1832. The Act increased the British electorate from 4239 to 65,000 and reformed the House of Commons. The banner has been audio described for the Talking Museum and the track is here,
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