Ladies First

Queen Margaret Union is as much a staple of Glasgow life as George Square, Sauchiehall Street or Buchanan Street. For nearly 120 years she has influenced the lives of students both of the old College bearing the same name and of the University of Glasgow. She has survived two world wars, out-lasted several monarchs of the United Kingdom and weathered some fairly public scandals. Throughout the decades, Queen Margaret Union's members have successfully managed to move with the times and to reinvent her image whenever necessary - often doing so ahead of the trend. From its humble beginnings in the basement of Queen Margaret College for Women, to its position as a top ranking entertainments venue in Glasgow, every possible aspect of the history is explored. This is a journey through these important times and events by the very people who lived them. Each decade offers the historical context as well as often quite personal memories about the Union and what it meant to its members. Gary R. Brown was President of Queen Margaret Union from July 2006 until June 2007 - the 106th student to hold the post. He has spent the best part of three years researching the history of the Union. Aiming for true perfection, he has traced as many former Presidents, Board Members and Staff of Queen Margaret Union as possible in putting together this volume.