The Gift was one of many prizes made to Edinburgh Institutions in commemoration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee on 20 and 21 June 1887. Council has specified the Gift to be used as a grant to “enable experts to visit other museums, collections, or materials of archaeological science at home or abroad, for the purpose of special investigation and research”.

It was inaugurated in H M Queen Victoria’s Jubilee year 1887-88 “by an Inspection and Report upon the condition and contents of the Archaeological and Ethnological departments of the various local Museums in Scotland” by Dr Joseph Anderson and Mr George F Black. It has also been used by Council to appoint various experts to, for example, compile a list of sculptured stones (PSAS 24 1889-90, 510) and recumbent stone circles (PSAS 34 1899-90, 139).

Previously named after Robert Halliday Gunning, a Scottish surgeon, the Society has removed his name from the grant after it became aware late in 2024 that the funds were a product of enslaved labour in Brazil. Gunning also had an estate in Brazil for which he purchased slaves. The Society is considering the implications of this evidence.

Grants are made on the recommendation of the Grants and Awards Committee and the approval of the Society’s Council.

Guidelines

The 1887 Jubilee Gift is awarded competitively with the specific aim to “enable experts to visit other museums, collections, or materials of archaeological science at home or abroad, for the purpose of special investigation and research.” The Detailed Guidance available should be consulted prior to application.

Deadlines

There are now two deadlines for grant applications which are the 30 April and 30 November each year. The process to award Grants now has a quicker turnaround for decisions to be made and communicated.

For applications received by the 30 November, applicants can expect to hear whether they have been successful or not by the end of the following January. For applications submitted by the 30 April, decisions will be communicated by the end of June.

1887 Jubilee Gift applications should be addressed to Dr Helen Spencer, Head of Research and arrive in the Society offices on or before the biannual deadlines. Applications can be sent by email to grants@socantscot.org. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that supporting referees are agreeable to their nomination and able to respond to enquiries from the Society.

Further deadlines regarding the use of grant money and reporting can be found in the guidelines.

Application Form

Download Grant Application Form (Word doc)

Download Grant Guidance (PDF)

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