CENTRAL PREMISES _Frontispiece_ COBURG STREET AND ST JAMES STREET PREMISES _Facing page_ 16 M‘NEIL STREET PREMISES „ 17 M‘NEIL STREET PREMISES „ 32 CLYDEBANK BAKERY „ 33 PAST PRESIDENTS (1) „ 64 PAST PRESIDENTS (2) „ 65 PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY „ 80 AUDITORS „ 81 DIRECTORS (1) „ 112 DIRECTORS (2) „ 113 BELFAST ADVISORY COMMITTEE „ 128 MANAGER AND CASHIER „ 129 EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE „ 160 PRIZE SILVER BAND „ 161 BELFAST BAKERY „ 176 ST MUNGO HALLS „ 177 DEPARTMENTAL MANAGERS (1) „ 208 DEPARTMENTAL MANAGERS (2) „ 209 DEPUTATIONS TO ENGLAND (1) „ 224 DEPUTATIONS TO ENGLAND (2) „ 225 ROLL OF HONOUR „ 277 CHAPTER I. SCOTLAND IN THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES. GENERAL SOCIAL CONDITIONS—EARLY FARMING METHODS—POVERTY OF THE PEOPLE—MINERS AS SERFS—“THE SOUTH SEA BUBBLE”—IMPROVING CONDITIONS: THE ACT OF UNION AND ITS EFFECTS—THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION—THE FACTORY SYSTEM: ITS EFFECT ON THE STATUS OF MEN.