On 23 October 2025 at Wishaw Golf Club, the delicate strains of Chopin’s music once again echoed across the grounds that were once part of the Wishaw House estate — the very place where the composer stayed during his visit to Scotland in 1848 under the care of Jane Stirling.
The occasion was the launch of Gerry Carr’s new book, From Warsaw to Wishaw, a title that fittingly captures the spirit of connection between Poland and Scotland that lies at the heart of the Jane Stirling Project. Though the venue is today more often associated with sport than with art, the choice of location could not have been more symbolic. The Wishaw Golf Club now occupies what was once the heart of the Stirling family’s estate — the grounds that once welcomed Chopin himself.
The evening began with a performance by Anna Dębowska, whose interpretations of Chopin’s works filled the space with warmth and reflection. In this unexpected setting — amid the quiet of the golf club — Chopin’s music took on a special intimacy, linking the past to the present through sound alone.
Adding to the evening’s sense of continuity and symbolism was the presence of Lady Belhaven and Stenton, wife of the last owner of Wishaw House. Her attendance was more than ceremonial — it represented a living connection between the heritage of the estate and the renewed effort to keep its cultural story alive.
Marcin Jaroszek gave a short address on the occasion, reflecting on the shared strands of Polish and Scottish history and on the importance of Wishaw in Chopin’s final journey. I spoke of how both nations have known resilience in adversity, and how music — like friendship — often travels quietly, finding new places to belong.
The event was not only a celebration of a new book but also a reaffirmation of the mission of the Jane Stirling Project to preserve and deepen the understanding of Jane Stirling’s role in Chopin’s life, and to highlight the enduring cultural links between our two countries. Holding the event on the very grounds of the former Wishaw House brought that mission full circle — back to where history first unfolded.
As the final notes of Chopin’s music faded into the autumn air, there was a sense that the story of From Warsaw to Wishaw had come home — not only as a historical narrative, but as a living connection.
It was, in every sense, a return — from the heart of Poland to the heart of Scotland.
