While at The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Jan staged an exhibition about the life of the "golfing surgeon" who put his name to the rules of golf. Subsequently, much of the research undertaken then formed an article submitted jointly by Mr Colin Strachan FRCSEd and Jan to The New Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press).

The Banning of Playing Golf on a Sunday

Extracts from the Registers of the Kirk of Session of South Leith Parish

8 December 1609

The Sessione ordaines That these quha gois to any pastyme qn they suld be present at the Sessione to pay fourtie peneyes wnforgiven.

16 February 1610

The said day it wes concludit be the haill Sessioune, that thair sall be na public playing suffred on the Sabbath dayes As playing at the valley bowles, at the peney stane, archerie, gowfe, &c. And gif any beis fund playing publiklie in any Zaird or in the feildes wpon ane Sabbath day fra morne till even That they sall pay xx s to the pure, and also make thair publik repentance before the pulpite. And thairfore Marioune Mowbray wes dischairgit to suffer any to play in her Zaird wpon any Sabbath day fra morne to evin wnder the lyke paine.

7 December 1610

The qlk day copeired James Robertsone, Jhone Lentrek, John Huttoune, and Alexr Stirk confessed they had prophaned the Sabbath be playing at the gowffe in tyme off preaching and thairfore was ordained to mak thair publict repentance the nixt Sabboth.

25 February 1649

Jhone Holmes younger . . . being warned (for playing at ye gouffe ye last Lords day in tyme of divyne service) were called compeard and being severalie interrogat yei ansred and confessed yat yei were playing at ye goufe, There censour is continued till ye nixt dyat; all yir are young boys.

(Note - This criminal offence was discussed at several meetings, and in the end the Session came to a very sensible decision. The boys "were recomended to yr parents to correct ym and any of ym qo are scollers to be corrected be yr maisters.")

12 March 1724

John Dickson, Golf Club Maker and his spouse compeared and being examined declared that they were both in the Church Sabbath forenoon, but when she came from church after sermon was over she understood that three Gentlemen had been calling at the house and had ordered their dinner to be made ready against their incoming from taking a walk; She declared she knew nothing of their being at the Golf till James Aitken brought in a broken Club from them; That her sister and servant who were at home when the gentlemen went out declared they knew nothing of their getting clubs. That when the Gentlemen who were Gourlay of Kingcraig, Moncrieff of Reed and a s on of Captain Cramonds a Young lad-came in after 12 of the clock to get their dinner the sd Johh and his spouse declared That they were very angry and displeased with them for prophaning the Lord's day in such a manner That Captain Cramond's son denyed that he played any, but said that he only went about with and saw them play, That after dinner they went down to the Shoar in a coach that was attending them, and in the evening came back and payed their reckoning and called for the Meat they had left and gave it to the Coachman.

John Dickson and his spouse were rebuked for entertaining people whom they knew to be guilty of such enormities on the Lord's day and admonished not to be guilty of the like again.

12 March 1724

John Groser compeared and declared that he and William Barclay servant to Alexander Broun Shambo Breech Maker in Edinburgh on Sabbath last saw three Gentlemen come out to the Links, two of them carrying down their Golf Balls and fall to the playing and play for some time at the east end of the Links.

The Session having heard and considered this affair Think it proper that a narration of the abover matter of fact may by the R.R. Ministers be laid before the Right Hon. the Lord Justice Clerk in order to the punishing and preventing such bare faced profanation of the Lord's day.