Hi
My name is William McClintock. I have vague memories of living at Yonderfields in the mid 1950s. My father worked there his name was Tom and he was married to Lillian. We moved to Coventry around 1958. I still have an uncle and aunt living in Ardrossan who might be able to help with more background info. Remember helping to pick tattoos with the Irish pickers

My Grandfather William Howie farmed Carlung Farm in the times you are inquiring about. I am the family historian so I doubt you are related to the Howies. William Howie took over the farm just before the war and farmed until his death in 1967. His son William then farmed it for about 8 more years.
I hope this helps. I'm not sure if you will get this reply to your question as I am not registered with Roots chat.
J M D

Don't remember much about the farmer as such at Carlung but do remember back breaking work in the tattie fields in 1969 to help out classmate Gordon Weir who lived with sister Liz and his family at Carlung Cottages. Think it must have been July 1 or thereabouts as I had to send my mum to get the commerorative cover of the stamps of Charlie boy becoming the Prince of Wales. I was so eager to see the stamps that my dirty thumb print from badly washed hands (and what my mum said about her towel cannot be repeated) is still on the envelope.

Hi Ian, John Kean & Everyone Else,

I too am from West Kilbride with connections to Carlung Farm.

My father, Allan, did a great deal of research into our family tree. Over the last few years I've been trying to fill in the gaps. My Great Grandfather also Allan was a farmer at Carlung in the late 19th Century. When he died, in 1902, he was a Grain Merchant in West Kilbride. My Grandfather, James, farmed at Yonderton Farm and would have had links to Carlung. Sadly, that's all I know at the moment. My ancestors also farmed at Carlung from about 1680 to 1768.

Just to square a couple of circles; I went to school in the 1970s with Billy Howie whilst his father was still farming at Carlung. I'm sure I've met Pat Graham; we were both working on the construction of the Channel Tunnel at the time (1991 -92). He was a ganger man for a civil engineering company. He was reminiscing about his time in "East Kilbride, West Kilbride" at Yonderfield Farm.

Kind regards,

JS

Dear All. WOW this is really a lot of information and i am impressed, it just shows the power of the internet. However, I guess that we are missing a generation as Lady Barr was of the Irn Brew generation and I can remember meeting her at her Portencross house, which has now been turned into flats, when the military requesitioned Carlung House during WW2 and walked across her" treasured ballroom floor in their military boots" her quotes. My grand uncle John Russell had many farming cotacts of which I know absolutely nothing so I was hoping that one of his relations by marriage, and a reconisable family name, may have occupied the tennancy of Carlung Farm during this period. With all the info supplied i will have to try and work through it to see if I can make some positive outcome.
However in the intervening time can I offer my sincere thanks to all who have replied,what a wonderful bunch of people on this site.
Your help is much appreciated and thanks
Ian

Hi Harry,

It was McDowall. By pure coincidence I've just seen the name on another thread here.(Quarry Lane).

JD.

Hi John was it Montgomerys potato merchant
Harry.

Wasn't there a potato merchant who lived down at Porten Cross; McCallum / McAllister ??

I remember his car registration was POT80.

JD.

Harry - your'e memory is a blast from the past! I used to do the "tatties" at Yonderfield during the 50's and John Wardrop is a name I had completely forgotten. Ms Pierce was always at Yonderfield although I dont know if she actually "lived" there on the farm itself. You might have remembered her delivering the milk in WK! Quite an unforgettable woman!

Ozzie was indeed the factor (although the time period when this was, I dont really know....He was definitely there when Ms Pierce died. As there were a number of farms on the estate I have to assume they were always extremely busy.

I remember the Irish squads very well. They lived in the bothy just a wee bit further down the Portencross road from Yonderfield. There were some bonny girls, and they were always very carefully chaperoned by older folks on the squads, Sometimes I went to the dances they held on Saturday nights - (one sticks in my mind at Chapelton farm in Seamill). They were really nice folks, and I always saw them at the Chapel on a Sunday. (often wandered how there lives went over the ensuing years?).

Bobby says John Wardrope was the farm manager. He picked the Potato pickers up in his jaguar.

Hi all I worked at yonderfield and Carlung farms, in the early 1960's, I was always under the impression that it was John Wardrope who was the main farmer,there was always a gang of Irish potato pickers came over for the summer, they all stayed in a bothy near the Yonderfield farm, there gangerman was Pat Graham from Ireland, thats all I know to the best of my ability,
regards Harry.

Ian,

some more information gleaned over the weekend from West Kilbride.

Ms Pierce of Yonderfield estate in WK was a local (and extremely wealthy) land owner who actually controlled and worked the home farm of Yonderfield.

In addition to the Yonderfield estate, she owned Carlung Estate, Brisbane Estates, most of the land that WK stands on, the Seamill Hydro and all the farms on the various estates. In fact the land that Seamill Golf Club stands on was also owned by her.

I remember her as quite a character - she obviously loved the land and worked the home farm personally, including delivering milk to the villagers, and was always dressed in an old trench coat tied with string, a head scarf and wellington boots. Quite a character, and held in great respect by the people of WK). As was always the case in the old days, the feu duty for your property and land was due to the land owner (ie; in this case, Ms Pierce).

As stated, she also owned Carlung estate and Mr Howie & his family rented the farm from her.

I have determined that one of the families who worked on the Carlung farm was called Middleton. (Dougie Middleton, one of the sons and now in his seventies still lives in WK).

On her death, some of the land (including Drumilling farm in WK and the Seamill Hydro was willed to her factor (he was always known as Ozzie - no more details). I know that Ozzie's sons ran the Hydro for a number of years and that its now run by some of their family.

The rest of the estates was apparently willed to relations of Ms Pierce somewhere overseas (I beliueve Canada, but I am unsure if the location is correct).

Thats all for now Ian. When I dig out more information then I will advise.

PP> The names Cameron or Russell and even Lady Barr are unknown to the people I have spoken to. Of course, thats not to say that they dont exist, just that memories fade over the years.

Regards,

John.