Not the THREETOWNS but close

[glenshena]

Can you find Girnal Street in Dalry? I dont think its a Saltcoats Street.

[Penny Tray]

The following is again from Ayrshire Roots and referring to Saltcoats:-

"Upon the little path through the Green Mailling, worn by the feet of many tenants of the Earl of Eglinton as they came to pay their meal rents at "My Lord's Girnal House", was appropriately bestowed the name of Girnal Street. Until the end of the eighteenth century it remained a narrow and crooked way, broled by sidecloses and ancient courts, with stepdown doorways and quaint old lozenged windows, several of which remain."

This seems to be saying that it wasn't a street in its own right but rather a thoroughfare referred to as such by those calling at premises of the Earl of Eglinton to pay rents due; somewhere, I think, around Nineyard Street.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
28 OCTOBER 1873

IRVINE - ADVENTURES OF A GLASGOW VOLUNTEER

Yesterday the Justices were for a considerable time occupied in hearing the exploits of a Glasgow volunteer, named DANIEL McLaren, who is a baker by trade.

On Saturday afternoon he left Glasgow for big-gun practice at Ardrossan, and after the practice he had, along with a companion, got rather drunk. Instead of returning with the other volunteers, in company with his associate he walked to Saltcoats, where, not being in possession of a railway ticket, he climbed over a railway paling, and entered a carriage of a train which was proceeding to Kilwinning, by the window of a door which was locked.

At Kilwinning the guard asked for his ticket, and when he failed to show it he took McLaren out of the carriage. When on the platform, the latter commenced an assault on the guard, and the stationmaster received a few severe blows on his interfering. The porter then approached the group, when he also became a subject of abuse.

Police Constable Stewart, happening to be about the station, went towards McLaren in order to keep him quiet, but he was attacked with a large brush by the volunteer in a most forcible fashion; and when the constable got to close quarters with his assailant, he had his wrist very severely bitten.

With assistance McLaren was handcuffed and placed in the stationmaster's room, where he conducted himself in such a way as to induce people to think he was almost mad. After a little while he smashed a plate-glass window, valued at nearly £3; and on the stationmaster going into the room, he received a very heavy blow with the handcuffs on the mouth, from which blood flowed freely.

Not content with this, McLaren continued to conduct himself in a very riotous manner, and when being conveyed to the police station endeavoured to strike the policeman.

For these offences he was fined £4 10s, with the alternative of 45 days' imprisonment.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
29 OCTOBER 1875

KILWINNING - SUDDEN DEATH

The various workshops in the town were closed on Wednesday (Autumn Fast Day), and the occasion was taken advantage of by several young men to take a walk to Ardrossan, a distance of five miles.

Between Kilwinning and Stevenston one of them, named CLAUD RONALD, Blacksmith, in the employment of J. & P. Wilson here, called at a wayside house to visit a friend, his companions walking on. When he came out, the gig of Mr. Brown of Lylestone passed. He got into it, and was followed afterwards by his companions.

When between Stevenston and Saltcoats, the young man offered to try a race with the horse. He only ran a short distance when he fell, but he immediately rose and ran again, and again dropped.

When his companions went to him they found that there was something seriously the matter, and immediately drove to a doctor's in Saltcoats, who pronounced life extinct.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
4 NOVEMBER 1872

WEST KILBRIDE - PROPOSED RAILWAY

A largely attended public meeting of the inhabitants of West Kilbride and the surrounding district was held in the parish school room, West Kilbride, on Friday evening, to hear the report of the committee appointed at a former meeting, and also to meet with a deputation from the directors of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company.

Mr. Hyndman, convener of the committee occupied the chair. Mr. Wainwright, secretary to the railway company explained to the meeting the various lines with their comparative difficutlies and advantages; and Mr. Adams, one of the company's engineers, exhibited maps and plans for the instruction of the meeting.

After discussion, the meeting resolved unanimously to support the upper shore line via Ardrossan, with a station in the village, as the one most likely to meet the wants of the locality, and further resolved that a memorial be presented to Lord Eglinton and the other proprietors through whose properties the line will pass, to give the undertaking their consideration and support.

The chairman was empowered to sign the memorial on behalf of the meeting.

The proceedings were brought to a close by a vote of thanks to the chairman.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
6 NOVEMBER 1874

THE LOSS OF THE POSIE OF GLASGOW

The Board of Trade inquiry, at Belfast, into the circumstances connected with the loss of the POSIE, of Glasgow, on the Ringfad Rocks, Ardglass, County Down, on her voyage from Ardrossan to Cuba, concluded yesterday.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
11 NOVEMBER 1916

DEFRAUDING THE RAILWAY COMPANY

At Ardrossan Justice of the Peace Court yesterday JOHN HARRIS, West Kilbride; James BOAG, Fairlie; and NEIL WATSON, Largs, all munition workers at Ardeer Works, Stevenston, were convicted of attempting to defraud the Glasgow and South-Western Railway Company by paying the fares from stations short of the points at which they joined the trains.

Harris and Watson pleaded guilty; Boag pleaded not guilty, but was convicted on evidence.

Harris was fined £2 1s; Boag, against whom there were two counts, £3; a d Watson £2 5s.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
12 NOVEMBER 1889

DEATH FROM AN OVERDOSE OF LAUDANUM

The steamer OVINGTON, from Ardrossan for Hamburg, arrived in Tobermory Bay on Sunday evening to report the death of the chief officer under painful circumstances.

The officer, whose name was WILLIAM FEARN, had been found in the course of the evening in his cabin in an unconscious state. All efforts to arouse him out the state of coma were unavailing.

An investigation was made by the procurator-fiscal, and it is understood that death is pronounced to have been caused by an overdose of laudanum, and was probably due to inadvertency.

The unfortunate man was elderly, and married, his wife living in Liverpool.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
16 NOVEMBER 1893

FISHERMEN DEFENDING THE MUSSEL BEDS IN THE GARNOCK

Two boats from Saltcoats entered the Garnock yesterday morning, and were being filled with mussels from the preserves there, when a number of local fishermen crossed the Irvine, followed the boats up the Garnock, and boarding them, threw the mussels overboard.

The police were again on the scene, but did not interfere beyond taking the names and numbers of the boats.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
17 NOVEMBER 1870

ARRAN

We learn that his Grace the Duke of Hamilton has ordered for the summer trade between Ardrossan and Arran a large and powerful new paddle steamer in place of the LADY MARY, and that the new boat is intended to make the passage in one half the time required at present.

His Grace is also making arrangements for erecting a handsome new pier at Brodick, which it is expected will shortly be begun.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
23 NOVEMBER 1870

THE STRANDED BRIG IRIS

Yesterday the Clyde Shipping Company's tug-steamer FLYING DUTCHMAN left Greenock for Ballantrae, for the purpose of towing off the brig IRIS of Sunderland, stranded near the town.

Efforts are being made to float her by Messrs Barr & Shearer, Ardrossan.

Another of the same company's tugs preceded the FLYING DUTCHMAN a few days ago with men and material.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
25 NOVEMBER 1875

IRVINE - AN ORATOR SENT TO PRISON

JAMES SLOAN, better known throughout the district as the "Irvine Orator," and whose abilities have often been called into requisition to "heckle" candidates for Parliamentary or municipal honours, appeared at the Police Court, yesterday, charged with a breach of the peace, collecting a large crowd, and using abusive language towards the authorities.

The accused was allowed to make a speech in his own defence. He indignantly denied all the charges. He would rather go into the poorhouse at least until the summer days - when the birds begin to sing - than to Ayr jail, for, though everything was very clean there, the food was but indifferent; but if they wished to punish him, he asked the magistrate to make it "licht," by giving him ten days.

The Bailie remarked that a residence in Ayr for a time always improved his appearance wonderfully, and he would therefore send him there for thirty days, whilst in the interval he would use his influence to have him made comfortable in the poorhouse when he "came home."