Kilwinning

[billymac]

Pick up a book Yesterday in a second hand book shop, it is called"Tom Sheilds' Diary". Published 1991

Here is an extract from a chapter on Killwinning.

"A Killwinning man decided to take a train to Glasgow for the day.Asked how he enjoyed his first visit to the big city,he replied:"It's brillant- ah didnae it was know it was a' under gless."

[billymac]

Not a popular topic. Must be outside our collective experience.!!A place we pasted through but did'nt go to. Somewhere in my deep memory."i think" there was a very good genlemen's outfitters there" or was that kilmarnock/ Did it have an estate called the woodbine?

[jim cochrane]

The 'woodbine' you refer to is, in fact, the Woodwynd (pronounced wood wined). Kilwinning still has its attractions... in particular The Alton Inn where we meet once a month with old schoolmates from Stevenston Higher Grade and Ardrossan Academy of the late fifties and early sixties. There we sit and chat, reminisce, laugh, drink and eventually get fu' but never get thrown oot. Next meeting is the 26th Frbruary.

JKC

[billymac]

Hi Jim
Thanks for that information.It's good to see that you and your school friends meet there to discuss old times.
Often (when travelling by train) I would fall asleep coming from Ayr and fail to get the conection to Ardrossan and end up sleeping in a police station in Glasgow till the following morning.

[knxyl]

Billymac,
When I was young there was a tailor in Kilwinning. His house was on the left side of the road, just past the station, on the road to Irvine. His name was Jimmy McCallum, perhaps a rellie of our own Hugh. Margaret

[Hughie]

His name was Jimmy McCallum, perhaps a rellie of our own Hugh. Margaret

Hi Margaret,

You're right! Jimmy McCallum took over the gent's outfitters in Kilwinning from his father William McCallum who was a brother of my great grandfather Hugh McCallum born Kilwinning 1860. I do remember the shop but at the time I was unaware of the Kilwinning link in my family. I'm in contact with Jimmy's grandaughter in Kilwinning....

Hughie <Summertime in Melbourne where it's cold and wet wet wet>

[billymac]

Hi Margaret and Hughie

He was a very good tailor, I travelled from Ardrossan to Kilwinning-just to buy the best of shirts- so I was the "bees knees" when I went to the Ritz in Irvine or the Castlegraigs in Ardrossan.

Another one from "Tom Shields Diary"
Killwinningites have their own way of putting things. Half-day closing is referred to as "hauf-shut day". A bank holiday has been heard described as "hauf-shut day a' the day".
A great discription........ do we have more like that?

awthebest Billymac.

[knxyl]

Hi, again,
Jimmy was not only a good tailor he was a kind man. When my sister was married in1941 she and another sister wore coats designed and tailored by him. Clothes were rationed but he had material from pre-war times and the results were truly lovely.
The groom and best man were in uniform. Margaret

[imajrk]

My brother brought us this book years ago. It has some really great stories in it. I think there are now 2 or 3 books. I think he writes a column for the Glasgow Herald and each topic goes on for a few days. The book is made up of excerpts from that column. We have had some good laughs from it.

Jean

[morag]

Hi Billymac,
Tom Sheilds diary was run in the then Glasgow Herald for years and had some classic lines. A lot were aimed at Kilwinningites whether true or not they were funny, such as 'he kult 'um stane deid' and 'the Garnock was black wi swans'.
Now I'm going to have to go get my Tom Sheilds book out and have a re-read!
Morag

[marydobson]

HI Billymac and Morag
I have read your posts with much interest and being a Kilwinningite I would be really pleased to find out where I might be able to purchase the book .
Thanks in advance
Mary

[morag]

Hi Mary,
I'd think it would be available in local bookshops. Otherwise you might try amazon or ebay.
Morag