Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

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Vinegarjoe
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by Vinegarjoe »

gnyaff wrote:Hi Frank,

You are correct, Kerrs did have a big green removal van with their name written on it. I remember as a wee boy living in Quay Street Saltcoats my dad came home in it and he left it parked on the braes. He never worked for Kerrs as he was working in Ardrossan shipyard at that time. He took me out with another man in it and I got to sit on dads lap with my hands on the steering wheel for a trip round the braes. I remember seeing the van a few times after that.

Wee Boney
MY FIL, Duncan Shaw worked for Kerr's for years, as a delivery man, upholsterer, cabinet maker, carpet fitter, basically Jack of all trades. He was probably best known for his carpet fitting skills. Best carpet fitter I ever did see!! I'm sure he's fitted carpets for some of you in the past....
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George Ardrossan
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by George Ardrossan »

COOK'S BUILDERS' SUPPLIES

Princes Street has changed in the past ten years with the removal of Cook's Builders' Supplies and its replacement by the Michael Lynch Centre for Enterprise.

Demolition of Cook's premises started on 7 April 2005 when the photo below was taken.
Image

By 21 April 2006, the site was cleared as shown in the photo below.
Image

Construction of the Michael Lynch Centre started on 27 June 2005 and the Centre became operational on 21 May 2006. It was officially opened by Malcolm Chisholm, Member of the Scottish Parliament and Minister for Communities on 4 September 2006, the day after the photo below was taken.
Image

George
meekan
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by meekan »

And before Cook's
the red sandstone building was Ardrossan Town Station and station masters house. the white building to the left was the Station Hotel.
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by Penny Tray »

It's the Town Station for me too Meekan, and I remember being taken there from Winton School on 3 July 1956 to witness the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II. Some good photographs of this occasion have previously been posted.

I also remember that in the 60s 'football specials' left from there, travelling direct to Cathcart Station, within walking distance of Hampden. I travelled to cup finals and internationals several times via this route. I'm not sure why but the Rangers versus Kilmarnock League Cup Final on 29 October 1960 sticks in my mind. For those interested in figures, Rangers won 2-0 and the crowd is recorded as 80,063.
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
Linda Dickie
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by Linda Dickie »

Re: Ingledene Hotel

I went to Langside College and studied Catering and Hotelkeeping with Lorna Coleman from 1967 to 1969.
I remember Mrs. Coleman and her wee dogs in the front lounge. It used to be THE place to go to on a Saturday night. One of the wee dogs got trampled on and was killed and I was so horrified that I never ever owned a small dog.
My mother wouldn't let me go there when the Glasgow Fair was on as she was frightened I might meet a man from Glasgow. (Mind you, after she died, I noticed that she was born in the Gorbals herself!)
How sad that it closed down. It certainly brings back fond memories. We used to hide upstairs if there was a fight at the Disco and I remember the American sailors from the Polaris Base were not too popular with the local lads, which is probably due to the fact that they had, money, accents,cigarettes and smart uniforms which seemed so exotic to many young women at the time. I remember one sailor losing his cap, which would have been some horrific offence and I think he would have been severely punished for such indiscretion.
I often wonder what happened to Lorna as I lost contact with her after I moved from Melbourne, about 25 years ago.
Last edited by Hughie on Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Hotel name corrected.
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John Donnelly
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by John Donnelly »

Aaaah, the Ingledene.
Best pint of heavy ever; Ushers, served in the Ingledene.
Happy days.
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by glenshena »

Lorna Coleman died many years ago, not long after her son was killed in a car accident in the USA. Not sure how she died,perhaps another local member can tell you. But her mother is still alive, she was 90 last year and still living in a flat Saltcoats. She doesnt have any more dogs. She and her husband, before retiring , owned the Bay Hotel on Winton Circus, which has also been knocked down and made into flats. I never went back after I saw one of her three Yorkshires wet the carpet just after they entered the hotel ftom a walk. Thats all I can tell you.
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by Hughie »

The parent's of a school pal of mine at Eglinton, Sandy Harrison, ran the Ingledene around the mid-fifties, that was before it had the extension built with the dance floor and open to the public - Sandy was a right character. They moved to Beith, and I can recall seeing their pub which was named Harrison's while passing through the town on the Glasgow bound SMT bus around 1961.
:puter
Linda Dickie
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Re: Changes in Ardrossan in Recent Years

Post by Linda Dickie »

Dear Glenshena,

Thank you for letting me know bout Lorna Coleman. I appreciate your post.
How terribly, terribly sad. What an absolute tragedy.
You imagine that people have led charmed lives and then learn about such loss. I am truly saddened.
Sometimes we become so involved in our own lives that you tend to not keep in touch with people.
May they both rest in peace.
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