Ardrossan - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
18 APRIL 1893

BIRTH

MAIN: At Broompark, Ardrossan, on the 16th instant, Mrs. R. B. Main; a son.

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GLASGOW HERALD
18 APRIL 1892

MILITARY COMPETITIVE COMPETITION

Mr. J. O. Mack (Ardrossan), 4th Battalion Royal North Lancashire Regiment was a successful candidate at the recent Military Competitive Examination, taking 8th place for infantry.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
18 APRIL 1899

DARING HOUSEBREAKING BY BOYS – POST OFFICE BROKEN INTO

At Ardrossan Burgh Court yesterday morning – before Provost Young – WILLIAM CAMERON, schoolboy, aged 11 years, and residing in Harbour Lane, was charged with having, on the night of Wednesday or the morning of Thursday last, broken a pane of glass in the roof of the Post Office letter-sorting department, and another pane in a bed-room window of the house occupied by John Stevens, postmaster, and broken and destroyed a wooden door of a press in the Post Office.

He pleaded not guilty.

The evidence showed that accused, along with a younger brother and a seven year old boy named Steel, planned the affair on Wednesday, and in accordance with the plan, Steel went to bed on Wednesday night, but was wakened by the others, leaving the bed-room by a window.

They then proceeded to Saltcoats, where they made a rope by cutting and knotting together the small pieces attached to the cover of a railway waggon. They picked up an iron rail, with which they broke the windows. At the Post Office the rope was fastened round Steel’s body under the armpits, and he was lowered a distance of about 20 feet into the room below. He discovered a steel poker, which he used to break into a press immediately under the safe.

The boys took fright before anything more serious was accomplished.

Cameron had several previous convictions recorded against him. His father, who appeared in Court, said he could do nothing with him.

Sergeant Allan explained that the boy’s mother was dead, and his father seemed to take little interest in him. He was often found on the street at midnight.

Provost Young sentenced the boy to be confined in Stranraer Reformatory for five years. The others were heard in evidence.

[Hughie]

Provost Young sentenced the boy to be confined in Stranraer Reformatory for five years. The others were heard in evidence.

You'd like to think that this helped this young lad back on the straight and narrow. My father raised four of us when mum died, and in many ways was in the same situation as young William's dad. We got a right good skelping if we fell foul of the law - worked for us!

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CLYDESHIPS.CO.UK
19 APRIL 1955

THE SMERDIS

The steel screw steamer SMERDIS, built by Ardrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company Limited, and launched in 1916, having undergone name changes – MEMPHIS (1923); CAID KEBIR (1938); and MEZIANE (1954) – sank at Rouen after being struck by lighter ROMARJEAN II.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 APRIL 1893

DEATH

MEARNS: At 13 Winton Street, Ardrossan, on the 18th instant, aged 52 years, Mary Gillies, widow of the late James H. Mearns, publisher.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 APRIL 1898

MARRIAGE

FAULDS – RODGER: On the 19th instant by the Rev. Hugh Ross, Free St. Stephen’s, Glasgow, James Faulds, artist, to Jessie, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Rodger, Ardrossan and Kilwinning.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 APRIL 1896

AN IMPUDENT THEFT

At Ardrossan Burgh Court on Saturday morning, JAMES SMITH, of no fixed residence, was charged with having on the previous day stolen two pairs of drawers, four semmits, two shirts, and a night-shirt. The articles were the property of spirit dealer in Harbour Street.

Smith made his way into the dwelling-house, and found it unoccupied for the time. When he was discovered he had laid aside his own clothing and invested himself with some of the garments mentioned in the complaint.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment.

He was afterwards charged with assaulting the police. He had bitten the finger of the policeman who apprehended him, and it was left practically skinless. Accused said the policeman began on him; he didn’t begin on the policeman. He would bite anybody who did the same to him. Evidence was led to show that accused had not been roughly handled.

The Fiscal remarked that even although it was a constable who was assaulted, and although characters of this description often harboured special spleen against a policeman, this was a most savage assault.

Provost Young imposed a penalty of 14 days.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 APRIL 1899

ONE HUNDRED AND SIX YEARS OLD

Mrs. Elizabeth McGrattan or “Grannie” McGrattan, as she is colloquially termed in Ardrossan, resides in Paisley Street of that town. She was born in Clochie, County Down, Ireland, on 3rd February, 1793, and was married there 79 years ago. Her husband died 68 years ago. Two children were born of that marriage – a son and a daughter.

Mrs. McGrattan came to Scotland in 1858. Her son died at Ardrossan two years ago at the age of 74. The daughter never married, and on her the care of her mother has devolved.

Mrs. McGrattan has been totally blind for some years, and has to a large extent lost the power of her limbs. Her spirit is still strong and her memory marvellous. She has recollections of Waterloo, she being at that time a young woman.

[bonzo]

Jings, what a life...I wonder if she made it to 1900 and living in 3 centuries?

[Penny Tray]

George Ardrossan has previously posted that she died on 15 December 1900, aged 107, so I guess she made it Bonzo!

[bonzo]

I find this amazing PT born before Burns died, lived through Trafalgar, Waterloo and the full of Victoria's reign all bar a month as I said earlier what a life.