Ardrossan - On This Day In History

Published stories from each town's past.
Penny Tray
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GLASGOW HERALD
6 DECEMBER 1876

ARDROSSAN TOWN COUNCIL

The monthly meeting was held on Monday evening – Provost Barr presiding.

The Clerk intimated that the Water Company had agreed to grant a supply of water, free of charge, for flushing the drain in Montgomerie Lane, and a vote of thanks was accorded the directors for this concession.

The Clerk read a letter from Mr. Hunter, of Hunterstone, in reference to the proposal to bring the Glasgow sewage to the coast, which urged the necessity of adopting defensive measures, and contained the following proposals: -

(1) To have a fund ready to oppose any attempt in Parliament to carry out the sewage scheme – the larger the sum that was raised the less risk of the promotors of the scheme endeavouring to get it passed;

(2) The appointment of a vigilance committee;

(3) The appointment of counsel and agents.

It was suggested that £50 to £100 should be raised by small subscriptions for preliminary expenses.

A meeting on the question to be held in Glasgow was intimated, and the Provost was requested to bring the question before Council and afterwards state if these proposals were agreed to. From information which had been gained, they could not be sure that an attempt would not be made to get a bill to enable the promoters to carry out the scheme, and the better they were prepared the less risk would there be of this being successful.

The Provost remarked that if the sewage of Glasgow was brought down to the coast it would be a nuisance, but he was not so much alarmed about it as Mr. Hunter seemed to be.

The Earl of Eglinton, Duke of Portland, and other landed gentlemen were taking an interest in the opposition of the scheme, and he suggested to Mr. Hunter that all and sundry who were willing to resist should be assessed according to the valuation of their property for whatever expenses were incurred. If that plan was adopted the expense would fall very lightly on the small proprietors.

The Provost was authorised to attend the approaching meeting in Glasgow on the question and any other meeting for a similar purpose, and report to the Council.

The provost stated that the railway company were also hostile to the scheme.
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GLASGOW HERALD
7 DECEMBER 1872

ARDROSSAN PAROCHIAL BOARD

This Board held its monthly meeting at Saltcoats yesterday – Mr. Ingram presiding.

The only matter of any interest that came before the meeting was the report read by Doctor Marshall, of a joint committee of the Ardrossan and Stevenston Local Authorities, in which attention was directed to the difficulty felt in Saltcoats owing to the division of parishes, in dealing with lodging houses and other sanitary matters.

The report suggested the desirability of having these matters managed in Saltcoats by a joint committee of the Local Authorities of Ardrossan and Stevenston.

The report also recommended the appointment of one sanitary inspector for the whole of Saltcoats.

After some discussion the Board remitted the matter to the Local Authority Committee, to take what steps they thought proper to accomplish the object aimed at.
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GLASGOW HERALD
7 DECEMBER 1880

DEATH

McMILLAN: SUDDENLY AT 6 Derby Terrace, Glasgow, Jessie McCready, wife of Captain James McMillan, late of Ardrossan.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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CASUALTY OF WAR
7 DECEMBER 1918

Died on service in Alexandria, Egypt, Gunner THOMAS GATES, Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery – Theatre of war, Egypt – son of Thomas and Mary Frew Gates, 22 Eglinton Road, Ardrossan.
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GLASGOW HERALD
8 DECEMBER 1882

ARDROSSAN CASTLE CURLING CLUB

The members of Ardrossan Castle Curling Club enjoyed their first game of the season yesterday, play starting about 11.30 and lasting till 4 o’clock.

Four rinks competed, and, as the ice was in fine condition some capital heads were played, in one of which we noticed no less than ten stones inside the ring when the last two stones were about to be played.
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GLASGOW HERALD
8 DECEMBER 1888

CHARGE OF ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, JAMES MOORE, a vagrant navvy, was examined and committed on a charge of having on the night on the 6th instant, assaulted MICHAEL MURPHY, another navvy, in a court in Hill Street, Ardrossan, by knocking him down, and stealing from him a purse containing 5s 6d.
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GLASGOW HERALD
8 DECEMBER 1881

ARDROSSAN LAUNCH

There was launched from the shipbuilding yard of Messrs. Barr & Shearer yesterday a finely modelled three-masted barquentine of the following dimensions: - length, 26 feet; breadth, 24 feet 6 inches; depth, 12 feet 10 inches. She is 246 tons net register, and is intended for the Brazil trade.

On leaving the ways, which she did most successfully, she was named “CLUTHA” BY Miss McCall, Yarborough Place, Ardrossan.

Her owners are Messrs. Munn, Newfoundland.
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GLASGOW HERALD
9 DECEMBER 1885

ARDROSSAN – ACCIDENT AT THE NEW RAILWAY

On Monday night a somewhat serious accident occurred at the new railway works in Paisley Street.

Several boys were amusing themselves by running a loaded waggon along the rails, and while one of their number named Blair was attempting to leap on the waggon he slipped and fell before the wheel, which passed over both his legs, injuring them severely.

The unfortunate boy was removed to Glasgow Infirmary, and it is feared one of his legs will require to be amputated.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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Penny Tray wrote: Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:04 am
Penny Tray wrote: Fri Sep 07, 2018 8:24 am GLASGOW HERALD
7 SEPTEMBER 1953

MURDER CHARGE

A man has been taken into custody and charged with the murder of Mrs. MARGARET FITZIMMONS, aged 25, 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan. He will appear at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court today.

The woman’s body was found suffering from extensive injuries in the lobby of her home early yesterday.

Mrs. Fitzimmons, who belonged to Stevenston, had two sons, one aged 14 months and the other two months.
GLASGOW HERALD
8 SEPTEMBER 1953

MURDER CHARGE

WILLIAM FITZIMMONS, (22), husband of Margaret McLaughlan or Fitzimmons, (25), who was found dead in her home at 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan, was charged with murder when he made a brief appearance in private yesterday before Sheriff-Substitute G. I. Cormack Cohen at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

He was committed to prison.

GLASGOW HERALD
9 DECEMBER 1953

GLASGOW HIGH COURT
WIFE MURDER CHARGE
SELF-DEFENCE PLEA WITHDRAWN

Giving evidence at a sitting of the High Court in Glasgow yesterday in a case in which an Ardrossan man is charged with murdering his wife with a hatchet, a police sergeant from Saltcoats told Lord Carmont and a jury of eight men and seven women of how he answered an emergency call and an “excited male voice” said “Get me an ambulance at once – I’ve murdered my wife.”

The accused is WILLIAM FITZSIMONS, (22), a nurseryman, and the charge is that on September 6 in a house occupied by him at 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan, he murdered his wife, MARGARET, with a hatchet.

His wife, who was 25, was the mother of two boys, one aged two months and the other 14 months.

It was intimated that a special plea of self-defence which had been lodged on behalf of the accused had been withdrawn.

In the witness-box Police Sergeant Alexander Inglis, Saltcoats, said that he asked the emergency caller for his name and address, and these were given as Fitzsimons, 17 Parkhouse Gardens. The caller also said: “Get an ambulance at once – it might not be too late to save her.”

PLAYING WITH HATCHET

Dr. Edmund Leahy, 41 High Road, Stevenston, said that having heard from the police he went to 17 Parkhouse Gardens. When he was near the house he met the accused, who said, “You are too late.”

The witness ran into the house and saw the body of Mrs. Fitzsimons in the lobby. She was dead.

Shortly afterwards he and the accused went into the living-room. The accused did not appear to be terribly excited but walked up and down and said: “That’s what she gets for playing with a hatchet.”

A little bit later, said the witness, the accused opened the door between the kitchenette and the living-room and said: “It was a good thing I was on the other side of that when that happened.” The door was perforated in various places.

COUPLE’S QUARRELS

Giving evidence earlier the accused’s mother told of quarrels between the couple. She, witness, had kept the older child, DAVID, for about six months after their marriage. During the brief marriage her daughter-in-law twice walked out of the house and separated from her husband for about three months.

The trial continues today.
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GLASGOW HERALD
9 DECEMBER 1887

GALLANTRY IN SAVING LIFE AT SEA

Yesterday forenoon in the Ardrossan Town Hall, Captain DUNCAN MURPHY, master of the WESTPHALIA, who was mate of the S.S. IBERIA prior to that appointment, received a handsome presentation from the Board of Trade in recognition of his services in assisting to rescue the shipwrecked crew of the ANNABELLA, of Banff, in the Bay of Biscay, on 12 November, 1886.

The presentation consisted of a handsome silver medal and a cheque for £26, the money being given in connection with injuries received while engaged in the rescue.

Provost Hogarth, who was accompanied by Bailie Dunwoodie, made the presentation of the medal, and in doing so read the accompanying communications from the Board of Trade, which included the following particulars of the rescue furnished by the master of the ANNABELLA: -

About 5 o’clock p.m. on the date above mentioned sent seven men in my own boat, which was partially damaged, to IBERIA. Ordered three of them to return for the rest of the crew – myself, mate, and an A.B. On reaching the IBERIA six of the boat’s crew jumped on board, leaving a Manila man in the boat, and refused to return. The boat was dashed pieces, and the Manila man rescued.

The lifeboat of the IBERIA was then launched.

After a considerable time, the steamer having to be kept under way, and owing, to the difficulty in mustering a crew, three men belonging to the ship and the mate of the IBERIA (Mr. Murphy) manned the lifeboat and took the remainder of the crew of the ANNABELLA, and the whole got safely on board the IBERIA after the boat was serious damaged. The danger was very great.

While attempting to hoist the lifeboat on board the IBERIA the after-davit broke and fell into the sea about 9 p.m., and quite dark, taking the mate of the IBERIA along with it. He was most miraculously saved, but seriously injured, being ruptured and very sick rescued, and unable for duty. The boat was lost.

Captain Canning, of the IBERIA, understands that the mate of the IBERIA was unable to proceed with his ship in her next voyage. He says he will never forget the active management and daring of Mr. Murphy.

The medal bears the following inscription: -

“Awarded by the Board of Trade for gallantry in saving life at sea.”

Provost Hogarth, in presenting the medal said the deed done by Mr. Murphy was a truly brave and heroic one, because at the imminent risk of his own life he had been instrumental in saving the life of others. He knew of no nobler work than that of saving life under such circumstances, and he was sure the whole community would give to Captain Murphy the praise to which he was entitled. He had great pleasure in presenting the medal to Captain Murphy, and, apart from its intrinsic value, it would be a reminder to the recipient of what took place in the Bay of Biscay and act as an incentive to others to do their duty.

Mr. Lyall, H.M. Customs, in the absence of Mr. Bates, presented Captain Murphy with a cheque for £26,

Captain Murphy, in returning thanks, said when he performed the service referred to he had no thought of reward, he simply acted through a sense of duty.

After a few remarks from Bailie Dunwoodie a vote of thanks was awarded to the Provost for presiding on the motion of Mr. Lyall.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
10 DECEMBER 1888

FOOTBALL
ARDROSSAN ENSIGN v. BEARSDEN (GLASGOW)
Played at the ground of the former – Seafield Park

Ensign won by 6 goals to 1. The match only lasted one hour.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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WIKIPEDIA SHIPWRECKS
10 DECEMBER 1839

THE LADY CANMORE

The vessel LADY CANMORE, on a voyage between Ardrossan and Waterford, was driven ashore and damaged at Merrion, County Dublin.
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