Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 JANUARY 1867

FREE PRESBYTERY

A meeting of the Free Presbytery of Irvine was held in Kilmarnock yesterday – Rev. Mr McIndoe, of Galston, officiating as Moderator.

It was intimated that the Sustentation Fund Committee offered no objection to moderating in a call from the congregation at Stevenston to the Rev. Mr Treadwell, late of Australia; and the moderation was appointed to take place on Thursday, 14 February – the Rev. Mr McGowan, of Catrine, to preach and preside.

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 JANUARY 1901

EXPLOSION AT ARDEER FACTORY
ONE GIRL KILLED, THREE INJURED

Yesterday afternoon an explosion which resulted in the loss of one life and the injury of three girls took place at Ardeer Factory.

The factory is situated about a mile from Stevenston Station, and employs a great number of work people.

The accident occurred in one of the dynamite huts used for filling the dynamite cartridges. These huts are wooden structures, each of them surrounded by embankments of sand to prevent the area of an explosion from being extended. Four girls are employed in each hut in filling the cartridges.

Yesterday afternoon about a quarter past three, four girls were engaged in one of the huts, when a slight explosion took place. Three of the girls managed to make their escape, but the fourth, ROSE O’HARA, was either stunned or injured so that she did not get away.

Immediately after there was a second explosion, much louder than the first, which blew away a portion of the hut and set fire to the remainder.

The explosion quickly brought assistance. Mr Lundholm, the manager was made aware that something was wrong by hearing the sound of the second explosion. He hurried to the spot and directed operations for putting out the fire.

When the flames were extinguished the body of ROSE O’HARA was found. The other girls were slightly injured but they had a narrow escape. One of them had a cut on the arm; another was cut on the leg. Their injuries are not of a serious nature, and they were removed to their own homes to receive medical treatment.

It is supposed that the first explosion took place where the cartridges were being filled. Only a small quantity of the dynamite is kept by the worker while the cartridges are being filled. When it is filled the cartridge is dropped into a chute, and falls into a box placed outside the hut. When a girl requires a supply she obtains it from this box, filling a small scoop with the dynamite. Three precautions are taken with a view to the greater safety of the girls employed at the work.

It is supposed that the second explosion was caused by the cartridges which were outside the hut taking fire. A very short period elapsed between the first and second explosion, probably not more than half a minute. The sound of the explosion was not heard much beyond the factory. Owing to the direction of the wind the sound would be carried towards Irvine.

In Stevenston it was not known that anything unusual had occurred until the girls returned home, having stopped after the accident. The arrival of the girl Clark was the first indication in Saltcoats that an accident had taken place.

It is 17 years since an accident has happened to any of the cartridge girls. In anything of that nature which has occurred in the interim they have, fortunately, escaped.

An intimation of the accident has been sent to the Home Office, and it is expected that one of the inspectors will visit the factor to investigate the cause of the accident.

No damage was done to the other huts in the vicinity.

KILLED

ROSE O’HARA, residing with her parents in Bradshaw Street, Saltcoats.

INJURED

ALICE CLARK, Kirkgate, Saltcoats.
MARY ANN PATERSON, Shore Road, Stevenston.
JANET McKILLOP, Grange Road, Stevenston.

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GLASGOW HERALD
31 JANUARY 1901

THE ARDEER FACTORY EXPLOSION

The three injured girls are progressing towards recovery. Work has not resumed yet in the dynamite cartridge section, so the girls were not at work yesterday. In other parts of the factory work is going on as usual.

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GLASGOW HERALD
JANUARY 31 1806

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The creditors of the late JAMES HAMILTON, of Stevenston, are requested forthwith to lodge their claims, and vouchers of debt, with their oaths of verity thereon, in the hands of Robert Walkinshaw, writer, in Glasgow, with certification, that those who fail to do so betwixt and the 10th day of February next, will lose the benefit of the dividend to be made soon after.

Glasgow, 30 January, 1806.

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GLASGOW HERALD
1 FEBRUARY 1901

QUEEN VICTORIA’S FUNERAL ARRANGEMENT

Stevenston:

The shops will be closed all day on Saturday.

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GLASGOW HERALD
4 FEBRUARY 1901

QUEEN VICTORIA’S FUNERAL

Stevenston:

All business was suspended. Ardeer Factory, collieries, foundries, and other works closed for the day.

A memorial service was held in Ardeer United Free Church.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 FEBRUARY 1873

WOMAN DROWNED

On the 14th ultimo the body of a woman was found on the seashore at Stevenston, and a post-mortem examination showed that the death had resulted from drowning.

After lying for some time unclaimed, the body was interred.

Yesterday, the clothes of the deceased were identified on having belonged to MARGARET HUMPHREY, 67 years of age, an unmarried woman, who resided in Low Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock.

It appears that this woman mysteriously disappeared from her home on the Friday evening before New Year, and not having returned, it is believed that she stumbled into the River Irvine, and was carried down to sea by the then swollen current.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 FEBRUARY 1956

BODY RECOVERED

The body of Mrs ISABEL AITKEN or ROSS, 16 Clements Place, Stevenston, was recovered from Saltcoats Harbour yesterday.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 FEBRUARY 1907

ARDEER - EXPLOSION

A disastrous explosion occurred yesterday at Nobel's Explosives Works, Ardeer. Three men were engaged thawing with warm water a covered gutter in which nitro-glycerine and acids had become frozen, when a terrific explosion took place. The three men were killed instantly, and two others injured.

KILLED

JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Foreman, New Street, Stevenston - married, and leaves a large family. He was a prominent member of the Oddfellow's Friendly Society in Stevenston.

WILLIAM McKnight, Hillman, The Folly, Stevenston - married and family. He was an active temperance worker and a member of the Stevenston United Free Church choir.

ROBERT REID, Hillman, residing in Union Street, Saltcoats - married and a large family.

INJURED

JOHN FINDLAY, residing with his parents in Moorpark Road, Stevenston.

ROBERT CAREY, George Street, Stevenston.

[The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald additionally indicated that JAMES CUNNINGHAM was the husband of ISABELLA LOGAN; and ROBERT REID, the husband of ANNIE WALES.

GLASGOW HERALD
7 FEBRUARY 1907

THE ARDEER DISASTER

A Government inspector has arrived at Ardeer Factory to commence an inquiry into the recent disaster.

Yesterday work resumed, but some of the girls have not yet started.

JAMES CUNNINGHAM, the foreman who was killed, had a good knowledge of explosives, having been many years in Ardeer Factory. When a steamer containing explosives was sunk in the Suez Canal over a year ago, he, with another worker from Ardeer Factory, went out to Egypt to fire the explosives.

All the men killed were connected with friendly societies, and at the funerals, which will take place tomorrow, the members of the Orders will be present.

ROBERT CAREY is reported to be progressing favourably.

[5siamese7]

GLASGOW HERALD
29 JANUARY 1938

FUNERAL OF ARDEER VICTIMS
FIVE TO TAKE PLACE TODAY

The funerals of five of the victims of the Ardeer factory explosion will take place this afternoon at two o’clock.

The sixth victim, JOSEPH HAMILTON, will be buried on Sunday.

All the interments will be to Stevenston Cemetery.

Its horrible to think that maybe there was nothing in those coffins but sand.

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GLASGOW HERALD
8 FEBRUARY 1907

FATAL BURNING ACCIDENT

A terrible burning accident took place on Monday in the works of the Scottish Alkali Company, in the Sandhills of Stevenston Parish, near to the River Garnock.

From the particulars to hand it appears that two men were engaged in working a syphon on a wooden platform over a tank of sulphuric acid. The wood gave way and both were precipitated into the tank.

One of the men, named WILLIAM FINDLAY, residing in Thistle Cottages, Stevenston, managed to scramble out, but the other, an Englishman named CURRIE, could not get out. His cries brought some workers to his assistance, but when they were hauling him out by the jersey that garment gave way and he fell back into the tank again. When rescued he was completely covered in acid and terribly burned.

Dr. Roberts, from Stevenston, was summoned and did all in his power to alleviate the suffering of the unfortunate men.

Currie was removed to the Kilmarnock Infirmary, where he died on Wednesday night, and Findlay, who was suffering from severe burns on the legs and thighs, was taken home.

Currie was a married man, and resided at Garnock View, West Doura, Kilwinning.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 FEBRUARY 1907

ARDEER - EXPLOSION

A disastrous explosion occurred yesterday at Nobel's Explosives Works, Ardeer. Three men were engaged thawing with warm water a covered gutter in which nitro-glycerine and acids had become frozen, when a terrific explosion took place. The three men were killed instantly, and two others injured.

KILLED

JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Foreman, New Street, Stevenston - married, and leaves a large family. He was a prominent member of the Oddfellow's Friendly Society in Stevenston.

WILLIAM McKnight, Hillman, The Folly, Stevenston - married and family. He was an active temperance worker and a member of the Stevenston United Free Church choir.

ROBERT REID, Hillman, residing in Union Street, Saltcoats - married and a large family.

INJURED

JOHN FINDLAY, residing with his parents in Moorpark Road, Stevenston.

ROBERT CAREY, George Street, Stevenston.

[The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald additionally indicated that JAMES CUNNINGHAM was the husband of ISABELLA LOGAN; and ROBERT REID, the husband of ANNIE WALES.

GLASGOW HERALD
7 FEBRUARY 1907

THE ARDEER DISASTER

A Government inspector has arrived at Ardeer Factory to commence an inquiry into the recent disaster.

Yesterday work resumed, but some of the girls have not yet started.

JAMES CUNNINGHAM, the foreman who was killed, had a good knowledge of explosives, having been many years in Ardeer Factory. When a steamer containing explosives was sunk in the Suez Canal over a year ago, he, with another worker from Ardeer Factory, went out to Egypt to fire the explosives.

All the men killed were connected with friendly societies, and at the funerals, which will take place tomorrow, the members of the Orders will be present.

ROBERT CAREY is reported to be progressing favourably.

GLASGOW HERALD
9 FEBRUARY 1907

FUNERAL OF ARDEER DISASTER VICTIMS

The funerals of the men who were killed by the explosion at Ardeer Factory took place yesterday.

They were public, and very well attended. Along the route shops and places of business were closed and blinds drawn. Work was generally suspended at Ardeer Factory to allow the employees to attend.