Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
4 APRIL 1914

SILVER WEDDING – FLETCHER and PATON

In Ardrossan, on 5th April, 1889, by the Rev. J. D. McCall, assisted by the Rev. J. J. Kelly, Irvine, Alexander Fletcher to Elizabeth, daughter of the late Thomas Paton, Ardrossan – present address, May Bank, Ardrossan.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 APRIL 1859

SHIPPING CASUALTY

Millport, April 1 – The sloop MARY KERR, of Ardrossan, Malcolm Kerr, master, laden with lime, lying at anchor off the pier here, while waiting departure of the VESTA steamer for Glasgow, at about 8 a.m., broke her chain and drifted on shore in the bay before the parish school. The master and hands, with the assistance of some of the natives, did their utmost at the pumps, but finding that fire had burst out near the after cabin, took to the small boat, which, filling among the breakers, with difficulty got safe ashore.

The vessel burned away for the space of ten hours, and is now a total wreck. The loss of both vessel and cargo will be very considerable.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 APRIL 1864

SHIPPING CASUALTY

Rio Janeiro, February 26 – The ORIENT, from Ardrossan for California, has put in here leaky.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 APRIL 1910

PIER DUES AT ARDROSSAN

The levy of pier duties on passengers embarking and disembarking at Ardrossan Harbour has aroused a considerable amount of interest, not to speak of indignation, in several quarters.

After many years of free passage on and off the piers the travelling public is disposed to the recent imposition of a charge, not so much on account of the additional cost of travelling but because of the inconvenience and delay necessarily occasioned under the new state of affairs.

It must be remembered of course that the dues are levied only upon passengers to and from Arran.

About a year ago the Ardrossan Harbour Company, being desirous of increasing their revenue applied for and obtained a Provisional Order empowering them to levy passenger dues.

It was estimated that in this way the income of the company would be materially enhanced.

Accordingly, the company entered into negotiations with all shipowners using the harbour for passenger traffic, and as a result an arrangement was made with Messrs G. & J. Burns, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and Laird Line, whereby these firms pay to the Harbour Company annually a sum based upon the average number of passengers conveyed by them.

Into this arrangement the railway companies refused to enter, and they further declined to add the amount of the dues through to tickets issued by them.

The only course left to the Harbour Company was to erect turnstiles at the piers and to collect the dues from Arran passengers for themselves.

Needless to say, the Ardrossan people do not regard the new arrangement with favour.

It is generally recognised that the Harbour Company is entitled to make a charge, but it is felt that the annoyance to passengers may result in a restriction of the traffic.

Popular opinion is strangely in favour of an addition being made to the price of the passenger ticket, if charge must be made at all. Fears are expressed that a continuance of the present system combined with the curtailment of the Arran service will have a serious effect on summer traffic at the harbour.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 APRIL 1913

SCOTTISH UNION OF DOCK LABOURERS – REUNION

Last evening the first reunion of the Ardrossan Branch of the Scottish Union of Dock Labourers was held in Saltcoats Town Hall, when Councillor McClure, of Glasgow, presided over an attendance of over 500.

In the course of the evening Mr Joseph Houghton, general secretary of the Dockers’ Union, was presented with an illuminated address in appreciation of his services during the recent strike at Ardrossan.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 APRIL 1966

EARLY DRIVE ROUND ARRAN

Documented evidence on the initial invasion of Arran by the automobile is scanty to say the least. The Panhard and Levassor car did pay its visit in 1896. On the drive to Ardrossan the Panhard suffered from some of the mechanical maladies of cars of the time, but the real trouble started on the quayside at Ardrossan. Drive-on drive-off ferries were not even a dream and the car had to be hoisted on board the paddle steamer JUPITER with improvised derrick and rope tackle.

Before the boarding the Glasgow & South Western Railway officials, some of whom had probably never seen a car before, had to rack their brains over what to charge for shipping a motor to Arran. It was something that had never cropped up before.

In the end everyone seems to have been happy about a fee of £1, although whether that was a single or return is not known.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 APRIL 1832

DELIGHTFUL SEASIDE RESIDENCE TO LET

Delightful seaside residence, on the coast of Ayrshire, to be let, furnished, for the season, with or without the garden – the Pavilion in the Crescent, and offices in Bute Place, Ardrossan.

The house is in every respect suitable for the accommodation of a genteel family; it is beautifully situated, and commands an extensive view of the Firth of Clyde.

There are hot and cold baths in the town – well supplied markets – a stage-coach to and from Glasgow every lawful day, and to Kilmarnock twice a week – a daily arrival and departure of the post, and steam-boats ply daily during the summer months betwixt and the principal sea-ports on each side of the Firth.

Apply to Mr George Johnston, Redburn Cottage, near Irvine.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 APRIL 1849

SHIPPING NEWS

Ardrossan: The COUNTESS OF EGLINTON, Grange, of this port, from Glasgow for Singapore and Penang, was, in a dense fog, on Thursday the 22nd ultimo, driven ashore on Sanda island. She was got off, and since towed in here, in a damaged state, by the CONQUEROR, tug-steamer, and is obliged to discharge her cargo. The amount of damage cannot be ascertained until she is on the slip, but it is thought to be little, as she is making no water.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 APRIL 1910

BIRTH - COPLAND

At the Rectory, Ardrossan, on 5th April, the wife of the Rev. A. Copland, M.A., a son.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 APRIL 1911

A SERIES OF ASSAULTS

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court – before Mr John Carnie, Hon. Sheriff Substitute – John Breckenridge, labourer, Ardrossan, was charged with having, on 4th instant,

(1) within the Assembly Hall, Ardrossan, assaulted James Finlayson, an actor, by biting him on the arm to the effusion of blood; and

(2) in Montgomerie Lane, assaulted George Petrie, Alexander Boyle, and William Robertson, police constables, by striking and kicking them.

He pleaded guilty.

It appeared that accused had been at a theatrical performance in the Assembly Hall, and had created a disturbance, whereupon he was asked to leave, but he refused to do so, and assaulted Finlayson.

He afterwards created a disturbance outside, and while being conveyed to the police office he violently resisted the three constables and assaulted them.

There being some previous convictions against him he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.

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GLASGOW HERALD
7 APRIL 1983

MURDER OF CAPTAIN JOHN McCALLUM

A teacher seeking clues to the “murder” of her sea captain great-grandfather more than a century ago, yesterday visited the scene of the alleged crime, Custom House Quay, Greenock.

Mrs Evans, who lives in Weston Place, Prestwick, began her investigation four months ago into the death of Captain John McCallum, and has sought answers in Argyll, Ayrshire, Cardiff, and Greenock.

According to the grandmother, he was murdered aboard his ship newly arrived from America and robbed of his gold watch.

“I’ve hunted for clues in Ardrossan, where Captain McCallum lived, and in Carradale, Argyll, where he came from.”

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GLASGOW HERALD
7 APRIL 1870

AYR CIRCUIT COURT

The business of this Court was finished yesterday before the Lord Justice-Clerk and Lord Cowan.

James Saultingston Saunders, who was found guilty on the previous evening of assault by discharging loaded firearms at Ardrossan, was brought up and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. He has been in prison one month already.