Stevenston - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
24 APRIL 1883

STEVENSTON – MAN DROWNED

On Sunday, about 5 p.m., a collier named James McLellan, from Iron Works Square, Kilwinning, was accidentally drowned in the mill dam a short distance from the village.

It appears that McLellan and a companion who came to Stevenston during the day lay down on the grass at the edge of the dam and fell asleep.

Three little girls who were near the place some time afterwards observed McLellan stumble as he was rising, and fall into the dam, which was 8 or 10 feet deep. They raised an alarm, and several men proceeded to the spot and recovered the body, life being extinct.

McLellan’s companion was unaware of what had taken place.

Deceased was unmarried and about 50 years of age.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
25 APRIL 1868

AYR CIRCUIT COURT - THEFT

Elizabeth McDonald or Hamilton was charged with theft in so far as –

(1) on the 10th or 11th August, 1866, from a house in Hamilton Street, Saltcoats, then occupied by Robert Aitken, gasfitter, she stole a plaid, a silver watch, a chain, a fourpenny piece, and two brass keys, the property of the said Robert Aitken;

(2) on the 8th, 9th, or 10th February, 1868, from the White Hart Inn, Stevenston, occupied by James Clarkson, she did steal a frock, a purse, 1s 6d, a string of beads, a handkerchief, and a turnover, the property of the said James Clarkson;

(3) on the 11th February, 1868, from a shop in High Street, Irvine, occupied by William Wallace, she stole 10 lbs. of cheese, the property of the said William Wallace;

(4) on the 13th February, 1868, from a dwelling-house in High Street, Irvine, occupied by John MacMillan, engineer, she took away a box, two saws, a hammer, two chisels, an awl, two gimlets, a pair of pincers, and two iron toe-plates.

Prisoner, an old woman, who appeared to be feigning serious illness, had to be carried into the dock. On being called to answer the charges she pretended to be unconscious.

Dr. Dobbie having been called in to examine the prisoner, gave it as his opinion that she was feigning illness; whereupon Lord Neaves warned her that if she persisted in such conduct he would sentence her to imprisonment, and to be fed on bread and water.

A plea of not guilty was recorded, and the case went to trial.

After examination of a number of witnesses, the jury found her guilty of all the charges except the first, and she was sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HEALD
25 APRIL 1913

WOMEN’S UNION IN THE NOBEL WORKS

Last night a largely attended meeting of the female workers in Nobel Explosive Works was held in the Victoria Institute, Stevenston, for the purpose of forming a union in connection with the female workers.

Mr Gilbert Lewis, who presided, said that he had heard it often stated that the female workers in Nobel’s were so well paid that there was no union required, but after making inquiry he found that this was not the case. He had been told that it was a usual occurrence for girls to make from 20s to 30s a week. He had since discovered that the girls in the dynamite department started at 12s, while the workers in the cordite department commenced at 10s 5d and after working four years got 16s a week. These girls were employed in dangerous conditions and were entitled to higher wages. As soon as the branch was formed and properly organised they would put in a request for increased wages and better conditions of labour.

The meeting was also addressed by Mr A. W. French, Glasgow, and Miss MacLean of the Woman Workers’ Federation.

At the conclusion a resolution was unanimously carried that the branch of the union formed and all the girls present joined, and the membership of the new branch will be about 500.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
26 APRIL 1862

WIFE ASSAULT

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, James Reid, miner, was examined on a charge of having on the 20th of April current, in the house at New Street, Stevenston, occupied by him, violently assaulted his wife, Ann Kirkpatrick, by striking her with his fist on the head and face, and with a poker on the arm, and also kicking her on the body.

He was committed for further examination.

[meekan]

GLASGOW HERALD
25 APRIL 1868

AYR CIRCUIT COURT - THEFT

Elizabeth McDonald or Hamilton was charged with theft in so far as –

(1) on the 10th or 11th August, 1866, from a house in Hamilton Street, Saltcoats, then occupied by Robert Aitken, gasfitter, she stole a plaid, a silver watch, a chain, a fourpenny piece


As they say every day is a school day, never heard of a “four penny” piece

[Penny Tray]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourpence_(British_coin)

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
27 APRIL 1910

DEATH - FERGUSON

Suddenly [at Stevenston] (the result of an accident), Ian Grant, elder son of the Rev. Duncan Ferguson, English Presbyterian Mission, Formosa.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
28 APRIL 1913

INCREASES AT NOBEL’S WORKS

In connection with the negotiations which have been in progress between the workers’ union and Messrs Nobel’s Explosives Company, Ardeer, notices have been posted at the factory regarding increases which the company have decided to make to the wages of the workers.

The union officials requested an advance of 4s 3d on the labourers’ wages, and the company offered 2s 1d which was refused. On Saturday the labourers were paid the increase of 2s 1d, raising their wages to 20s 10d.

Other advances which have been made by the company are – to the painters an increase of ¾d per hour, and to locomotive drivers a weekly wage of 28s 1d, with 8d per hour for overtime.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
29 APRIL 1950

ONE MAN KILLED IN ARDEER EXPLOSION

One man was killed and another severely injured about the head when a minor explosion took place in a building at the Ardeer factory of I.C.I., Limited.

The man killed was James Reid, (56), bricklayer’s mate, 3 Montgomerie Crescent, Kilwinning, and the injured man was Thomas Roberts Marshall, (56), bricklayer, 37 McGregor Avenue, Stevenston.

The explosion, it was stated by an I.C.I. official, occurred in a building used for the preparation of a detonating compound which was under repair. The lead floor had been lifted and a crack discovered in the underlying concrete. This was treated with chemicals to neutralise any explosive materials which might have been there, and officials who had been supervising the work left in the belief that the repairs had been completed. Five minutes later the explosion occurred.

Reid, it is thought, may have been struck by a piece of concrete dislodged by the explosion.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
29 APRIL 1913

ARDEER GOLF CLUB

Spring Meeting on extended course – R. Craig, (3) 78; J. Thomas, (2) 84; D. B. McLean, (4) 85; George McGregor, (5) 86; Hugh Shedden, (8) 86; Alexander Reid, (16) 88; William Reid, (scratch) 92; Andrew Guthrie, (18) 91; H. Mackay, (8) 95, and Alexander Frew, (7) 96.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
30 APRIL 1906

DEATH - WYLLIE

At Mayfield, Stevenston, on 28th April, George James, aged 3 months, infant son of James and Sarah Wyllie.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
1 MAY 1916

MARRIAGE – McGREGOR and MCLEAN

At the Palace Hotel, Edinburgh, on the 29th April, by the Rev. A. Morris Moodie, Ardeer, Stevenston, Alexander William McGregor, L.R.C.P. and S., Lieutenant, R.A.M.C., to Helen, eldest daughter of the late Peter McLean, Marlefield, Perth, and Mrs McLean, 66 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh.