Dirrans Sawmills - Neil Small - James Small - Mary Ralston

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Expand view Topic review: Dirrans Sawmills - Neil Small - James Small - Mary Ralston

Re: Dirrans Sawmills - Neil Small - James Small - Mary Ralston

by Penny Tray » Thu Oct 08, 2020 12:10 pm

Sarginson,

It took me a wee while to work out that your post was indicating that you are the current owner of Larchfield, which was formerly Pathfoot.

Re: Dirrans Sawmills - Neil Small - James Small - Mary Ralston

by Sarginson » Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:56 am

Owners of larchfield . Present 2020

Re: Dirrans Sawmills - Neil Small - James Small - Mary Ralston

by Penny Tray » Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:29 pm

The following items from the Friday, 16 February, 1872, edition of the Glasgow Herald may be of interest: -

DEATH

At Pathfoot, Kilwinning, on the 14th instant, (from the effects of an accident), NEIL SMALL, of Durrens* Saw Mill.

KILWINNING FATAL ACCIDENT

A painful accident, and which, we regret to say, has now terminated fatally, occurred at the Reddance* Saw Mill, here, on Tuesday last. Mr. NEIL SMALL, who has occupied the premises for many years, was engaged attending the revolving saw when a piece of wood, becoming detached, suddenly rebounded and struck him on the abdomen, causing, it is believed, a severe rupture.

Everything that medical skill could devise was done, but he gradually sank, and died on Wednesday night.

A wide feeling of sympathy has been expressed, as Mr. Small was much respected as a friend and man of business.

He leaves a widow and large family.

[*As published in the newspaper.]

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by sweet caroline » Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:50 am

Hi MikeJ, What a wonderful find, and thanks for sharing. Hope the others on this thread are still looking in. I,m wondering if I have the wrong Neil Small. I have him born 9th Aug. bapts .12 Aug 1750.Who were his parents?Neil Small,and Margaret Nicols

SC

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by MikeJ » Wed Jun 25, 2014 4:46 pm

hello , I have just found the family bible of Neil Small ! He was in fact born in 1750 not 1760 his first wife was Jannet Gillies , his second wife was Jean Kerr email (removed) for more details This I hope is an image of the family births and daeths page

Click to enlarge
Image

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by sweet caroline » Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:05 pm

Is that the path to the Ironworks/Blacklands between the Sawmill and the Dirran's houses ?

sweet caroline

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by bobfish » Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:07 am

@Eddie - That's a terrific photograph - thank you for sharing.

Clearly I haven't visited these pages in some time Eddie - and have come back to find your nice surprise.

Thank you for helping to bring this subject to life.

Like Penny - I'm impressed with the scale of the site - it covered a larger area than I'd originally thought.

Many thanks,

David

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by Penny Tray » Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:26 pm

Eddie,

That's a great photo. I'd long since forgotten just how large a sawmill it acutally was.

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by Eddie » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:20 am

Here is the photo, as you can see you didnt have a problem finding a parking place in the Dirrans then, not the case now. Irvine road is at the left hand bottom corner. The white building bottom left was a church (gospel hall?) my original picture is a3 size

Image
Neil Smalls Dirrans sawmills early sixties (1962?)

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by Eddie » Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:42 pm

Just found this site and thread after doing a search for Neil Small. I also worked in the sawmill from 1972 until it closed in1987, i remember Fransisco well very gifted with his hands in creating things from wood if memory serves me well. I have a arial photo of the sawmill in the house somewhere from the early sixties ( the owner Alistair Mcgregor gave it to me just before it closed) once I find it I will post it?

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by bobfish » Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:17 am

A quick reply to Francisco and to Colin in Sydney (Colinswood)...

Many thanks to both of you for your posts...

This is fascinating - absolutely fascinating... I am now struggling desperately to contact you both to find out more!

So you are - let me see - a descendant of the Small/Stewart family?

I can provide the 'other photo' of the mill... Just contact me directly via email through my profile here on threetowners (which is - I hasten to add - a superb site).


@Francisco - Again, I hardly know what to say - I'm knocked for six! I have (I think) emailed you directly... Hoping to make contact soonest!

Suddenly something of the family ancestry - and the sawmill - springs to life... Thanks to all who have replied to this post and helped bring some life back to the Small family, Larchfield and the Sawmill - I'm overwhelmed by the responses. Fantastic.

And Fransisco - Yes - with help from people like yourselves, I'd like to think this thread will continue...

... Stuff like this kind of restores my faith in human nature! ;oD

I know so very little about the house or the Sawmill itself. The only information I have is based on records and family legend... I'd be fascinated to learn more from people like yourselves who can offer a more direct connection to a place I know very little about.

I missed your reply posts since I've been absent from the internet and setting up a new computer.

@Colin - I was aware that Neil died on the 14th of Feb 1872, but wasn't aware of the case of death... Curious!

I have the wills of James Small and of Gavin - and some of their forefathers too.

Re: Dirrans Sawmills; Neil Small; James Small; Mary Ralston

by Francisco Haro » Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:17 pm

Dunno if this thread is still going, but I have a video taken in the closing stages of the sawmill.... in my time there, I never heard anything of the death of Neil Small in an accident. I served my time in the mill from 1966 and my Father, Rodrigo Haro worked there when demobbed from the Army in 1946 until his passing in 1971. The photo of the workers includes Gavin Boyd as a young man and who also worked in the mill at the Morgan crane while I was there. Gavin's middle name was also Small. Dunno if he was a relation ? I have a few photos taken in the mill and also of another group of worker which are not published. I also have a postcard of 1919 showing the mill in the background and a few old maps showing the mill and surrounds. Although the Sawmill was called Neil Small & Co. Ltd, I believe it was owned by James McGregor (The Big Man) and his son Alistair. (dunno if that;'s the correct spelling) I left the mill to go to Beithcraft Furniture in 1978. My e-mail address is [guest e-mail address removed. Reason : Spammers harvesting. Contact admin for poster's e-mail address] if you want to contact me. Kindest regards, Francisco Haro.

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