For members information: As you will know we no longer have the resources of the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Intimations Database [BDMs] as a research tool. the two topics linked below will give further details - these are no longer sticky topics.

https://www.threetowners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10710#p10710

https://www.threetowners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=51507#p51507

To update you on the latest information I have.

Jill McColl from the Heritage Centre in Saltcoats has contacted me. She is endeavouring to make contact with Alex Hughes (or whoever the present owner of the domain is). She says that the Council is willing to take over the domain and keep it active into the future.

She will keep me updated.

[b]No joy from the Heritage Centre - they seem to have them mixed up, and are referring to the same Alex Hughes Meg referred to. [/b]
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North Ayrshire Heritage Centre (shared mailbox)
02:31 (5 hours ago)
to me

Dear Mr McCallum

Thank you for your email of Friday 15 January 2021. I regret that we only have the email address on www.ayrshire-roots.co.uk to contact Alex Hughes. (admin@ayrshire-roots.com)

We did find out that he had been running the Ayrshire Arts & Craft Fair at the Walker Hall, Troon, and booked the hall from South Ayrshire Council.
https://www.whatsonayrshire.com/ayrshire-arts-crafts-fair-celebrating-14-successful-years/
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/scotlands-biggest-craft-fair-axed-20871858

Best Wishes / Deagh Dhùrachdan
Hazel Menzies
Research Assistant
Cultural, Creative and Heritage Service
Irvine Townhouse

[quote=Hughie post_id=178428 time=1609845041 user_id=2]
One of the ladies who was a volunteer and helped to transcribe what's in the database has got back to me. She's on holiday for another week and away from home, she says she should have an up-to-date contact for Alex at home. Fingers crossed. [/quote]
Unfortunately no joy so far on that score, but she's still looking.

In the meantime like Scotsexile has suggested, I've emailed the Heritage Centre in Irvine.

Hi,
I have also been trying to get back into the ASH Intimations database. I do hope it can be restored. It has been such a useful resource. As far as I know from a friend still in Ayrshire, Jill McColl is still at the Portal Heritage Centre (now in Irvine)but is probably working from home because of Covid restrictions. I think the database was a separate entity in any case.
Good luck, Hughie, in getting it back online.
Scotsexile

Sorry Hughie - no relation - he was born in Ayr and grew up in Troon.

Mx

His Aunt's name was Geraldine Hughes who was married to Spike's Taylor's brother, John.

He’s a friend of mine of FB - want me to message him? What was his aunt’s name?

Mx

Unsure on that Meg. I knew his aunt when I was a teenager playing around Castle Road in Ardrossan - she married Spike Taylor's brother, John.

[quote=Hughie post_id=178424 time=1609840105 user_id=2]
Anyone know how I can contact Alex Hughes of ayrshire-roots.co.uk who along with volunteers compiled this ASH Intimations [BDMs] Database.
The usual methods of contacting web owners is no help. [Not Graham Wilson's ayrshireroots]
[/quote]

Hughie - is that the same Alex Hughes who lives in Ardrossan and used to organise the Arts and Crafts Fair. He’s in his late 30s/early 40s? He’s on FB if it is.

I hope you can get in touch with him. The last time I heard from him we were transcribing the 1970s.
Another possible contact was Jill McColl at the Ardrossan library, but she might not be there anymore.

Thanks Irene. I couldn't get him at that address last time. One of the ladies who was a volunteer and helped to transcribe what's in the database has got back to me. She's on holiday for another week and away from home, she says she should have an up-to-date contact for Alex at home. Fingers crossed.

The problem is that the website and database has been off-line for some time now, and the website domain needs renewing this month. Hope Alex has a copy of the database downloaded. Such a valuable local resource needs to be preserved. I'm sure it would be welcomed by one of the national genealogical websites.