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I'm interested in finding any connection with my family roots in Kilwinning.

My Great Great Grandfather, James Small, was the brother of Neil Small, who owned the Dirran's Sawmill in Kilwinning. I'm interested in learning anything about the brothers or their parents, James Small and Margaret Miller.

Neil Small b.1824 married to Mary Ralston b.1822 and they had at least six children:

John Small b. 1848
James Small b.1851
Neil Small b.1853
Elizabeth Small b.1855
Gavin Small b.1857
Maggie Small b.1859

I'd be interested to learn anythig about the family or their life/work in Kilwinning. Any details, however small, would be warmly appreciated.

Regards,

David

Hi Bobfish,As you already have the photo will delete it .

1851
Name: Neil Small
Age: 26
Estimated birth year: abt 1825
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name: Mary
Gender: Male
Where born: Kilwinning, Ayrshire
Parish Number: 599
Civil parish: Kilwinning
Town: Kilwinning
County: Ayrshire
Address: Bridgend
Occupation: Sawyer
ED: 13
Page: 38 (click to see others on page)
Household schedule number: 165
Line: 20
Roll: CSSCT1851_134
Household Members: Name Age
Neil Small 26
Mary Small 28
John Small 2
James Small 4 Mo
James Small 16

http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/corpus/ ... entid=1017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You might like to read this

Hah - thank you sweet caroline, what a start!

Yes - page 38 - that's one of the photos I remember, the other (I have a copy from the book somewhere) is a group photograph of the Sawmill workers - although the photograph doesn't identify who's who it does provide a date chalked onto a large circular sawmill blade.

I shall find it and post a copy.

I have no idea how the family came to own the Sawmill, or how hey came to own Larchfield house.

I'd be fascinated to hear if anyone knew the Small family or worked in the Sawmill.

Going to settle down and read document in the link you've provided here Sweet caroline 'A few notes on old Kilwinning Town and the Biography of Robert Morrison, Crosshouse.'

I've also just ordered a copy of 'The Life and Recollections of Doctor Duguid of Kilwinning By John Service' just to learn a little more about life in Kilwinning in those early days.

Hi Bobfish ,not being a man, i was never in the sawmill ,and i don't know the family.I do know it was a very popular business . Always looked out for it when going to Irvine by bus.Sad to see that it went .Someone will know of the Family ,that's for sure .

1841
Name: James Small
Age: 45
Estimated birth year: abt 1796
Gender: Male
Where born: Ayrshire, Scotland

Civil parish: Kilwinning
County: Ayrshire
Address: Bridgend
Occupation: Joiner
Parish Number: 599
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
James Small 45
Elizabeth Small 40
Margaret Small 15
Neil Small 15
Catherine Small 13
Agnes Small 10
James Small 7
Janet Small 4
Archibald Small 2
Janet Ploughbright 15

James married twice? Margaret Miller and Elizabeth Jack


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CATHRINE SMALL Pedigree
Female


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Event(s):
Birth: 17 JUN 1829 Kilwinning, Ayr, Scotland

Christening:
Death:
Burial:


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Parents:
Father: JAMES SMALL Family
Mother: MARGARET MILLER


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the birth or christening date.


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Source Information:
Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type:

C115995 1820 - 1855 1041389 Film 6901529 Film

bobfish wrote:I've also just ordered a copy of 'The Life and Recollections of Doctor Duguid of Kilwinning By John Service' just to learn a little more about life in Kilwinning in those early days.

I wrote to a family researcher some twelve years ago about this book. Our state library wouldn't let me photocopy any of it at the time - It did look a bit delicate.

Came across a book in our state library in Melbourne about Kilwinning. It
was published in 1887 (so no ISBN number) it's called "Life and
Recollections of Doctor Duguid of Kilwinning" by John Service. I remember
sighting it some years ago but have not had the time to spend on it as I was
there for other things.

Basically, John Service when a lad C1856 found the writings of Dr Duguid. So
we are probably talking events late 1700's. I asked a friend in the area to
see if the book was generally available in the local Ayrshire libraries.
From what he tells me it's available at the excellent Ardrossan library.
The forward was written by John Service in Brisbane Australia and
was acquired by the library in 1988.

The doctor mentions a visit to the Mongomery family vault under the Abbey at
the time of the death of the Earl. I was in a rush at this point but recall
him mentioning all the coffins from many years back perhaps even to the last
of the monks. It's written in the "Auld Tongue".

Hi Caroline, you never worked there but saw it? Ah - I'd love to have seen it. I have no idea what it looked like. When I visited Kilwinning in August... 200... (thinking back now)... 2008 I think, I noted that a housing estate now stands on this site, is this correct?

And yes, Neils father was James Small born 5th May 1796. He was a joiner by trade (my records are only based on occupations listed in census records and the like). I'm curious to know how Neil Small, son of a Joiner, came to own a sawmill.

And yes - James did marry twice. Another curiousity.

He first married Margaret Miller on the 3rd January, 1817 in Kilwinning. They had eight children together (including Neil and my Great Great Grandfather James Small b.1836

I'm not sure what happened to his first wife, Margaret Miller, because after the birth of my x2 Great Grandfather in 1836 James remarried to Elizabeth Jack. So I make the assumption that Margaret Miller either died during child birth or soon after - though I have no record or evidence to prove this.

I do know that James Small and Elizabeth Jack had two children together:

Janet Small b.1838 (Later married to Robert Stewart)
Archibold Montgomerie Small b.1839 (Later married Jemima Ross)

Elizabeth Jack (now Small) died on the 8th February, 1876. I have no idea when James Small died.

I photographed many of the Small family gravestones on my visit to Kilwinning in August 2008.

I also have copies of Last Will and Testament for some of the Small family members.

When I visited the Small family home 'Larchfield' in 2008 I walked up the garden path and knocked the door/ rang the doorbell to see if the current owners would allow me to see inside. However there was no-one home when I called.

Census returns show that the family lived in 'Pathfoot Cottage' in earlier years - we visited a cottage we believed to be 'Pathfoot cottage' but couldn't be sure we had the right building. I have photographs somewhere on a hard drive.

I enjoyed my stay in Ayrshire and my brief two day visit to Kilwinning. It felt nice to get a sense of place, although I appreciate a great deal will have changed over the years.

Still, it's nice that a community like this one keeps the history of Kilwinning and its people alive.

David

Thank you Hughie - well when I receive my copy I'll take time to have a read and provide some feedback. I've ordered a copy from Amazon.com.

Hah, I already read an excerpt and noted the "Auld Tongue"... I might have to get my Dad to translate here and there!

Apologies if I got you into a little trouble there Sweet Caroline, thank you for posting the photographs for my reference though. I'm employed in library work and know only too well the 'can of worms' that is copyright law.

David

sweet caroline wrote:http://www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/corpus/ ... entid=1017

You might like to read this

Thank you Swee Caroline, I read this and thoroughly enjoyed. William Ralston was a weaver in the town - wil have to see what connection (if any) he has with Neil Small's wife Mary Ralston.

David