From the Archives of the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald published on March 26, 2008
100 YEARS AGO on March 27, 1908
ON Saturday last the Ardrossan Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Lid. Successfully launched the single-screw steamer, Tintenbar for Australian owners
AT the annual meeting of Ardrossan bowing club, Mr William McQueen was appointed president and Balle J B. Chrystie, vice-president Mr Gillesplie and Mr T. Glover were appointed secretary and treasurer respectively.
In the billiards competition at Saltcoats Unionist Club the prize winners were. 1, J. Corbett: 2 J. Pollock, 3. J. Alan: 4, W. Craig.
AT the annual social of Sahcoats E.U.C. Church Band of Hope, one of those present was the Hon. John Anderson of Newfoundland, a native of Saltcoats
UNDER the auspices of Ardrossan Co-operative Society's employees, a concert was held in West Kilbride Public Hall on Wednesday, the artistes being Misses Annie B. Kelly, M. Bonar. Bola Murray, Messrs Chas. Boyd, Will Cairns, James Calderwood, Harry Austen and Frank Blythe (accompanist).
A Saltcoats District branch of the North Ayrshire Woman's Association was formed at a meeting held on Tuesday, Mrs Longmuir wins appointed president and secretary, and vice-presidents appointed were Mrs Mcisaac and, Mrs Allan, Mrs Kirkland, Mrs Alex Hamilton, Mrs Ramsay, Mrs Sillars, Mrs Meadows, Mrs Gunson, Miss Morton and Miss Brown,
LAST Saturday the Stevenson Spring Flower Show Society held their 17th annual exhibition in the Public School, special prizes for juveniles being won by Bessie Donaldson, Lizzie McCubbin, Robert Frow, J. Macdonald, Frederick Small, Fanny Thompson and J. Alexander.
50 YEARS AGO on March 28, 1958
BETWEEN Saturday night and Friday night of last week some person or persons entered the grounds of St Peter-in-Chains and pulled down three notice boards. Next they visited the entrance to Ingledene Hotel and destroyed two large ornamental flower pots. The public telephone box at the putting green was also entered and the instrument destroyed. A motor mirror was found in the box. Yes, this all actually happened in Ardrossan.
TWO sudden deaths in Saltcoats this week. On Monday Mrs Elizabeth Peddie (75), 1 McKillop Place, was found dead by the police in her home. Her son, with whom she resides, was on holiday at the time
On Tuesday Robert Coulter (83), 16 Caledonia Road, was found dead in bed by the police, Robert was in the India Frontier battle, the Boer War and the First World War. He lived alone, was a widower, and a native of Ireland
A parcel posted to a business firm was addressed Dockhead Street, Scotland and arrived at its correct destination three days after its dispatch from England - and a Sunday intervened. The shop keepers admiration for post office smartness was dampened by the fact that whoever traced the address had pencilled on the label "Ardrossan"
A letter posted in Ayr about ten months ago to an adiness in Ardrossan only recently arrived.
A Saltcoats man got a surprise recently when a hotel owner handed him papers that proved he had served his time at a certain trade. It is interesting to note that he got his "lines" 30 years after he served as a journeyman. The hotel owner was a tradesman and was with contractors who were doing work in the Ardrossan Shipyard offices when he came across the papers among others to be destroyed, and had them in his possession until recently
THERE were 24 arrivals, including three oil tankers, at Ardrossan Harbour for the week ending Saturday 22. This week one of the largest vessels to enter the Eglinton Dock arrived from Ireland for 700 tons of coal bunkers. She is owned by a Yugoslavian firm, but was built in Britain.
MR John Robertson, Newsagent, Chapelwell Street, Saltcoats, retires from business tomorrow night (Saturday). The new owner takes over on Monday morning. Mr Robertson must have been in business for nearly fifty years. To his intimate friends he was either Jacky or Jakey Robertson, names by which he was best known as a senior footballer. His family have had a long connection with Saltcoats, his father having been mate on the "Clytus when Betsy Miller was Captain.
25 YEARS AGO on April 01, 1983
A political storm is brewing over a decision by the Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson Enterprise Trust to transform itself into a company. The Chairman of the district Labour Party has now threatened to press the district council to withdraw its financial support from the organisation.
Mr Matt Smith fears that the new status will free ASSET from the council's political influence. But his charges were strenuously denied by ASSET director, Mr Douglas Martin, this week.
He said the decision to make ASSET a company limited by guarantee would simply clarity is legal status and would not in any way alter the make up of its board.
A major row has developed involving Ayrshire's local radio station, West Sound -ending in the mass resignation of six education experts. Both sides are decidedly tight-lipped about the argument which involves major changes to the programming of the radio station's schools quiz series. Ayrshire's Secondary Education Programme Group severed it's reportedly amicable two year relationship with the station because it was not Informed of the changes.
Chairman of the group - Assistant Rector at Auchenharvie Academy, Robert Reid-directed the Heralds inquiries to West Sound, but did confirm that there was a rift with the Programming Controller, Robin Wylie.
A massive cash fund is being organised by members of Ardrossan and Saltcoats Rotary Club. They want over £20,000 to help the families of war wounded at Erskine Hospital and the club has just announced the start of its programme to raise cash.
A new hospital service could start in the Ardrossan area soon Ayrshire and Arran Health Board is already negotiating for suitable halls for the new project - a Mobile Day Hospital. The idea is still very much in its early stages
Thanks to Tom McGrattan
for the original