Ardrossan - On This Day In History

Published stories from each town's past.
Penny Tray
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
14 MARCH 1883

ARDROSSAN SCHOOL BOARD

The monthly meeting of this Board was held yesterday afternoon – Provost Barr presiding.

The officer’s reports showed an improvement in the attendance, the percentages being 81, 78, and 88 per cent in the three schools.

It was agreed to summon two defaulting parents before the Board at a special meeting on Tuesday next.

The chairman reported that the alterations at Saltcoats school were being attended to.

A motion by Mr. Kirkhope that the meetings of the Board be held quarterly did not find a seconder, and was lost.

Another motion by the same gentleman, that no monitor shall receive more than £3 salary, was also lost, the vote being 4 against 2.

The secretary reported that he had received £1500 of the assessment collected for rates by the Parochial Board, leaving only £30 to come in.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
14 MARCH 1895

ARDROSSAN – POLICE APPOINTMENT

Sergeant James Tennant Gordon, of the Ayrshire Constabulary, has been appointed deputy chief constable of Hamilton Burgh Police. Sergeant Gordon is presently stationed at Ardrossan and is well known in the Ayrshire force as a smart, capable officer.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
14 MARCH 1891

GOLDEN WEDDING - ARDROSSAN

Mr. and Mrs. JOHN THOMSON, Bute Place, were met in the Commercial Rooms on Thursday evening by about 50 friends and relatives to congratulate them on the occasion of their golden wedding, the first, it is believed, that has taken place in Ardrossan.

Mr. Thomson, who is 73 years of age, has been in the employment of the Glasgow & South-Western Company for 43 years as an engine driver, and is at present enjoying good health. Mrs. Thomson, who is two years younger, has been in failing health for some time.

During the evening the Rev. J. D. McCall, who occupied the chair, in the name of the family, presented the couple with a purse of sovereigns. They were each also made the recipients of a pair of gold spectacles from their grandchildren, who number 32.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
15 MARCH 1893

ARDROSSAN – PROPOSAL TO HAVE THE POST OFFICE PREMISES ENLARGED

At the monthly meeting of Commissioners it was unanimously resolved to memorialise the Postmaster General with a view to having the post office premises extended.

The grounds on which the granting of the petition is to be advanced are that Ardrossan is an important centre, that the telegraphic business done is extensive, that there are a number of sub-offices in Arran the accounting in connection with which has to be done in Ardrossan, and that the present post office buildings are not in keeping with other places of business in the town.

It was agreed that copies of the memorial should be sent to the member for North Ayrshire and the member for Bute.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
15 MARCH 1888

ARDROSSAN U.P. CHURCH

It was resolved at a congregational meeting on Tuesday night to take a plebiscite of the members of this church in order to determine whether or not instrumental music should be introduced in divine service.

The voting papers will be collected at the church door on Sunday next.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
15 MARCH 1937

RAILWAY MAN KILLED AT ARDROSSAN

While JOHN ROBERTSON, (51), surface foreman, was engaged on Saturday clearing the points outside Ardrossan Railway Station, he was knocked down and run over by the engine of a passenger train. Death was instantaneous.

Robertson, who resided c/o Donaldson, 165 Glasgow Street, Ardrossan, was a widower with four of a family.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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Penny Tray wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:13 am GLASGOW HERALD
14 MARCH 1891

GOLDEN WEDDING - ARDROSSAN

Mr. and Mrs. JOHN THOMSON, Bute Place, were met in the Commercial Rooms on Thursday evening by about 50 friends and relatives to congratulate them on the occasion of their golden wedding, the first, it is believed, that has taken place in Ardrossan.

Mr. Thomson, who is 73 years of age, has been in the employment of the Glasgow & South-Western Company for 43 years as an engine driver, and is at present enjoying good health. Mrs. Thomson, who is two years younger, has been in failing health for some time.

During the evening the Rev. J. D. McCall, who occupied the chair, in the name of the family, presented the couple with a purse of sovereigns. They were each also made the recipients of a pair of gold spectacles from their grandchildren, who number 32.
Thanks for this Laurence. I recognised the names right away and here's a wee bit more info.

John and his wife Mary (nee Thom) were both born in Stevenston and married there 27th Feb 1841. Before moving to Bute Place, they’d lived at 16 Glasgow Lane at least from 1861. Mary passed away in 1893 and John in 1899. Their son, Benjamin (b 1851 Cannon Hill Lane) was my great-grandfather and worked as a ship’s carpenter.

Just looked at John's Will to see if there was any mention of the gold spectacles but there’s nothing there. Every beneficiary (of which there were many!) got 3/- and he also left his son his rocking chair, a mahogany chest and two framed portraits of his late wife. One grandson got his watch and another the watch chain. One thing that made me smile is that he left to a grand-daughter living in the USA ‘my bed-stead, and whole bedding and bed clothes, a cotton sheet and a woolen sheet as fitted up and standing at present in my upper room, if not grudging the cost of transporting it to America’. I might be wrong but I’ve a feeling she maybe didn’t have it transported over!

Campbell
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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Thanks for that additional information Campbell. It's great when these news items, picked out from old Glasgow Heralds, actually mean something to someone. I'll try and send you the newspaper article.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
16 FEBRUARY 1893

ACCIDENT

Yesterday a man named Nathan Shephard, employed as a hatchmouth man at Ardrossan Harbour fell down the ‘tweendeck hold of the steamer JOHN DIXON (from the Mediterranean with ore) and sustained bruises on several parts of his body. He was removed to his own home and medical aid summoned.

Shephard had stepped on to the hatch and it gave way with him.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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CASUALTY OF WAR
16 MARCH 1917

Died at sea on S.S. NARRAGANSETT, Pumpman WILLIAM TAIT, (60), born at Stevenston, husband of Sarah Morgan Tait, 22 Harbour Place, Ardrossan.

[S.S. NARAGANSETT, on a voyage from New York to London, was torpedoed by German submarine U-44.]
Last edited by Penny Tray on Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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GLASGOW HERALD
16 MARCH 1895

ARDROSSAN LIFEBOAT COMMITTEE

A meeting of the Lifeboat Committee was held in the Harbour Office. Mr. John Craig, vice-president, presiding.

After the discharge of routine business, Mr. John Emslie, solicitor, on behalf of the parent institution, handed over to Mr. Craig a copy of a printed address, mounted on a handsome oak frame, in recognition of 26 years of official service connected with the institution.

Mr. R. L. Alpine, whose official record covers the last twelve years, was also made the recipient of a copy.

In making the presentation, Mr. Emslie referred to the zeal and courtesy both gentlemen had displayed in the performance of their duties. That the lifeboat would do credible service, he said, was always Mr. Craig’s and Mr. Alpine’s care, and they did what they could for that end. The circumstances over which there could be no control, which prevented the boat recently from doing successful service concerned them much, and he was sure they were second to none on the committee in determining that the boat would yet do good work. It had done before; it would do again.

Mr. Craig replied on behalf of Mr. Alpine (who was unavoidably absent) and himself.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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Penny Tray wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:18 am
Penny Tray wrote: Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:59 am
Penny Tray wrote: Wed Jan 30, 2019 8:17 am


GLASGOW HERALD
30 JANUARY 1895

Sir,

THE ARDROSSAN LIFEBOAT

After the correspondence which has taken place regarding above, I dare say many of your readers are wondering if nothing is being done to recognise the bravery of the Saltcoats fishermen, who went out in an ordinary ship’s boat and rescued the three survivors of the crew of the LOVEN, while the crew of the best lifeboat on the West of Scotland remained helpless in the harbour watching how it was done.

For the information of your readers, I may say that while the Provosts and Magistrates of Ardrossan and Saltcoats respectively have not thought it worthwhile to open a subscription list (as was done in Irvine for the lifeboat crew there) it has not been overlooked.

Mr. Guthrie, Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Office, Ardrossan, has offered to receive subscriptions, and has already received upwards of £48. There are probably many others who would like to do something to acknowledge the services of these gallant fishermen, who, without the lifeboat, exhibited a bravery not less notable than that of the Irvine lifeboat crew.

I am &c.,
AYRSHIRE

GLASGOW HERALD
1 FEBRUARY 1895

Sir,

THE ARDROSSAN LIFEBOAT

Your correspondent “AYRSHIRE” is not quite correct in his statements.

I do not know what the Provost of Ardrossan is doing in the matter, but I know for a fact that the worthy Provost McIsaac of Saltcoats has personally got upwards of £50 towards the fund to reward the brave Saltcoats fishermen, and I think will allow this is a very tidy sum to be got by one gentleman from his friends in these dull times.

I am &c.,
THISTLE

GLASGOW HERALD
16 FEBRUARY 1895

THE RESCUERS OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE LOVEN

A public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Ardrossan, last night, at which the crew of the small boat which succeeded in reaching the wreck of the Loven in the gale of the 22nd December were each presented with a cheque value £16 9s. The money was raised by public subscription.

The Loven, it will be remembered, stranded in rocky shallows between the Horse Island and the breakwater and after an abortive attempt had been made to take out the lifeboat to the wreck, a small boat was manned by a volunteer crew, who were successful in reaching the wreck and taking off the three survivors of the eight men, all told, who formed the crew of the Leven.

A public subscription was opened on behalf of the rescuers, and rather more than £100 was raised, £5 having been distributed amongst the crew of six previous to last night's meeting.

Mr Arthur Guthrie, in the absence of Provost Young, through a family bereavement, presided, and the presentation was made by Provost McIsaac, Saltcoats.

Mr William Pllu, coxswain of the small boat, acknowledged the gifts on behalf of his crew, mentioning incidentally they had been instrumental in saving 47 lives during his lifetime.

On the motion of Commissioner Kirkhope, a vote of thanks was accorded to the subscribers and also to Mr McGill, of the Ardrossan Shipbuilding Company (Limited) for the boat used in the heroic action.

The hall was completely filled, but the proceedings lasted little longer than five minutes.
GLASGOW HERALD
16 MARCH 1895

ARDROSSAN – RESCUE OF THE LOVEN CREW

The Norwegian Government has granted a second-class life-saving medal to each of the six men who manned the smallboat and rescued the three survivors of the crew of the Norwegian brig LOVEN, on 22 December last, off Horse Island.

Mr. R. L. Alpine, Vice-Consul for Sweden and Norway at Ardrossan, has received the medals.
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