Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 FEBRUARY 1876

ARDROSSAN HARBOUR

In the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, on Saturday, Mr Benjamin, Q.C., with him Mr Hardy), applied to set aside an order of Mr Justice Denman at Chambers, and the question turned upon the rules and orders of the Judicature Act.

The Earl of Eglinton is the owner of the harbour at Ardrossan, and by his private Act he is entitled to remove, at the expense of the owners, all vessels stranded or wrecked, which had struck the harbour.

An action was brought against Mr Morgan, the owner of the Chusan, for the expense incurred in removing the wreck, and Mr Morgan stated in his defence that he was fully insured, and that the underwriters had paid for a total loss, and they thereby became the owners of the wreck, and that if he was primarily liable, then the underwriters must indemnify him, and he therefore asked that they should be made defendants, the learned counsel having quoted the rules and orders in support of this contention.

Mr Justice Lush remarked that he did not think the rules enabled the parties to a suit to bring in another to indemnify them, but merely to call them in to be bound by the decision of the amount. There must be a separate action to decide whether there should be any indemnity.

In the course of the argument a consultation took place between the counsel, Mr Cohen, Q.C., and Mr Matthew for plaintiffs, and at its conclusion, Mr Benjamin, Q.C. announced that they had settled the matter upon terms. The underwriters are to be made defendants, Morgan indemnifying the plaintiffs against any costs that they might be called upon to bear by reason of that course.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 FEBRUARY 1872

GENERAL SHIPPING ITEM

Tobermory, February 19 – The brig JANE THOMSON, for Ardrossan, put in here on 17th instant, and reports having left Limerick on the 4th of December, but was blown off land on entering the North Channel, and was at sea until the 10th instant, when she made Isleornsay, Skye, which place she left on the 16th.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 FEBRUARY 1875

VOLUNTEER BALL

On Friday night, the annual ball of the 4th Ayrshire Volunteer Artillery came off in the Town Hall, Ardrossan, at which there was a very large and highly respectable company assembled.

Dancing commenced about nine o’clock, and was carried on with great spirit. When half the programme had been exhausted, John Moffat, Major, presented the Ladies Cup to the winner for this year Sergeant Leckie, who suitably replied. Captain Barclay then presented to Sergeant Leckie a very handsome piece of plate given by Major Emslie. The plate bore the following inscription: -

“Presented for annual carbine competition by John Emslie to the Ardrossan Artillery Volunteers on his resigning the captaincy.”

Dancing was afterwards resumed and continued with great spirit till an early hour, the music being supplied by Messrs Adams, of Glasgow.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 FEBRUARY 1884

MAIL CART ACCIDENT

While the mail cart was proceeding from Irvine Station to Ardrossan Post Office a shutter was blown from a window. It struck the horse, knocking it down, and breaking both shafts of the machine.

The driver was thrown out, but he fortunately escaped with slight injury.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 FEBRUARY 1887

FAIRS AND STOCK SALES

At Ardrossan mart yesterday were exposed for sale 20 bullocks, which brought from £15 10s to £17.

The sales were good, but there was a scarcity of buyers.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 FEBRUARY 1926

COURT OF SESSION – WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION TECHNICALITY

This was an appeal on Saturday by Hugh Paterson, 2 Grange Road, Ardrossan, in an arbitration under the Workmen’s Compensations Acts between him and Ardrossan Harbour Company.

On September 24, 1924, the appellant was injured while in the employment of the respondents.

On October 23, he agreed to accept a lump sum of £10 10s in full satisfaction and final settlement of all claims competent to him for injury then manifest or to become manifest which he might then or thereafter have against the respondents in respect of the accident.

A memorandum of agreement was recorded on November 5, 1924.

On March 27, 1925, the appellant lodged a minute with the arbitrator craving that the memorandum of agreement should be removed from the register on the ground that it had been obtained by undue influence on the part of an inspector of an insurance company acting on behalf of the respondents.

Answers were lodged by the respondents; but progress with the dispute could not be made as the Court did not sit during the month of March.

On the arbitrator putting the minute and answers out for discussion, the respondents maintained that the arbitrator had ceased to have any jurisdiction to deal with the matter after May 6, 1925, when a period of six from the date of recording the memorandum had expired.

To this plea the arbitrator, though with reluctance, gave effect on May 27, 1925.

The workman thereupon appealed to the Court of Session. When the case was heard in the Second Division it was found that their Lordships were equally divided, two holding that on the facts set forth the arbitrator had no power to deal with the workman’s application, and two that the arbitrator had such power.

The case was therefore sent to seven judges, and was advised today.

The Court, by a majority of four, consisting of Lords Hunter, Anderson, Sands, and Ashmore, to three, consisting of the Lord President, the Lord Justice-Clerk, and Lord Ormidale, held that the arbitrator had power to deal with the workman’s application.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 FEBRUARY 1880

THE RECENT GALE

Several vessels have put into Queenstown during the last two days in a damaged state, the result of the recent severe weather in the Atlantic.

The ANNABELLA CLARK, from Ardrossan bound to Bayonne, arrived in a damaged condition.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 FEBRUARY 1880

TRADE REPORT

The following are the shipments of pig iron from Ardrossan Harbour for the week ending Saturday: -

Coastwise, 1469 tons; Foreign, 960 tons; Total, 2429 tons.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 FEBRUARY 1882

SHIPPING CASUALTY

The GEORGE HARPER, schooner, from Ardrossan, had stern seriously damaged, and the ANN, schooner, from Belfast, had both masts carried away and starboard side much damaged, through collision with the CITY OF PARIS in the Mersey on Tuesday.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 FEBRUARY 1889

SAD CASE OF DROWNING AT ARDROSSAN

On Thursday afternoon about 4 o’clock, a seaman named LAUCHLAN McCALL, of the smack ARGO, of Grangemouth, on leaving to go up town gave the man in charge orders to remove the smack to another berth on the opposite side of the wet dock.

He returned to the dock about 8 o’clock, and shortly afterwards fell into the water. His body was discovered, and laid on the dredger, where artificial respiration was applied for half an hour to no purpose. On the arrival of the doctor, life was pronounced extinct.

Deceased leaves a wife and family, who reside in Renfrew Street, Glasgow.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 FEBRUARY 1889

ASSAULTING A MOTHER

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, HECTOR McNEIL, seaman or labourer, Montgomerie Lane, Ardrossan, was charged with assaulting his mother in the lane on the 21st instant, by striking her on the forehead with his fist to the effusion of blood, also with a breach of the peace.

He pleaded guilty, and having been previously convicted, was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.

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DIED ON SERVICE
23 FEBRUARY 1919

Died on service, Lance Corporal ROBERT BELL, 8th Tank Corps, Service No. 78180 – died of influenza and pneumonia on home soil – buried at Ardrossan Cemetery.