Ardrossan - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
22 OCTOBER 1859

DUKE OF HAMILTON TRAVELS VIA ARDROSSAN

His Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, accompanied by the Hon. Richard Edwardes, attaché to the Spanish Embassy; the Hon. Mr. Sheppard; Archibald Kerr Stewart, and suite, arrived at Hamilton Palace last night at six o’clock, from Brodick Castle, Arran.

The party landed at Ardrossan per steamer, and travelled from thence per special train to the Hamilton Station of the Caledonian Railway.

[Hughie]

Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald
October 23, 1908

Letter to the Editor:
Savage Assault On An Ardrossan Constable
Sir, In last week's issue of your paper I read, with horror, a paragraph under the above heading dealing with one of the most brutal and revolting outrages that ever I have read heard about. From what took place, Andrew Chalmers, the prisoner, (whom I hope and pray God doesn't belong to the British Isles), while in the prison cell must have thought out what he was going to do, and pro-meditated this blood curdling assault. It is almost revolting to think about the sentence passed on Chalmers, viz.: - a fine of £3 or 30 days.

From this sentence, I would say, neither the public nor the police are protected from such brutal assaults. I know if I was a constable I would tell such criminals to make their way home if they got into trouble rather than risk taking them to the cells, knowing that to get attacked as Constable Meiklejohn was, those placed in authority to administer the law would consider my life of to little value. I have known a hungry man getting three of six months for stealing a few shilling or poaching a rabbit It puzzles me to understand why Sheriff Mackenzie looked so lightly on a crime of such serious nature, even after the criminal pleaded guilty, and left no doubt as to who committed the dastardly outrage.

Constable Meiklejohn, who is a young man, will more than likely be disfigured for life. I would say the town's people should take some definite stand now, and at once, in order to standardise crime, and thus ensure equitable punishment. I am sure Constable Meiklejohn has the public's sympathy (as it is cheap). And I hope steps will be taken at once to reward this brave officer in some tangible way for the gallant stand he made. Many another constable might have let the man free, with his ugly weapon among the public to save himself. Any fund opened in your columns to reward the constable's bravery shall have my support. This is a fund the Provost and Magistrates ought to take in hand.
I am, your etc.,
JUSTICE.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1874

SHIPPING CASUALTY

Douglas, Isle of Man, October 21 – The C WHITE, brigantine, from Ardrossan for Lisbon, is a total wreck one mile north of Laxey.

Captain, mate, and two men drowned.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1874

GENERAL SHIPPING ITEM

Stranraer, October 22 – The JAMES, of and from Ardrossan for Belfast, coals, which went ashore at Cairnryan, must throw part of cargo overboard in order to get off.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1874

ARDROSSAN GRAIN MARKET

The market was well attended on Thursday - 22 bolls wheat sold at 19s 6d and 18 at 20s. There were 20 bolls seed wheat offered and sold at 30s. Sixteen bolls beans sold at 26s.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1874

MARRIAGE

At Burnside Cottage, Saltcoats, on the 21st instant, by the Rev. William Young, Free Church, Barrhead, brother of the bridegroom, Robert Carruth Young, Fullwood, Houston, to Margaret, only daughter of William Neilson, Esquire.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1874

DEATH

At Barr Street, Ardrossan, on the 20th instant, Elizabeth Topping, widow of Captain William Brown, Irvine.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1875

ARDROSSAN SEAMAN DROWNED

A sailor named JOSEPH WILSON, belonging to the schooner CURLEW of Ardrossan was going aboard that vessel in Belfast about ten o’clock last night when, in consequence of the very dense fog, he fell into the water.

He was rescued as rapidly as possible and taken to the Royal Hospital, where he shortly afterwards expired.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 OCTOBER 1879

ARDROSSAN COURSING CLUB

Judge, Mr. J. Hay. Slipper, D. Johnstone.

We met yesterday morning at Sharphill, about a mile from Saltcoats Station. The weather looked somewhat threatening, and rain had fallen heavily during the morning, so that the ground was in a somewhat slippery condition. Fortunately, however, it remained dry above, and the proceedings were favoured by fair, though somewhat dull weather. There was a very good attendance.

We coursed over Knockrivoch, Craigspark, and Sorbie, where we finished, owing to the darkness.

I shall be greatly mistaken if Bonnie Scotland does not carry off the Castle Stakes, as his running was greatly admired.

In regard to the puppies it is somewhat difficult to form an opinion, all of them being untried. The probability, however, is that Nothing Left and Nothing After will give a good account of themselves as they are in admirable form.

Hares were plentiful but somewhat wild. The judge and slipper gave the greatest satisfaction.

The Eglinton St. Leger and the Ardrossan Castle Stakes were contested.

We meet again this morning at Sharphill at half-past ten.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
24 OCTOBER 1879

LOSS OF A SCHOONER

Yesterday morning, about one o’clock, the French schooner JULIA ET CALINA, 53 tons register, Captain Dubois, from Ardrossan to Nantes, with pig iron, foundered off Pladda lighthouse, on the southern coast of Arran.

The vessel sprang a leak, and filled with water so quickly that the crew had to abandon her in a boat. She sank in a very short time, and about four o’clock in the morning the crew picked up by the S.S. WALMER, from Belfast to Irvine.

On being landed at the latter port, they proceeded per rail to Ardrossan to report the matter to the French Consul.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
24 OCTOBER 1879

ARDROSSAN COURSING CLUB

Judge, Mr. Hay. Slipper, D. Johnstone.

When we left town on Thursday morning the weather showed signs of improving, though rain had fallen heavily during the night, and by the time we reached the coursing ground the sun shone brightly. This continued till the afternoon, when a somewhat dense fog settled down, and for a time retarded the proceedings, so that it was close upon half-past five ere the eleven courses were got through.

THE ARDROSSAN CASTLE STAKES – FINAL

BONNIE SCOTLAND and LADY GOLIGHTLY divided on account of the fog – a fortunate thing for the LADY.

THE EGLINTON ST. LEGER – FINAL

In the deciding course, NOTHING AFTER led six lengths, and won a rattling course all one way.

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 OCTOBER 1879

HEROISM REWARDED

Yesterday forenoon there was a large attendance in the Town Hall, Ardrossan, to witness the presentation of a gold medal of the first class from the French Government to Captain PETER SHARP, master of the ANNABELLA CLARK, and also the Albert Medal of the first class from Her Majesty the Queen, and a gold medal of the Second Class from the French Government to Mr. JOHN McINTOSH, carpenter.

The Albert Medal had also been awarded to Captain SHARP, and was presented to him at Newport, by the Mayor of that town.

These medals were bestowed on Captain SHARP and Mr. McINTOSH for their bravery in rescuing, at the imminent risk of their own lives, the crew of the French ship MELANIE, which caught fire on the night of the 20th November, 1878, with 500 barrels of petroleum on board, while lying in the river at Bayonne.

Provost Barr occupied the chair.

Mr. W. Muir, collector of Customs, stated that the Provost, in making the presentation, was acting on behalf of Her Majesty.

Lord Sandon had submitted a statement of the services rendered and after considering it the Queen had in her own handwriting ordered that these two medals should be given to Captain SHARP and Mr. McINTOSH, and he was sure the audience would think them well worthy of the reward.

Mr. Cook, at the request of the chairman, read the following document, an extract from the London Gazette, 4 April, 1879: -

The Queen has been graciously pleased to confer the Albert Medal of the first class on:-

Captain PETER SHARP and JOHN McINTOSH, A.B., of the ‘ANNABELLA CLARK’, of Ardrossan.

The following is an account of the services in respect of which these decorations have been conferred: -

On the 20th of November 1878, at about 5.45 p.m., a fire suddenly broke out on board the French ship ‘MELANIE’, which was lying in the River Adour, at Boucan, near Bayonne, loaded with 500 barrels of petroleum, of which 40 were on deck. A mass of flame shot up from the main hatch and the ship quivered all over from the explosion of some of the barrels. The ship’s seams opened at once, and the petroleum pouring through spread a belt of flame around the ship. The master and a seaman then jumped overboard, but the mate remained to try to save his son who was lying helpless under some heavy objects which had fallen on him.

Captain Peter Sharp, master of the ‘ANNABELLA CLARK’, of Ardrossan (which was lying close by in the river), accompanied by a seaman named JOHN McINTOSH, came at once to his assistance. They rowed their boat through the flames, picked up the seaman who had jumped overboard, and took the mate from the blazing vessel.

Captain SHARP and McINTOSH both sustained very severe injuries. It was feared that Captain SHARP would lose the sight of one eye, and JOHN McINTOSH the use of his hands.

The chairman then, in very complimentary terms, presented the Albert Medal to Mr. McINTOSH, and the French medals to Captain SHARP and Mr. McINTOSH.

Both recipients modestly acknowledged the honours they had received, and expressed their belief that many other of their countrymen would have acted similarly in similar circumstances.

Rev. J. Hector de Courcelles, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, remarked that the fame of the noble deed performed by Captain SHARP and Mr. McINTOSH had extended over England. He had lately received a letter from a gentleman, a stranger to him, who thus alluded to it: -

Colonel Grove’s compliments to the Vicar of St. Andrew’s, Ardrossan, and begs the favour of giving the enclosed paper to that brave man JOHN McINTOSH, asking him at the same time to write and tell him if he ever received the French medal. It is as well to add that Captain SHARP’s splendid acts did not begin with his boarding the French ship MELANIE, for several months before his vessel was lying to in the Western Ocean in a heavy gale of wind, when a vessel in distress hove in sight. He then sailed near, and signalled to the crew that he should run round her without touching her, and the crew must jump on board; and this was successfully done. It was a bold and noble act. Had the vessels touched, both might have gone down.

Such deeds, Mr. de Courcelles added, conferred honour on the British Navy and the British Flag, and taught a lesson of unselfishness and noble heroism that he would like to see more carried out.

A vote of thanks to the Provost brought the proceedings to a close.