Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
3 MARCH 1864

VESSEL BURNED AT COVE

On Tuesday afternoon, the sloop MARGARET, of Ardrossan, McArthur, master, arrived at Cove with a cargo of lime for Mr Richardson. She was anchored off-shore on Tuesday evening, for the purpose of awaiting the morning tide, to enable the crew to have her beached, for the purpose of having the lime discharged.

Early yesterday morning, however, she swung upon a sunken rock, and keeled over on her quarter, allowing the water to rush in by the hatch-ways, which at once fired the lime.

The crew, who were on shore, speedily pulled off to the vessel upon seeing her on fire, but the conflagration spread so rapidly that it was found impossible to save the sloop.

They at once cut loose the rigging, the mast falling overboard. Thirty barrels of lime were also thrown overboard in hopes of saving the vessel, but all to no purpose, as the lime swelled rapidly and blew up the deck. The deck materials were all saved, but the vessel burned down to the water’s edge.

The MARGARET was not insured. She belonged to the master and his brother.

Part of the crew of Her Majesty’s ship HAGUE were speedily at the scene of the conflagration, but their services were unfortunately unavailable in saving the vessel.

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GLASGOW HERALD
3 MARCH 1869

SHIPPING CASUALTIES

Ardrossan, February 27 – The brig, J. A. PIERCE, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Bent, master, which sailed from this port on the 31st December last, for Matanzas, with coals, has put back here. The vessel is leaking, and must discharge to go on the slip.

Ardrossan, February 27 - The schooner CATHERINE HENRY, Henry, master, from Bowling for Galway with coals, has put in through stress of weather.

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CASUALTY OF WAR
3 MARCH 1920

Died on home soil, Company Sergeant Major JOHN MURCHIE BLACK, (38), Service No. 64745, Corps of Royal Engineers, born at Ardrossan.

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GLASGOW HERALD
4 MARCH 1836

DEATH

At Ardrossan, on the 29th ultimo, James Ralston, Esquire, of Towerhill.

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GLASGOW HERALD
4 MARCH 1918

DEATH ON SERVICE

Posted missing on the 3rd May, 1917, now officially presumed killed on that date, Private JAMES GRAY, Royal Scots, late of Garrioch Dairy, Maryhill, eldest son of James Gray, now of Ardrossan.

The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald subsequently reported: -

“Private JAMES GRAY, Royal Scots, who was reported missing on 3 May last, has now been officially presumed killed.

Private Gray was the elder son of Mr and Mrs James E. Gray, of the Crown Picture Palace, Ardrossan. He received his later education at the Athenaeum and Skerry’s College, Glasgow, and afterwards attended the dairying classes at the West of Scotland Agricultural College, Glasgow. He took a deep interest in the technical side of dairying and he carried on a successful business at Garrioch Dairy, Maryhill, for about ten years.

While in Glasgow he also carried through the work of booking the films for the picture house, and he was engaged for some time in Ardrossan assisting his father.

Private Gray joined the Army in January of last year, went to the front on 3rd April, and was reported missing a month later.

He was well liked by a large number of friends both here and in Glasgow, and genuine sympathy will go out to Mr and Mrs Gray in their loss.”

The name JAMES GRAY appears on the Ardrossan WWI Memorial.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 MARCH 1872

SHIPPING CASUALTY

New York, February 22 – The PUNJAUB, barque, from Ardrossan via Cardiff, took the Southern Passage, and experienced strong westerly gales, split sails, lost foretopgallantyard and bulwarks, and started between decks. Had been 16 days west of Bermuda.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 MARCH 1875

ARDROSSAN GRAIN MARKET

There was a good attendance at market on Thursday.

There were 150 bolls wheat at market, 50 of which sold at 20s. Of 30 bolls oats exposed 10 sold at 30s, and 20 at 25s.

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 MARCH 1877

BRIGANTINE FOR SALE

By virtue of a warrant of the Lords of Council and Sessional, there will be exposed to sale by public auction, within the Eglinton Arms Hotel, Ardrossan, on Thursday the 15th day of March, 1877, at one o’clock afternoon, the brigantine “TEN BROTHERS,” of Dublin, as she at present lies at Ardrossan.

Upset price, £1100.

For inventories and further particulars, apply to Messrs MacGregor & Ross, S.S.C., Bank Street, Edinburgh; Barclay, Robertson & Company, shipbuilders, Ardrossan; or Thomas Kirkhope, solicitor there; or William Symington, auctioneer, Saltcoats.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 MARCH 1876

TRADE REPORT

The shipments of pig iron for the week ending Saturday were: -

Coastwise, 2614 tons; Foreign, 100 tons; Total, 2714 tons.

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GLASGOW HERALD
7 MARCH 1870

GRAND VOLUNTEER ASSEMBLY

On Friday night the annual assembly of the 4th Ayrshire (Ardrossan) Artillery Volunteers took place in the Town Hall, at which upwards of 60 couples were present.

The decorations of the hall were very tasteful, and the proceedings of the evening were rendered especially interesting from the fact that three presentations were to be made in the course of the evening, viz., the Ladies’ Challenge Plate, presented to the Corps for annual competition; and two handsome swords – one to Captain Emslie and another to Lieutenant Wilkie.

After several dances in the programme had been gone through, Mr Mutter presented the cup, a neat ornamental silver one, to the winner, Gunner Caldwell Anderson; and in doing so, hoped he might be successful in gaining the trophy another year.

In accepting the prize Gunner Anderson remarked that every member of the corps was deeply sensible of the honour done them by the ladies of Ardrossan in presenting this handsome prize for annual competition.

Sergeant Alexander Guthrie presented the swords to Captain Emslie and Lieutenant Wilkie, and in doing so referred to the many benefits these gentlemen had conferred on the company, and expressed the hope that such a mark of the kindly feelings entertained towards these officers would prove a thorough bond of brotherly feeling between officers and men.

Captain Emslie accepted the elegant gift with very great pleasure, assuring them that he would ever esteem it of much value, and Lieutenant Wilkie also returned thanks in a few neat sentences.

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GLASGOW HERALD
7 MARCH 1870

SHIPPING CASUALTY

Balbriggan, March 4 – The UNION, Harvey, from Newport for Ardrossan, stranded at Wicklow on February 13, has broken up.

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GLASGOW HERALD
7 MARCH 1871

LAST OF FIFTEEN LECTURES

On Sabbath evening, the Rev. W. R. Murray, of the U.P. Church, Ardrossan, delivered the last of a course of fifteen lectures on “The Scottish Covenanters”. In this course a most interesting and eventful period in the history of Scotland was ably reviewed; and as the lectures were exceedingly popular, their influence educationally must have been considerable.