Saltcoats - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

THE GLASGOW HERALD
LETTERS
5 SEPTEMBER 1985

SOAP WRAPPERS

Sir - My sister and I, with a few hundred other screaming film fans, used to "pay" a Cowan's soap wrapper for admission to our picture shows.

The place was the Casino Picture House, Hamilton Street, Saltcoats. It later became the posh Regal, and real money had to be paid.

The time was the late 1920s, early 1930s, and the show was the Wednesday 4 o'clock matinee. There were weekly "follow-up" stories. During the very frequent breakdowns feet were stamped and the screen pelted with orange peel.

The soap (I think) was manufactured in Irvine, and the wrappers were green and white chequered. Did Cowan's recoup and recycle them? I always meant to find out, but 'tis too late now.

S Clegg (Mrs)
21 Atholl Gardens
Kilwinning

[Penny Tray]

13 SEPTEMBER 1852
GLASGOW HERALD
ADVERT

FARM IN AYRSHIRE TO BE SOLD BY PRIVATE BARGAIN

The farm of Meikle Laught, in the Parish of Ardrossan, containing 188 1/2 acres Scots Plan Measure, as possessed by Mr James Muir, upon an expiring lease at a free rent of about £277.

The situation of this property is very desirable, having a southern exposure, and being intersected by the Parish Road from Saltcoats to Dalry. It is also convenient for markets, being nearly equidistant (about two miles) from Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston.

The land is of good quality, and all of its tile drained, and in an excellent state of cultivation. There is a going tilework on the farm.

The holding is a subject Superior for payment of a nominal feu duty.

Mr Muir, the tenant, will show the farm; and further information may be obtained from John Smith, Writer here, who will also exhibit the Title Deeds and a plan of the property.

[A good investment - currently advertised at £1,350,000 -

http://www.wallets-rps.co.uk/property-f ... erty&id=99

[Penny Tray]

15 SEPTEMBER 1957

SEA CADETS' BOAT ON ROCKS

A converted lifeboat, in which 10 members of the Fullarton and Irvine Sea Cadet Corps were sailing today to Fairlie, broke down between Saltcoats and Ardrossan and drifted onto rocks behind Saltcoats Bathing Pond. Six boys waded ashore.

A motor boat which put out from Saltcoats Harbour was unable at first to reach the other boys and the chief petty officer in charge of the party. Later a dinghy under tow got a line aboard the converted lifeboat.

When the sea cadets' boat went aground a second time the dinghy took off the remaining boys and they were able to wade ashore.

Troon lifeboat towed the cadets' craft into Saltcoats Harbour.

[down south]

15TH SEPTEMBER 1825

On this day, the foundation stone was laid of the Saltcoats Town House and Steeple at what was then " No1 Raise Street ", now Countess Street. The ceremony was performed by Mr Alexander Hamilton of Grange; it was accompanied by speeches, and preceded by a Masonic procession. More details about the fund-raising and building of this expression of civic pride can be found in " Old and New ":

http://www.threetowners.com/old-new/chapter-16/

Susan

[Penny Tray]

20 SEPTEMBER 1955

I'LL WATCH FOR THE POLICE NEXT TIME

A Saltcoats boat hirer, who carried too many passengers in his motor boat, told the Sheriff at Kilmarnock today that next time he would be watching for the police.

The hirer was fined £4 when he admitted carrying more than 12 passengers on his boat DIANA, without having a certificate from the Minister of Transport.

When the police saw the DIANA sailing towards Saltcoats Harbour steered by the accused, he was carrying 20 passengers - 12 adults and 8 juveniles - said the Depute Fiscal.

Sheriff R.N. Levitt told the accused he would impose "a pretty modified penalty" of £4 and warned him to be careful that he did not come back again.

"I'LL BE WATCHING FOR THEM", said the accused.

[I don't think that's quite what the Sheriff meant .]

[Penny Tray]

22 SEPTEMBER 1913
GLASGOW HERALD

DEATH OF SALTCOATS SHIPMASTER

One of the oldest shipmasters in Saltcoats, Captain John Mitchell, (75), Afton Cottage, Eglinton Street, died on Saturday morning after a long illness.

When Saltcoats was a shipping port he went to sea, serving his apprenticeship in one of the vessels sailing from that place. Afterwards he was in foreign going ships, and for some years was employed by the Allan Line, the last vessel he commanded being the ARDMILLAN, a sailing ship.

He had retired from sea for a good many years. In Clyde shipping circles he was well known and respected.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
4 OCTOBER 1833

CALAMITOUS OCCURRENCE

We have this week the melancholy duty of recording a distressing accident which occurred on Tuesday last (24 September 1833) in the Firth of Clyde, by which no fewer than four men are supposed to have met an untimely death, and which has plunged several families into the deepest distress.

On the afternoon of Tuesday last, Mr. John Miller, master of the brig Clytus of Saltcoats, and Mr. Alexander Gilchrist, a commercial traveller, connected with the firm of Stevenson & Co., muslin manufacturers, Glasgow, accompanied by two of the crew of the Clytus, named Jenkin Jones, a native of Wales, and - Brown, a young lad belonging to Ardrossan, left Saltcoats in an open boat for the purpose of enjoying a pleasure sail to the Horse Isle, lying off Ardrossan, and after remaining on the isle a short time they re-embarked and stood for Saltcoats; but the weather being very boisterous, with the wind increasing in fury, they could not make the harbour, and after tacking about for some time, they found their efforts to reach the pier unavailing, when they put about, and it is supposed attempted to get into Millport in the Meikle Cumbrae island, for which place the wind was favourable.

The course of the devoted boat was traced by Mr. Affleck, the mate of the Clytus, from the mast head, by the aid of his glass, as far as Portencross, where they were overtaken by a tremendous squall, accompanied by so thick a fall of rain as completely to hide the boat from his view, and when the shower had passed, no trace of either the boat or her unfortunate crew could be obtained; but still a hope was entertained that she had weathered the storm and reached Millport.

The whole of that night and next day was spent amidst the greatest anxiety by Mr. Miller's relations and friends, in painful conjectures as to the fate of those on board the boat - nor was any intelligence of them received till eight o'clock in the evening, when the Albion steamer arrived from Millport, bringing a letter from a gentleman of that place, which stated that Captain Miller's boat had been found on the beach upset, at a short distance from Millport, but that nothing was known of those who had been on board - and we fear it is but too probable that they have all met a grave in the depths of the ocean. Mr. Miller was in the very bloom of manhood - was generous and warm-hearted, and possessed all those distinguishing traits which mark the British sailor; his loss is therefore deeply deplored by all who knew his manly disposition. He was a son of Mr. William Miller, merchant, Saltcoats, the owner of the Clytus, and has several relations living in this town. His friend Mr. Gilchrist had visited Saltcoats with the view of spending a few days in relaxation from the toils of business, and was a young man of the most sprightly and agreeable disposition.

The death of these individuals will be long and seriously deplored by their sorrowing and affectionate relations and associates. The Welsh seaman, Jones, entered on board the Clytus with Captain Miller, at Cork, last spring, sailed with him to North America, and had been with the brig ever since. - It is a singular and melancholy fact that Captain Miller is the third of the family who has met a similar fate - the whole of them were shipmasters.

[down south]

It's worth pointing out that mention of the brig Clytus means we're talking here about the family of the famous lady mariner Betsy Miller. Comparing this tale with the detail of her story heremakes it even clearer why she was the one who was left to take over the ship, with not just one but two brothers drowned in accidents locally; the death of Hugh in 1839 being it seems just a further continuation of the melancholy family history described here.

Susan

[meekan]

I never realised that the Clytus sailed across the Atlantic (if my reading of the "CALAMITOUS OCCURRENCE" is correct). I thought she only sailed the Irish sea.

[Penny Tray]

Meekan,

The 'CALAMITOUS OCCURRENCE' is as taken from the 4 October 1833 edition of the Glasgow Herald. The Herald attribute their source as the more local and hopefully well informed Ayr Observer.

This said, I can't find any other source at the moment to confirm that the Clytus crossed the Atlantic.

[George Ardrossan]

5 October 1894
A JEALOUS WIFE THRASHES HER HUSBAND
This rather unusual sight was witnessed by a Saltcoats crowd the other night in Countess Street. He was an itinerant vendor of stationery and according to his wife’s story had been paying more attention to a young woman than he should have done. The injured wife lay in wait for him and, as he came out of a shop where he was doing trade, he was made aware of her presence by a sounding smack on the ear. A crack on the other ear dexterously given set straight him on his feet again and he started off at a run with his wife after him. She caught him not far from the railway station and soundly cuffed him. He did not strike back but some person in the crowd raising a cry that the police were coming, he took advantage of the confusion to slip away.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 5 October 1894

George

[George Ardrossan]

6 October 1913

Exactly one hundred years ago today on 6 October 1913, La Scala cinema in Hamilton Street opened. On 26 October 1999, it re-opened as The Salt Cot, a Wetherspoon's pub.

George