Ardrossan - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

Susan,

You indicated that Mr Shedden's "thank you" appeared in the 16 January 1970 edition of the A & S Herald. It was fairly safe to assume therefore that he had been recognised in the 1970 New Year Honours List. After that I looked up the alphabetical list published in the Glasgow Herald at that time. Nothing more sophisticated than that .

[George Ardrossan]

20 JANUARY

20 January 1899
COST OF POLICE
In reply to Enquirer, the cost of the Constabulary Force in Saltcoats is levied on proprietors by the county authorities. In Ardrossan, the levy is under the general police rate.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 20 January 1899

20 January 1899
NEW CLASSROOMS IN ARDROSSAN ACADEMY
The plans for giving increased accommodation in Ardrossan Academy (shown below as the ruins of Saint Peter's School in 2002), designed by Mr Armour, Irvine, have been approved by the School Board who are now the managers of the Academy. The plans provide for two additional classrooms.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 20 January 1899

20 January 1899
ARTIFICIAL CURLING POND IN ARDROSSAN
An enthusiastic local curler who worked up some excitement reading an account of a curling match at Alloa this week has been struck by the fact that Ardrossan are lax in an artificial curling pond. There’s an idea for the Curling Club and the new secretary. The Commissioners might lend a hand. Now that they’re on the move, who shall say where they may stop?
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 20 January 1899

20 January 1899
ARDROSSAN COMMISSIONERS BUY KILMAHEW HOUSE
The Commissioners of Ardrossan have purchased Kilmahew (shown below in 1978), their intention being to convert it into municipal chambers and utilise the vacant ground for a Town Hall and necessary buildings in connection with the cleansing department. While not an ideal site for a Town Hall, it is possibly the best available and the space at command will allow the erection of a building in every way suitable and creditable to the burgh.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 20 January 1899

George

[down south]

ARDROSSAN ACADEMY

20TH JANUARY 1975

On this day, the school's new library opened after it had been without one for over four years; the old one had been turned into a classroom during the shortage of accomodation caused by building works.The new library was created out of the old gymnasium, which had been replaced by the facilities of the Sports Centre. Pictures and a Herald report can be found here:

http://www.iandalgleish.co.uk/AAwebsite ... ge426.html

http://www.iandalgleish.co.uk/AAwebsite ... ge428.html

http://www.iandalgleish.co.uk/AAwebsite ... ge427.html

As the article says, the appointment of a librarian was a new development; in previous days, the library had been mostly in use after school hours, run by volunteers among the senior pupils.

Susan

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
21 JANUARY 1914

At the monthly meeting of Ardrossan Town Council the clerk submitted a letter signed by seven ratepayers, objecting to the proposed scheme for the construction of a bathing pond and hot sea water baths.

It was pointed out that seven ratepayers having now formally objected to the scheme, it would be necessary to inform the Sheriff of Ayrshire, who would proceed to take a poll of householders to decide whether or not the scheme should be carried out.

There was no discussion, but it was agreed that a public meeting should be held in the Town Hall on 27th current in order that details of the proposed undertaking might be placed before the ratepayers.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
21 JANUARY 1914

The Episcopal Church at Ardrossan was burglariously entered on Sunday night. An offertory box was wrenched from the wall and carried away, the empty box being found on the railway behind the church. The contents consisted only of some coppers.

[down south]

24TH JANUARY 1970

Annual general meeting of the Eglinton Angling Club, set up in 1923 and still in existence today:there are a number of references to it on this site, eg here.

Susan

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
24 JANUARY 1927

ARDROSSAN HOUSING SCHEMES

Two housing schemes built under municipal auspices at Ardrossan were opened on Saturday.

The Seton Street and Anderson Terrace scheme consists of four semi-detached cottages and twelve flatted houses of three apartments, and the Young and Paisley Street scheme comprises twenty flatted houses of two apartments.

Ex-Provost G McKellar presided over the gathering, and the opening ceremony was performed by Provost I. T. Fawcett.

The latter was presented with a gold key on behalf of architect, measurer, and contractors. A silver bowl was presented to ex-Provost McKellar.

[down south]

ARDROSSAN ACADEMY

1ST FEBRUARY 1972

The blizzard conditions that blanketed the area with heavy snow ( see here ) caused some disruption to school life; though lessons continued as normal in spite of continuous snowfall all day, and many absences. Pupils who travelled from West Kilbride couldn't get out of the village on Tuesday ( 1st February ) , and a number of teachers also didn't make it into school. But one farmer's daughter found a novel solution, by getting a lift into school on the family tractor.

1ST FEBRUARY 1974

A busy day for the staff common room in the new building . First, past and present staff and pupils attended a presentation ceremony to mark the retirement of Mr Thomas Hughes, principal teacher of PE , after 44 years at the Academy. A picture and Herald article can be found here:

http://www.ardacad.co.uk/arc/leavers/hu ... ghes.shtml

and some memories of Mr Hughes are shared in this topic.He died in c 1985/6.

Then in the evening a ( rather belated !) Burns Supper was held there by the school's Literary and Debating Society. The chairman of proceedings, Mr Kenneth Dodds, had recently arrived as the school's principal teacher of history, replacing Mr Cowie.

PUPILS' TRIBUTE TO BURNS

Forty members of the Ardrossan Academy Literary and Debating Society held a Burns Supper under the chairmanship of Mr K Dodds last Friday.

Karen Cochrane carried the haggis into the staff common room where it was addressed by Helen Macpherson.

The toast to " The Lasses " was proposed by Allan Cowan and the reply was given by Agnes Wilson.

In addition to the traditional toasts the croupier, Oluf Olufsen, proposed a toast to " The Staff", and Mrs Helen Dick, of the English Department, gave the reply.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 8th February 1974

Susan

[down south]

4TH FEBRUARY 1975

Miss Jessie McKelvie, PE teacher at Ardrossan Academy and later at Stanley Primary, successfully applies to train as a lay reader in the Church.

An application has been received by the Presbytery of Ardrossan from Miss Jessie McKelvie of Ardrossan for training as a lay-reader.

Miss McKelvie, a teacher and primary school organiser for Ayrshire, is thought to be the first woman to apply for lay-reader training in the Presbytery.

The application was accepted at Tuesday's meeting of the Presbytery.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 7th February 1975

Susan

[down south]

7TH FEBRUARY 1970

ARDROSSAN ACADEMY

From the late sixties into the seventies, Ardrossan Academy under the formidable Dr Nisbet built up a proud tradition of wins in the annual Classical Verse Speaking contests held at Glasgow for schools from west, central and south-west Scotland . This was their third win in a row of the Senior Trophy,and when a year or two later the contest was divided into separate Latin and Greek trophies they proceeded to continue winning both of them, which went on at least until 1975 . More on some of the later wins can be seen in the Ardrossan Academy website archive section: http://www.iandalgleish.co.uk/AAwebsite ... ndex5.html

A few familiar names here to some of us.

ACADEMY'S " PLEASANT VOICES " GAIN THE DAY

Pupils of Ardrossan Academy again won the senior trophy at a prose reading and verse speaking competition held recently at Glasgow University under the auspices of the Association of Teachers of Classics.

Rae Livingstone was awarded first prize for intermediate Greek verse, and scond for prose; Alison Caldwell took second prize for intermediate Latin prose and Kathy MacLeod was awarded a certificate of merit; Julie Fullarton and Elizabeth Morris won second equal prize for intermediate Latin verse; Jean Wright won first prize for senior Latin, prose and verse, and first prize for senior Greek prose and verse was won by Elise Millar, who was praised for her rendering of the " Heraclitus " epigram.

In the junior trophy section the Academy were creditable runners-up, the pupils taking part being Elspeth Dowell, Irene Elder, Judith Farrer, Janice Galloway, Joan Geddes, Ray McKell, and Agnes Wilson.

The girls were trained by the head of the classics department, Dr E Y Nisbet.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 20th February 1970


7TH FEBRUARY 1975

Another prizewinner....now where have I heard that name before ?

Mr George Macintyre, Alloway Place, Ardrossan, has been awarded a Diploma for Excellence in the Scottish Open Poetry Competition 1975. Mr Macintyre's poem " Black Christmas " gained joint eighth place out of a total of 925 entries from Scotland and abroad. He is a member of the staff of the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 7th February 1975

Susan

[Meg]

Rae Livingstone was awarded first prize for intermediate Greek verse, and second for prose; Julie Fullarton and Elizabeth Morris won second equal prize for intermediate Latin verse;

Mr George Macintyre, Alloway Place, Ardrossan, has been awarded a Diploma for Excellence in the Scottish Open Poetry Competition 1975. Mr Macintyre's poem " Black Christmas " gained joint eighth place out of a total of 925 entries from Scotland and abroad. He is a member of the staff of the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.

Wow, so many familiar names, but I just wanted to point out that Julie and Rae were in my year at Ardrossan Academy, and although their classic education was obviously full of honours, both were phenomenal artists, and Julie went on to star in Budgie - the TV show with Ian Cuthbertson and Adam Faith.

George MacIntyre - well what a dark horse, lets read Black Christmas then....

Meg

[geomacintyre]

Haven't read this myself for a number of years - even when putting most of my notes on discs. Inspired by a cartoon in the Christmas 1973 edition of either Mayfair or Playboy (and no, I've never been interested in cars/motorbikes or articles about them) and strongly influenced by Donovan.

BLACK CHRISTMAS

For all those born Christmas Eve 1973:
Died Christmas Day 1973

Daddy where do all those funny little men
With cotton wool beards
And shining gumboots come from?
Is there a factory somewhere in the clouds
Where they are made?
Is there daddy?
Is there?

Mummy those little men
I had a dream last night again
And a giant stiletto heel
Crashed down upon the original Santa
And instead of blood other men just like him
Poured from his wounds.
Is that the truth mummy?
Is that how it happened?

Did Santa always advocate world-peace mum?
Has he always listened to angelic choirs
Sing about peace and goodwill,
Did he understand their words?
Don’t give up mum
Don’t tell me to shut up mum
I am no longer the child
Who sat on your knees
Listening intently to your fairy tales.
Answer my questions
I want to know the truth.
If Santa really can go anywhere in the world.
Why doesn’t he convert his sledge to carry a bomb
With him next time he violates Russian airspace?

Sister dear I hear you laugh
But do dead children get presents?
When the churches are closed for the day
And the gallows tree stands alone
With overweighted branches groaning in the wind,
With noose empty and unstretched
Swaying in the wind... swaying in the wind... swaying...
Do the dead children hang out
Their stockings on their headstones?
Do they know the meaning of joy,
Does Santa hover over the bleak graveyards
His skeleton reindeer rattling in the night?
Do dead children get presents?

Cracked mirror above the photographs of home:
They are the only reminders of home you have:
The bare lights hurt your eyes,
The single bar on the electric fire
Does not give out enough heat to keep you warm
Still it is Christmas
And no one should die at Christmas.

Father Christmas will come soon
He is the only man who has ever seen
The inside of your flat:
He is the only man to have seen you in bed
Often lingering by your side hoping to speak to you,
Praying you can help him before it is too late.
I cannot tell you what answers he seeks:
No one ever saw fit to answer my questions,
No one ever told me the truth.

This year you decided to go with him
Share the darkened box seat on his sledge,
Travel together to a land where the sun never sets,
Where you will never be alone again.

As he carried you from bed
as he laid his fingers on your head
you could hear him sing so low
about things you have never known
of elves of love of peace of mind
of people who are kind
see the golden reindeer fly
see the snowflakes melt before your eyes
singing praise to St Nicholas
before he lets you go
rolling laughing tumbling through the virgin snow
watch the elven fingers weave a web
watch the tinker slowly roast a crab
Christmas time is here again
hear the children sing
listen to the children prepare for bed
praying dancing wondering what Santa’s going to bring.

Words fall from my lips
As I watch you glide through the air
No-one should die at Christmas.
But do dead children get presents?
When the church is closed for the day
And the gallows trees rot and wither
Do the dead children hang their stockings
Out on their headstones?
I have often pictured Father Christmas
Hovering over a graveyard
His skeleton reindeer rattling in the night
But do dead children get presents?