Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 AUGUST 1915

MOTOR LAUNCH SUNK AT ARDROSSAN

An accident occurred at Ardrossan Harbour on Wednesday night, as a result of which Hugh Hamilton, captain of the Ardrossan tug was drowned. Hamilton accompanied by John Wylie, a pilot at the harbour, had gone out to the Horse Island in a motor launch, and when returning about eleven o'clock in the darkness struck a rock. The motorboat sank and the men were thrown into the water. Wylie succeeded in scrambling on to the rocks and was rescued a little later by a party of Navy men at the harbour. A diligent search was made for Hamilton but no trace of him could be found. Hamilton was a powerful swimmer and it is supposed that he was either injured by the impact or carried out to sea by the strong current which runs at this point. He had been employed at the harbour for many years and was well known on the coast.

GLASGOW HERALD
10 SEPTEMBER 1915

BODY RECOVERED

Corporal Dykes, 5th Royal Scots Fusiliers, who is stationed at Farland Camp, West Kilbride, on Wednesday night observed a body floating in the water off Portencross.

On being recovered it was identified as that of Corporal Hugh Hamilton, pilot at Ardrossan, who was drowned in the motor boat accident at Ardrossan Harbour on August 18.

Captain Hamilton was 50 years of age, and leaves a widow.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
September 11, 1942
(I don't recall this. I was just through the wall next door in No 11. But then I was just 8 months old.)

Put That Away
When Edward McGrath appeared at Ardrossan Burgh Court on Monday he made a dramatic move that caused a thrill of horror to pass through the frames of the beholders of his act. As evidence of what he had to suffer, he casually pulled a parcel from his hip pocket from which, in turn, and with a suitable flourish, he withdrew an ugly looking butcher's knife, with a blade about eighteen inches long, and somewhat lovingly drew his left thumb along the edge to test its keenness.

"Put that away." shouted Police-Judge Ferguson in a voice that seemed to combine command and terror, while the bar officer threw up his hands to shield him self from the expected onslaught what time the two officials and tire in whatever order they could. But it was needless. Ned was harmless.

As unfolded by Mr Kirkland, it appears that Edward stays with his wife and two sons c/o Paterson, 9 Whitlees Crescent. It also appeared that on Tuesday, 1st September in a bedroom at that address he fell out with his wife with whom he had not been on, good terms for some time past. He was due to start work on the railway at ten that morning and when his wife called him at nine he used very bad language to her and said he would not get up. His son, William, came into the room and told him that he would not allow him to call his mother these names,

Edward, thereupon, went outside and started to curse and swear, annoy and disturb the lieges (as the charge said) conduct himself in a riotous and disorderly manner and commit a breach of the peace. He pleaded guilty to all this. On his own behalf he said that he had come home on Monday night, the 31st of October (which went to show that he was out of it in more respects than one.

On Tuesday morning his wife narked at him and took the bread knife (so dramatically produced as aforesaid) and threatened him. Judge Ferguson said: "I think you are behaving absolutely stupid" and fined him £l which he duly produced from a bundle.

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GLASGOW HERALD
11 SEPTEMBER 1871

BRIG FOR SALE

There will be sold by public auction in the Eglinton Arms Hotel, Ardrossan, on Tuesday, the 19th instant, at half-past twelve o’clock p.m., the brig REGENTE, OF Kirkwall, 261 register tonnage, as she now lies stranded in the harbour of Ardrossan, with all her boats, tackling, and apparel.

Further particulars will be learned on application to Messrs Barr & Shearer, shipbuilders.

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GLASGOW HERALD
11 SEPTEMBER 1874

ARDROSSAN GRAIN MARKET

There was an average attendance at the market on Thursday.

There were 82 bolls wheat exposed, which sold as follows – 20 at 19s; 22 at 18s 6d; and 40 at 18s.

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GLASGOW HERALD
11 SEPTEMBER 1876

THE BUILDING TRADE

A start has just been made with a house which will form the corner of Winton Street, Ardrossan – a new thoroughfare – and the contracts have been let for a corresponding building on the south side of the street.

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GLASGOW HERALD
11 SEPTEMBER 1877

ARDROSSAN BOWLING CLUB

The concluding tie for the gold medal given to this club for annual competition by the late Lord Eglinton was played on Saturday night between Messrs James Barbour, Sawmill, and John Hunter, Hay and Straw Merchant, when the former won by a majority of 2 shots in a well-contested game, the score standing – Mr Barbour, 21: Mr Hunter, 19.

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 SEPTEMBER 1863

THE NEW COMPASS PIER AT AYR

This new pier has just been completed, and will be a great advantage to masters of vessels frequenting the harbour. The work has been completed within two months of the estimated time; and we believe, had Mr Boyd, harbour-master, been enabled to procure a sufficient supply of stones from Bellstone quarry, as he was led to believe he could, the pier would have been completed much sooner.

The stone had to be procured from four different quarries, viz., Bellstone, Kilwinning, Ardrossan, and Ballochmyle.

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 SEPTEMBER 1870

SHIPPING CASUALTIES

Belfast, September 9 – The schooner ELIZA, of and from Ardrossan for Belfast, with coal, went ashore today on the Lighthouse Point, Larne Lough; in a bad position, with gale blowing from the south-west.

Lamlash, September 9 – The schooner ISABELLA, of and from Londonderry to Ardrossan, in ballast, drove ashore at Whiting Bay. A steamer took her off, and towed her round to Lamlash Bay. There being a strong gale of wind at the time she was forced to drag the steamer. She then drifted through the shipping, fouling a brig, and then drove ashore to the north-east of Lamlash, near Clachlan Point, where, from the strong gale of wind blowing, she was likely to become a wreck.

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 SEPTEMBER 1870

THE LATE STORM AT ARDROSSAN

On Friday last Ardrossan was visited, in common with other places on the coast, with a severe storm.

From an early hour in the morning heavy gales prevailed, accompanied by heavy rain, which continued for some time. The rain, about noon, subsided, but in the afternoon the wind blew terrific from the north-east, to which was added a blinding down-pour of rain.

No casualties are as yet reported here, but much inconvenience and alarm was experienced by the passengers of the Clyde and Arran steamers.

While the brig CLITUS was a little off the Horse Island, opposite the harbour, the wind changed suddenly, and she would probably have gone ashore but for the assistance rendered to her by the harbour tug.

The storm was blowing so hard when the BONNIE DOON arrived here in the forenoon on her trip to Ayr that she was unable to proceed further.

In the evening it was with great difficulty, and with some serious apprehension to her passengers that the LADY MARY made the harbour; and she too was compelled to remain in the harbour overnight, and did not venture on the return journey. Here passengers were thereby necessitated, but not without many expressions of dissatisfaction, to remain overnight here.

The tide rose at night to an unusual height, and considerable damage has been done to some parts of the roads above high water-mark.

Up till an early hour on Saturday morning the gale raged with undiminished violence.

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 SEPTEMBER 1872

MARRIAGE

At the Railway Hotel, Ardrossan, on the 10th instant, by the Rev. John McCall, assisted by the Rev. John Stewart, JAMES CLARK, merchant, to KATE PROVAN, youngest daughter of Mr Alexander Provan, Ardrossan.

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 SEPTEMBER 1872

MARRIAGE

At the Railway Hotel, Ardrossan, on the 10th instant, by the Rev. John McCall, assisted by the Rev. John Stewart, Henry Osbourn Cullen, to Jessie, only daughter of the late Thomas Mitchell, Glasgow.

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 SEPTEMBER 1876

BIRTH

At Clutha Villa, Ardrossan, on the 9th instant, Mrs Hugh Hogarth; a son.