Stevenston - On This Day In History

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
October 28, 1949

Stevenston - Changes Pub licence-holders
The licence for the Thistle and Rose, New Street, has been granted to James Henry Skelton who previously resided at 9 Burns Statue Square, Ayr, where he was employed as manager of the Athole Arms. Mr R. McKay, has had to give up the licence of this popular hotel for health reasons and will go into a new line of business south of the border. He was the recipient of many tokens of appreciation from organisations which have availed themselves of the facilities available at the hotel for meetings, social functions and the like.

Donald Mathieson Grant is bred to the licensed trade, his father being a licence-holder in Largs and Skelmorlie. Although only 34 years of age he takes over the licence of the Popinjay. 37 New Street, with a great deal of experience behind him.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
November 9, 1951

New Firewood Factory

A firewood factory is to be built at Moorpark Road East, Stevenston. by Mr James S Mitchell, 183 Hayocks Road.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
December 12, 1952

From Office Stool to the Wide Open Spaces
On Monday of this week, 17- year-old Hugh Fullarton took leave of his home at 12 Ardoch Crescent, Stevenston, on the first stage of his journey to Australia. Hugh, who was a junior clerk in the offices of Ardeer Foundry, is to take up sheep-farming in New South Wales.

His mother and father, Mr and Mrs. Tom Fullarton, are proprietors of the Ailsa Tearooms, Shore Road, Stevenston. Hugh's mother and uncle accompanied him to London on Monday night and stayed there to see him off from Tilbury Docks on Wednesday. He sailed on the R.M.S. Oronsay.

Hugh is one of some thirty British boys going to Australia under the Big Brother Migration Movement. He will arrive at Sydney and serve a training period on a farm, then will go by rail to the farm in New South Wales. "There's no future in being tied to an office stool," said Hugh at a party in Ardeer Halls last Friday night, when a company of relatives and friends gathered to wish him goodbye and god- speed. He said he would probably return to Stevenston in a few years, but only for a holiday

[exile]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
December 12, 1952

From Office Stool to the Wide Open Spaces
On Monday of this week, 17- year-old Hugh Fullarton took leave of his home at 12 Ardoch Crescent, Stevenston, on the first stage of his journey to Australia. Hugh, who was a junior clerk in the offices of Ardeer Foundry, is to take up sheep-farming in New South Wales.

Is there any record of how he went on from here?

[brian f]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
December 12, 1952

From Office Stool to the Wide Open Spaces
On Monday of this week, 17- year-old Hugh Fullarton took leave of his home at 12 Ardoch Crescent, Stevenston, on the first stage of his journey to Australia. Hugh, who was a junior clerk in the offices of Ardeer Foundry, is to take up sheep-farming in New South Wales.

Is there any record of how he went on from here?

I had never heard of the boy scheme. And it is a big change from working in a foundry to a sheep farmer. Did you just get allocated what job you would get?

And i sincerely hope, young Hugh had a great life!

[Hughie]

I was hoping perhaps he had some relatives still in the town who could enlighten us - it's out there anyway.
From what I recall back around 1960 the Ailsa Tearooms was managed or owned by Bobby Ferguson's mum - Bobby was goalkeeper for Kilmarnock and later Westham and Scotland. Bobby came to live in Australia in the 1981.

BTW I too was working in Ardeer Foundry before leaving for Australia, 12 years after Hugh Fullarton. I left my mark in that very office he worked in (had a accident and spilled some blood in there from what turned out to be a minor injury) was worried at the time it would stop us migrating.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
February 2, 1951

An old lady sat by the fire
Mrs Helen Morris, 72 year- old widow, lived alone at number four Station Square, Stevenston. Despite her age, she was out and about every morning at 6 o'clock. Until last Saturday.About 10 o'clock on Friday night, Mrs Morris got three pennies from next door neighbour Mrs Gaitens to make herself a cup of tea before going to bed. But the old lady wasn't about on Saturday morning as usual. When her door was still locked and her blinds still down after 9 o'clock, Mrs Gaitens began to get worried. As the forenoon wore on and there was still no sign of Mrs Morris, her anxiety increased. Mrs Morris hadn't been keeping too well.

At 11 o'clock, Mrs Gaitens persuaded her husband to go for the police. Soon the sergeant and a con- stable were on the scene. It was decided to force the door. When the gas had cleared away sufficiently to allow entry the old lady was found sitting by the fireplace, dead. She had had her cup of tea-her last cup.

Investigation soon revealed the cause of the tragedy. Gas was leaking profusely from fracture in the main pipe leading into the meter. It would seem that the old lady had shaken the meter to clear a jammed penny (it was learned that her meter had stuck on several occasions) and the old pipe had given way. The old lady had evidently been over come as she sat at her tea. Medical opinion put the time of death at about 1 o'clock in the morning, Mrs Morris was predeceased by her husband George two years previously. They had no family. A few doors away from the scene of the tragedy lives the victim's friend, 94-year-old Mrs Murray. She was heart-broken at the news.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
February 9, 1951

Mercury Theft Suspects Remanded in Custody
Over half a ton of mercury, worth more than £1000, which is thought to have been stolen from the I.C.I. explosives factory at Ardeer two weeks ago, was recovered on Tuesday in Greenock.

In connection with the theft four men were before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Wednesday. They appeared on petition in private and were committed to prison pending further inquiry. Police throughout the West of Scotland were alerted when it was discovered that 1500lbs. of the metal were missing from the works, and search was started over the whole area.

On Tuesday they converged on Greenock, and police patrol cars intercepted a motor lorry passing through the town.
On board they found several canisters containing mercury. C.I.D. officers detained three men for inquiry and later handed them over to Ayrshire police along with the lorry and a private car.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
February 15, 1952

A Different Complexion
Stevenston local committee of the District Council for No. 9 Area are to consider the installation of fluorescent lighting in Ardeer Hall. It may put a different complexion on the committee's deliberations if it is realised that in some halls used extensively for dances and where such lights are fitted the women folk object.

Referring to a well known Ayrshire dance hall a certain young lady recently voiced the objection thus "It doesn't matter what, or how much, make up you use your complexion is still ghastly,"

------
Aye! I ken the feelin'

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
February 16, 1951

Ardeer Thistle - Three weeks will make a difference
If things go according to plan a matter of three weeks will transform the former paddock at Ardchoille Hotel into a level stretch of ground upon which resuscitated Ardeer Thistle may play next season. After many vain efforts to secure a suitable ground, the present site has been made available through the public spiritedness of Mr Alexander Watt, proprietor of Ardchoille, who has not only given the club a fifteen years lease of the ground, but has also made available the former stables for dressing room accommodation.

On recent week-ends bands of voluntary workers have been performing the necessary preliminary tasks. Trees have been cut down and stumps blasted from the ground. The I.C.I. and Ardeer Foundry have helped - and are still helping by dumping tons of ashes and other materials on the site for the making of terracing. The Factory has also put certain tools, without which the job. could not be accomplished, at the disposal of the voluntary workers.

Now the site is ready for the contractors who will put a bulldozer to work on levelling-out. Two or three weeks of this and the pitch will be ready for turfing. The driving force for the project is being supplied by Mr James Clements, chairman, and Mr Robert Paterson, treasurer of the club.

"Jimmy" Clements reckons that with an estimated population of 14,000, Stevenston can amply support two junior teams and instances Blantyre and Larkhall, each with a population less than Stevenston, in support of his contention. He makes an appeal to all well wishers to turn out any Sunday for any length of time between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. when there will be plenty for them to do.
"If there is a public demand, and I'm sure there is he said, "we will see that things are organised if they will do the rest."

Sufficient Funds.
Asked about the financial side of the project, the treasurer said that the funds are sufficient to meet present obligations and that other money raising schemes are in hand. "The main point is we want a team representative of the town" he added.

There was a suggestion before a recent meeting of subscribers that the team should be named Stevenston Thistle but the majority favoured retention of the name Ardeer Thistle as used up to 25 years ago when the club went out of existence. And when can the public expect the "Thistle" to go into action?
The answer to that one depends mainly on whether or not turf can be obtained for the pitch. If sufficient is to be had the pitch should be ready for the opening of the 1951-52 season. But if grass seed has to be sown another year will have to elapse before play on the pitch is possible. No difficulty is anticipated in obtaining entry to the various associations and the Western League.

[Hughie]

Kilmarnock Herald and Ayrshire Gazette
March 24, 1950

Letter to the editor
Dear Sir,-
In the issue of your Friday's paper, the "Gazette," re a court case concerning the stealing of coal on Ardeer shore, you have it that a Mr Gillies, at 25 Ardeer Cottages, was fined 10s. Now, Dear Sir, there is no Mr Gillies living at No. 25 Ardeer Cottages, neither is there any school children. I wish to have this altered at your earliest opportunity and oblige,

GEORGE URQUHART.
25 Ardeer Cottages,
Stevenston.

ADDED
There were a few cases before the court in February, arising from the coaster 'Ardachy' going aground in a gale at Irvine Bar.
The following is from one of the cases:

In evidence, Mr James Caldwell, dealer, 35 Ravenspark, Irvine, said that he had bought the coal jettisoned from the vessel from Messrs McAlpine, shipping agents. The coal, he said, was jettisoned in the water and was washed ashore. He personally warned people not to touch the coal. When it was seen that the coal was being removed he complained to McAlpine who informed the police. Claiming that he had only got 3 tons 10 cwts out of 40 tons purchased, he said, "I am in the position to say anything here about where it went - I have a good idea though."