Saltcoats - On This Day In History

Published stories from each town's past.
Scott McCallum
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

Post by Scott McCallum »

down south wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:27 pm We've had some discussion of this before, Scott; you yourself marked where you thought it was on this map :

download/file.php?id=4952&mode=view

But if it was there, it must also have originally referred to a wider area, because there's a post here which stated that Saltcoats Victoria used to have Rockyknowe Park for a ground, but the council took it for housing in 1936.

Susan
I really still don't know where the houses with an address for Rocky Knowe could have been - but I have a theory - when the new houses were built in 1936, they named one Townhead Road, on the east side of the Public Park. However Townhead Road previously existed (in the 1895 map) where Parkend Road now is. So old Townhead Road was renamed - but could (at least part of it) east of Gladstone Road leading up to the double bridge across the railway, have been known for some time as Rocky Knowe. I wonder if anyone who has lived in Parkend Road and seen the deeds of their house has any views on this idea. Sorry but it has always been a bug in my brain having spent all my time growng up so close to a place and not knowing where it was.
Also this would have led across the railway bridge to the old Saltcoats Vics park known as Rocky Knowe.

Scott
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

Post by Penny Tray »

ARDROSSAN & SALTCOATS HERALD
7 NOVEMBER 1916

DIED ON SERVICE

Word has been received in Saltcoats that Corporal Benvenuto Piaccentini, Italian Infantry, has been killed in the fighting following the capture of Gorizia.

He was previously in partnership with his brother in an ice-cream retail business in Countess Street, and he left Saltcoats to join the Colours on 23 November last year.

He had been in Saltcoats for about four years, and was well known in the town. He was unmarried.

[The WWI Memorial at Saltcoats bears the name BEVENTO PIACENTINI, a variation on both the Christian name and Surname printed in the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald.]
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

Post by hahaya2004 »

Scott McCallum wrote: Sat Nov 06, 2021 1:45 pm
I really still don't know where the houses with an address for Rocky Knowe could have been - but I have a theory - when the new houses were built in 1936, they named one Townhead Road, on the east side of the Public Park. However Townhead Road previously existed (in the 1895 map) where Parkend Road now is. So old Townhead Road was renamed - but could (at least part of it) east of Gladstone Road leading up to the double bridge across the railway, have been known for some time as Rocky Knowe. I wonder if anyone who has lived in Parkend Road and seen the deeds of their house has any views on this idea. Sorry but it has always been a bug in my brain having spent all my time growng up so close to a place and not knowing where it was.
Also this would have led across the railway bridge to the old Saltcoats Vics park known as Rocky Knowe.

Scott
Scott, this is what I found out from the valuation rolls about Rocky Knowe / Rockyknowe:

1865: There's a mention of Townhead Lands, Rocky and Beetle Hill, parks and gardens.
No other mention until
1905: House Rockyknowe 1-11 Parkhouse Road
1915: House Rockyknowe 1-10 Parkhouse Road, 11 Gladstone Road. Parkend Road is numbered 1-52 and from 74 to end.
1920 and 1930: Identical to 1915
1935: Grass park Rockyknowe off Parkend Road. Rockyknowe Nos. 10-1 shown as Parkend Road Nos. 72-54
1940: Identical to 1935
It seems that Rockyknowe was the part of Parkend Road from Gladstone Road to probably McIsaac Road.
Irene
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Scott McCallum
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

Post by Scott McCallum »

Thanks for that - I've wondered about it for years.
Scott
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
8 NOVEMBER 1886

DEATH OF CAPTAIN A. J. ELLES

News has reached Saltcoats of the death of Captain Elles, at Otago, in his 71st year. He was the son of the Rev. James Elles, for many years the minister of the Secession Church in Countess Street.

At an early age he manifested a love for a seafaring life. While yet a lad he was entered as an apprentice on board a vessel engaged in the East India trade. Passing rapidly through the various grades, he received his first command on attaining 21 years of age, and for some years traded to the West Indies.

Afterwards he was in command of the PHILIP LAING, which brought the first batch of Scottish emigrants to Otago, in connection with the scheme of colonisation entered into between the New Zealand Company and the Lay Association of the Free Church of Scotland, leaving Greenock on 26th November, 1847, and reaching Port Chalmers on 13th April, 1848.

Captain Elles returned again to the colony, and was appointed collector of customs in Southland, which he retained till a few years ago.

He was twice married. In Saltcoats he was well known by the older inhabitants, and highly respected.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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CASUALTY OF WAR
8 NOVEMBER 1917

Died on service, Private WILLIAM CAIRNS, (23), 1/4th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers – Theatre of war, Palestine – husband of Agnes Butler or Cairns, 26 Wellpark Road, Saltcoats, and son of Robert and Sarah Cairns, 37 Barr Place, Ardrossan.

The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald subsequently reported: -

“Official word has been received by Mrs W. Cairns, 26 Wellpark Road, Saltcoats, of the death in action of her husband, Private William Cairns, Royal Scots Fusiliers. He died on 8 November.

Private Cairns was the elder son of Mr and Mrs Robert Cairns, 37 Barr Place, Ardrossan, and was a native of the town. He was educated at Eglinton Public School, and served his time as a painter with Mr Allan, Ardrossan. He had just finished his six years’ apprenticeship when he joined the Army two years ago. His trade brought him in contact with a large number of townspeople, and, being a young man of quiet and obliging disposition and upright character, he was held in much respect.

He had been nearly a year at the front, and was once previously wounded.

Sympathy will be extended to his young widow, and to Mr and Mrs Cairns and family.

His brother is in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.”
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 NOVEMBER 1821

SHIPWRECK

During the week a considerable quantity of butter has been picked up along the Ayrshire coast, supposed to be part of the cargo of the EMPEROR ALEXANDER, wrecked lately near Portaferry.

On the 1st instant, several casks of butter came on shore near Saltcoats; also a cask of vinegar, and an empty puncheon; the butter is marked T. A. Shaw & Company, Cork.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 NOVEMBER 1883

A STORMY VOYAGE

From information which has reached Ardrossan it appears that the ship CITY OF GLASGOW, commanded by Captain Torrance, Saltcoats, encountered fearful weather on the passage from Glasgow to San Francisco.

The vessel was caught in a cyclone off Cape Horn. When 54 days out she encountered heavy rain squalls, which lasted four days.

When off the Diego Ramires the water was freezing on the deck, and several of the crew had their hands frostbitten.

On July 31 the barometer fell 4-10th in twenty minutes, and many of the sails were blown away. A heavy sea struck the ship forward, washing away two boats, the galley, and all moveables on deck. The men at the wheel had to be lashed to the deck.

The vessel was then thrown on her beam ends, the cargo (coal) having shifted. The hatches were stove in, and floods of water poured into the hold. The skylights were also smashed in and the cabin filled with water. Nevertheless, the vessel was finally righted, her captain bringing her safely into port.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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CASUALTY OF WAR
10 NOVEMBER 1918

Died on service, Lance Corporal DANIEL BROWN, Service No. 23726, 8th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers – Theatre of war, France and Flanders – born at Saltcoats; enlisted at Glasgow; husband of Margaret White Ward Brown, 36 Dunard Street, Glasgow.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
11 NOVEMBER 1814

SHIPPING NEWS

The brigantine, JOHN JAMES, of Halifax, Captain Caldwell, arrived at Saltcoats on the 29th ultimo, lumber loaded; spoke of RHIN, sloop of war, in distress, on the 9th ultimo, in latitude 45, longitude 48, having thrown her guns overboard, at which time only four of her convoy was in company.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
11 NOVEMBER 1850

SHIP ON FIRE IN LEITH DOCKS

About nine o'clock ON Tuesday night some considerable alarm was excited by a report that a ship was on fire in the docks. It soon became evident that such was the case, by large quantities of smoke issuing from the schooner LAWRIE DENIS of Saltcoats, which was lying at the north side of the dock.

The fire appears to have been caused by the carelessness of an apprentice who was left in charge of the ship while the master and crew were ashore, and who left a burning candle near one of the beds, and then went ashore contrary to orders.

The damage done to the ship is considerable, and the sailors have lost all their clothes and bedding.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
12 NOVEMBER 1897

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE NEAR SALTCOATS

Springvale House, the residence of Mr Thomas Gilfillan, Painter, Ardrossan, was last night destroyed by fire.

The house is a two storey building, situated between Dykes Mains and the Border Farms on the high road from Saltcoats to Ardrossan, and about a mile from both towns.

The fire was first observed shortly after nine o'clock. It is supposed to have originated in a front bedroom upstairs. Mr Gilfillan was alone in the house at the time in the sitting-room downstairs. He heard a noise, and going upstairs on attempting to enter the front bedroom, the handle of the door burned his hand, as the interior was on fire. He gave the alarm, but the fire spread with such rapidity that it could not be extinguished. There were no fire engines or appliances at hand to extinguish the flames, and soon the interior was in a blaze. The roof fell in and the house was completely gutted. Some furniture was removed from the lower rooms, but the greater part was burned.

Owing to the isolated position of the house the flames were seen at a great distance and attracted numbers of people from Ardrossan and Saltcoats.

It is understood that the furniture belonging to Mr Gilfillan is insured. A wing of the house escaped, the thick gable preventing the fire from extending to it. The house was the property of the Earl of Eglinton.

The cause of the fire is unknown.
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