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.