Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 JUNE 1919

MARRIAGE – SCOTT and McLUCKIE

At the Royal Hotel, Dalry, on 18th June, by the Rev. Andrew B. Thomson, M.A., B.D., James Lennox Scott, chief engineer, Rangoon, and Moorpark Road, Stevenston, to Isabella, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs John McLuckie, New Street, Dalry.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 JUNE 1915

DEATH – LYON

At Shore Road, Stevenston, on 21st instant, Thomas Lyon, in his 77th year.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 JUNE 1915

DIED ON SERVICE - LEES

Killed in action, Corporal Francis Harcourt Lees, 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, beloved son of Sergeant-Major Harcourt R. Lees, Ardeer Defence, Stevenston.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 JUNE 1917

MUNITIONS EXPLOSIONS AND COMPENSATION

The Minister of Munitions announces that if during the present war an explosion of munitions occurs at any factory or premises in the United Kingdom on which explosives used in ammunition or mines for naval or military purposes are manufactured or are handled in the course of the manufacture of such ammunition or mines he is prepared, without admitting or assuming legal liability, to consider favourably the payment (out of funds to which the manufacturers will contribute) of reasonable claims for compensation for personal injury or for loss arising from damage to property directly attributable to the explosion.

This announcement does not apply to claims arising from damage to the factory or premises where the explosion occurs, or to property therein of thereon, or to claims for personal injury to persons employed or present in the factory or premises at the time of the explosion.

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 JUNE 1912

ARDEER GOLF CLUB

The return match between the ladies of Ardrossan and Saltcoats Club and Ardeer Club was played on the latter’s course, and resulted in a win for Ardeer by 5 to 2.

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GLASGOW HERALD
25 JUNE 1914

IRVINE AND DISTRICT WATER BOARD

The annual inspection of works in connection with Irvine and District Water Board took place yesterday.

The members of the Board from the constituent towns of Kilwinning, Irvine, Saltcoats, and Stevenston motored to Greenhead filters and afterwards to the reservoirs.

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GLASGOW HERALD
25 JUNE 1915

ARMY CASUALTY

Mrs Campbell, High Road, Stevenston, has received word from her husband that he is at present in Leicester Royal Infirmary with injuries to the left arm. He was with the 8th Battalion Scottish Rifles, and was wounded on the 15th instant.

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GLASGOW HERALD
25 JUNE 1915

STRIKE AT NOBELS

At a meeting of trade unionists employed in Ardeer Factory, held in the Town Hall, Saltcoats, on Wednesday night, the action to be taken in connection with the dismissal by Nobel’s Explosives Company of two members of the National Union of Clerks was considered.

The company had agreed to take one of the clerks back on probation, but refused to reinstate the other.

The meeting decided to intimate to Messrs Nobel’s that unless both men were reinstated all the trade union members in Ardeer Factory would stop work at noon yesterday.

As the company had not conceded the demand by the time stated, the engineers, plumbers, blacksmiths, and electricians stopped work.

A meeting of the men was afterwards held at the factory gate, when it was reported that the various unions concerned had received telegrams from Sir George Asquith stating that a Board of Trade inquiry would be made into the case at once, but the men must return to work.

The meeting decided to reply that the men agreed to immediate return if the two clerks were reinstated meanwhile.

Last night a meeting of Nobel’s workers was held in Victoria Park, Saltcoats, when about 700 were present. Mr Elvin, of the National Clerks’ Union, and Mr G. Lewis, of the Dock Labourers’ Union, addressed the meeting.

A further telegram was read from Sir George Asquith, stating that an inquiry into the circumstances of the dispute would be made without delay, and if it was found that one of the clerks had been victimised and discharged without cause he would be reinstated without monetary loss. The case of the other clerk would also be dealt with. Work must be resumed pending inquiry. He hoped the best endeavours would be used to obtain a resumption of work.

The meeting decided not to resume work until the men were reinstated.

Fifty-seven clerks in the factory stopped work on Tuesday.

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GLASGOW HERALD
26 JUNE 1915

NOBEL’S STRIKE ENDED

The strike at Nobel’s Works, Stevenston, has terminated, the men who came out having decided by a large majority to resume work on Saturday morning.

The dispute arose through the National Union of Clerks asking for the reinstatement of two clerks who had each acted as secretary of the local branch of their union.

The matter was to be a subject for arbitration by the Board of Trade, but the men asked that the clerks be reinstated subject to the Board’s decision. Sir George Asquith telegraphed to the officials of the seven unions interested, asking them to use their influence to get the men to continue working pending the Board of Trade’s decision. Yesterday a number of workers ceased working.

A mass meeting of the men was held in Victoria Park, Saltcoats, last night when the representatives of the various unions urged the employees to start work again. The men at first were in favour of refusing to start until the clerks were reinstated, but on a further appeal by their leaders they resolved to resume work.

An effort is to be made to form a Conciliation Board, so that strikes on similar lines will be avoided.

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 MAY 1884

TERRIBLE DYNAMITE EXPLOSION
TEN GIRLS KILLED AND FOUR INJURED AT ARDEER WORKS

A terrible dynamite explosion occurred yesterday morning at Ardeer works.

The dead were named as:

Annie Brannan, Ironworks Square, Ardeer,
Mary Brannan, sister of the above,
Maggie McAdam, Ironworks Square, Ardeer,
Rachel Allison, Kilwinning,
Elizabeth McCall, Station Square, Stevenston,
Isabella Longridge, Schoolwell, Stevenston.
M Haggerty, Townhead, Stevenston,
L Love, Schoolwell, Stevenston,
M. A. Peters, Townhead, Stevenston, and
M McAllister, Station Square, Stevenston.

The injured were named as:

Jessie Craig, Grange Road, Stevenston,
Rose Ann Murphy, Townhead, Stevenston,
Sarah Ann McKean, New Steet, Stevenston, and
Mary Banks, Boglemart Street, Stevenston.

Re - above underlined should be 'Mary', think a mistake by press.

While doing my ancestry a quite a few years back, I came across Mary McAdam and discovered she was the sister of my great-great grandfather, killed in an explosion at Ardeer.

Little did I know the background of the explosion until I found & read Serious Explosion at Dynamite Works from the Threetowners’ website.

Mary and the other girls were initially blamed for the explosion, but in 2022 a story of the Girls of Cartridge Hut Number 7 appeared in the local newspaper due to the production of a play in tribute to the girls by a local playwright.

See Local Paper Here

Then a Scottish MSP, led a debate in the Scottish Parliament acknowledging the injustice that was served to Mary McAdam, Ann & Mary Brannan & Rachel Allison who weren’t to blame for the accident after all.

See Parliament Here

Mary McAdam was the 5th child of 8 siblings and the youngest daughter. Her father was deceased & her Mother was aged 50 yrs at the time of her death; it was her brother Alexander who was the ‘Informant’ on her death extract.

I didn’t know Mary, but somehow 141 yrs later, there's an emotion that seems to tug at you when reading such a tragic story and one of your ain folk.

Thank you to others involved in the play & Jack Dickson the playwright for bringing this story to light.

Another piece of great information from the Threetowners and another insight to an ancestor’s story, thank you.

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GLASGOW HERALD
27 JUNE 1919

MARRIAGE – McINTOSH and PATRICK

At Fullarton Place, Stevenston, on 25th instant, by the Rev. R. J. Kyd, assisted by the Revs. A. Morris Moodie and J. M. Clyde, Alexander, youngest son of Alexander McIntosh, Glenrosa, Stevenston, to Jenny Hill, second daughter of James Patrick, Stevenston.

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 JUNE 1919

BOWLING

The annual competition for the Irvine and District Coronation Cup was played on the Irvine and Dreghorn greens on Saturday last when Kilbirnie were declared the winners.

In their match Ardeer lost to Bathgate (sic) 22-26 on the Dreghorn green.