Kilmeny Hotel

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denside
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Kilmeny Hotel

Post by denside »

Hope someone out there can help! I'm looking for any information and/or internal photographs of the old Kilmeny Hotel Ardrossan, I know the external photographs are on this site, but would love to hear from anyone who visited the hotel.
Thanks in advance !
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Meg
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by Meg »

What's your interest in the Kilmeny denside? I used to work there at weekends, along with my friend Christine Milne.
denside
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by denside »

Hi Meg, We moved here a couple of years ago and discovered Kilmeny Court had once been a hotel, someone said they remembered it having a "nautical theme", was that right ?
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by Jim McCreadie »

It originally served as a residence and was converted to a hotel. Owned or managed, I cannot recall which, by Mr James Cameron, it was a well maintained establishment and was popular in my youth. I knocked about with his son Alan (I think), before leaving Saltcoats for good in 1967. Sorry that I am unable to assist with photographs of the interior.
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George Ardrossan
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by George Ardrossan »

Jim

You are right about the Kilmeny being a residence then a hotel. In fact, it existed from at least 1889. In the late 1890s and early 1900s, it was occupied by Mr John Galloway and his family. It later became a hotel which was taken over by Mr and Mrs James Cameron in 1949. A new lounge bar was opened officially by William Currie, provost of Ardrossan on 24 December 1962. The Hotel Kilmeny was demolished in the 1980s or 1990s and Kilmeny Court was built on the site.

Image

These are some references to the Kilmeny from old Ardrossan and Saltcoats Heralds.

WHO STOLE THE GRAPES?
This week we have another interrogative to ask our readers. There is evidently a party in the district who has an eye to other people's luxuries - first, beer then valuables, now grapes - so that those who are the happy possessors of such should beware. On Monday night or Tuesday morning (23 or 24 September 1889), two persons at least climbed the wall which surrounds the beautiful and well-kept gardens of Kilmeny and stole a quantity of fruit. After failing to find anything in the adjoining garden, they had, from footprints discovered on either side of the wall, hied to Kilmeny. Of course, they were too late for wall fruit but, by some means, entered the 'third stage' vinery which was locked and neatly cleared away some three or four dozen bundles of black Hamburgs that were fast ripening for winter use. It is a pity but the perpetrators of such a series of thefts should be brought to justice.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 27 September 1889

MEETING IN BIBLE TRAINING INSTITUTE HALL
Mr John Galloway, Kilmeny, Ardrossan presided at the noon day meeting on Wednesday (9 November 1898) in the Bible Training Institute Hall when the Reverend Dr White, Edinburgh addressed a crowded meeting.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 11 November 1898

ARDROSSAN MAN RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF GLASGOW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Mr John Galloway, Kilmeny, Ardrossan has been re-elected chairman of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 27 January 1899

MARRIAGE OF MISS JESSIE GALLOWAY, ARDROSSAN
By a pleasing an exceedingly interesting ceremony performed at Kilmeny, Ardrossan on Wednesday afternoon (25 September 1901), there were united in wedlock two widely-known and highly esteemed Christian workers - Miss Jessie Galloway, daughter of Mr John Galloway of Kilmeny and the Reverend John Stuart Holden (Cantab). The officiating clergymen were the Reverend W D M Sutherland, Landsborough Church, Saltcoats and the Reverend J Elder Cumming DD.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 27 September 1901

PRESENTATION TO MR AND MRS E J HILL FROM THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
On Wednesday evening (9 July 1902), a large number of ladies and gentlemen assembled in the Young Men's Christian Association Hall to witness the presentation of 'tangible tokens of esteem' from the Young Men's Christian Association to Mr and Mrs E J Hill. Mr Galloway of Kilmeny presided and was accompanied on the platform by Mr and Mrs Hill, Reverend Mr McGilchrist, Reverend Mr Adamson and Mr Russell. Tea was served to the assemblage at have past seven, the which being over, Mr Galloway rose to speak. When he first heard, he said, that Mr and Mrs Hill were to leave Ardrossan, he felt as if a great calamity had come over the whole district. Ever since they had came amongst the people of Ardrossan, they had attached themselves to every good work with a zeal which had been an inspiration to not a few.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 11 July 1902

LANTERN LECTURE AT YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
Mr William M Oatts, late secretary to the Glasgow Branch of the Young Men's Christian Association, lectured to a large audience in the Ardrossan Assembly Hall on Friday evening (12 December 1902). The subject of his remarks was a trip round the world and entitled Forty-Six Thousand Miles Under The Union Jack. The lecture was illustrated by means of a lime-light lantern with photographs taken in various parts of the world. Mr J Galloway, Kilmeny, occupied the chair.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 19 December 1902

September 30, 1904
Mr John Galloway, Homehill, Bridge of Allan, and formerly of Kilmeny, Ardrossan, died on Sunday (25 September 1904). Before his retiral from the business, he was head of the well-known Glasgow firm of shipowners, Patrick Henderson and Company. He took a deep interest in religious and photographic works and provided a home at Saltcoats for destitute Glasgow children.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 30September 1904

NEW LOUNGE BAR OPENED IN HOTEL KILMENY
Since Mr and Mrs James Cameron took over the running of the Hotel Kilmeny, South Beach, Ardrossan in 1949, many improvements have been made in the premises and the latest was the provision of a new lounge bar which was opened officially by Provost William Currie on Monday evening (24 December 1962). About eighty guests attended the function which took the form of a dance and a cocktail party.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 50 Years Ago, 2 January 2013

George
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John Donnelly
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by John Donnelly »

Mrs. Cameron and Joe Rankin's wife were sisters. Joe could be found on a Sunday evening in the Kilmenny, on the other side of the bar enjoying a refreshment.

Meg, do you remember Ria, pronounced Rya, who worked behind the bar in the Kilmenny? I remember one Saturday, there was a private fancy-dress party in the ballroom, and she fitted me and my mate out in white jackets and trays, so that we could get into it. We collected a couple of empty glasses now and then and had a great time.

JD.
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by denside »

Thanks to you all who posted info re. Kilmeny Hotel, what a brilliant site this is!! I hope Meg can tell me what the inside of the hotel looked like!
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by Penny Tray »

Just on a point of general interest The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland retain nine photographs of the Kilmeny Hotel, 5 from 1975 and 4, more specifically, from the 16th of April 1991.

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/20 ... eny+hotel/
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by Scott McCallum »

At one point in the seventies, Mrs Cameron named the left side lounge Rios and the right side Janeiros - but it wasn't true that she named the middle reception bit De.

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Meg
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by Meg »

denside wrote:Hi Meg, We moved here a couple of years ago and discovered Kilmeny Court had once been a hotel, someone said they remembered it having a "nautical theme", was that right ?

It must have been the mid seventies when I worked in there, and to be honest, I dont remember anything "nautical" - I worked in the function suite - which was live music dancing on a Friday and Saturday, then in the bar on a Sunday. This was before Rios must admit. Alan Cameron and his mother run the place then. Must admit, it was a bit rough and I became quite adept at dodging low flying ashtrays. I think it was one of the first places to have plastic pint glasses - for obvious reasons :-)

Meg
denside
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by denside »

Thanks again for all who took the time and trouble to answer my query, I'm smiling at the thought of low flying ashtrays !!!!
Can I just say how much I'm enjoying this site, and learning about the area that we now call home.
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Re: Kilmeny Hotel

Post by morag »

My pals and I rarely went to the Kilmeny, deemed a bit 'chancy' in the late 60's, The Ingledene was the place for us. The Lauriston a bit for more sedate folk. These buildings were lovely, think the Lauriston is the only one still standing as was?
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