A day trip to Irvine.

[Penny Tray]

jsmith,

I remember the Garnock Inn. It sat on the corner of Harbour Street and, I think, Gottries Road. It was very popular with workers from the nearby industrial estate, particularly those who built up a drouth working in the vicinity of the furnaces at Rockware Glass. By the way it was a fair stagger from the Ship Inn to the Ritz.

[Meg]

By the way it was a fair stagger from the Ship Inn to the Ritz.

I agree PT - Kings Hotel was a better route

Meg

[Penny Tray]

Meg,

The Kings Arms was one of two favourite watering holes I had in Irvine. I don't know what it's like now but it had a magic atmosphere in the 60s. The other was simply referred to after its owner, Willie Kilmarnock, a former senior football player with Motherwell. I think it was probably the Ayrshire and Bute Arms but as I've said always simply got WILLIE KILMARNOCK's. It sat just over the river bridge from the Kings, on the right hand side, just beyond the Ayr Road traffic lights. I doubt that you would ever be in it, very much a man's pub in those days.

[Meg]

- I doubt that you would ever be in it, very much a man's pub in those days.

You're right PT - never made it to that pub - but I loved the Kings Hotel - and the Eglinton across the road. I think the Irvine Folk Club used to meet in the Eglinton HOtel. The Kings was a really busy pub - and also served great food - were you ever upstairs in the kings? The floor sloped at an alarming rate - made going to the loo a bit scary after a wee glass or two of refreshment

Meg

[DONNIE BOY]

CAME ACROSS YOUR SITE AND READ THE PIECE ABOUT (ROBERT GOUDIE BENZIE) BERTIE BENZIE HE WAS INDEED A CLASS 1 REFEREE & HE HAD A FISHMONGERS SHOP AT 43 MONTGOMERY STREET.TO ADD TO THIS I READ THE PIECE ABOUT OLD JOKE GREY.DO YOU REMEMBER JOE MOIR ANOTHER WORTHY FROM THE PAIR HOUSE RAVENSPARK HOSPITIAL

DONNIE BENZIE ( BIG BERTIES GRANDSON )

[georgersweir]

I came across this film about Irvine and enjoyed catching glimpses of days gone by. I guess it was made ~1970 and Irvine Development Corporation were one of the film's sponsors. Ironically, the film now serves to highlight what was lost in Irvine with the advent of IDC and the new town...

[youtube][/youtube]

[tuc]

Saw the video a few years ago its a good 1

[Penny Tray]

George,

I enjoyed the video, brought back a lot of memories.

[calleytwo]

I dont remember much about Irvine as we only seem to have visited my Aunt Mrgaret Bain (not sure of spelling), who lived in a orefab somewhere. I can remenber on one trip them giving me some old clthes to give tothe rag and bone man who was passing. I also remember seeing the rows of ex army vehicles parked on teh Eglinton Estate as we passed on the bus. Only other memory of Irvine was out at the Mary Mass celebrations and watching men climbing the greasy pole to win a ham. Wee Ali

[Hughie]

Wee Ali, From what I recall those army vehicles where at the nearby army depot, think it might have been the The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC).

[margb]

Might be wrong but isn't the army place where princess Anne trains her horses now? I think I was told she spends a lot of time in irvine

[Penny Tray]

The entrance to the RAOC Depot was on situated on Kilwinning Road, Irvine, on the same side as the Central Hospital and immediately before it as you travelled towards Irvine from Kilwinning. There was always an assortment of army vehicle visible as you passed on the bus. I think the site was later taken over by Volvo.

The only prefabs I can remember in Irvine in the 60s were situated at the corner of Winton Road and Quarry Road. They may have been called Winton Place?

And I don't know anything about Princess Ann currently having horses trained in the area but what I can tell you is that from time to time she visited Annick Lodge, Irvine (between Perceton and Cunninghamhead) to stay overnight and participate in showjumping events within the grounds.

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/images/l/DP064794/