Thanks Teslarian, I once heard the late Rev. James Currie question this omission and was recently reading a book (the Ayrshire Book of Burns Lore) which said - "See the sun setting behind Arran and you will wonder as many have done. how this great poet made no poetic acknowledgement of such mag...

We were waiting for you RENCPY. A good shout.

Jarneilh,

I think there's a wee place called Phesdo near Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire but what the connection is with Stevenston I couldn't imagine.

Bigwull, Meg and Milda: How were you informed what 'house' you were in? Each Year at Eglinton the new allocations were posted on the gymnasium window, which we had to read from outside. I vividly remember, because of a fondness for Arran (and never at the time having {to the best of my knowledge} be...

Eglinton School had four 'houses' - ARRAN (YELLOW), BUTE (BLUE), CUMBRAE (RED) and AILSA (GREEN). AILSA dropped out latterly, leaving only the first three. These 'houses' were used mainly for sports purposes. Did the other Three Town schools have similar arrangements?

I came across this wee poem yesterday and it reminded me of the panic and excitement the ragman's bugle used to stir in the Three Towns. THE RAGMAN He gave you fair warning whenever he came though the tune he played was never the same in a neighbouring street a bugler played and it wasn't the lifebo...

Hughie,

I was seldom at these shops, the Rowanside Terrace ones being closer, but do I remember a Mr. Byres having a shop there? Mr. Crawford, who for a different slant on things came from Australia, I think, to Ardrossan, also had a shop there. Whether either was an 'original' I wouldn't know.

Susan, It's an interesting photo which evokes memories of the Registrar's Office; the fashions of the time; the enthusiasm once generated by Royal Visits and a time when gentlemen wore soft hats and removed them as a matter of courtesy. I wish more people could or would post old photos. The 'old dea...

Jim,

Looking it up it would appear Brusnihan and Brusnahan are family names. There are even other variations like Brosnahan and Bresnahan. It might be of Irish origin. Anyway, quite happy to add Brusnahan and Vitali.

Mac,

Very interesting. If you look at my posting of 9 March, I wondered if Pllu was generally regarded as a Scottish name because plough in the West of Scotland was invariably pronounced ploo?

PS I've just sent you a PM regarding our poetry 'triangle' with Morag the other night.

Thanks Jim As I think I've indicated already, PLLU is the one name that has surprised me. I had assumed it was a guid Scottish name.

Pulling this thread together so far we have identified: Agostini Biagi Biagioni Bonaldi Brogi Brusnihan Carrino Castlevecchi Cavani Coppola Cornelius Delgreco Depratto Di Alesandro Di Carlo Farro Flukker Giovanetti Gonnella Kolodziej Lanni Liteunecks Magnus Manfredini Marchetti Marroni Milanni Nardu...