Re: Ardrossan Harbour
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:10 pm
Hi HarrySteell
Jimmy Carson says that yes the Kane family did live there. The houses were called Dock Gates as they were 25 feet away from the dock entrance. The ships passed so close that passed locked out the sunlight in the houses. There was a lock gate there, you can just see it in the aerial photo posted on this web page. The lock was used to allow large boats to get into the basin for ship repairs, the old dry dock was there. The lock was operated by a man known as Nelson who had both of his legs amputated in an accident at the harbour. We think Nelson may have been his surname.
Hugh Kelly of Dock Gates operated the only steam crane in the harbour. Coal was loaded onto the boats with that Crane known as Kelly's Crane as he was the only one who could operate it.
The Kelly boys were very active during the war. Joe and Pat were in the Navy, Johnny and Hugh were in the Merchant Navy. Jimmy was wounded in Europe serving in the army. Dan was called up at the beginning of the war and served in the Middle East for years. We have family photos of them.
The Kelly family lived at Dock Gates until about 1960 when they were rehoused to a brand new house at Queens Drive in Ardrossan and Dock Gates was demolished.
Jimmy Carson says that yes the Kane family did live there. The houses were called Dock Gates as they were 25 feet away from the dock entrance. The ships passed so close that passed locked out the sunlight in the houses. There was a lock gate there, you can just see it in the aerial photo posted on this web page. The lock was used to allow large boats to get into the basin for ship repairs, the old dry dock was there. The lock was operated by a man known as Nelson who had both of his legs amputated in an accident at the harbour. We think Nelson may have been his surname.
Hugh Kelly of Dock Gates operated the only steam crane in the harbour. Coal was loaded onto the boats with that Crane known as Kelly's Crane as he was the only one who could operate it.
The Kelly boys were very active during the war. Joe and Pat were in the Navy, Johnny and Hugh were in the Merchant Navy. Jimmy was wounded in Europe serving in the army. Dan was called up at the beginning of the war and served in the Middle East for years. We have family photos of them.
The Kelly family lived at Dock Gates until about 1960 when they were rehoused to a brand new house at Queens Drive in Ardrossan and Dock Gates was demolished.