Saltcoats - On This Day In History

Published stories from each town's past.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 NOVEMBER 1881

MISSION COAST HOME

The annual report of this useful institution has just been issued, and contains a great deal of useful information in regard to the Home.

The statement of yearly admissions and income shows that since the Home was instituted in 1866, the income has reached £15,584 4s and the admissions 12,756.

During the present year the number admitted has been 1140, comprising 635 males and 505 females.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 NOVEMBER 1881

TERRIFIC GALE
SCHOONER LOST OFF SALTCOATS
PART OF THE PIER WASHED AWAY

The wind, which was blowing from the south, freshened about eight o’clock on Monday night, and continuing to increase, was blowing a full gale before midnight.

Owing to the direction of the wind the sea rose to a great height, breaking with violence along the shore. Most of the fishermen were at home, and their vessels being moored inside the harbour escaped injury to any serious extent.

Towards daybreak the wind shifted to the west, and although it still blew with great fury, this had the effect of moderating to some extent the violence of the sea.

Those on the outlook along the shore observed after daybreak a schooner some distance off Ardrossan flying signals of distress. She seemed to be quite unmanageable, her sails having been lost. For the most part nothing but her masts were seen, but occasionally as she was tossed up by the waves, a glimpse of the hull could be got. The deck was continually swept by the sea, and it was conjectured that none of the crew could have remained on board. All chance of rendering assistance was precluded by the violence of the storm. The vessel drifted helplessly on broadside to the sea, and it became evident that if she continued on that course she would go ashore between Saltcoats and Irvine.

While about a mile off the east end of Saltcoats the unfortunate vessel was seen to lurch heavily, and then went down suddenly.

It transpired later in the day that vessel was the St. FILLAN, and that she had drifted from Lamlash, and the crew, getting on board another vessel, the Victory, were landed at Ardrossan in the evening.

About noon the sea was dashing with great fury against the pier, and along a breach in the sea wall, the water rushed through, tearing away stones and earth, making a gap about 40 feet long and 20 feet broad. By the falling in of the earth the large poles for drying the fishermen’s nets upon were snapped, and a quantity of nets carried out to sea.

A little nearer the town the sea came through an opening in the breakwater, and rushing along the thoroughfare flooded some houses in Quay Street.

At the east shore the full fury of the sea was experienced. Previous gales had made breaches in the wall, and as these had not been repaired, the sea yesterday made sad havoc of the remainder, large lumps of masonry being knocked off and tossed about like pebbles. Through one gap the sea washed up dangerously near to the line of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway.

In the town the storm has done a great deal of damage to property. The streets are littered with thatch, broken slates, and chimney cans blown from the roofs of houses, but property lying near the shore suffered the greatest damage.

So far as can be ascertained no person has suffered any injury.

[Our Ardrossan correspondent writes – In Lamlash Bay during the early morning, the St. FILLAN collided with the brigantine VICTOR, of Irvine, and three of the men leaped on board the VICTOR, while the other two took to the St. FILLAN’s small boat, and thus got ashore at Lamlash.

The VICTOR reached Ardrossan yesterday afternoon with three of the St. FILLAN’s men on board, and great relief was afforded by their reported safety.

Last night the storm still raged with considerable violence.]
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 NOVEMBER 1881

SALTCOATS HARBOUR

The sea has made further encroachments at Saltcoats pier, and there is now a gap in the sea wall of 20 feet, while the earth and stones that have been washed away have caused a breach extending nearly across the pier.

No part of the wreckage of the St. FILLAN has yet come ashore. She lies in about 13 fathoms of water, and is probably embedded in sand, so that it will be some time before she breaks up.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 NOVEMBER 1917

DEATH ON SERVICE

McKENZIE: Killed in action on board H.M.S. *****, WILLIAM, aged 18, only son of the late Captain Donald McKenzie, of the SS VASCONDADA, and Mrs McKenzie, 36 Sidney Street, Saltcoats.

[There would appear to have been a war-time embargo on naming the ship.]
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
25 NOVEMBER 1881

THE STORM – SALTCOATS

Early yesterday morning the wind freshened and between seven and eight o’clock it was blowing a full gale.

During the preceding night the sea had moderated greatly and the weather was much colder.

About noon there was a heavy downpour of rain, the wind fell considerably, and the sea was calmer.

At high water the water dashed through the hole in the sea-wall with tremendous force, increasing the gap in the pier to such an extent that only about six feet of the roadway is left for traffic.

At the end of the pier the water came over the sea-wall with great force. This part of the pier has also been considerably damaged, large cope-stones having been knocked, while many of the large stones forming the pier have been dislodged and loosened.

At the east shore the storm was very severely felt. Large columns of water were dashed over the remnant of the sea-fall and the spray was carried over the railway to the roadway beyond.

At one point the workmen were busy all through the gale in trying to keep the sea from making further encroachments on the line. Sleepers were driven against the wall to strengthen it. Outside of that another row of sleepers were driven, and the spaces between the sleepers and the wall were filled with stones and earth.

No damage was done yesterday to the line.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
27 NOVEMBER 1912

SEVERE STORM
SEA INVADES SALTCOATS

About noon yesterday heavy seas broke over the Braes at Saltcoats Harbour, and the water rushing through the narrow thoroughfare into Dockhead Street flooded it.

The shopkeepers hurriedly prepared to keep out the flood which was coming into the shops both at the rear and in the front. They shut their doors, and used clay to fill up the crevices and make all water-tight. In some cases the flood got in before anything could be done. Business was of course suspended, as customers had to wade through two or three feet of water to make their purchases. The principal thoroughfare presented an unusual sight. The wind lashed the water into waves and the spindrift was carried over the houses. Here and there were to be seen men with brooms trying to keep the cesspools clear and brushing the water away, but their efforts had little result.

In Quay Street the inhabitants had an early visitation from the flood. Part of the thoroughfare is low-lying, and runs to the harbour. The sea at once got into the houses, and the street was impassable. It was nothing short of a calamity to many of the households, composed to a large extent of the poorest in the community. Their beds and bedding were soaked, furniture damaged, and they themselves had to seek shelter elsewhere till the water receded. Their houses were in a bad state owing to the mud left by the flood.

A wild sea was running at the east shore, which always suffers badly in a south-west gale. Huge waves were breaking over the esplanade and striking the sea wall, rising in columns of spray, which were carried over the railway and over the houses. Owing to the volume of water thrown on the line it became flood, but traffic was not interrupted, although the trains had to proceed cautiously.
When going past the Canal Street crossing the carriages were almost buried in spray, and emerged with the sea water running from their roofs.

At West Beach the flood invaded Windmill Street, getting into houses, and some of the residents had to be rescued from their homes.

Winton Circus experienced the fury of the gale, the sea breaking over the esplanade, flooding the road and preventing access to the houses. Some of the residents managed to get into their houses through the gardens at the rear after scaling a boundary wall.

Some windows were blown in near the centre of the town, and the streets were strewn with slates and broken chimney cans.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
28 NOVEMBER 1947

AYRSHIRE WILL

The following inventory has been lodged with the Sheriff Clerk of Ayrshire at Kilmarnock, the figure representing net estate, heritable and moveable after deduction of debt:-

ROBERT BOYD GOODWIN, 17 Montgomerie Crescent, Saltcoats - £10,775.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 NOVEMBER 1877

THEFT AND RESET OF A GOLD WATCH AND CHAIN

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, MARY WEIR or FREW, wife of a labourer, residing in Windmill Street, Saltcoats, was charged with theft, and PATRICK McGREAVIE, a dealer, residing in Green Street, Saltcoats, and his wife MARY DOCHERTY or McGREAVIE, were charged with reset of theft, in so far as MARY ANN SHAW, residing in Eglinton Street, Saltcoats, having on 2nd June last, dropped a gold watch and chain, Mrs Frew found the articles and retained them in her possession till the 13th July, when she sold them to McGreavie and his wife – all the prisoners being aware to whom the watch and chain belonged.

They all pleaded guilty.

The Sheriff, characterising the resetters as worse than the thief, sentenced them to 60 days imprisonment, while Frew was sent to prison for 30 days.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
1 DECEMBER 1939

SALTCOATS HEADMASTER

The death has occurred at his home in Saltcoats of Mr CHARLES DUGUID.

Mr. Duguid, who was in his 88th year, was a native of Aberdeenshire. He went to Saltcoats as a young man, and in 1876 was appointed headmaster of the academy (formerly the Free Church Academy).

In 1882 the Academy was transferred to Ardrossan, and Mr Duguid continued as headmaster after the removal. Later he was headmaster of Ardrossan Winton School and from 1911 until his retirement in 1917 he was headmaster of Saltcoats Public School.

Mr Duguid took an active part in local evangelical work, and founded in Saltcoats the Star Inn Mission.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
4 DECEMBER 1912

ARDROSSAN, SALTCOATS, AND STEVENSTON MERCHANTS’

The 72nd annual meeting of the Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenston Merchants’ Association was held in the Lesser Town Hall, Saltcoats – Mr Adam Wilson, Junior, Stevenston, presiding over a fair attendance.

Satisfactory reports were submitted by the secretary and the treasurer.

It was resolved to have six holidays during the year, and the following dates were fixed:-

January 8, April 30, June 11, August 6, September 17, November 4.

By a majority it was agreed to have an excursion by rail to Blackpool on the August holiday.

The office-bearers were re-elected.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
5 DECEMBER 1978

DROWNED MAN NAMED

A man found drowned near a paddling pool on the seafront at Saltcoats, Ayrshire, on Sunday, was identified yesterday as 43-year-old JOHN McILROY, of 104 Ladyford Avenue, Kilwinning, Ayrshire.

Police believe he was drowned in the sea and his body was washed ashore on to the front by heavy seas.
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Re: Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 DECEMBER 1907

COURT OF SESSION
SALTCOATS BUILDER AND HIS WIFE

Lord Mackenzie heard proof in an action of divorce by JAMES MILLER, Junior, builder, Saltcoats, against ANNIE DUNCAN or MILLER, whose present address was unknown to the pursuer.

In reply to Mr. Scott Brown, the pursuer said he was forty-six years of age. He succeeded to his father’s business in 1898. Before that he had been burgh surveyor and county sanitary inspector.

The defender was his cousin, and he had been in the habit of meeting her daily for twenty years as she assisted her brother in his drapery shop.

They were married on April 2, 1902, and so far has he was concerned their married life was quite happy. It appeared, however, that she was depressed and discontented, although he was unaware of it. Towards the end of the year she complained of the house being very dull compared with a shop, where she was always seeing people. Apparently his own household was so swell organised that there was nothing left for her to do, and he suggested she should take up some hobby – poker work or painting, or something of that sort.

After a visit to his sister’s house on the last Saturday of the year the defender on the way home began to speak loudly and shout on the street. It was temper, and he took her back to the house to ascertain if anything had happened between her and his sister. She said nothing had happened, but that she did not like her life, and it was far too lonely, and that she should never have married. She said she would go back to her brother. If she did not go back to her brother’s shop she said she must have a shop of her own.

On the next day she brought him a book entitled, “Enquire Within,” and pointed to an entry which she said showed how they could easily separate. He just thought the woman was not sane.

On the anniversary of their marriage while the defender was putting coals on the fire she said her ring was in the fire. She said the ring was burning her. He put out the fire and got the ring.

Some time after that she suggested that they might divide the house into two parts, and each occupy a part. To humour her he allowed her to carry out her wishes. She then slept in the house, but practically lived at her brother’s house. While she was still there he got a letter from her agent in Glasgow suggesting a voluntary separation, but the pursuer declined.

On June 23, 1903, she finally left him. He learned that in the following January a baby boy was born. He had registered the boy as EDWARD JAMES MILLER, but the defender went through a form of baptism and gave him a different name.

After repeated efforts to see the child he raised a petition for custody of the child, but this was sisted until an action of separation raised by the defender was disposed of.

In that action Lord Low assoilzied Mr Miller and when the petition was disposed of in December, 1906, he was awarded custody.

While these proceedings were pending the defender disappeared with the child, and the pursuer was not able to enforce the decree.

In January, 1907, he received intimation that the child was lying in hospital in Birmingham ill with diphtheria. He found that the defender was living in Birmingham under the name of Mrs Dickson, and that the boy was entered in the hospital books as ALLAN EDWARD DICKSON. The pursuer saw him frequently until March, and in respect of the faithful promise to return to Saltcoats with the child he took no steps to enforce the decree.

When he went on March 28 to bring her and the child to Saltcoats he found they had disappeared, and although during the previous fortnight he had got two letters to say the child was improving he ascertained that they had left Birmingham on March 13. He made telegraphic inquiries at Saltcoats as to where they had gone, and got the reply, “Mother and child gone abroad; left no address.”

In order to put pressure on her he caused her estates to be sequestrated in May last, but the factor found that a large part of them had been realised and resulted to her before his appointment.

Other evidence was led, and a decree of divorce was granted, with expenses to the pursuer.
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