Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 OCTOBER 1893

MARRIAGE

McGINN – BROWN: At Silverae, Caledonia Road, Saltcoats, on the 18th instant, by the Rev. David Scott, D.D., James McGinn, slater, Saltcoats, to Bella, eldest daughter of Mr. John Brown, Saltcoats.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 OCTOBER 1897

SILVER WEDDING

CALDWELL – HILTON: At 109 Argyll Street, Glasgow, on 16 October, 1872, by the Rev. David McEwan, John Street U.P. Church, Mr. Robert Caldwell, Saltcoats, to Marion Bell, daughter of the late James Hilton, carver and gilder, Glasgow – Waverley, Saltcoats.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 OCTOBER 1891

STREETS FLOODED AT SALTCOATS

Great damage was done at Saltcoats on Sunday night. A breach some 12 feet long was made in the quay wall through which the waves dashed and swept away part of the roadway.

At Winton Circus a breach was made in the breakwater, and a field behind Eglinton Street, flooded.

Some houses in Dockhead Street were flooded.

At the east shore parts of the roadway known as the old railway have subsided.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 OCTOBER 1897

VACANCY IN SALTCOATS FREE CHURCH

Ardrossan Free Presbytery met with the congregation of the Free Church on Monday night to moderate in a call at large to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Rev. Dr. Scott. Rev. Mr. Fleck, Fairlie, presided.

Mr. John Galloway moved, and Mr. Mackenzie seconded, that the name of the Rev. A. Mathieson, Blair Atholl, be inserted in the call.

An amendment was moved by Dr. Kinnear, seconded by Mr. A. J. Ritchie, that Mr. Mathieson’s name not be inserted.

The motion was carried by a large majority.

The call to Mr. Mathieson was then signed by 168 members and 16 adherents. The membership of the church is 375.

After discussion, the Presbytery declined to sustain the call.

Dr. Kinnear then moved, and Mr. Galloway seconded, that the name of Rev. Mr. Bishop, Lumphanan, be inserted in the call. Mr. Ritchie expressed approval of this course, and only a few stood up in opposition to the proposal.

The call to Mr. Bishop will be considered at a future meeting.

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 OCTOBER 1897

BIRTH

McGILLIVRAY: At 7 Franklin Road, Saltcoats, on the 19th instant, the wife of Hugh McGillivray; a son.

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 OCTOBER 1892

SALTCOATS MUNICIPAL BUILDING – THE OPENING CEREMONY

The new Public Hall and Municipal Building at Saltcoats were formally opened yesterday morning.

The hall has been erected on the site formerly occupied by the old Parish School, immediately to the south of the Town House and steeple, with the picturesque style of which it has been made to harmonise in some degree. The principal entrance is in a large two-story block fronting Countess Street. The block consists of the main corridor and offices on the lower floor and the Court-room on the upper floor. A large archway gives access to the entrance hall, and the other chief features of the design are the low balustraded tower and a large central pedimented gable. The main lobby and staircase are reached by the entrance corridor, which is eight feet in width and very handsomely finished. This lobby extends along the whole width of the Great Hall, a distance of 41 feet. The Public Hall has been placed lengthways between the Countess Street block and Green Street, the platform being at the Green Street end and a small gallery at the other. Wide passages extend along the walls at both sides, and ample exit side doors will be placed both at the platform end and in the main lobby.

In the Public Hall sitting accommodation is provided on the ground floor for 700 people, exclusive of the platform, while the gallery is capable of holding 150 more. An outstanding feature is the height of the ceiling, which forms a deep cove and cornice round the walls, and is divided into panels by massive moulded beams and cornices. The walls are divided into compartments by high oblong transomed windows finished with ornamental plaster architrave mouldings, while the lower walls are lined with a wooden dado to a height of 4 feet 6 inches. A wide and easy ascent leads to the upper floor, in connection with which a spacious landing gives access to the gallery on the left, and to the new Upper Hall or Court-room on the right, and to the old Town Hall.

Two small halls and the Public Hall are in this way en suite, and will be of manifest advantage.

Great attention has been paid to the Court Hall. It has a deeply coved ceiling, lined dadoes, and there is a small platform to which access can be had from both sides. There are also retiring rooms, a cloakroom, and lavatories; and the arrangements for heating and ventilation are on a very complete scale.

The Public Hall measures 83 feet by 41 feet, and the Court-room 48 feet 6 inches by 29 feet.

Messrs W. H. Howie and H. D. Walton, Glasgow, are the architects.

The opening ceremony took the form of a soiree, concert, and reunion, and the audience was the largest that has ever been brought together in the town.

Provost McIsaac occupied the chair.

The chairman in opening the proceeding recalled many of the changes that had taken place within the town and the surrounding locality of Saltcoats since the construction of the old Town House and steeple was commenced 67 years ago. When they thought of the many industries of the place which were no more they might be apt to say that its former glory had departed. They had no longer the harbour with its shipping, nor the Braes with their shipbuilding yards; the hand loom weaving industry had decayed, and the shuttle had almost ceased to click; the salt pans had been completely demolished, and they in Saltcoats could not now make the boast, as they used to do, that it was the only place which “could make salt to its kail.” The magnesia work was long ago a thing of the past, so also were the rope-works, the tan-yard, the cooperage, Saltcoats Fair, and the “Heilan Boat Day.” These industries served their day and generation, and they need not regret that they have passed away.

In place of these industries they could stand in their hall, astride two parishes, having on the one hand Ardrossan, with its extensive harbour and splendid docks, its shipbuilding yards, foundries, engineering works, sawmill, and other works; and on the other hand, they had Stevenston, with its collieries, iron works, explosive works, and foundries. They felt that they were part and parcel of Saltcoats to a very large extent.

The scope and beauty of their expansive beach, the purity and freshness of the air, the proximity of the town of Glasgow, the frequency and speed of trains, and the splendid water supply, had all tended to popularise the town, and it might now be said with safety that it is ranked as one of the most favourite watering-places in the West. The progress of Saltcoats and neighbourhood had been very considerable in recent years. He need not remind them that the town was made a burgh in 1885. Since that time the rental had increased one-third on account of the new buildings erected and it now amounted to £20,000. It was not to be wondered at that the Town Hall of 1825 should long ago have been found inadequate to the growing necessities of the town. Most of them would recollect that so far back as 1875 a movement was set agoing to build a hall. Difficulties of one kind or another came in the way and little progress was made for a time, but last year the Commissioners were able to make a start. The work proceeded – no accident and no hitch – and the result is what they saw that night. Besides the hall which contained sittings for 900 to 1000 persons, there was the Commissioners’ Hall and Court, capable of accommodating 300 to 400, and there was the old Town House and steeple, with the ante-rooms, so that Saltcoats now has a suite of halls far larger and more commodious than many of the surrounding towns, which would serve the purpose well till the time came when the shop-ends will be at the Cross Roads, and villas and cottages are spread over Sharphill and Knockrivoch.

After a few remarks by Mr. Arthur Guthrie, Mr. W. C. Maughan unveiled a bust of the late Mr. William Burns, who had been a prominent native of Saltcoats. The bust is a gift of Lord Shand, the step-son of Mr. Burns.

Rev. David Landsborough, Kilmarnock, and ex-Provost Campbell, Govan, subsequently addressed the meeting, and Captain McFee of the Anchor Line, recited an ode commemorative of the event.

The proceedings were afterwards brought to a close by the customary votes of thanks.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 OCTOBER 1894

FOOTBALL – AYRSHIRE COMBINATION
ANNBANK v. SALTCOATS VICTORIA
At Warner Park, Stevenston

The game ended Annbank 4; Victoria 1.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 OCTOBER 1876

DEATH

McFEE: At 75 Hamilton Street, Saltcoats, on the 20th instant, Elizabeth Galt, widow, of Captain John McFee.

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 OCTOBER 1870

THE WAR – AID TO THE WOUNDED

The sum of £10 15s 2d has been collected in Saltcoats and part of the district.

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 OCTOBER 1898

BIRTH

COLVIN: At 77 Canal Street, Saltcoats, on the 21st instant, the wife of John Colvin; a son.

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GLASGOW HERALD
25 OCTOBER 1892

DEATH

DUNCAN: At Saracen’s Head Hotel, Saltcoats, on the 24th instant, William Hunter Duncan.

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GLASGOW HERALD
26 OCTOBER 1891

2ND BEITH v. 2ND SALTCOATS VICTORIA
At Beith

The home team won by 7 goals to 1.