Saltcoats - On This Day In History

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EVENING TIMES
16 JULY 1966

TWO WOMEN FOUND SHOT DEAD IN SALTCOATS

Two women were found shot dead today in a house at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

A man is in custody and will appear in Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday.

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GLASGOW HERALD
17 JULY 1914

DEATH IN AMERICA

A cablegram was received in Saltcoats yesterday announcing that Mr JAMES GILL, who left the country on April 15 last for Gillespie, Maupin County, Illinois, had been killed.

Gill was accompanied by his wife, and it appears he had only worked for a week in the mines of Gillespie when an accident occurred in which he lost his life.

[Family intimations in the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald indicate that James’s brother, Hugh, lived at 42 Green Street, Saltcoats.]

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GLASGOW HERALD
18 JULY 1911

MOUNTAIN AND SEA - SALTCOATS

Monday – The town, since Saturday, has been filled up to its utmost capacity. Splendid weather has favoured the visitors, Saturday and Sunday having been bright and sunny. Today the temperature was lower, and the sky was cloudy. Rain threatened, but it held off till the evening, when there was a slight shower.

Visitors have been able to enjoy all the outdoor amusements provided for them, including driving excursions, boating, golfing, band and minstrel entertainments, skating rinks, picture shows, and amusements at the Braes.

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EVENING TIMES
16 JULY 1966

TWO WOMEN FOUND SHOT DEAD IN SALTCOATS

Two women were found shot dead today in a house at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

A man is in custody and will appear in Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday.

GLASGOW HERALD
18 JULY 1966

DEAD WOMEN – MAN IN COURT TODAY

A man will appear in court at Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, today in connection with the deaths at the week-end of two women.

The women, whom police yesterday still refused to identify, were found in the back bedroom of a ground floor two-roomed flat at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, on Saturday.

Detectives broke into the house. Shortly afterwards they said a man was in custody.

It is believed the victims were Mrs Peggy Cantwell, aged 44, of 15 Cochrane Street, Paisley, and her sister, Mrs Susan Cochrane, of Leicester, who had been staying with Mrs Cantwell on holiday.

EVENING TIMES
18 JULY 1966

BROTHER ACCUSED OF DOUBLE MURDER

JAMES FIDDES, (42), 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court today charged with murdering his two middle-aged sisters.

The sisters were SUSAN FIDDES or COCHRANE, 8 Quebec Road, Leicester, and MARGARET FIDDES or CANTWELL, 15 Cochrane Street, Paisley, were found shot dead in the house at 1 Hirst Place, on Saturday morning.

Sheriff R. N. Levitt, remanded Fiddes in custody for further inquiries.

[Penny Tray]

EVENING TIMES
16 JULY 1966

TWO WOMEN FOUND SHOT DEAD IN SALTCOATS

Two women were found shot dead today in a house at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

A man is in custody and will appear in Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday.

GLASGOW HERALD
18 JULY 1966

DEAD WOMEN – MAN IN COURT TODAY

A man will appear in court at Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, today in connection with the deaths at the week-end of two women.

The women, whom police yesterday still refused to identify, were found in the back bedroom of a ground floor two-roomed flat at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, on Saturday.

Detectives broke into the house. Shortly afterwards they said a man was in custody.

It is believed the victims were Mrs Peggy Cantwell, aged 44, of 15 Cochrane Street, Paisley, and her sister, Mrs Susan Cochrane, of Leicester, who had been staying with Mrs Cantwell on holiday.

EVENING TIMES
18 JULY 1966

BROTHER ACCUSED OF DOUBLE MURDER

JAMES FIDDES, (42), 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court today charged with murdering his two middle-aged sisters.

The sisters were SUSAN FIDDES or COCHRANE, 8 Quebec Road, Leicester, and MARGARET FIDDES or CANTWELL, 15 Cochrane Street, Paisley, were found shot dead in the house at 1 Hirst Place, on Saturday morning.

Sheriff R. N. Levitt, remanded Fiddes in custody for further inquiries.

GLASGOW HERALD
19 JULY 1966

BROTHER CHARGED WITH MURDER

JAMES FIDDES, (42), of 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, appeared in private before Sheriff R. N. Levitt at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, charged with the murder of his two middle-aged sisters. He was remanded in custody for further inquiries.

Fiddes’s sisters, Mrs Susan Cochrane, 8 Quebec Road, Leicester, and Mrs Margaret Cantwell, 15 Cochrane Street, Paisley, were found dead with shotgun wounds in the bedroom of a house at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, on Saturday.

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GLASGOW HERALD
19 JULY 1887

DEATH

McNAB: At the Manse of Ardrossan, Saltcoats, on the 18th instant, in his 55th year of his age and 30th of his ministry, the Rev. DAVID EVAN McNAB, minister of the parish.

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GLASGOW HERALD
19 JULY 1887

DEATH

WILSON: At Countess Street, Saltcoats, on the 16th instant, in her 82nd year, ELIZABETH WILSON, eldest daughter of Robert Wilson, shipmaster, Saltcoats.

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GLASGOW HERALD
19 JULY 1889

MARRIAGE

CARSON – MUIR: At 42 Hamilton Street, Saltcoats, on the 17th instant, by the Rev. A. G. Fleming, Paisley, cousin of the bride, ROBERT CARSON, shipping agent, Ardrossan, to JEANIE FLEMING, eldest daughter of Mr John Muir.

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GLASGOW HERALD
19 JULY 1885

Sir,

BATHING AT SALTCOATS

On Saturday last a most melancholy accident occurred at Saltcoats, whereby a man lost his life whilst bathing; and to me it appears extremely reprehensible on the part of the proper authorities that no warning is placed on the road opposite the spot where the calamity occurred.

It appears that at this place there is a gullet in the rocks, a little further out than the ebb-tide mark, and some six or eight feet lower than the surrounding level, so that, when the waves fire at all strong, the swirl of the water in this is such as to overcome even good swimmers, and so it happens that being opposite where two roads from the town converge a great many go in to enjoy a bathe at this very place.

Mr Gebbie was drowned a few years ago since in this man trap; since then great numbers have had narrow escapes, and only last Thursday a man was taken out all but dead.

Surely it is not asking too much that at a place so dangerous the proper authorities should put up a warning to bathers, and by the expenditure of a few shillings, at least endeavour to prevent such an unfortunate calamity as that which occurred on Saturday.

Your obedient servant,
HUMANITY.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 JULY 1886

DEATH

STIRRAT: At Raise Street, Saltcoats, on the 18th instant, in his 89th year, JOHN STIRRAT of Birkhead.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 JULY 1882

BIRTH

RUSSELL: At Canal Street, Saltcoats, on the 18th instant, Mrs James Russell; a son.

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GLASGOW HERALD
20 JULY 1875

THEFT

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Summary Court yesterday, BRIDGET FERGUSON or TAYLOR, Kyle Street, Saltcoats, was convicted of theft, on the 10th instant, of some body clothing belonging to Ann Conway, outdoor worker, and having been previously convicted, was sent 60 days to prison.