Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 NOVEMBER 1919

HEIGHT OF CEILINGS

The Housing Committee of Ardrossan Town Council have objected to the 8 feet 6 inches ceilings shown in the housing plan approved by the Board of Health for Ardrossan.

They have asked the Board for permission to have the height increased to 9 feet 6 inches.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 NOVEMBER 1912

ARDROSSAN DOCK STRIKE

There are no new developments to report with the Ardrossan Dock strike.

Better progress is now being made with the handling of cargoes, a number of very capable men having been engaged for the work.

The strikers are keeping very quiet. Few of them are to be seen in the street, and but for the presence of an unusual number of police there are now no signs of industrial trouble.
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George Ardrossan
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

Post by George Ardrossan »

21 NOVEMBER 1935

MEMORIAL WINDOW IN ARDROSSAN CHURCH
A memorial window in remembrance of the mother and sisters of Mr M T Black, Harrogate, has been dedicated in Saint John’s Church, Ardrossan. The donor is Mr M T Black, son of the Reverend David Black, formerly minister at Tillicoultry and those commemorated in the window were for many years members of Saint John’s. The window, entitled Jesus In The House Of Martha And Mary, has been designed and executed by Mr Walter J R Cook, D A (Edinburgh) who recently supplied the Haig windows for the Scots Kirk, Aldershot. It was dedicated by the Reverend Dr Adamson, minister of Saint John’s.
The Scotsman, 21 November 1935

The photos below are of Saint John's Church in 1913 and the Reverend Dr Adamson in the early 1900s.

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George
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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LAUNCH AT ARDROSSAN
22 NOVEMBER 1915

The steel screw steamer JOFFRE – 115 feet in length, 26 feet in breadth, and 11 feet in depth – built by Ardrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company Limited for Lawson Steam Tug-Boat Company Limited, Newcastle, was launched.

[Further details of this vessel, including two photographs, are contained in the following link:-

https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?y ... sel=JOFFRE
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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LAUNCH AT ARDROSSAN
22 NOVEMBER 1941

The steel screw steamer JURA – 164 feet in length; 27 feet in breadth; and 10 feet in depth – built by Ardrossan Dockyard Limited for The Admiralty, London, was launched on the above date.

[Further details of this vessel are contained in the following link:-

https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?y ... essel=JURA
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
22 NOVEMBER 1877

CHURCH SOIREE

On Monday evening the annual congregational soiree of the Independent Church, Ardrossan, was held in the church. There was a large attendance.

Rev. Alexander Cross, pastor, who presided, delivered a brief address, and referred to the past year as having been a prosperous one for the congregation.

Very able addresses were afterwards given by Messrs Peebles, Dreghorn; Sloan, Kilmarnock; and Whitson, Beith.

The church choir sang several hymns at intervals during the evening with much taste.

The usual vote of thanks were awarded at the close.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 NOVEMBER 1881

TERRIFIC GALE
SHIPPINGS DISASTERS AT ARDROSSAN
LOSS OF SEVERAL LIFES

On Monday night about nine o’clock, while a strong breeze from the south-west was blowing, the barque ANNETTA, in tow of the Glasgow tug COMMODORE, from Bowling to load, parted from her hawser while rounding the Horse Island, opposite Ardrossan harbour.

With the island to the leeward, the anchors were at once dropped, and although the vessel was placed in a very dangerous position, she rode the gale safely for a time.

The steamer which had brought her down, along with the harbour tug, proceeded out to the ship, but owing to the dangerous swell they could not approach the vessel, and ultimately returned to the harbour, where it was reported that her anchors were holding.

About ten o’clock the gale, accompanied with heavy rain, increased considerably, and it was thought that the ship was dragging her anchors.

About eleven o’clock the lifeboat, which had been manned some time previously, put out to the rescue, but had to return, not being able to approach the distressed vessel.

Meanwhile the scene on shore was most heartrending, there being at least one local man on board the ANNETTA, and his friends naturally showed great anxiety. Most of them gathered at the harbour, where great excitement prevailed.

The gale showed no signs of abating, but rather increased, until it became a matter of difficulty to keep a footing on shore, and the greatest sympathy was evinced for the unfortunate crew on board the distressed ship, who seemed destined to bear the full force of a terrible gale during the darkness of the night and early morning. It was apparent that nothing could be accomplished to help the poor fellows on board, though the lifeboat crew and the pilots remained ready during the whole night, and all anxiously waited for the dawn of the day. Fears were entertained that the ship had drifted on to the jagged rocks of the Horse Island, and it was felt that daylight alone would solve the doubts that existed.

When there was sufficient light it was noticed that the ANNETTA had stranded on the south end of the island, only one of her masts standing.

About two o’clock the lifeboat, in tow of the harbour tug, attempted to go out to the island, but the attempts proved a failure, and both tug and steamer returned to the harbour without having got within a mile of the island.

Large crowds of excited spectators watched the proceedings with the greatest anxiety, and were sorely disappointed at the result.

An ordinary four-oared sailing boat was then manned by JAMES McGRATTAN, JAMES McKAY, JAMES SCULLION, and WILLIAM MILLER, and they gallantly pulled out, but when they had covered about a third of the distance, two of them were thrown out of the boat, and with difficulty saved themselves. They encountered the loss of two oars, and the boat then drifted rapidly to the shore.

About four o’clock two sailing boats were manned, one by EDWARD MALLOY, PATRICK McGRATTAN, STEWART SMELLIE, and THOMAS McDERMAID. This boat was taken in tow by the tug. The other was manned by Captain McMILLAN, of the S.S. SEAMEW, THOMAS HARVEY, JOHN TEMPLETON, JOHN MURCHIE, and MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM, and also set out for the island, which we are glad to say was reached by both boats in safety.

On arrival they found that out of the crew of six three had perished about three o’clock yesterday morning while attempting to leave the wreck, and three were still safe. They were speedily transferred to the boats and brought ashore.

Those lost are JOHN SMITH, belonging to Ardrossan, who was only recently married; a man named COOK, a brother of the mate; and the pilot who brought the vessel from Bowling.

The saved are – the master Captain HOEY, the mate named COOK, and a seaman, who were brought ashore in the tug, having been transferred thither by the boats. Two of the men were much exhausted.

The break of day revealed many indications of the severity of the gale, slates and chimney cans being strewn on most of the streets, while not a few roofs were badly damaged.

One or two vessels with considerable difficulty managed to make the harbour after nine o’clock, and in every case they came under something like bare poles, their sails having been blown to ribbons.

All describe the storm as one of the most severe they have ever encountered, and steamers and sailing ships alike were outside doing their utmost to reach places of safety.

Between ten and eleven o’clock a smacksman was blown over Montgomerie pier into the harbour, but was as soon as possible taken out through the agency of a small boat, and though unconscious for a time, was brought round.

The smack ADVENTURE drifted from Lamlash during the night, but managed to reach our harbour all right.

A brigantine was seen about one and a quarter miles outside battling with gale, and as she had no sails, her anchors were dropped, but we regret to say that she foundered about eleven o’clock, and her crew which would probably consist of six or seven hands went down with her.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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Gosh incredible reading . Those poor guys and I wonder if their deaths could have been avoided? The cruel sea and what it is capable of and in my memory is the loss of the Princess Victoria.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 NOVEMBER 1902

NEW TRADING STEAMER

The steel screw steamer JESSIE was launched by the Ardrossan Shipbuilding Company Limited on Saturday.

The vessel has been built to the order of the Rapid Transit Company Limited, London.

The dimensions are 100 feet in length; 20 feet in breadth; and 7 feet in depth.

This is the second vessel launched by the Ardrossan Company within a week for the Rapid Transit Company Limited, of London, and both steamers will be engaged in establishing a regular service between Medway ports and the Thames.

[Further details of this vessel are contained in the following link:-

https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?y ... sel=JESSIE
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 NOVEMBER 1881

WATCH FOUND

Yesterday afternoon a telegram was received in Greenock stating that a man’s vest with a hunter watch, No. 50,458, Park maker, has been washed ashore at Horse Island, Ardrossan. It probably belonged to one of the crew of the barque ANNETTA, which stranded on Horse Island on Tuesday, three of the crew being drowned.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 NOVEMBER 1881

THE ANNETTA

Though a large portion of the hull of the ANNETTA, ashore on Horse Island, Ardrossan, is visible from the shore, she has been rendered a hopeless wreck. Her hull is ground away nearly to the mainmast, and the island is covered with pieces of her timber resembling matchwood.

The men have lost everything, if except a single trunk which lies on the island, and as the vessel was uninsured the loss will be a serious one to the owner, Mr Hugh Boyd.

The man reported as the pilot yesterday, it now appears, was Captain Robertson, the owner of several tug-steamers at Bowling. He had been entrusted with the towage of the vessel from Bowling, and had merely come down to see the work properly accomplished. Instead of remaining by the tug, as he might have done, he stood by the vessel, and unfortunately lost his life. He was well known in Ardrossan.
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Re: Ardrossan - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 NOVEMBER 1874

ARDROSSAN CASTLE v SECOND FIFTEEN, PAISLEY

Played at Blackhall, the ground of the Paisley club and after a very hard and exciting contest resulted in a draw.

The Ardrossan Castle is a new club but its members with a little practice will make very good players. During the first two twenties the forwards had all the work, but in the third and fourth the play was more open, some very good runs being made by Kirkhope, Hogarth, and Blair for Ardrossan, and the Weirs, Andrews, and Lang for Paisley. Neither side gained any material advantage, but the Ardrossan team had to touch down behind three times.
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