Ardrossan - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
21 SEPTEMBER 1928

CLYDE-BUILT MOTOR TANKER

Ardrossan Dockyard Limited, Ardrossan, launched yesterday a single screw motor propeller oil tanker, 205 feet in length, 36½ feet in moulded breadth, 15 feet in moulded depth, and of 1200 tons gross, which they have built for the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company Limited, London.

The vessel, which is intended for service in Finnish waters, is built to the requirements of the Government of Finland and has an ice-breaker stern.

International combustion engines of the Werkspoor type are being supplied by Messrs R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company Limited, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

[While not mentioned in the newspaper article, the vessel referred to was the SIGRID.]

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
10 JULY 1891

LAUNCH AT ARDROSSAN

Yesterday afternoon the first iron sailing vessel built in Ardrossan was launched from the shipbuilding yard.

The ceremony of naming the vessel was performed by Miss Shields, daughter of Captain Shields, harbourmaster.

The BRONWEN was built to the order of Messrs Richard & Company, Port-Maddoc, by Messrs Miller & Spence, Ardrossan.

Her dimensions are – 95 feet keel, 22 feet 6 inches beam, and 9 feet hold.

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

http://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?year_b ... el=BRONWEN

21 SEPTEMBER 1891

The BRONWEN was wrecked at Newquay Head, Cardigan, on her maiden voyage, sailing between Ardrossan and Cadiz.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
22 SEPTEMBER 1919

WARSHIPS IN THE CLYDE

Two submarines of the K class arrived in Ardrossan on Saturday for a few days’ stay.

H.M.S. ITHURIEL is due to arrive today.

H.M.S. LION leaves for Oban today.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
22 SEPTEMBER 1874

ARDROSSAN – NEW RAILWAY

The work in connection with the railway between Ardrossan and West Kilbride is proceeding slowly, only a limited number of labourers being as yet employed.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
23 SEPTEMBER 1865

TO THE EDITOR OF THE GLASGOW HERALD

Sir,

CATTLE PLAGUE AT ARDROSSAN

With reference to the letter from Thomas Robertson, butcher, Ardrossan, which appeared in the Herald of last Saturday, and which has been widely circulated through other mediums, we have emphatically to state that the transaction, as described by him, is perfectly untrue, so far as we are concerned.

He bought the cattle in the usual way, but being unable to pay for them in full on the day of the sale, we agreed to allow him to put them into a field until the Saturday or Monday following, by which time he faithfully promised to remove them. We held in our hands a sum of money as a guarantee that this arrangement would be fulfilled, but he did not appear till Monday week. We had nothing whatever to do with the cattle after the balance of the price was paid us, there being no prohibition against their removal.

We are quite cognisant of the nature of the Orders in Council, and with regard to the case in question we are not aware that these orders have been in any respect, infringed by us; while we are quite alive to the fact that it is the paramount duty of everyone in any way connected with the trade to aid the authorities, and which we have hitherto invariably done.

We are, Sir, your most obedient servants,
JOHN SWAN & SONS,
37 Lauriston Place,
Edinburgh.

[Penny Tray]

LAUNCH AT ARDROSSAN
23 SEPTEMBER 1867

The wooden sailing smack EFFIE BELLA – 50 feet in length, 15 feet in breadth, and 7 feet in depth – built by an unknown builder in Ardrossan for Alexander McFadyen, Scarinish, Isle of Tiree, was launched on the above date.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
24 SEPTEMBER 1891

RAILWAY TRAVELLING WITHOUT A TICKET

At a Justice of the Peace Court held in the Town Hall, Ardrossan, yesterday, a man named ARCHIBALD McLEAN was fined 10s 6d, with 18s 6d expenses, with an alternative of seven days, for travelling on the Glasgow and South-Western Railway between Kilbirnie and Ardrossan South Beach without a ticket.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
25 SEPTEMBER 1891

ARDROSSAN – NEW HARBOUR WORKS

During the past week workmen have been engaged in lifting the rails temporarily laid down around the two basins while the work of excavation was going on.

On the quay, between the old and new dock, this work is nearly completed, and the ground left at its former level. The rails are now laid down for the travelling cranes at the new berth of the Belfast steamer, and one of the cranes is in process of erection.

[George Ardrossan]

25 September 1915 - Death of the Park Keeper of the Castle Hill, Ardrossan

Standing uniquely among the gravestones in Ardrossan Cemetery is a memorial enhanced with what appear to be turrets of a castle.


A closer look shows that the inscription reads: George Johnstone, Park Keeper, Castle Hill, Ardrossan who died on 25th September 1915 aged 62. This stone was erected by friends and fellow-workers as a mark of their esteem.


George Johnstone must have been very well-respected in the community to be given such an expensive gravestone. The 1911 census shows that he lived at 64 Montgomerie Lane, Ardrossan, later called Kilmahew Street. He was a roadman with the town council and 57 years old, so born in 1853 or 1854. He lived with his wife, Mary, also aged 57, his 20-year-old daughter Jessie, a sewing machinist and his granddaughter Georgina Johnstone Cook.

Remarkably, there is a family link between George Johnstone and Robert Cook, the man who unearthed the Ardrossan Sarcophagus in 1911.


George’s daughter, Jessie married Robert’s son, George. Their daughter, Georgina, could therefore proudly claim that one grandfather was the Park Keeper of the Castle Hill and her other grandfather was the man who found the Ardrossan Sarcophagus.

George

[Hughie]

Nice interesting post, George. I remember coming across that unique headstone some years ago and asked my old classmate in Canada, George Johnstone (member oilers) if there was a connection - it seems not.

[Robert Cook]

Thanks for posting that George. I learn more about my Great Grandfathers all the time. My Grandmothers name was Jessie Johnstone and married my Grandfather George Cook as you say however I am not aware of any daughters of theirs (my Aunts) by the name Georgina. My Aunts names were Mary, Jessie and Irene.


Robert Cook

[Robert Cook]

On further reflection it is possible one of the Aunts real names was Georgina and went by the name Jessie or Mary. The Johnstone family I was told had moved to Ardrossan from Fleetwood in England at the time the harbour was being enlanged (1890's)

Robert