Ardrossan - On This Day In History

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
10 DECEMBER 1886

MARRIAGE

CRAIG – BARCLAY: At Mill Farm, Ardrossan, the residence of the bride’s grandfather, on the 9th instant, by the Rev. John McCall, assisted by Professor Craig, M.A., Edinburgh, Hugh M. Craig, second son of the late Matthew Craig, Esquire, Deanhill, Kilmarnock, to Maggie Kerr, daughter of the late John Barclay, Stanley Farm, Ardrossan.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
7 SEPTEMBER 1953

MURDER CHARGE

A man has been taken into custody and charged with the murder of Mrs. MARGARET FITZSIMMONS, aged 25, 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan. He will appear at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court today.

The woman’s body was found suffering from extensive injuries in the lobby of her home early yesterday.

Mrs. Fitzimmons, who belonged to Stevenston, had two sons, one aged 14 months and the other two months.

GLASGOW HERALD
8 SEPTEMBER 1953

MURDER CHARGE

WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS, (22), husband of Margaret McLaughlan or Fitzsimmons, (25), who was found dead in her home at 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan, was charged with murder when he made a brief appearance in private yesterday before Sheriff-Substitute G. I. Cormack Cohen at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

He was committed to prison.

GLASGOW HERALD
9 DECEMBER 1953

GLASGOW HIGH COURT
WIFE MURDER CHARGE
SELF-DEFENCE PLEA WITHDRAWN

Giving evidence at a sitting of the High Court in Glasgow yesterday in a case in which an Ardrossan man is charged with murdering his wife with a hatchet, a police sergeant from Saltcoats told Lord Carmont and a jury of eight men and seven women of how he answered an emergency call and an “excited male voice” said “Get me an ambulance at once – I’ve murdered my wife.”

The accused is WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS, (22), a nurseryman, and the charge is that on September 6 in a house occupied by him at 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan, he murdered his wife, MARGARET, with a hatchet.

His wife, who was 25, was the mother of two boys, one aged two months and the other 14 months.

It was intimated that a special plea of self-defence which had been lodged on behalf of the accused had been withdrawn.

In the witness-box Police Sergeant Alexander Inglis, Saltcoats, said that he asked the emergency caller for his name and address, and these were given as Fitzsimons, 17 Parkhouse Gardens. The caller also said: “Get an ambulance at once – it might not be too late to save her.”

PLAYING WITH HATCHET

Dr. Edmund Leahy, 41 High Road, Stevenston, said that having heard from the police he went to 17 Parkhouse Gardens. When he was near the house he met the accused, who said, “You are too late.”

The witness ran into the house and saw the body of Mrs. Fitzsimmons in the lobby. She was dead.

Shortly afterwards he and the accused went into the living-room. The accused did not appear to be terribly excited but walked up and down and said: “That’s what she gets for playing with a hatchet.”

A little bit later, said the witness, the accused opened the door between the kitchenette and the living-room and said: “It was a good thing I was on the other side of that when that happened.” The door was perforated in various places.

COUPLE’S QUARRELS

Giving evidence earlier the accused’s mother told of quarrels between the couple. She, witness, had kept the older child, DAVID, for about six months after their marriage. During the brief marriage her daughter-in-law twice walked out of the house and separated from her husband for about three months.

The trial continues today.

GLASGOW HERALD
10 DECEMBER 1953

15 YEARS FOR HUSBAND
GUILTY OF CULPABLE HOMICIDE

WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS, (22), was yesterday found guilty of Culpable Homicide by a jury of 8 men and 7 women in the High Court of Justiciary in Glasgow.

He was sentenced by Lord Carmont to 15 years’ imprisonment.

The charge against Fitzsimmons was that on September 6, in a house occupied by him at 17 Parkhouse Gardens, Ardrossan, he murdered his wife, Margaret, with a hatchet.

[John Donnelly]

My Gawd, again. That's twice in a week that somebody I knew has appeared in 'On this Day in History.'
Dr. Leahy was our doctor when I was a boy.

JD.

I really am starting to get a historical complex.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGW HERALD
11 DECEMBER 1884

MARRIAGE

HEPBURN – McCALL: At 4 Yarborough Place, Ardrossan, on the 10th instant, by the Rev. William Gilchrist, B.D., assisted by the Rev. J. D. McCall, Ardrossan Parish, John Hepburn, Dumbarton, to Anne, eldest daughter of John McCall.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
11 DECEMBER 1884

BIRTH

SMITH: At 29 Montgomerie Street, Ardrossan, on the 9th instant, Mr. J. R. Smith; a son.

[Penny Tray]

Dr. Leahy was our doctor when I was a boy.

Edmund (if my memory serves me right) Leahy was a gentleman and a very dedicated doctor, a credit to his profession.

Was he in partnership with Dr. McCann, or am I just thinking this because they both fitted the above description?

[Hughie]

Yes, Penny. In Ardrossan Drs Leahy and McCann our family doctors had their practice across the road from the Gospel Hall in Glasgow Street - next door to the Central Bar.
Dr Leahy's headstone at Ardrossan: http://threetowners.net/forum/download/ ... &mode=view

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
12 DECEMBER 1889

DEATH

BOYD: At Singapore, on his way home, on 31st October, Captain John Boyd, of the ship “Lochranza,” second son of John Boyd, merchant, Ardrossan.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
12 DECEMBER 1881

BIRTH

CLARK: At Burnfoot Villa, Ardrossan, on the 10th instant, the wife of W. K. Clark; a son.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
12 DECEMBER 1888

MUNICIPAL MEETING – ARDROSSAN

The Commissioners met on Monday night in the Council Room – Provost Hogarth in the chair.

It was agreed to put a new crossing in at Glasgow Street, and to get the burgh surveyor to repair crossings where necessary.

A letter was read from Captain McHardy, Chief Constable of Ayrshire, forwarding for the approval of the Council plans of the new constabulary station to be erected by the Commissioners of Supply on that vacant piece of ground behind the Bank of Scotland, and asking if the Commissioners approved of the building being proceeded with.

This and another new house proposed to be built by Mr. William Boyd in Glasgow Street were remitted to the Works Committee for approval.

The whole question of alteration on the Gas Works was remitted to the Works Committee.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
13 DECEMBER 1886

FOOTBALL
ARDROSSAN ENSIGN v. AYR VULCAN
Played at Ardrossan

Ensign, 3 goals; Vulcan, 2 goals.

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
13 DECEMBER 1880

FOOTBALL
IRVINE v. ARDROSSAN

Played at Seafield, Ardrossan, and won by the former by two goals to none.