Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
29 JANUARY 1917

SOLDIER KILLED IN MUNITIONS FACTORY

On Saturday afternoon a soldier employed at an Ayrshire munitions factory, while proceeding from his billet to the messroom, was accidentally knocked down by a railway engine and instantaneously killed.

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GLASGOW HERALD
29 JANUARY 1927

HURRICANE HAVOC IN SCOTLAND
GLASGOW STEAMER’S FIGHT WITH GALE

The story of the struggle of the cargo steamer AULDMUIR, of 2747 tons, owned by Messrs Glen & Company, Glasgow, with the gale, and her ultimate stranding on the Ayrshire coast a few hundred yards north of Irvine Harbour, is one of determination and first class seamanship against overwhelming odds.

DRIFTING SHOREWARD

The AULDMUIR left Heysham on Tuesday night for Troon, and was off the latter port on Wednesday afternoon. Signalling for a pilot to take him into Troon Harbour, Captain Cuthbertson stood by in very wild weather, hoping that he would get his vessel safely berthed before evening. The pilot boat came out, and after some time she got alongside, but the gale was so strong and the seas so heavy that the smaller vessel was in imminent danger of being dashed against the side of the larger and seriously damaged. Ultimately the pilot was able to board the AULDMUIR. The tug continued to lie alongside, in considerable danger but unable to get away, until Captain Cuthbertson dropped his port anchor. Then the pilot boat cleared and the AULDMUIR was left to fight the gale.

The wind was still rising, the port anchor was dragging, and the vessel was drifting nearer the shore. The captain then dropped his starboard anchor, and also started his engines at full speed ahead in support of his anchors. The position remained like this overnight, and yesterday it showed no improvement. The anchors were barely holding, even with the assistance of the engines, and about noon it was evident that the vessel was drifting shoreward. Then the starboard anchor dragged, and ultimately the chain of that anchor gave way. It was then evident, as the force of the gale had not decreased, that the ship was in imminent danger of stranding.

LANDING THE CREW

The captain gave orders to get the lifeboat ready, and to serve out lifebelts. This was done. Soon afterwards the vessel struck, and the lifeboat was lowered, with 10 of the crew on board. There had been attached to the boat a length of strong rope sufficient to reach from the ship to the shore, and this was paid out as the boat went shoreward, the intention being to pull the boat back to the ship. The rope was attached to one of the seats in the boat, and the seat gave way under the strain, so that the boat could not be hauled back in this way. Then the captain gave instructions to fix a hatch to the end of the rope to allow it to drift ashore, so that the rope might again be attached to the boat. This was done, but by the time the hatch reached the shore the members of the crew who had been landed had left.

Fortunately, however, some of the workers from Nobel’s Dynamite works (near which the vessel struck) were on the spot, and they understood and did what was required, and ultimately the lifeboat was taken back to the ship.

Another group of the crew was then landed, leaving on board only Captain Cuthbertson, the chief engineer, and one other officer, all of whom stood by the ship pending further developments.

The crew were sent by train to Glasgow, where they arrived late last night. They were taken to the Sailors’ Home at the Broomielaw, and are being provided there with food and board until they can arrange to leave for their homes.

The vessel, it may be added, lies on a fine sandy bottom. Late last night the ship appeared to observers to have been driven almost on to the sand hills which bound the eastward side of Messrs Nobel’s explosives works.

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GLASGOW HERALD
29 JANUARY 1927

HURRICANE HAVOC IN SCOTLAND
TRAIN DERAILED BY SAND AT STEVENSTON

In the west, as in all parts of Scotland, the railway services were affected by obstructions blown on to the lines in the height of the gale.

The most serious mishap reported on the London Midland and Scottish lines occurred near Stevenston, between six and seven o’clock in the evening. A passenger train from Glasgow Central Station to Ardrossan ran into a sand dune, which had accumulated on the metals under the force of the wind, and the train was derailed.

Fortunately no person suffered injury.

The passengers were transferred to other trains, which were diverted by other lines.

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 JANUARY 1893

AYRSHIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
STEVENSTON THISTLE v. IRVINE
At Stevenston

In the first half with the wind in their favour, Thistle scored 2 points.

In the second half Irvine had the advantage of the wind and scored 2 goals in 20 minutes. The referee allowed Irvine a third point, but Thistle strongly objected, and for some minutes play was suspended. On resuming, Irvine scored again. Before time was up Thistle claimed to have scored a goal from a run by Roy, but the referee disallowed the point.

When the whistle blew the crowd broke into the field and gave vent to their dissatisfaction with the referee’s decision, following him to the club-house. The players gathered round the referee to protect him if necessary.

The result of the game was Irvine, 4 goals; Thistle, 2.

Against this decision Thistle have protested.

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GLASGOW HERALD
31 JANUARY 1894

ASSAULT

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, JANE HAMILTON or McDOWALL, wife of John McDowall, brusher, Main Street, Stevenston, pleaded guilty to having on the 27th instant, assaulted Elizabeth Dougall or Robbins, hand-sewer, Main Street, by striking her three blows on the head and face.

She was fined £2 or 20 days’ imprisonment.

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GLASGOW HERALD
31 JANUARY 1938

ARDEER EXPLOSION
FUNERAL OF VICTIMS

During the week-end the six victims of the Ardeer factory explosion were buried in Stevenston.

On Saturday, Miss Elizabeth Hamilton was buried in New Street Cemetery, and Andrew Johnstone, Alexanders S. Cameron, Frederick Smith and James McLelland were interred in Hawkhill Cemetery.

Large crowds of mourners lined the streets and each hearse was preceded by hundreds of workmates.

Officials of I.C.I. attended all the internments.

Yesterday the foreman, Joseph Hamilton, was buried in Hawkhill Cemetery. Thousands of people watched the hearse on its progress to the cemetery, and many employees, along with representatives of the company attended.

The Rev. J. Geddes Ritchie, minister of Stevenston High Kirk, said in the course of his sermon yesterday morning that the whole nation owed a debt of gratitude to those people who worked in such dangerous undertakings, because the whole nation reaped the reward of their work.

Memorial services were held in the other churches, and many congregations observed a two minutes’ silence in memory of the dead.

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GLASGOW HERALD
31 JANUARY 1896

PLOUGHING MATCH

The annual parish ploughing match took place on a field on Ardeer Home Farm, Stevenston. There was a good turnout of ploughs and the spectators were numerous.

The principal winners were:-

Senior:
1st Ebenezer Spiers, Bog; 2nd James Dalgleash, Hillhead; 3rd James Leitch, Middlepart; 4th Thomas Brown, Mayfield; 5th Hugh Lennox, Middlepart; 6th James Cowan, Doura; 7th John Smith, Corsankell.

Junior:
1st H. Lennox, Kerelaw; 2nd John Smith, Corsankell; 3rd Robert Graham, Castlehill.

At the close of the match the members of the society dined in the Ardeer Arms, Stevenston.

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GLASGOW HERALD
1 FEBRUARY 1892

FOOTBALL
STEVENSTON THISTLE v. GALSTON
At Stevenston

There was not much advantage gained on either side for 25 minutes, when Frew for Thistle scored a goal. Just before half-time Duffie put on a second goal for Thistle. Up till this point Galston did not score.

In the second-half Duffie, one of the home team, was injured and carried from the field, and for the remainder of the game Thistle played with ten men. Howat scored a goal for Galston. Then Thistle took up the scoring, and in the 15 minutes before the close put on three more goals, the game resulting –

Thistle, 5; Galston, 1.

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GLASGOW HERALD
3 FEBRUARY 1896

FOOTBALL
STEVENSTON THISTLE v. IRVINE NORTH AYRSHIRE
At Stevenston

Thistle, 6; Irvine, 2.

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GLASGOW HERALD
3 FEBRUARY 1890

FOOTBALL
STEVENSTON v. IRVINE
At Irvine

Stevenston, 2; Irvine, 0.

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GLASGOW HERALD
3 FEBRUARY 1898

MAIL BAG STOLEN AT ST. ENOCH STATION

The Glasgow and Stevenston mail bag was stolen last night out of the 8.30 p.m. train from Glasgow to Largs.

The first intimation received at St. Enoch that anything was wrong was about two minutes before the train was due to leave, when a gentleman traveling by it told the guard that he had seen a man coming out of the van with something under his waterproof.

It has been ascertained that there was only one registered letter in the bag, the other contents being ordinary letters for Stevenston and district.

The police are making further inquiries, but no clue to the identity of the thieves has yet been discovered.

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GLASGOW HERALD
4 FEBRUARY 1893

BIRTH

TAYLOR: At Glen Rosa Cottage, Stevenston, on the 3rd instant, the wife of John Taylor, teacher; a son.