Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
21 JULY 1881

DEATH

LAWRENCE: At Ardeer, on the 19th instant, aged 58, Mrs John Lawrence, 150 Caledonia Road.

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CASUALTY OF WAR
23 JULY 1918

WILLIAM FREW

Killed in action, Private WILLIAM FREW, 9th Battalion Royal Scots – Theatre of war, France and Flanders – son of John and Elizabeth Frew, 48 New Street, Stevenston, and brother of Richard.

The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald subsequently reported: -

PRIVATE WILLIAM FREW, R.S. (KILLED)

We regret that Mr and Mrs John Frew, New Street, Stevenston, have received intimation that their son, Private WILLIAM FREW, Royal Scots, has been killed in action. “Willie” was of a cheery and obliging disposition, and his many friends will miss him. Great advances, while they may be cheering to all, mean broken hearts to many.

Mr Frew’s son-in-law, Sgt. CHARLES McDONALD, R.S.F., lies in Gallipoli, and this second blow touches the hearts of many sympathetic friends.

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 JULY 1884

BREACH OF THE PEACE

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, JANET DALZIEL, housekeeper to Charles Fraser, grocer, Schoolwell Street, Stevenston, pleaded guilty to Breach of the Peace there on the 22nd instant, and having been previously convicted, was sentenced to 60 days’ imprisonment.

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GLASGOW HERALD
26 JULY 1888

MARRIAGE

KATER – GRAY: At Ardeer, Stevenston, on the 25th instant, by the Rev. R. J. Kyd, parish minister, assisted by the Rev. J. Livingston, ROBERT McCULLOCH KATER, TO JANE GRAY, eldest daughter of Mr John Gray, Ardeer Mains.

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GLASGOW HERALD
27 JULY 1889

THEFT

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday, AGNES McCRACKEN, (15), Schoolwell Street, Stevenston, was charged with the theft on the 22nd instant, from her father’s home, of a jacket and two sheets.

She pled guilty, and having been several times previously convicted, was sentenced to ten days’ imprisonment, and thereafter confined three years in a reformatory school.

[down south]

27th JULY 1973

ARDEER THISTLE NEWS

Sandy Millar, Ardeer Thistle's goalkeeper, has been named " Player of the Year " and received his award recently at a presentation at Ardeer Thistle FC Social Club.

The award is a fitting one because Sandy, throughout his junior career with Dreghorn, Saltcoats and Ardeer has been one of the most consistent performers in the game. He is also among the top goalkeepers in Ayrshire junior football.

One of Sandy's main characteristics is that whether he has a " shut out " or loses eight goals he remains composed and unruffled.


Tomorrow Ardeer Thistle meet Neilston Juniors in a friendly match at Ardchoille Park, and next Wednesday Blantyre Celtic are the visitors to Stevenston.

On Saturday Ardeer defeated Largs Thistle 3 - 2 in a friendly at Ardchoille with a team which showed promise for the new season.

Ardeer have retained Sandy Miller, Mike McCulloch, Bobby Anderson, Jim McEwen, Tommy McCann, John Ellis, Hugh Graham and Billy Dickson and have signed full back Andy McClintock of Fernhill Amateurs, Rutherglen, John Sawers of Irvine Victoria and Jim Kane, a midfield player from Irvine.

Ardeer's trainer, Frank Muir, will be assisted next season by Saltcoats man, Gerry Delahunt. The club's new training headquarters are at Kerelaw Approved School where equipment and facilities are available.


Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 27th July 1973

Susan

[down south]

27th JULY 1973

STEVENSTON BB AT CAMP

The 1st Stevenston Boys' Brigade Company returned on Saturday from a successful annual camp at Redcar.

Despite the unsettled weather the 42 boys and four officers, based in the Trinity Methodist Church hall in Redcar, were able to complete a full camp programme.

During their stay at Redcar the company visited the local baths at which swimming tests were carried out with the following results. Colours - J Allan, L Cowie, R Houston, S Lockhart, R Steele, D Smith, J Hamiltoon, J Stirrat. Badge - G Evans, L Cowie, G McKenzie, A Lamb, J McLelland, R Stevenson, M Gibson, J Montgomery.

Football matches were played against the 8th Teeside under-14 and under-16 teams and against the 4th Teeside senior team. In all matches the Stevenston company were comfortable winners.

Individual winners in events held during the camp were : Cross country - G Sawers; putting -A Smith; table tennis - A Hyslop; draughts - W Harnett; chess - R Campbell.

Despite the weather it proved to be one of the best camps the company have undertaken. Throughout their stay at Redcar the boys were under the care of Captain Lockhart and Lieutenants Welsh, McBlain and Lindsay.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 27th July 1973

Susan

[Hughie]

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald
27th July 1900.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Wednesday - before Sheriff Hall - Hugh O'Pray, furnaceman, Ardeer Square, Stevenston, was fined £3, with an alternative of 30 days' imprisonment, for having on the night of the 23rd July assaulted his wife by striking her on the face, compressing her throat, and kicking her on the legs with his booted foot.

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CASUALTY OF WAR
28 JULY 1918

GEORGE WILSON KELLY

Killed in action, Private GEORGE WILSON KELLY, (31), 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders – Theatre of war, France and Flanders – son of Elizabeth Rafferty (formerly Kelly), 145 New Street, Stevenston.

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 JULY 1881

BOY KILLED AT STEVENSTON

A boy about 11 years of age, son of WILLIAM KILPATRICK, Boglemart Street, was accidentally killed on Saturday afternoon.

Near to Stevenston there is a branch line across the moor to Ardeer Iron Works, and along this line a mineral train was proceeding to the furnace, when close to Ardeer Academy, the boy Kilpatrick was running across the line, but being caught by the advancing train, he was so much injured that he died on the spot.

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GLASGOW HERALD
31 JULY 1915

DISASTER AT NOBEL’S WORKS
MUCH DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

Nobel’s Explosive Works at Ardeer were the scene last night of a terrific explosion, or rather series of explosions, which have involved much damage in the central establishment and caused a panic in the surrounding district.

Eight injured men were conveyed to Kilmarnock Infirmary, several were brought to Glasgow, and two were treated at their homes in Irvine.

HUGE FLASHES

About a quarter to twelve o’clock (midnight) two huge flashes, our Irvine correspondent says, were seen rising from Ardeer. These were accompanied by a terrific explosion, which shook the houses of Irvine to their foundations and created a panic over the whole district.

A motor driver on the Ayr Road describes how the flashes lit up the whole countryside as if it were bright sunshine.

A huge crowd soon gathered on Irvine Moor and at other points of vantage from which the works could be seen.

The whole centre of the works appeared to be in a blaze.

While the crowds were watching another terrific explosion took place, followed by others.

In all about 20 flashes of light arose afterwards from the works without any detonation being audible.

THREE GREAT EXPLOSIONS

About one o’clock in this morning three great explosions shook all the buildings of the town. The inhabitants have betaken themselves to the open, scantily attired. So far as can be learned at the moment there is no great damage to property in Irvine.

MANY INJURIES

It is reported from Stevenston that there are a good many injured.

A special train has conveyed the injured to Glasgow for treatment in the infirmaries.

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 JUNE 1882

FATAL EXPLOSION AT THE ARDEER WORKS

About eight o’clock yesterday morning the inhabitants of Irvine and district were alarmed by a serious explosion at the dynamite works of Nobel’s Explosives Company, situated near Stevenston, and about two miles from Irvine.

Several people in Irvine who saw the catastrophe in the distance say that a large flame was observed to shoot up from the neighbourhood of the works, followed by a cloud of smoke, and a few seconds after there was a violent concussion which shook the houses in the most distant parts of the town, caused the doors to slam, and the glass in windows to vibrate.

Inquiry elicited the fact that the explosion occurred in one of the small storehouses, in which there are in all about 50 at the company’s works. In this house was stored 5 cwt. of dynamite, and several phials of nitro-glycerine.

The place was under the charge, at the time, of a man named PETER HUGHES, and it is supposed from the nature of his duties that he had been handling one of the phials when it fell, and the dynamite exploded.

The storehouse was blown to atoms, and all that could be found of Hughes was easily contained in a small wooden box.

The explosion was felt at Ardrossan, Troon, and Dreghorn.

GLASGOW HERALD
1 AUGUST 1882

THE NITRO-GLYCERINE EXPLOSION AT ARDEER

Captain Bundill, R.A., reporting to the Home Office on the fatal explosion at Ardeer Explosives Works on the 8th June last, says that all the evidence submitted to him leads him to believe that its proximate cause was the fall of a bottle or bottles of nitro-glycerine upon the floor, probably brought about by a step or stumble on the part of the man Hughes, who was killed by the explosion.

It is, he says, much to the credit of the management that this is the first fatal accident at the factory since its establishment, and he adds that precautions have been taken to prevent an occurrence of the kind taken place in the same manner again.