Stevenston - On This Day In History

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

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GLASGOW HERALD
24 SEPTEMBER 1888

FOOTBALL
2ND ST. MIRREN v. STEVENSTON THISTLE

Played on the ground of the former at Westmarch, Paisley, and the young St. Mirren won by 8 goals to 2.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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24th SEPTEMBER 1971

THE BAILIE DOESN'T LET THE GRASS GROW


Bailie Robert Haggarty 1971.jpg


Stevenston residents are often surprised by the sight of Bailie Robert Haggarty, travelling around the town with a scythe strapped to the roof of his car and a lawnmower in the boot.

Besides his regular job with the Ministry of Defence, and the many long hours that he spends on council work, the bailie finds time to help many of the old age pensioners in the burgh by helping out with garden work.

He tole the " Herald " that three years ago he started taking an interest in the welfare of old people in the burgh. Many of them were unable to look after their own gardens so he decided that he would try to help.

Bailie Haggarty, who lives at 8 Murdoch Crescent, said : " I try to do what I think a councillor should do, that is, look after the people who voted for us. Any time I hear about an old person who is unable to look after their garden, I try to help them out. It's back-breaking work, and sometimes I don't get the time to do my own garden.

" I don't have a lot of spare time for myself, " he continued. " I try to fit in these jobs whenever I can. I only wish I could do more . "

All the tools he uses are provided by the bailie himself.

Mr Haggarty also commented on the general condition of gardens in Stevenston : " Some of the gardens in the town are in a terrible state. Many of them do not belong to old people and there is no reason for them to be in that sort of condition. I only help people whom I think are genuinely in need of help. "

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 24th September 1971


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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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down south wrote: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:58 pm 24th SEPTEMBER 1971
THE BAILIE DOESN'T LET THE GRASS GROW

Stevenston residents are often surprised by the sight of Bailie Robert Haggarty, travelling around the town with a scythe strapped to the roof of his car and a lawnmower in the boot.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 24th September 1971


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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
26 SEPTEMBER 1908

EDINBURGH GAZETTE NOTICES
CESSIOS

WILLIAM MUIRHEAD, dairyman, Hayocks, Stevenston, Ayrshire – to be examined in the Sheriff-Substitute’s Chambers, County Building, Kilmarnock, October 7, at eleven o’clock.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
29 SEPTEMBER 1939

FIFTEEN BELIEVED KILLED
NORTHERN FACTORY EXPLOSION
SOUND HEARD MILES AWAY
“ALL CLEAR” SIGNAL MISTAKEN FOR AIR-RAID WARNING

The Ministry of Supply announced last night through the Ministry of Information that at one of the northern explosive factories an explosion occurred yesterday afternoon in which, it is believed, 15 men were killed. Several persons were injured.

The statement added that the material damage would not interfere with production.

The names of the dead are not yet known, but among the injured were ROBERT ADAMSON, JAMES HAMILTON, WALTER McBRIDE, WILLIAM MURRAY, JAMES STEED, and WILLIAM McKEAN. They were removed to hospital.

McKean is stated to be the most seriously injured of the six. His condition was described at midnight as critical.

A heavy cloud of smoke hung over the factory for a considerable time and the sight of ambulances rushing in the direction of the factory indicated to the residents nearby that a serious accident had occurred.

FOUR EXPLOSIONS

There were three distinct explosions following hard upon each other, and about half a minute later there was a fourth explosion.

Ultimately an “all clear” signal was sounded but this was mistaken by people in the neighbouring towns and villages for an air-raid warning, and there was a rush for the safety of shelters.

Buses stopped on the streets and were emptied of their passengers, and in one school in the district the pupils were ordered to lie down on the floor for safety.

Later when the people in the neighbourhood had been assured that there was no air-raid thousands made their way to the gates of the factory. No one, however, was allowed inside.

HEARD MILES AWAY

When the first explosion occurred it was heard many miles away, while in the immediate neighbourhood windows rattled and shook, and in some cases were broken.

So great, indeed, was the force of the explosion that a soldier who was standing 500 yards away was slightly injured by flying debris.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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29th SEPTEMBER 1971

SCOTTISH DAILY EXPRESS

2 AM NEWS

MANHUNT AFTER ARDEER RAID ALERT

by Stewart McCulloch

A massive manhunt was going on early today for four men who tried to break into Scotland's giant top security explosives plant at Ardeer, Ayrshire.

The search, involving every available police officer, began after a night watchman reported seeing the four men.

The towns of Stevenston and Irvine were immediately sealed off by road blocks.

Tracker dogs and members of Ayrshire's hand-picked police task force were called in.

The closely-guarded ICI factory, which has huge stocks of high explosives, was searched.

Ayrshire's Chief Constable Quinton Wilson was kept in close touch with developments.

Ayrshire police have for some time considered that the plant may be an IRA priority target.

Security has been greatly increased over the last few weeks.

Recently Army chiefs, concerned at the apparent difficulty in tracing the origin of gelignite and other high explosives held hush hush talks with ICI top management to formulate a plan to make detection easier.

Senior police officers held a midnight conference at Irvine police headquarters.



30th SEPTEMBER 1971

SCOTTISH DAILY EXPRESS

ARDEER HUNT : IRA " NOT INVOLVED "

Police in Ayrshire were " stood down " yesterday after an overnight alert for possible IRA terrorist raids.

A massive police operation was launched after security men - their number stepped up because of the Ulster crisis - spotted four men on the fringe of the sprawling ICI complex at Ardeer.

Police are now satisfied that the intruders had been trying to steal brass and other valuable scrap.

Earlier, a police blanket was thrown around the area. It was found that the intruders had been " stockpiling " material for removal. A lorry had been seen near the perimeter fence.

Police said yesterday that there were no indications of any attempt to break into the detonator or explosives manufacturing sections.


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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 SEPTEMBER 1889

FOOTBALL
STEVENSTON THISTLE v. ANNBANK
2ND ROUND SCOTTISH CUP TIE
Played at Stevenston

Not until 30 minutes had elapsed was a goal scored, when, from a throw in, the first point of the game was registered for Thistle. The match ended in favour of the Thistle by 3 goals to 2. On the whole the Thistle had the best of the play.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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CASUALTY OF WAR
1 OCTOBER 1918

THOMAS YOUNG

Killed in action, Private THOMAS YOUNG, 11th Battalion Royal Scots – Theatre of war – France and Flanders – son of Alexander and Mary Stewart, 39 New Street, Stevenston.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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Penny Tray wrote: Sat Sep 29, 2018 10:21 am GLASGOW HERALD
29 SEPTEMBER 1939

FIFTEEN BELIEVED KILLED
NORTHERN FACTORY EXPLOSION
SOUND HEARD MILES AWAY
“ALL CLEAR” SIGNAL MISTAKEN FOR AIR-RAID WARNING

The Ministry of Supply announced last night through the Ministry of Information that at one of the northern explosive factories an explosion occurred yesterday afternoon in which, it is believed, 15 men were killed. Several persons were injured.

The statement added that the material damage would not interfere with production.

The names of the dead are not yet known, but among the injured were ROBERT ADAMSON, JAMES HAMILTON, WALTER McBRIDE, WILLIAM MURRAY, JAMES STEED, and WILLIAM McKEAN. They were removed to hospital.

McKean is stated to be the most seriously injured of the six. His condition was described at midnight as critical.

A heavy cloud of smoke hung over the factory for a considerable time and the sight of ambulances rushing in the direction of the factory indicated to the residents nearby that a serious accident had occurred.

FOUR EXPLOSIONS

There were three distinct explosions following hard upon each other, and about half a minute later there was a fourth explosion.

Ultimately an “all clear” signal was sounded but this was mistaken by people in the neighbouring towns and villages for an air-raid warning, and there was a rush for the safety of shelters.

Buses stopped on the streets and were emptied of their passengers, and in one school in the district the pupils were ordered to lie down on the floor for safety.

Later when the people in the neighbourhood had been assured that there was no air-raid thousands made their way to the gates of the factory. No one, however, was allowed inside.

HEARD MILES AWAY

When the first explosion occurred it was heard many miles away, while in the immediate neighbourhood windows rattled and shook, and in some cases were broken.

So great, indeed, was the force of the explosion that a soldier who was standing 500 yards away was slightly injured by flying debris.

GLASGOW HERALD
2 OCTOBER 1939

EXPLOSIVE FACTORY DEATH-ROLL INCREASED

The death-roll in connection with the explosion which occurred in a northern explosive factory last Thursday has been increased.

WILLIAM McKEAN, one of the injured men who were conveyed to hospital, died there yesterday. He was 30 years of age.

The other five injured men who are still in hospital are progressing favourably.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 OCTOBER 1884

FOOTBALL
DYNAMITE (STEVENSTON) v. 2ND KILMARNOCK

Played on the ground of the former and resulted in favour of the Dynamite by two goals to one.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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GLASGOW HERALD
8 OCTOBER 1883

ARDEER GOLF CLUB

The annual competition for the handsome gold medal belonging to this club has been played over the links at Ardeer.

The medal was played for at scratch and was won by Mr. Kenneth McDonald with the admirable score of 83.

What makes Mr. McDonald’s victory more marked is the fact that he played his first game under the Ardeer flag, which is a comparatively young club, and that over 43 competitors were entered for the competition.

Nine money prizes have also been competed for, which resulted as follows:-

1st A Cumming and H. R. Couborough; 3rd A. Campbell; 4th Messrs. James Kirk, James Melville, and Rev. J. Grahame; 7th Doctor Colville; 8th Captain Robertson; and 9th Henry Stewart.
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Re: Stevenston - On This Day In History

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Penny Tray wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:39 am GLASGOW HERALD
28 JANUARY 1938

SCOTTISH FACTORY EXPLOSION
SIX WORKERS KILLED AT ARDEER
EMPLOYEES DASH TO SHORE FOR SAFETY
CONCUSSION FELT OVER A WIDE AREA
ANXIOUS RELATIVES AT WORK GATES

Six employees in Nobel’s Ardeer Explosives Factory at Stevenston, Ayrshire, were killed yesterday in two violent explosions which demolished a mixing-house in the blasting department and blew out plate-glass windows within a radius of roughly five miles.

The victims were five men and a young woman. The men were at work in the mixing-house, and it is understood they were handling gelignite. The young woman, who is described as a cartridge worker, is believed to have been engaged in an adjacent building.

A number of employees who were working near the scene of the explosion complained of shock, and were treated by the works ambulance staff.

NAMES OF KILLED

The victims of the explosion were:-

JOSEPH HAMILTON, (61), foreman, New Street, Stevenston;
ALEXANDER S. CAMERON, (38), process man, Glebe Street, Stevenston;
ANDREW JOHNSTONE, (43), process man, Moorpark Road East, Stevenston;
FREDERICK SMITH, (41), process man, New Street, Stevenston,
JAMES McLELLAND, (28), service waiter, Boglemart Street, Stevenston; and
ELIZABETH BELL HAMILTON, (21), cartridge worker, George Place, Stevenston.
GLASGOW HERALD
10 OCTOBER 1938

ARDEER FACTORY EXPLOSION
GLANCING BLOW MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSE
INSPECTOR’S REPORT ON ACCIDENT

The explosion in a gelatin mixing house of Ardeer factory of Imperial Chemical Industries Limited on January 27 last, when five men and a girl were killed and 29 persons received minor injuries, must be regarded as an accident.

This is the conclusion of Mr. H. E. Watts, Inspector of Explosives, in his report to the Home Office, which was issued on Saturday.

The persons killed were: -

JOSEPH HAMILTON, (59), married, foreman;
ANDREW AFFLECK JOHNSTON, (42), single, process charge-man;
FREDERICK SMITH, (42), married, process worker;
ALEXANDER STEWART CAMERON, (38), married, process worker;
JAMES McLELLAND, (28), married, service waiter; and
ELIZABETH BELL HAMILTON, (21), single, process worker.

NO BLAME ATTACHED TO ANYONE

Regarding possible causes of the accident the Inspector is of the opinion that two were more probable than the others. One was a glancing blow struck by a box of explosives against the mixer which was being used, and the other the dropping of some article into the mixer.

“Of those I consider the former is the more probable,” states Mr. Watts. “I do not think that any blame can be attributed to anyone and the explosion must be regarded as an accident.

The Inspector considers that the construction of the reinforced concrete wall so near such a building was open to objection, as it added to the damage from projected debris, and in this case a girl was killed as a direct result of this.

“The fact that during the initial stages of mixing a certain amount of explosives is thrown on to the floor, swept up, and replaced in the mixer is, to my mind, undesirable,” adds the Inspector, “As there may possibly be some foreign matter on the floor which may find its way into the mixer.

DELIBERATE ACTION RULED OUT

Mention is made in the report of the aurora borealis, which was observed about the date on which the accident occurred. On these occasions abnormal electrical conditions prevail.

Experiments were made to find out whether a strong magnetic field affected the sensitivities of the explosive to percussion, but no difference was observed.

Deliberate action is ruled out, the Inspector stating: -

“There are no grounds for thinking that the accident was caused by any act of sabotage or any act of a suicidal nature.”
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