Not the THREETOWNS but close

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GLASGOW HERALD
17 NOVEMBER 1903

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY AWARDS

At its meeting in London yesterday the Royal Humane Society made the following awards in cases of bravery sent in for investigation during the current month -

Testimonial to T. W. Paton, Commercial Traveller, West Kilbride, for rescuing a man from the Ness at Inverness on August 20.

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GLASGOW HERALD
23 NOVEMBER 1887

YACHTING NOTES

A Queenstown correspondent telegraphs:-

Our latest Boston advices announces that Mr Fyfe, of Fairlie, the celebrated yacht designer, has received orders for two 40-footers by Philadelphia and New Haven yachtsmen.

Both boats will be built in America, and will be improvements on the famous MINERVA, which cutter carried off so many prizes last year in the United States.

Captain John Barr, writing from his home in Gourock, Scotland, to a Boston yachtsman, states that the cutter THISTLE has been purchased by Commodore Bell, of the Scotch syndicate, and that next season she will appear as a yawl.

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GLASGOW HERALD
17 DECEMBER 1888

DALRY - PRACTICAL JOKER FINED

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court yesterday JOHN KING, Pit-headman, Highfield, Dalry, was charged with assaulting a tramp named John Thomson on the 14th instant.

It appeared that Thomson had been sleeping in one of the sheds during the night and in the morning he asked King for a smoke, and he, it appears, filled the pipe with powder, putting a little tobacco on the top.

The result was that when the pipe was lighted an explosion took place and Thomson had his face burned.

Accused was fined in 40s or 20 days imprisonment.

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GLASGOW HERALD
15 JANUARY 1847

GREAT RACKET MATCH AT EGLINTON CASTLE

This long pending match came off on Tuesay, the 5th, at the Racket Court at Eglinton Castle, before a large concourse of spectators, among whom we noticed----------.

The match originated in an offer made by Lord Eglinton to back his Marker, PATRICK DEVITT, against any racket player in the world - the best of five games, fifteen up, in his court, for £100, giving a year for the selection of his opponent, and as much time for practice as required, which was accepted by a party of gentlemen, consisting of----------.

After some disappointments, they were at length relieved from their difficulties by the appearance on the week preceding, of FRANCIS ERWOOD, and his spirited employer, Mr. Wilmot, of the Billiard Rooms, Wolverhampton.

The play was of the most splendid description ever witnessed in a racket court, and resulted in the complete victory for Lord Eglinton's Marker, who won all his games with comparative ease, though not without a severe contest.

It is impossible to describe the interest taken in the match, not only by the spectators, but by the people in the surrounding district, who awaited the news with the most intense anxiety, and hailed the result with deafening cheers.

The play was as follows:-

1st game - DEVITT 15 ERWOOD 10
2nd game - DEVITT 15 ERWOOD 4
3rd game - DEVITT 15 ERWOOD 8

[I have twice purposely omitted long lists of titled ladies and gentlemen.

From other sources - (1) Eglinton Castle has a racket hall which was built shortly after 1839, the first match being recorded in 1846. (2) In 1860 Lord Eglinton employed a racket professional, JOHN MITCHELL, and PATRICK DEVITT replaced him. (3) FRANCIS ERWOOD was designated in the Guinness Book of Records the first closed court rackets world champion.]

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GLASGOW HERALD
30 JANUARY 1871

DALRY - CURLING

On Saturday a friendly game was played between 8 rinks from Saltcoats and Stevenston, and 8 rinks of the Dalry Union Curling Club, resulting in the latter gaining the day by 39 shots.

TOTALS - SALTCOATS, 132; DALRY, 171.

GLASGOW HERALD
30 JANUARY 1877

KILWINNING - SALE OF PROPERTY

The house belonging to Mr. Hugh Moore, Innkeeper, Townyard, was sold by public roup in the writing chambers of Mr. Patrick Burns yesterday. The upset price was £160, and after a smart competition Mr. Adam Wilson, Broom, Stevenston, became the purchaser at £189.

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GLASGOW HERALD
1 FEBRUARY 1892

FATAL RAIL ACCIDENT NEAR KILWINNING

Early on Sunday morning JOHN HOUSTON, Pointsman, found the dead body of a man named DAVID JEFFREY lying on the Ardrossan Section of the Caledonian Railway about half a mile below Kilwinning Station. His left leg was off below the knee, and his head was badly cut.

It is supposed he was walking along the line to Stevenston, where he resided, and was overtaken and killed by a passenger train.

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GLASGOW HERALD
8 FEBRUARY 1894

BODY WASHED ASHORE AT TROON

"Yesterday morning a carter who was engaged removing sea-wrack from the South Beach found the body of an elderly man washed ashore nearly opposite the bowling green. The body was dressed in a suit of black clothes as if the wearer had been attending a funeral. It was evidently a man between 50 and 60 years of age. The only money got in the pockets of the deceased was a solitary half-penny.

The body is supposed to be that of a gardener named LAMBIE, who went amissing from Ayrshire days ago."

[The 2 February 1894 edition of the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald intimates the previous death in Boglemart Street, Stevenston, of DAVID LAMBIE, son of DAVID and ANN LAMBIE. I do not know if there is any connection.]

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THE TRUE WITNESS AND CATHOLIC CHRONICLE
25 FEBRUARY 1880

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT
ARDROSSAN TO INVERARAY

A melancholy accident occurred on 24th of January on board the schooner BLOOME, of Dumfries, JOHN KERR, master and owner, while on her journey from Ardrossan to Inveraray.

While off Killean Bay, between Tarbet and Ardrishaig, Kerr went forward to put up the side lights, when, by a sudden swaying of the booms, he was knocked overboard. There was only a lad on board, who threw him a broken spar, but he failed to reach it. The lad endeavoured to let go the little boat, but was unable to do so, or to put the schooner about in time. He saw Kerr swimming, and then lost sight of him, but though he cruised about for some time all search for the unfortunate man was unsuccessful. The body has not been recovered.

Kerr is unmarried and a native of Arran.

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GLASGOW HERALD
6 MARCH 1876

EMBEZZLEMENT

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Saturday, WILLIAM McGILLIVRAY, a vanman in the employment of Mr Mathieson, Innkeeper, West Kilbride, was charged with breach of trust and embezzlement in having appropriated to his own use a small sum which he should have handed over to Mr Brown, Baker, Saltcoats.

He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment.

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 MARCH 1877

ARDROSSAN - BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY

A Board of Trade inquiry into the stranding of the barque QUEEN OF HEARTS of Miramichi, which ran ashore at Sliddery, south end of Arran, on the 11th February, was opened in the Town Hall, Ardrossan, yesterday forenoon.

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GLASGOW HERALD
9 MARCH 1877

ARDROSSAN - BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY

A Board of Trade inquiry into the stranding of the barque QUEEN OF HEARTS of Miramichi, which ran ashore at Sliddery, south end of Arran, on the 11th February, was opened in the Town Hall, Ardrossan, yesterday forenoon.

GLASGOW HERALD
10 MARCH 1877

ARDROSSAN - BOARD OF TRADE INQUIRY

This inquiry into the stranding of the barque QUEEN OF HEARTS was resumed yesterday in the presence of Messrs James Bailey and Anthony Mack, Justices of the Peace, assisted by Knox, R.N., and Captain Castle, Nautical Assessors, Mr James Cook, Clerk of Court, Mr Kirkhope for the Board of Trade; and Mr W. D. McJannet, Irvine, for Captain Brennan.

John McDonald, Boatswain, was examined and deponed..........The inquiry was then adjourned till Monday at 11 a.m.

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GLASGOW HERALD
17 MARCH 1875

WEST KILBRIDE - MAN KILLED

On Monday night, a man named THOMAS CAMPBEL, while engaged driving empty waggons on the line of railway between West Kilbride and Ardrossan, received injuries which terminated fatally shortly after midnight.

As he was driving empty waggons in order to get them filled, he stumbled and fell before the wheels, which passed over his body from the abdomen to the shoulder.

Campbell, who was married and resided in this village, was carried home, but medical aid was of no avail.