The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Football fans throughout Ayrshire will recognise Eddy Gemmell from the excellent “Fitba’ Shorts” reports he and his enthusiastic team of young volunteers have been presenting on YouTube over the past few years. Eddy also does a lot of fundraising for charities …
Montgomerie Pier has Been Added to the Stories Section
Learn all about the history of Montgomerie Pier at Ardrossan, which opened on the 30th May 1890. As well as coal, the railway carried passengers to catch steamers to Arran, Ireland and the Isle of Man, some of which were owned by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company. The last boat train to Montgomerie Pier Station ran in 1965. The Lanarkshire …
A Double Shift for Meadow’s Cup Winners
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Irvine Meadow have had a lot of success over the years in the West of Scotland Cup, winning the prestigious trophy nine times. But surely the Meadow team that had to work hardest for their West of Scotland success, was the …
Saltcoats Bathing Pond Has Been Added to the Stories Section
Learn all about the history of the bathing pond at Saltcoats! Did you know Saltcoats has had two bathing ponds? One of which was opened in 1907 and the other in 1933. On Saturday 10th June 1933, a new outdoor tidal bathing pool was opened on the original site by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Sir Alexander B. Swan. He …
Goals Galore … After a Scare in Dreghorn
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. After winning the Scottish Junior Cup in 1963, Irvine Meadow XI were, inevitably, amongst the favourites to win the cup the following season. So, when they were drawn away to their now defunct local rivals, Dreghorn Juniors, in the first round …
1968 -The Case of the Disappearing Players
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. It was just a run-of-the-mill league game, played out at Dreghorn’s Fordside Park in 1967/68. The atrocious weather was spoiling the play, but the players battled through the wind and rain and gave the rain-soaked fans something to occupy their thoughts …
1959 – A Teddy Bear’s Hampden Picnic
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Recalling the 1959 Scottish Cup final triumph over Shettleston conjures up famous names like Ian Prentice, “Hookey” Walker, Johnnie McIntyre and double goalscorer Jackie Morrison. However, one small but important personality from that glorious day has been sadly neglected over the …
Ayrshire Dockyard Company
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Regular readers of my articles will be aware that Irvine has not always been a two-club town as far as Junior football is concerned. If you go back to Queen Victoria’s Reign you’ll come across names like Irvine Caledonia, Irvine Rangers …
Newcomen Engine House at Auchenharvie Has Been Added to the Stories Section
We are pleased to share a fascinating part of North Ayrshire history in our ‘Stories’ section: Newcomen Engine House at Auchenharvie. The ruins can be seen at the grounds of Auchenharvie Golf Course. Have you ever wondered what it was? It was built in 1719 to hold a Newcomen atmospheric steam engine, whose purpose was to pump water out of …
Thomas Christie Has Been Added to the Stories Section
Thomas Christie (1861-1943) was born in Paisley and went on to print the Stevenston Press and Saltcoats Advertiser. Thomas left school in 1875 and kept a record of his own employment which was included in his obituary in the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald, on the 23 April 1943. Thomas worked for a bookseller in Paisely and had various other jobs …