When Alexander “Sanny” Moffat signed for his local club, Irvine Meadow XI, in 1898 he could have had no idea that he was going to make history for the club. For as well as contributing towards Meadow’s first trophy success, he was the first Meadow player to be selected to play for his country. “Sanny” was joining a young club …
St Margaret’s Free Church
Another addition to the ‘Stories‘ section and this time it is a history of St Margaret’s Free Church in Fairlie. St. Margaret’s Free Church in Fairlie was first known as the Free Church of Fairlie. It’s first minister was the Port Glasgow born Reverend – John Gemmel. The Free Church of Fairlie opened on Wednesday 31 July 1844 with services …
The 1954 Prestwick Air Disaster
Another article has been added to our ‘Stories‘ section and it’s about the 1954 Prestwick air disaster. In the early morning of 25 December 1954 the RMS Cathay, a British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, crashed upon landing at Prestwick Airport killing 28 people. The aircraft had been on a flight from Heathrow Airport to New York with scheduled …
Second Time: A Companion to Time Piece
In December 2019, my book entitled Time Piece, a history of James Blair and the clocks, clock & watchmakers of Kilwinning, 1719-2019, was published by Kilwinning Heritage and launched at an event at Nethermains Community Centre, in January 2020. It sold out in the first year and was subsequently reprinted. It has now been updated and revised with full-colour clocks …
The 1930 Saltcoats Railway Disaster
We have added another fascinating story to our ‘Stories‘ section of the website and it is all about a railway disaster that occurred at Canal Street, Saltcoats when a 7-coach train derailed and crashed in 1939. On Saturday 05 August 1939 a disastrous railway crash took place at Canal Street, Saltcoats, which killed 4 people and injured 27. To read …
Kenny Dalglish at Victoria Park in 1967
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. When Irvine Victoria were drawn to play at home against Cumbernauld United in the 1st Round of the Scottish Cup in 1967/68 they couldn’t possibly have known they’d be facing one of the greatest players ever to be produced in Scotland. …
Willie Stewart: Brains in his Head as well as in his Feet
To generations of Irvine schoolchildren he was Mr Stewart the Maths teacher at Irvine Royal Academy, but Willie Stewart had a second career as a player in both Junior and Senior football. The boot was on the other foot recently, when one of his former First Year pupils was the one asking the questions. GMcC: You began your football career …
HMS Black Prince has Been Added to the ‘Stories’ Section
We have added an interesting little story in the history of Millport: the evening when HMS Black Prince fired it’s guns at midnight and woke up many residents of the island! To read more about this quirky story, click the link below!
Ardrossan War Memorial has Been Added to the ‘Stories’ Section
At the top of our ‘Stories’ section, is our list of notable ‘Buildings, Castles & Monuments’ throughout North Ayrshire. We are slowly, but surely, adding North Ayrshire’s war memorials to the list and we are pleased to announce the addition of Ardrossan war memorial! Unveiled in May, 1923, the memorial was designed by Dr Peter MacGregor Chalmers of Glasgow who …
Beith v The Buffs – It’s Raining Goals
The following post was kindly submitted to us by Gordon McCreath, who is a keen Ayrshire junior football historian. Fans paying to get into Beith’s Bellsdale Park on 19th January 1952, were probably just glad that there was a game for them to go to. The wintery weather had left the park covered in a blanket of snow, which would …