Saturday 23rd June 1849 - Page 1

WEMYSS BAY HOTEL

WEMYSS BAY, beautifully situated on The Frith of Clyde, between Greenock and Largs and commands splendid Views of the Islands of Bute, Cumbrae, Arran and the surrounding scenery. It is likewise in the immediate vicinity of the romantic Glen of Kelly, formerly the property of Mr Wallace M.P.. The Hotel affords most comfortable accommodation for Families and casual Visitors and the beach for bathing is one of the finest on the Coast.

The large Steamers pass and repass five times a day, touching at the quay each time.

Good Stabling. Lock-Up Coach Houses and Carriages kept at the Hotel for hire.

DAVID COOK, PROPRIETOR returns his most grateful thanks to the many Families and other parties who have been in the habit of visiting his house during the past two years and respectfully solicits a continuance of their patronage. Wemyss Bay, June 1849.

Tuesday 18th August 1863 - Page 1

Villa at Wemyss Bay - To be Sold by PUBLIC ROUP, within The Faculty Hall, St. George's Place, Glasgow upon Wednesday the 19th day of August 1863 at Two o'clock afternoon.

The EASTMOST of the Four Original VILLAS at WEMYSS BAY, situated between Cliff Terrace Road and the Road bounding the Sea, with a fine southern Exposure.

The house contains Dining Room, Drawing Room, 6 Bed Rooms and other usual Accommodation and Conveniences with Suitable Offices attached. There is also a Walled Garden suitably stocked and a Gardener's House.

The Property extends to One acre, One rood and Seven Poles or thereby. It is burdened with a yearly Feu Duty of £95 18s 6d and the entry of heirs and singular successors is taxed at a Duplicand of the Feu Duty every nineteenth year.

There is constant communication by Steamers to and from Glasgow, Greenock and other places throughout the year and the Wharf or Landing Place is within a short distance of the house. The Railway from Greenock to Wemyss Bay is expected to be in operation early next summer and will considerably enhance the value of the property.

Apply to C. D. Donald & Sons, Writers, 44 West Regent Street, Glasgow in whose hands are the Title Deeds and Articles of Roup - Glasgow, 25 July, 1863

Thursday 22 June 1865 - Page 2

New  Organ  for  Church 

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Thursday,  June 22,  1865,  page two of "The Scotsman" newspaper published this report of the previous day's meeting of the Greenock Presbytery,  chaired by its moderator,  the Rev.  Mr Robertson and it clear that this meeting had been preceeded by others  - New  Organ  for  Church  -  Established Presbytery of Greenock - The Organ Question "At an adjourned meeting of the established Presbytery of Greenock held yesterday,  The Rev. Mr. Robertson,  moderator,  the question of the introduction of an organ to the Mid Parish church at Greenock and the church at Skelmorlie was brought up.

"The Rev. Mr. Robertson explained, that in accordance with the deliverance of last meeting of Presbytery, the session of The Mid Parish had agreed to ascertain the voice of the congregation in reference to the introduction of an organ by a public intimation by the pulpit, and that those objecting to it should give their names.  In accordance with this intimation, these 54 objections were lodged on the following Sunday. On a scrutiny, one was found to have signed under a misapprehension, and four had no standing; so there were now only 49 objectors. He also stated, when making the intimation from the pulpit, that all who give in objections would be held as approving of the movement.  He considered that to refuse the petition for the sake of forty nine would cause much dispeace in the church.

"On the previous occasion, over four hundred had signed in favour of the organ, and these comprised the working part of the congregation. "The Rev. Mr. Boyd moved that the petition be granted. He did not see how they could refuse such a large majority for the sake of the minority. He alluded to what might be the consequences of such a refusal. The Rev. Mr. Bryce seconded the motion.

"The Rev. Mr. Brown, Innerkip, differed from the opinions expressed by his brethern. He considered that the presbytery should give great weight to the opinions of the forty nine objectors. He would have liked also if the session had got some expression from the 400 neutral persons. He said it was well known that when the minister and session are favourable to an object, it is very difficult to get members, to come forward to oppose it although they have objections

"He considered the intoduction of the organ to be a matter of taste with the petitioners, while the objectors had conscientious religious scruples against its introduction. He then moved the following ammendment  -

"As it appears from the report of the kirk-session that the congregation of The Mid Parish Church are not unanimous in desiring the introduction of instrumental music, but that a minority of not fewer than forty nine object to such an innovation, the Presbytery decline to grant the prayer of the petition on their table, believing that the recent Act of Assembly debars them from doing so in the case of a divided congregation; and being, moreover, of opinion that it is unconstitutional and incompetent to lend their sanction to a change which would disturb the objecting minority in the enjoyment of their prescriptive rights in reference to the conduct of public worship".

"The Rev. Dr. McCulloch seconded the amendment, which, on the vote being taken, was carried by a majority of two to four, the numbers being six and four. Messrs Robertson and Boyd dissented, and appealed to the Synod. The Presbytery then unanimously agreed to grant the petition from Skelmorlie Church for the organ, on the grounds that there were only two objectors, 3 neutrals and 224 in favour of the organ, and that the (Skelmorlie) instrument had already been erected ! "

Monday 4th June 1866 - Page 1

WEMYSS BAY - CLIFF HOUSE to LET, Furnished for July and August The house contains, Dining Room, Drawing Room, Five Bedrooms, Nursery, Kitchen, Servants

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Room, Bath Room etc.. There is a Stable, Coach House and garden attached to the house. Apply Mr Lumsden, at the house.

Tuesday 27th July 1869 - Page 2

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT AT SKELMORLIE — A very sad accident took place at Skelmorlie on Friday, resulting in the death by drowning of Mr Alexander M'lntosh, a young gentleman in business in London, who had come down on a visit to his brother, Mr John M'Intosh, late of Shanghai, but at present a resident in Skelmorlie.

Mr M'Intosh went down to the pier on Friday morning to fish and as at night he did not return home, much anxiety was felt regarding him; but as he had been seen coming up from the quay, no suspicion was entertained that he had fallen into the water.

On Saturday morning, he was still missing and the water in the neighbourhood of the pier and along the bank was narrowly scrutinised without result. In the afternoon, four boats were sent out to drag with creepers and the search was continued in this way unavailingly until, on Sunday evening, with the very last cast, the searchers had resolved on making, the body was recovered. Deceased had, it seems, been subject to fits, in one of which, it is supposed, he had fallen unobserved over the pier. He was about twenty-nine years of age and unmarried.—Glasgow Citizen.

Wednesday 16th March 1870 - Page 6

SKELMORLIE HEIGHTSHydropathic EstablismentWEMYSS BAY

WILLIAM HANNAH - SURGEON - DENTIST(Upwards of Twenty Years Assistant to Mr NASMYTH , Charlotte Square)

Respectfully intimates that he has commenced PRACTICE in the above profession at 10 Baker's Place, STOCKBRIDGE and from long practical experience in a First Class Practice, he is enabled to supply the best ARTIFICIAL TEETH on the most approved principles and at the most modest prices.

EXTRACTIONS carefully performed; TEETH scaled and stopped; CHILDREN'S TEETH regulated.

Monday 11th April 1870 - Page 1

WEMYSS BAY - To Let, the Book Stall at Station. Offers to be sent to James Keyden, 156 West George Street, Glasgow on or before 13th April current

Friday 9th December 1870 - Page 7

SUNDAY MILK

The monthly meeting of The Presbytery of Greenock was held yesterday — The Rev. F. L. Robertson having been elected moderator, presided.

Rev. Mr Boyd, of Skelmorlie, stated that two farmers, members of his congregation and residing in his parish, had been written to by the kirk-session of Largs, requesting them to discontinue tho practice of sending milk-carts to Skelmolie and Wemyss Bay on Sunday.

After some discussion, Dr M'Culloch suggested that the matter should be brought up in a more regular form, that instead of Mr Boyd complaining personally, the complaint should be brought up by the kirk session of Skelmorlie and the kirk session of Large be summoned. The course was ultimately agreed to. Several notices of motion having been given, the Presbytery adjourned.

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Tuesday 17th September 1872 - Page 2

CALEDONIAN RAILWAY - THROUGH BOOKING FROM EDINBURGH TO THE WEST COASTBY DIRECT TRAINS TO GREENOCK AND WEMYSS BAY

THROUGH TICKETS are issued at The CALEDONIAN Co.'s Booking Offices, 11 Princes' Street and 32 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh and 7 Bernard Street, Leith; As well as at the Company's Station, West End of Princes' Street, Edinburgh.

To Kilcreggan, Cove, Blairmore, Kilmun, Kirn, Dunoon, Arrochar, Lochgoilhead, Arran and places on the west coast, via Greenock and to Largs, Fairlie, Millport, Innellan and Rothesay via Wemyss Bay.

Passengers may travel by the direct trains to Greenock and Wemyss Bay, or they may travel from Edinburgh to Glasgow, Buchanan Street Station and proceed by any train from Bridge Street Station, Glasgow to Greenock, Wemyss Bay and the Coast and vice versa; but in such cases the Company do not provide conveyance through Glasgow. The Return Tickets arc available for Return on any day. For Fares and other particulars, see the Company's Time-Tables. JAMES SMITHELLS, General Manager, Glasgow - September 1872.

Monday 15th May 1871 - Page 4

SKELMORLIE

Skelmorlie - Wemyss Bay - To let from 1st June - Handsomely furnished house containing 3 Public and 11 Bed Rooms, Bath Room, Butler's Pantry, Kitchen, Scullery etc.. Gas. Hot and Cold Water and every modern convenience. The Offices consist of a 3-stalled stable, Coach House, Coachman's house, Washing house, Laundry etc.. The house is beautifully situated commanding anextensive view of The Firth of Clyde and within a few minutes walk of the railway station. Apply to JOHN M'KINNON & SONS, Accountants, 62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.

Thursday 3rd September 1874 - Page 4

WEMYSS BAY TO EDINBURGH

Sir, Kindly spare space to the following extract of my diary from Wemyss Bay to "Auld Reekie" by The Caledonian Railway, nominal time as advertised 3 hours 35 minutes.

"Sent luggage down to station at half-past 11, train time 12. Luggage placed in van for Edinburgh. Stationmaster ordered it into an open track. Remonstrated as the van, when we started even was quite empty. Got away at 12.30. At Coatbridgs tickets were taken. Asked why, and was told it was to save stopping at West Calder. At Coatbridge 35 minutes, as an engine was sent for to Glasgow. Heard a porter say that "engine-driver didna ken the way and that's why we beguid to gang slow". The guard also was a common porter. In my 1st class smoking compartment were two third class men who got in at Paisley on the pretence there was no room in their proper place, one a Cockney shoemaker. Lent them 'The Scotsman' and another paper and they said "it would be all right if only they had a paper". It was not all right, especially in the case of one of them. Thankful to say they were both extracted and relegated to third class at Coatbridge, leaving a smell behind them. Although tickets were taken at that place 'to save time', we stopped at four other stations to land a single passenger at each. In Edinburgh 1¼ hours late. Moral "Cave Coatbridge line" —I am, &e, D.K.

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Thursday 1st April 1875 - Page 5

THE RAILWAY COMMISSION - Westminster, Wednesday

The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Company v. The Caledonian Railway Company

The above case came on for hearing before The Railway Commissioners - Sir F. Peel, Mr Price and Mr Macnamara - today. Mr Pember Q.C. and Mr Ledgard appeared for The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Company and The Hon. Mr Thesiger Q.C. and Mr Webster for the Caledonian.

Mr Pember opened the case at great length, stating that this was an application for an addition to certain rates-fixed by Mr Gordon, The Lord Advocate, who acted as arbitrator between the two companies in December 1871. The reason why an alteration was asked for in these rates was that the Greenock Company alleged that the circumstances had been altered since the award was made and that the Caledonian Company had departed from the spirit of that award. A little history was necessary in the case. The Greenock Company was incorporated in 1862. Although promoted by an independent company, it was authorised and constructed so as to join the Caledonian Company's Greenock line about half-a-mile below Port Glasgow and by agreement it was to be worked in perpetuity by the Caledonian, who subscribed to its capital and received a fourth of its net revenue. The main object of the line was to accommodate the general traffic from Glasgow and Paisley to the coast and the upper portions of the town of Greenock. The traffic on the railway and pier at Wemyss Bay, including the fixing of the tolls, duties and rates and charges, was to be managed and fixed by a Joint Committee consisting of six persons, three appointed by each company, the chairman being selected by the Caledonian and all differences in the committee, if the members were equally divided, were to be referred to arbitration. The main traffic on the railway was traffic passing from Glasgow and Paisley to the coast and stations of the company's line and vice versa and thus passed over both the Greenock line or the Caledonian and the Wemyss Bay line.

The Greenock line of the Caledonian Company had existed for many years and had proved very profitable to the Caledonian, but while it alone existed, Wemyss Bay, Innellan, Rotbesay, Largs, Fairlie and Millport could only be reached by the Caledonian Company's Greenock line, at Lower Greenock and thereafter by sea and the Caledonian Company's Greenock line gave no access to the upper parts of Greeriook, in which there were many important public works and from which its terminus at the lower station was separated by a very steep ascent.

The Wemyss Bay Railway cut off four miles from the distance between Glasgow and Paisley and the several places on the coast by going straight down the Inverkip Valley and it diminished the time occupied by the Journey between these places to an extent even more important than the saving of distance. It also gave access to the upper parts of Greenock, having a large station there in the midst of the public works, to which it gave accommodation and to which the Greenock line of the Caledonian did not give, saving all the cost and delay of the heavy and expensive cartage from the Caledonian Station in the lower town so that the advantages and facilities afforded by the Wemyss Bay Company in securing traffic to the Caledonian were very great. The Wemyss Bay Company alleged that the traffic-producing power of their ten miles of line was as great as the traffic-producing power of the Caledonian, 20 miles from Glasgow to Port Glasgow, or their 22 miles from Glasgow to Lower Greenock, the local rates for these respective distances being nearly identical.

The railway of the applicants, by giving the Caledonian the command over traffic to the coast and Upper Greenock enabled the Caledonian, after a time of keen competition to force the Greenock and Ayrshire Company in the spring of; 1871 to make an agreement of

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the kind commonly known, as joint-purse, be as to divide the proceeds of the whole Greenock traffic between those two companies. The Caledonian were thus enabled to charge more to the public and at the same time to work their line at less expense. But for the existence of the Wemyss Bay line no such arrangement could have been made by the Caledonian or, if made, it would have been made upon far less favourable terms. This agreement, though advantageous to the Caledonian, was on the other hand most injurious to the Wemyss Bay Company, because it materially assisted the interest which the Caledonian previously had in fostering the traffic on the Wemyss Bay line. From this time differences began to arise between the applicants and the Caledonian.

Through rates for passengers, goods and minerals had ever since the opening of the Wemyss Bay line been quoted by the Caledonian at Glasgow and all other stations on the Glasgow and Greenock line to stations on the Wemyss Bay line and places to which the Wemyss Bay line formed a route. Such through rates were quoted now by the Caledonian and it would be impossible to conduct the traffic without them. In March 1871, after the making of the joint-purse agreement, the Caledonian intimated to the Wemyss Bay Company that they and the Glasgow and Southwestern had resolved to alter the rates between Glasgow and Paisley and Greenock and in particular to raise the third class fare, single journey, to Upper Greenock from 6d. to 9d and the third class return ticket from 1s. to 1s 6d.

The company objected to this, but the Caledonian adhered to their resolution and an injunction was obtained against them. In consequence of this proceeding the Caledonian reduced the share of the Wemyss Bay Company in the proceeds of the traffic passing toand from Greenock and other stations on their Glasgow and Greenock line over the Wemyss Bay line from 47 per cent of the-whole down to 33%. The Wemyss Bay Company then took steps to have the question of the fares and rates to be charged on the Werayss Bay line submitted to arbitration. Accordingly arbitrators were appointed on behalf of the two companies and Mr Gordon, then Dean of Faculty and now Lord Advocate, was appointed oversman by the Court of Session and on the 30th of December 1871 he issued his decree fixing the rates.

This decree was based upon the then existing through rates charged from Glasgow and other stations on the Glasgow and Greenock line to the various stations on the Wemyss Bay lines and places on the coast with which the last-mentioned line opened up communication. The Lord Advocate before making his decree ascertained from the agents of the two companies what the then existing through rates were and further, that in their judgment they were fair rates and such as were likely to continue to be charged. The decree gave to the Wemyss Bay Company a sum which bore the same proportion to the whole rate which the mileage of the Wemyss Bay line bore to the whole distance traversed, plus 50 per cent.

The Caledonian were much dissatisfied with the award and in February 1872 they raised the through passenger fares quoted by them at Glasgow and the stations on their line to stations on the Wemyss Bay line and places beyond to a ruinous pitch so as to drive the traffics off the Wemyss Bay line and transfer it to the Greenock and Ayrshire. The Wemyss Bay Company strongly protested against the raising of the fares and soon afterwards, on the remonstrance of the public, the Caledonian reduced them to about their former rate.

However, some time afterwards the Caledonian came to the resolution to again raise the through rates and this they did without informing the Wemyss Bay Company of their ' intention. They also made an arrangement to obtain a rebate fromtthe steamboat owners. The Caledonian Company had appropriated entirely to, themselves the profits arising from the successive increases of rates and the allowances made to them by the steamboat proprietors. They refused altogether to share such increasesand allowances with the Wemyss Bay Company. The Wemyss Bay Company insisted that the attempt on the part of the Caledonian to depart from the proportions fixed by Mr Gordon's award was altogether unjustifiable. As the Caledonian had so often raised the through rates without their

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consent, the Wemyss Bay Company were apprehensive lest, in carrying out their arrangements with the Glasgow and South-Western, they would raise them still further without the consent of the Wemyss Bay Company. Under all these circumstances the Wemyss Bay Company asked the Commissioners to adopt the principle of proportion settled by the rates fixed in the schedule of the Lord Advocate's award to the present state of things so that, taking the existing through rate and the allowances made by the steamboat proprietors, the mileage rate accruing to the Wemyss Bay Company might be first calculated and then 50 per cent added thereto.

They further asked the Commissioners to restrain the Caledonian from raising and lowering the through rates from Glasgow and elsewhere on their Glasgow and Greenock line to places to which the Wemyas Bay line formed the route without the concurrence of the Wemyss Bay Company. They also asked the Commissioners to order the Caledonian Company to pay to them all the arrears of profit due on the footing settled by The Lord Advocate's award, as their share of the increased through rate and steamboat allowances.

Mr James Stewart was the first witness. He said he was chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway and was one of the original promoters of the line. The estimated cost of the line was £120,000, though it ultimately cost very much more. The Caledonian subscribed £30,000 and they were to have one-fourth of the profits and were to work the line. The subscription of the Caledonian amounted to only about one-sixth of what the line had really cost.

Some time after the line was opened, the Wemyss Bay Company considered they were not obtaining their fair proportion of the through rates. From the first they had entertained the opinion that a mileage rate was not fair to them. They applied to the Caledonian to give them a higher rate, but their application was not acceded to. After the opening of the Greenock and Ayrshire line, the Wemyss Bay Company found they had greater difficulty than ever in obtaining from tbe Caledonian Company their fair percentage of the profits.

In 1870 an arrangement was made that the Wemyss Bay Company should receive 47½ per cent.; as its share of the profits. This continued until the spring of the following year, when it came to their knowledge that the Caledonian Company had made .a joint-purse agreement with the Greenock and Ayrshire Railway Company.

Mr Pember called for the production of this agree ment, Mr Thesiger opposed on the ground that the Wemyss Bay Company had no right to see it and they had nothing whatever to do with it. Mr Pember asked for the agreement in order to show that the Caledonian' Company had entered into an arrangement by which they had sacrificed the interests of the Wemyss Bay Company. After some discussion, Sir F. Peel said the Commissioners would consider the point and state to-morrow morning whether they considered the Wemyss Bay Company had a right to see the agreement or niot. The Commissioners shortly afterwards adjourned.

Friday 24th December 1875 - Page 5 Original

RUSSIAN BARQUE RUN DOWN AND SUNK IN THE CLYDE

About half-past one o'clock yesterday morning, the Russian barque Toverrus, 473 tons, outward bound, was run down in The Clyde, 200 yards south-south-west of Skelmorlie Bank, by the inward bound Clyde and Bristol trader Clutha.

The ship went down within twenty minutes after being struck and two of the crew are supposed to have been drowned. The captain and eight men saved themselves by climbing on hoard the Clutha and a ninth man was, at daybreak picked off the rigging by a passing steamer. Those drowned are the carpenter, named Andersen, a Russian and a boy named Spiers belonging to Glasgow.

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The latter ran away from his apprenticeship as a joiner and shipped in the unfortunate vessel, while rather strange to say, the former was shipped as a substitute for the ship's original carpenter, who did not turn up when the vessel cleared out.

The Toverrus was struck on the port side, a little abaft midships, the stem of the Clutha cutting right into her deck for fully a yard and opening up her side planks down to below water mark. On the Clutha backing out, the barque began to sink rapidly and the crew made a rush to get on board the steamer. After the ship went down it was found that three of the crew were mining. Owing to the heavy gale blowing at the time it was impossible to launch a boat, but the steamer sailed round the spot where the Toverrus had sunk for nearly half an hour. Nothing being seen of the missing men the Clutha pro-ceeded and landed those saved at Greenock.The only material damage sustained by the steamer is the loss of her fore-topmast, caused by the yard of the sinking ship carrying away the topmast stay. The Toverrus was a wooden barque of 473 tons net, built only last year at Pargas and was owned R. Jansson of Pargas, Russia. She arrived in the Clyde on 16th November and after loading a cargo of 480 tons of coal and 200 tons of pig-iron, sailed from Glasgow on Saturday 11th instant for Genoa. Owing to the severe weather in the channel, she did not get away from the anchorage off Greenock till Sunday last. Meeting strong head winds on the passage down the river, she had to put back and anchored off Skelmorlie Bank, where she lay till struck by the steamer. The vessel is valued at £8,000 and her cargo at £1,200.

Captain Feldtman, of the Clutha of Glasgow, in his statement, states that 1.05 a.m. on Thursday morning, as the Clutha was steaming up the river and when about mid-channel, with Toward light bearing NNW, the man on watch reported a bright light being hoisted on board some vessel ahead. The engines were immediately stopped, but the light being close ahead, the steamer, with the way on her, ran into the port side of the ship. Seeing the damage done to the ship, he cried to the men to climb on board the steamer, but only the captain and one or two others did so, the rest apparently not understanding the language. The mate and four of the men, however, took to the ship's rigging when the vessel began to rink, and were from thence got on board the Clutha. The mate, in trying to leap on board, fell into the water, but a rope being thrown to him, he was rescued.

The story of the survivors landed at Greenock is to the effect that at the time of the disaster the vessel was riding with two ancliorsdown in Skelmorlie Bay, with the anchor light burning brightly and a proper watch on deck. The lights of a steamer were observed approaching through the darkness. The steamer seemed to be advancing rapidly and notice was at onece given to tbe master, Captain W. O. Malinquist and the rest of the crew, who were asleep. One of the two men on watch, named Gustav Greevberg, says that a warning was given to the approaching steamer by the bell on board being rung loudly, but the speed was not diminished. When the barque began to sink, the captain and seven of the crew scrambled on board the steamer, one man was rescued by a rope and three were left on board, on account of the steamer and the barque getting separated.

About daybreak, the steamer Largs, on the way from Millport to Wemyss Bay, was attracted to the wreck, but the wind and sea were too rough to allow the steamer with safety to go near or lower a boat. Later, however, the steamer Argyll came on the scene and with the aid of one of her boats, rescued a poor fellow who was clinging to the spars exposed to the storm for seven hours. He was greatly exhausted, but every attention was paid to him on board the steamer, which took him to Glasgow. One of the men saved says that there can be no doubt but that the Scotch lad Spiers went down with the ship. The poor fellow, who was on his first voyage, had been lying sick in his bunk, most probably unable to save himself. The ship's papers and the effects of the men have all gone dawn with the Toverrus.

Monday 3rd January 1881 - Page 1

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CALEDONIAN RAILWAY - WEMYSS BAY ROUTECONTINUATION OF THROUGH BOOKING

As the steamers plying between WEMYSS BAY and ROTHESAY, INNELLAN, TOWARD, LARGS and MILLPORT are to be CONTINUED until further notice, the THROUGH BOOKING of Passengers, Parcels and Goods will also be continued. Return tickets issued during the month of January 1881 will be available for that month only. JAMES SMITHELLS, General Manager. Glasgow, January 1881.

Tuesday 15th August 1882 - Page 3

THE CALEDONIAN v. THE WEMYSS BAY RAILWAY COMPANY(Before The Railway Commissioners Sir F. Peel, Mr Price and Mr Miller Q.C..)

WESTMINSTER, Monday - Today The Court gave judgment in the caseof The Caledonian Railway Company and others and The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Company, with refrrence to settling the passenger fares for travellers over the Wemyss Bay line to the coast.

The Lord Advocate and Mr B. S. Wright (instructed by messrs. Grahames & Currey) appeared for The Caledonian Company and Mr Webster Q.C. and Mr Ledgard (instructed by Mr Loch) for The Wemyss Bay Company.

Sir F.Peel, giving judgment, said it was the unanimous decision of the Court. He said—The Caledonian Company apply to us to fix and apportion through rates or fares for passenger traffic, passing via the railway of The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Company between Glasgow, Paisley, Port-Glasgow, Upper Greenock, or Edinburgh and various places on the Clyde. The railway of the Wemyss Bay Company extends from a junction with the railway of The Caledonian Company at a point between Port-Glasgow and Greenock to Wemyss Bay and the Wemyss Bay railway and a pier connected with it at Wemyss Bay are worked in perpetuity by The Caledonian Company under an agreement confirmed by The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Act, 1862. Between the pier at Wemyss Bay and the places on the coast the through traffic is carried by steamboats and the steamboat traffic is at present conducted under two agreements, one dated 11th and 23rd June 1882 and made between The Caledonian Company and Alex. Campbell, for the purpose of establishing a communication between Wemyss Bay and Largs, Fairlie, Millport, Innellan, Toward and Rothesay and the other, dated 3rd and 4th July 1882 and made between The Caledonian Company and The Firth of Clyde Steam Packet Company, for the purpose of establishing a communication between Wemysa Bay and The Kyles of Bute and Arran.

The Caledonian Company are joined by Alexander Campbell and the Steam Packet Company in the application for through rates. This is not the first time that proceedings have been taken before us under section 11 of the Regulation of Railway Act, 1873, to fix rates for coast traffic via the Wemyss Bay route.

In 1875 steamers were being run to and from Largs, Fairlie, Millport, Innellan, Toward and Rothesay, under an agreement between the same Alexander Campbell and the Wemyss Bay Company and on an application for through rates or fares, via WemyssBay, between those coast places and Glasgow and Paisley, it was sought on that, occasion to set aside our order on the ground that we had made it on the application of a party who were not such a Railway Company as could exercise the new right conferred by the .Act of 1873 on railway companies generally, to require traffic passing from one railway to another, to be, forwarded at through rates, and, if necessary, to refer the matter to us, to whom the Act gives jurisdiction to fix a through rate for.the whole of a route and to apportion its amount amongst the.companies interested.

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The Wemyss Bay Company were not, it was said, a railway company within the meaning of section 11 of the Act, because they did not work their railway, but The Caledonian Company and because another body, a Joint Committee fixed the rates for the railway and had the management of its traffic but the term "railway company," as used in theAct of 1873, includes companies which own railways that other persons work, as it does also companies which work railways of which they are not the owners and having regard to tho interpretation clause of the Act and to the manner in which the Wemyss Bay Company were interested.

In the receipts of their, line from traffic over it, we and also The Court of Session, to whom the question was afterwards submitted, were of opinion that The Wemyss Bay Railway Company were a Railway Company within the meaning of tho term as used in section 11 of the Act of 1873 and that it was not necessary, in order to give thern a right under that section to take proceedings for the establishment of through rates for traffic in which they were interested and that passed over their own and other railways, forming together a continuous line of communication, that they should also work their railway and convey or manage its traffic.

The agreement under which the coast traffic was carried at sea in 1875 has since expired and with it also the through rates we then fixed for the coast traffic. The sea conveyance to and from Wemyss Bay is now dono under arrangement by the Caledonian Company —made, that is, by the Company running the railway trains, with which the steam vessels are in direct communication and the first objection which the Wemyss Bay Company urge Against our granting the proposed through rates is, that those arrangements are not sufficient to make the provisions of section 11 applicable to the steam vessels, Section 11 has this clause at the end of it, "Where a railway company use, maintain, or work, or are party to an arrangement for using, maintaining, or working steam vessels for the purpose of carrying on a communication between any towns or ports, the provisions of this section shall extend to such steam vessels and to the traffic carried thereby" and the point of law put is that this clause only applies where the arrangements as to the steam vessels is made by the Company to whom the railway with which the steam vessels directly communicates belongs, because it was said if the arrangement has the effect of extending their railway, and requiring them to receive and deliver by the extension route, it could not be intended that any company but themselves should bring them into such a relation with the steam vessels.

But the operation of the clause is not to extend any particular railway, for tho whole provision of section 11 takes effect, we think, whenever there is any arrangement with the proprietors of steam vessels for the conveyance of passengers or goods to and from any port or town with which there is railway communication, provided that the railway company party to the arrangement owns or works, or is otherwise immediately interested in some portion or other of this lino of communication. In such case the steam vessels become, for the purposes of through-rate facilities with railways and their owners, a railway company, and the sea route and the railway route form together oue continuous line, but as regards the land portion, the particular railway company at tho port of shipment is in no exceptional position, and is indeed unaffected by the agreement unless and until, through rates are imposed on it in conjunction with other companies by an order made under this Act. There is therefore no reason why, when all railway companies have equally the power of making an. arrangement for the transmission of traffic at sea—at least if nothing is agreed on in the nature of a guarantee, or conferring any interest in the boats on the railway companies—such an arrangement should only involve the consequence which is made an adjunct of it by this clause when it is entered into by the company which owns the railway at the port.

We see nothing in the language or terms of the clause to limit its applicability in that way, and we have no doubt that the Caledonian, as owners of their own railway, if not also as workers of the Wemyss Bay Railway, were competent to make arrangement within the

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clause for steamboats to run from Wemyss Bay and, that the arrangements with Alexander Campbell and with the Firth of Clyde Company are valid arrangements in that sense.

The Wemyss Bay Company next object to the steamboat agreement as being an undue sacrifice of their interests to those of the steamboat owners in respect that the steamboat fares are too highland not properly adjusted to the land rates. It was agreed at the hearing to take as an illustration of the fares in general the second class return Wemyss Bay to Rothesay, and the provision as to that fare is that the Caledonian Company shall pay Captain Campbell 8¼d each such double journey, the contention of the Wemyss Bay Company being that there would have been no. difficulty in getting as good a service at sea for 8d per second class return.

As however the undertaking of the Caledonian Company does not oblige us to adopt their rate in our apportcionment of a through rate and the associated interests, therefore, of the companies are reserved, this objection is not a reason for excluding the agreement from the benefit of the clause, and although the agreement was made without the knowledge or consent of the Wemysa Bay Company, it was so important to the public that steamers should run in connection with the railway trains on this route, and so unlikely that the two railway comyanies would be able immediately to act together in concluding an arrangement, that we think there was a strong case in favour of the course pursued by the Caledonian Company.

The Wemyss Bay Company object to our granting the proposed through rates on the ground that the totals are too low, and that more ought to be included in them for the land transit. Ninety per cent of the coast traffic is second class return, and taking Glasgow to Rothesay as the typical fare, 2s 6d. is the proposed rate for the through service, out of which, if 8½d is allowed for sea carriage, there remains 1s. 9d to divide between the two railway companies. The sum the Wemyss Bay desire to have charged for the land transit is 2s 5d, the same sum in fact as in use as a land rate conformably to our order of October 1875 for land passenger traffic between Glasgow and Wemyss Bay, and this sum, with 8d for steamboats, would make the total fare, according to the scheme, 3s. ld. or 7d. more than the amount proposed by the Caledonian Company. We see no Ground for having any higher charge than 2s. 6d.

There may be cases where, it may be right to make no difference in the amount for the same distance between a, railway rate or carriage to a port and the railway portion of a land and sea rate for carriage past that port to a point beyond sea, but the present case is not one of that kind. Traffic between Glasgow and Wemyss Bay—traffic, that is to say, paying only the railway rate—has no other route which it can take, but traffic between Glasgow and the coast places can go by othor routes if it does not go by Wemyss Bay and consequently the rate which is charged is a competition rate, and has to be regulated by that consideration.

The evidence shows that any higher rate than the existing one would in all probability divert traffic from this route to the other routes which present opportunities to the public of passing between Glasgow, and the coast, towns, and which compete with the Wemyss Bay route on more or less equal terms in price, in speed, and in other advantages. Half the difference between 2s 6d. and 3s 1d would accrue to the Caledonian Company in respect of the Caledonian line, and of the other half they would-be entitled to 45 per cent for cost of working the Wemyss Bay line of the balance, after deducting, for maintenance and some other expenses, to one fourth part of the net residue in consideration of their having contributed, one quarter of the original capital of the Wemyss Bay line.

They have therefore as much pecuniary interest as the Wemyss Bay Company in a speculation for raising rates which may swell the through receipts, but which is just as likely to tell the other way by checking traffic and giving the rival routes the preference, and which might also create a difficulty as respects finding shipowners willing to engage their vessels for this route. Well, the Caledonian. Company are averse to any higher fare

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than 2s 6d on the ground that it would sensibly interfere with the attraction of this route and impair them means of providing for the sea voyage.

Two shillings and sixpence has now been the established rate for many years and is the amount at which we fixed the through rates in 1875. It is a rate which, on the basis that receipts from it are divided, has been quite compatibla with a reasonable profit to the Wemyss Bay Company, for while there was no return to the shareholders of that Company in their capital previously to 1875, the dividend of late years on Ordinary shares has been between 4 and 5 per cent per annum. There has been a great growth of traffic under it and of passengers travelling on the railway, six to seven hundred thousand for each year, is according to the evidence of the directors of the Wemyss Bay Company on a par with the capacity of their line and some diminution of it is not undesirable.

Higher fares might, perhaps, be one remedy for the overcrowding, but a more legitimate one would be, we think, to increase the accommodation. On the whole, the proposed through rates are, in our opinion, equitable in amount, and we shall allow them accordingly.

On the subject of apportionment, the method of giving the land share of the through rates is not objected to. The proposal of the Caledonian Company ie that the proportion in which they and the Wemyss Bay Company divide the receipts of their two lines shall be in accordance with the order as to the division of like receipts which we made in 1875, and so far the apportionment is unopposed, and has our approval, subject as before to any claim connected with pier rates for through passengers being deemed to he merged or taken into account in the calculation of the mileage of the Wemyss Bay Company for purposes of division. But here arises the question whether in the case of Captain Campbell's agreement, 8½d for each second class return, is too much to allow to him, considered as a payment in the 2s. 6d. rate.

The Wemyss Bay Company contend that it is so, because they had an offer from Messrs R. & F. Williamson of Rothesay, in February and March of the present year, to give a steamboat accommodation similar to that afforded by Captain'Campbell's steamer for the difference as regards second-class return fare between 2s. 5d and 3s 1d, that is to say, for 6d a head, and if they were content with 8d out of a rate of 3s 1d, no doubt the same sum out of a 2s 6d rate would have satisfied them, but they stipulated, at the same time, that they should have a contract for ten years certain, and that during that term there should be no through bookings to Millport and Rothesay and all places inside those ports, and no through tickets available by any other steamers than theirs. They reserved also a right for one of them to give his principal attention to the steamboats belonging to his father, by which the port of Greenook is served, and which run from the same coast places in connection with the Glasgow and South-Western Railway.

It would have been manifestly undesirable that the steamboat service at Wemyss Bay should be conducted by steamboat owners whose vessels, or whose father's vessels, were running from another port competing for the same traffic. And having regard in addition to the burdensome condition of a ten years' contract, and to the stipulation for a monopoly of through bookings, we think no conclusion can be drawn from Messrs Williamson's offer of 8d adverse to the 8½d rate for conveyance allowed to Captain Campbell, or tending to show the Caledonian Railway to have agreed to a payment resulting in an undue charge on the Wemyss Bay Railway. We approve, therefore, of the sums given to Captain Campbell as his proportion of the through rates, and also of tho steamboat proportion in the case of the traffic to the Kyles of Bute and Arran. We observe, at the same time, that Captain Campbell's proportion is now less than it was when we dealt with the fares in 1873. His share of those fares was then 10½d. It was reduced afterwards to 9d., and last year this steamboat proportion as a through fare was 8½d per passenger for the double journey instead of 9d.

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Further charges may become necessary, and to leave room for them we propose to grant the present through fares for that as to amount and apportionment for two years, and thereafter only until we may see cause to make alterations. We also reserve to ourselves the power of taking time to reapportion as between the two Railway Companies the pier dues levied on passengers booked by railway separately from and in addition to their through fares.

In a second part of the application the Caledonian Company referred to us for decision, under section 8 of tho Regulation of Railways Act of 1873, certain differences which have arisen between them and the Wemyss Bay Company, or between respective re-presentatives of the two Companies, forming the Joint Committee appointed for the management of the traffic of the Wemyas Bay railway and pier. By the agreement scheduled to and confirmed by the special Act of 1862, and which difference* Parliament has by that Act and Articles 11 and 18 of the agreement ordered shall as and when they arise be referred to arbitration, there is in this case as to the power to refer to us the decision of The House of Lords in the Caledonian Railway Company versus Wemvss Bay in 1874, making this point clear.The first difference has reference to the sums to be paid as the pier rates and composition in lieu thereof for use of the pier at Wemyss Bay, and we decide this difference in favour of the terms of the motion moved by the chairman at the meeting of the Joint Committee on the 31th July 1882, as set out in the minute of the meeting.

A farther difference was that the Joint Committee should assent to the notice as to the through rates, dated 5th July 1882, and to the proposed apportionment of their amount, but it is unnecessary to decide this difference, as the matter of the notice has now been disposed of by the proposed through rates having received our approval under section 11 of the Act of 1874. The third point in difference arose upon the question whether tho Joint Committee should fix certain sums as the total accruing to the Wemyss Bay Company in respect of the through passengers mentioned in the motion of the change, which sums were in effect the same as those arrived at by the apportionment of the proposed through rates in the manner proposed by the applicants. In opposition to this motion, it was proposed, on behalf of the Wemyss Bay Company, to resolve that the Joint Committee do not give the tools, etc. proposed.

On this point we decided in favour of the proposal of the Wetnyss Bay Company, for if the rates in question are regarded as the share of the Wemyss Bay Company in the division of a through rate, the apportionment of such a rate is beyond the authority of the Joint Committee, and could not, therefore, form the subject of a difference in the Committee referable to arbitration. If, on the contrary, they are to be looked upon as local rates to be charged to through passengers, it is unnecessary for the Joint Committee, and therefore for us, to fix any such rates, inasmuch as the case can never arise, so long, at least, as the through rates now granted remain in force, in which any such local rate could possibly be of any service. We were referred to a case in which a rate had been fixed by the Caledonian Company solely as carriers over the whole line, in which it was decided to be within the competency of the Committee to fix the amount payable to the Wemyss Bay Company in respect of the use of their line; but that case is very different from the present one, because the Caledonian Company have not proposed to fix rates for themselves, but have put them forward as proposed through rates only, so that the authority cited does not apply. There would be no judgment as regards costs.

Monday 31st January 1887 - Page 7

GREENOCK AND WEMYSS BAY RAILWAY COMPANY v. THE CALEDONIANRAILWAY COMPANY

The Application of The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Company to compel The Caledonian Railway Company to carry their traffic into the Central Station at Glasgow

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instead of the station at Bridge Street was concluded on Saturday in London before The Railway Commissioners.

The Attorney-General Sir R. Webster Q.C., M.P. and Mr R. Wallace, instructed by Mr Beveridge, were counsel for the applicants; Mr J. B. Balfour, Q.C., M.P. and Mr Haldane M.P., instructed by Messrs. Grahams, Currey, & Spens, represented The Caledonian Railway Company.

Mr Wm. Shelford O.E., having been called on behalf of the Wemyss Bay Company to prove that it was very important that their traffic should be taken into the Central Station and having expressed his opinion professionally that The Caledonian Company could accommodate such traffic in the station if they desired to do, the case for the applicants was closed.

Sir Frederick Peel announced that they did not wish to hear Mr Balfour on the part of the Caledonian Company, the Commissions having made up their minds on the matters before them. The question the Court had to decide was simply and purely as to the obligations of the Caledonian Company as the company working the Wemyss Bay line under tbe agree-ment of 1862, and which was to ran trains from Glasgow to Wemyss Bay.

At that time the Bridge Street station was the only one which could be used, but since then the Caledonian Company had constructed the Central Station on the other side of the Clyde, and the contention of the Wemyss Bay Company was that under the agreement the Caledonian Company, having adopted the Central Station as their terminus must take the Wemyss Bay traffic there.

The agreement, however, only specified that trains should be run from Glasgow and in despatching them and stopping them at Bridge Street, he was of opinion that the Caledonian Company complied with its terms.

It was clear that the expression Glasgow, as used in the agreement, meant, and was intended to mean, Bridge StreetMr Price concurred. He saw nothing in the Act of 1862, and the agreement attached to it, which justified the contention that the word Glasgow, where used, implied anything more than Glasgow as it then existed, and there was nothing to compel tho Ca!edonian Company to run the trains to the Central Station.

Mr Miller entirely concurred in this construction of the agreement, and that the Wemyss Bay Company must fail in its attempt to compel the Caledonian Company, under its terms, to carry their traffic to the Central Station. Had he however to concede the point alone, he should have found against the applicants, but without costs, on the ground that the correspondence disclosed that the Caledonian Company by their action had provoked litigation. But as his colleagues were of a different opinion he did not hold his views sufficiently strong as even to express formal dissent from their judgment. The application was accordingly dismissed with costs.

Saturday 16th June 1888 - Page 3

DUNLOE, WEMYSS BAY, For Sale or Let on Lease. Apply to ALEXANDER STEWART, Wemyss Bay or M'CLURE, NAISMITH, BRODIE & CO., 77 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.

Wednesday 7th November 1888 - Page 10

High Court of Justiciary - The High Court of Justiciary resumed yesterday The Lord Justice Clerk on the bench and The Solicitor-General and Mr Wallace prosecuting.

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CLYDE PILOTS CHARGED WITH CULPABLE HOMICIDE - The trial was resumed of James Parke, 1 Harvie Street, Avondale Terrace, Paisley Road West, Glasgow and James Barrie, 391 Paisley Road East, Glasgow, two pilots charged with culpable homicide.

As already reported, the charge arose out of the collision which took place in June last in The Firth of Clyde, between the Balmoral Castle, piloted by Parker and the Princess of Wales, piloted by Barrie which resulted in the

death of three men who had been on board the latter vessel. Both panels denied the charges and they were defended as on the opening day. The hearing of evidence for the prosecution was continued.

Thomas Tyson, Inverkip, a labourer, who saw the collision from shore, said that when he first noticed the vessels

the Princess of Wales was nearest the shore. It appeared.to him the collision was imminent before it actually occurred. He noticed both vessels go seawards immediately before the collision, the Balmoral Castle being the first to alter her course.

Archibald Scott, Innes Park Buildings, Skelmorlie, a gardener, who was working in the garden of Salem House, nearly opposite the scene of the collision when it took place, said of the two vessels, the Princess of Wales was nearest shore as they came up to the point of collision. So far as he could see, the Balmoral Castle was on her port helm and the Princess of Wales on her starboard helm when about three or four hundred yards distant from

one another. The Balmoral Castle appeared to be going quicker than the other. By the Court, He thought, the Balmoral Castle went on about a quarter of a mile after sho had cut down the Princess of Wales.

Evidence for the defence was then called, that for Parker being first led. Hugh M'Queen, compass adjuster on board the Balmoral Castle, said when the Princess of Wales was 'about a quarter of a mile from the Balmoral Castle, Parker gave the order to port the helm of the latter and the same order was repeated a little later.

The Princess of Wales was then about half a point off their starboard bow. The next thing he noticed was the

Princess of Wales coming further out from shore and immediately afterwards Parker telegraphed to stop the

Balmoral Castle. It was the Princess of' Wales 'starboarding' when about one hundred yards off that caused the collision. Parker was attending to his duty the whole time he was on board.

Charles Mulvenna, rigger, Dumbarton, who was also on board the Balmoral Castle, said he heard Parker say "Good God, does he really mean it ?" when the Princess of Wales slewed round on her starboard helm and put on speed just before the collision.

James Chapman, master of and on board the Balmoral Castle at the time of the run, though not then in charge of the vessel, said he had not noticed the Princess of Wales at all until his attention was called to her by an exclamation of Mr Rowan.

He then looked along the port side and saw the other vessel crossing their bow at a slight angle. He (Witness) ran to the lower bridge and, when on the way, he heard the telegraph sound, this was some eighteen or twenty seconds before the collision.

Andrew Thom, groom, Skelmorlie, who saw the collision from the same point as the witness Scott, said he saw the Princess of Wales take a slant all at once across the Balmoral Castle's bow and increase her speed just before the collision. Had the Princess of Wales not altered her course as described, witness thought they would have "scraped bye" one another.

For Barrie's defence, David Sinclair, ship's carpenter on the Princess of Wales, said he noticed the Balmoral Castle, about two minutes before the collision, about a point and a half on their starboard bow. Shortly after that, the Balmoral Castle kept a little more inshore but, thirty or forty minutes before the collision, she came out again. The Princess of Wales then starboarded and went seaward in order to clear the Balmoral Castle.

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Alexander MacMillan, a licensed pilot, said he had acted as such for twenty-four years. The usual course, when one vessel was on the measured mile going up and another was earning on for the downward run, was for the former to hold her course, the vessel coming on to the mile taking a course for herself.

Andrew Wood Anderson, a lad and John Patrick Burns, teacher of music, Skelmorlie, both of whom saw the collision, were also examined. The latter, who was in a boat at the time of the occurrence, said he did not think there was any fear of a collision till the Balmoral Castle ported her helm, which had the effect of bringing her nearer the Princess of Wales.

William Gillies, writer in Glasgow, who was fishing opposite Ashcraig House on the occasion in question, said the Princess of Wales appeared to him to keep the same course going down as she did coming up the mile, but he

(witness) could not have imagined any vessel being steered so erratically as the Balmoral Castle was. This concluded the evidence and the Solicitor-General addressed the jury for the prosecution.

In the course of his address, he said there "was, as could be imagined, a strong desire on the part of those in charge of vessels testing their speed over the measured mile, to keep as straight a course as possible and he

admitted that it was probably this temptation which led the panels into committing the offence, which he held had been proved against them. Mr Comrie Thomson, for the panel Parker and Mr Dickson, for Barrie, also addressed the jury.

His Lordship, summing up, stated at the outset that he should depart from the custom usually followed with cases in that Court, of reviewing the evidence first and stating the principles of law involved in the case afterwards. He thought he should do better to state the law on the subject first. Doing so, he pointed out that personal care was

not to be expected except reasonably within the rules prescribed and if the rules were reasonably carried out, personal skill was not to be held to be infallible skill.

If the jury were satisfied that they could account for the accident without there being any reasonable blame attaching to anybody in respect of care, or failure in the exercise of reasonable care and skill, then they must acquit the accused. But, on the other hand, if they came to the conclusion that there must have been fault somewhere before such an accident could have happened, their duty was to endeavour to find out who were at fault.

After an absence from Court of about three-quarters of an hour, the jury returned their verdict, unanimously finding the panel Parker guilty as libelled and the panel Barrie, by a majority, guilty of failing to slacken speed by stopping and reversing.

His Lordship, in pronouncing sentence, said he was sorry to see two men, whose character undoubtedly stood high, placed in the unfortunate position in which they were and he could not but feel that the jury must have given very serious consideration to the case before they convicted two men of their position and the experience which they had. He noticed that in the latest case of the kind, where the.occupants of a boat were thrown into the water and put in danger of their lives, in consequence of its being run down by a vessel carelessly, a sentence of three months imprisonment was passed. It would be quite impossible for him to pronounce any less, or even that, sentence upon the prisoners in the present circumstance. He accordingly sentenced each of them to four months imprisonment.

Friday 30th August 1889 - Page 7

THE GREENOCK AND WEMYSS BAY RAILWAY

The report that a meeting had been held between representatives of the Caledonian Railway Company and of the Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Company with a view to the former taking over the latter railway was received with favour by the travelling public.

For many years past the Caledonian Railway directors have been endeavouring to buy up the Wemyss Bay line in order to improve it and render it more suitable for the coast

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traffic. It is said that they even offered, if the chairman (Mr James Lamont of Knockdhu) would sell his interests in the line, he holding fully one-half of the stock, to make a double line of rails. However, Mr Lamont was not pleased with the terms offered and for years past there have been frequent law pleas between the two directorates.

The line was opened about 1864 and the revenue gradually improved. In 1873 it reached £21,000 and in 1877 £30,644. In 1878 the traffic amounted to £31,267 and the maintenance etc. to £19,704.

In that year shareholders received their first dividend of 3½% for both half-years. For 1879 5½% and 4% were given; for 1880 6¼% and 2¾%; for 1881 5½ % and 3%, but for 1882 only 1½%. Since that half-year there has been no dividend paid till last year, but a large balance of debt has been greatly reduced.

The traffic receipts have fallen off considerably, last year's amounting to only £33,388 being £7,000 less than for1881. However, dividends of 1% and 2½% were given on the two half-years' accounts. The authorised capital of the Company is 12,000 ordinary shares of £10 each and 3000 5% £10 preference shares with an authorised loan capital of £50,000, making in all £200,000. The amount expended on the line has been £200,402 16s 10d.

The £10 shares of the Company stand at £12 8s 9d. Ten shares at par being equal to one ordinary Caledonian share. The market value of the ten shares is equal to £124 7s 6d. The Caledonian £100 shares are at present saleable at £128 so that the Wemyss Bay shareholder, according to the reported agreement, will get one Caledonian share for ten Wemyss Bay shares. They thus derive a benefit of £3 12s 6d per ten Wemyss Bay shares. The Caledonian Railway company at present hold £35,000 of the ordinary stock in the Wemyss Bay line.

Should the purchase be sanctioned at the meeting of the Caledonian Railway shareholders next month, it will give the Caledonian Conipaoy another valuable link besides the Gourock line to the increasing passenger.traffic to the coast towns. It is even hinted that, had the Wemyss Bay Company agreed to the present terms a few years ago, there would have been little likelihood of the Gourock line being in existence.

Saturday 20th February 1892 - Page 3

SKELMORLIE - WEMYSS BAY

For SALE - By Public Roup within The Faculty Hall, Glasgow on Wednesday the 16th March, at 2.30 o'clock P.M. That Most Desirable WEST COAST RESIDENCE called CRAIG-NA-HULLIE, SKELMORLIE, with STABLE and COACH-HOUSE.

The house contains 3 Public Rooms, 8 Bedrooms and 4 Servants' Bedrooms, Housekeeper's Room, Servants' Hall, Cloak Room and Lavatory, Kitchen, Scullery, Store Room, Larder, Pantry, Bath Room, 3 W.C's, Laundry, Wash House etc., etc.. Hot and Cold Water throughout. There is also a large conservatory. The Stable premises consist of a large Courtyard, Three-Stalled Stable, Loose Box, Coach House, Harness Room, Hay Loft and two houses of room and kitchen each. The house stands within its own grounds, which include the whole rock face and it commands an uninterrupted view of the Firth. Feu Duty £12 5s. The house is handsomely furnished and the furniture can be had at valuation. Upset Price £3,500. Apply to GEORGE SMITH, Clydesdale Bank, Wemyss Bay; J. Honeyman, Architect, 140 Bath Street, Glasgow; CORNILLON, CRAIG & THOMAS, S.S.C., 130 George Street, Edinburgh, who have the titles.

Saturday 27th July 1895 - Page 6

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BAZAAR AT SKELMORLIE — Yesterday afternoon The Earl of Eglinton opened a bazaar at Skelmorlie to raise a sum of. £1,200 in aid of the fund for completing the new Parish Church. There was a large attendance in spite of tbe disagreeable weather. Lord Eglinton, who was accompanied by The Countess, expressed his pleasure at being present and referred to the connection of his family with Skelmorlie and the church. He said the object of the bazaar was to raise funds for the completion of the new church. The population of the place was now so much increased, in the summer time 'especially, tbat a large church was necessary, otherwise the minister would have to bold overflow meeting (Laughter). It was a great pleasure to see how the churches helped each other nowadays and the old feeling of antagonism appeared to be dying out. He hoped the bazaar would be a great success. The Rev. Dr Macleod, Moderator of The Church of Scotland, also made a few remarks, Sir John Burns of Castle Wemyss proposed a voted thanks to Lord Eglinton, to Dr Macleod and to the Rev. John Boyd and the kirk session of Skelmorlie U.P. Church for their kindness to the Established Church congregation during the period the new church had been building. The new church, which it is expected will be opened in August, is a handsome building in red stone occupying the site of the old church. It has a nice tower and is altogether a much handsomer and more commodious edifice than the one it replaces.Friday 15th February 1895 - Page 6

SKELMORLIE PARISH - HOUSE OF COMMONS - Thursday 14 February

Mr Cochrane asked The Secretary for Scotland, with reference to the statement in his decision refusing the application of Skelmorlie to have a separate Parish Council, that it would be in direct opposition to recent legislative precedents, would he state to what recent legislative precedents he referred, whether, seeing that under The Local Government Act of 1894 he had recently obtained power to give Parish Councils to parishes situated similarly to Skelmorlie, he would reconsider his decision and whether, had he had been informed that Skelmorlie was a parish situated partly in one county and partly in another, before he directed an inquiry to be held, what steps he proposed to take to relieve the inhabitants of the unnecessary expense thus incurred ?

Sir George Trevelyan responded that, "Section 49 of The Local Government (Scotland) Act, I894, is the precedent which I had more particularly in view, The Boundary Commissioners, who were constituted by that Act, were enjoined to frame orders dealing with parishes so that each parish, if the Commissioners shall, in the whole circumstances of the case, deem it necessary or expedient, may be within a single county. There were several parishes in two or more counties in 1888. There are now only seven. I think the decision in the case of Skelmorlie was a right decision. I have no power to relieve authorities appearing at an inquiry of any expenses which they may incur.

Friday 4th May 1900 - Page 1

CALEDONIAN RAILWAY COMPANY - WEMYSS BAY PIER EXTENSION

The DIRECTORS of THE CALEDONIAN RAILWAY COMPANY are prepared to receive tenders for the work to be expected in the EXTENSION of the PIER at WEMYSS BAY. Drawings may be seen on and after the 14th instant at the Office of the Company's Engineer, Buchanan Street Station, Glasgow where copies of the Specification and Schedule may be obtained on payment of £2 2s, which will be returned to contractors making a bona-fide offer. An Assistant Engineer will attend at Wemyss Bay Station on Wednesday the 16th instant at 11.30 a.m. to point out the site of the works. Tenders, endorsed on the outside "Tender for Extension of Pier at Wemyss Bay", to be lodged with the undersigned on or before the 25th instant. The Directors do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any tender. J. BLACKBURN, Secretary, Caledonian Railway Company's Offices, 302 Buchanan Street, Glasgow - 3rd May 1900.

Saturday 22nd September 1900 - Page 8

WEMYSS BAY PIER DESTROYED BY FIRE

A .DESTRUCTIVE fire occurred at Wemyss Bay yesterday morning, as a result.of which the whole of the upper part of the pier was completely burned, the damage entailed being

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estimated at from £12,000 to £15,000. The Caledonian Railway Company, who are the owners of the pier, were in course of reconstructing it and for some time tradesmen have been constantly engaged at the work. Stores have been erected under the higher portion of the old pier for the use of the contractors and the fire originated in one of these stores, which contained oil and other inflammable materials.

The outbreak was noticed shortly after one o'clock in the morning by Mr Robinson, station-master at Wemyss Bay. He at once raised the alarm and the Greenock and Largs Fire Brigades were summoned, the former however being unable to respond.

All the employees and workmen set to work to combat the fare, which spread very rapidly, the heat being intense. It quickly became evident that there was no possibility of saving the older or upper portion of the pier and the efforts of the men who were soon reinforced by the Largs Fire Brigade were directed towards saving the new pier. There was a plentiful supply of gravitation water, but only a limited supply of hose pipe was available until the steamer Caledonia, from Gourock, arrived with a large quantity. The progress of the fire was then effectually arrested and the flames slowly burned out before the morning was.far advanced. The portion of the pier affected extends about fifty feet on either side, but on the higher side only the charred piles are left, while on the other the surface is left intact, although the part underneath is badly burned.

It is estimated that to replace the portion of the pier destroyed and compensate the contractor, Mr M"Bride, Port-Glasgow, who has suffered heavily by the fire, will involve an expenditure of from £12,000 to £15,000 ! The loss is reported to be covered by insurance. A portable engine and sawmill had been fitted up by the contractor and these went down with the top end of the pier and fell into the sea. The fire caused a great deal of stir in the neighbourhood. A breakdown gang were at work early in the day and Mr James Williamson, superintendent of the Steam Packet Company, made arrangements for the Wemyss Bay steamers proceeding to Gourock to lift and embark their passengers. An effort is being made to make temporary provision at the pier for the Glasgow holiday traffic on Monday. Last night the work of temporary repair had made sufficient progress to enable the Caledonian Railway Company to intimate that the pier would be reopened for traffic to-day as usual.

Thursday 10th July 1902 - Page 9

Wemyss Bay Railway Facilities — The ground has been surveyed, between a point west of Wemyss Bay Station and Upper Skelmorlie, with the view of The Caledonian Railway Company laying a single line of rails to the west end of Upper Skelmorlie. The district is being rapidly built on.

Tuesday 30th September 1902 - Page 5

THE DOUBLING OF THE WEMYSS BAY LINE

When The Caledonian Railway Company purchased the Wemyss Bay line a few years ago, it became known that the purchase had been made with the view of the line being fitted with a double set of rails and giving an improved railway and steamboat connection with the coast towns.

The doubling of the line was begun in the early part of the following year and rapid progress has been made with the work. The present .railway station is situated on a level with the public road and passengers from the trains take from ten to twelve minutes getting on board the steamers. This is now bcing improved on.

The line from the east end of the present platform is being lowered considerably and the rails make a sweep seawards and terminating on the pier, which has been lengthened, widened and strengthened. The trains will run alongside the steamers, the platforms

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being about 12 ft above the level of the pier which will be reached by steps. It is expected that by this arrangement passengers will embark five minutes after the arrival of the train. By express train and direct stearner to Rothesay, passengers will land at the latter in 80 miuutes from the Glasgow Central Station. The contractors are pushing ahead with the work.

At the west end of the line, the sea wall and also the retaining wall inside of it, are well forward to the pier, but the lowering of the bed for for the line down to to the pier has not yet been properly begun. The line, when first formed in 1865, was double from the station to the entrance gate of the North Lodge to Kelly House. There are temporary rails a considerable distance from that point towards Inverkip and from the west of the o!d quarry, where the stone has to be removed to allow of the new line. The stone for the retaining walls near the pier are got and also debris to fill up the space between the new sea wall and the present ground.

At Inverkip Station a bridge is to be thrown across the line sufficiently wide for a carriage to cross. There will be a road branch off from the present road, running west to the bridge and the work is well advanced. The new tunnel for the new, or down, line is excavated and built 50 yards at each end, but 80 yards have yet to be excavated and as the tunnel has to be cut through rock, the work is slow. The down platform at Inverkip Station is formed and at the east end of the station there will be a bridge for passengers between the two platforms. The present station-house, waiting-room and will be replaced by more commodious ones. The line is not meantime to be doubled but will be single from Dunrod Farm to a short distance west of the Greenock Station.

The station at Upper Greenock is now completed. It is an island platform eight hundred feet in length, the entrance being by a subway from the head of Lynedoch Street and is by three minutes shorter than the old entrance to the station and is of a much easier approach. There are nicely fitted up waiting rooms, with entrances from the up and down sides. The booking-office is at the head of the subway. The double line between Greenock Station is now open, the contractors, Messrs M'Alpine & Sons, having only a few unimportant parts of the work to completed. The new tunnel on the line between Port Glasgow and Upper Greenock is three hundred and sixty yards in length.

The work at the Wemyss Bay end of the line will not be completed till 1904. The double line between Upper Greer.otk and Port Glasgow is a considerable advantage, in so far that it allows a clear run on the mainline to Gourock. At the end of the months in the summer season the up-trains were very often delayed by the amount of passenger luggage and the down-train was due before the up one passed, the former had to remain at Port-Glasgow Station till the up one passed the junction and a train for Gourock coming behind had to remain outside Port-Glasgow Station till the line was clear. Now however, if the up train is late, the down-train passes on to Upper Greenock, thereby clearing the line for Gourock.The ground has been surveyed between a point west of Wemyss Bay Station and Upper Skelmorlie with the view of The Caledonian Company laying a single line of rails to the west end of Upper Skelmorlie. The district is being rapidly built on and as there are a good many acres of suitable tableland for building purposes, which would afford one of the finest views on the Clyde, it is thought if a line of railway was run into the district, the ground would be rapidly built on.

Saturday 2nd May 1903 - Page 8

SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT WEMYSS BAY

Last night, between five and six o'clock, a distressing accident occurred at Wemyss Bay Railway Station, which resulted in the deaths of two workmen and severe injury to other seven. The accident occurred to a train by which the workmen engaged at the rebuilding of Wemyss Bay Station and pier are convoyed between Greenock and Wemyss Bay.

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After taking the workmen down from Greenock early in the morning, this train, composed of four carriages, the end one being a brake van, with four passenger compartments, lies in a siding outside Wemyss Bay Station till half past five in the even-ing, when it is backed in to take up the workmen returning their homes in Greenock. A number of the men are in the habit of boarding the train at the siding before it enters the station and last night as usual the composite carriages were occupied before the train started back.

There is a declivity from the siding to the station of one in seventy to one in seventy-five. It appears that when the time came for the train to be run back, the guard removed the brakes, while the engine was some distance from the train, being under the impression that the engine was coupled on. The train immediately started back towards the station. An attempt was made to apply the brakes, but owing to the rails being greasy, they failed to act and the train ran into No 2 dock at great speed.

Several waggons laden with metal were lying at the head of the dock and into those the train crashed with such force as to telescope the brake van and the carriage first to it, while a third carriage was knocked off the metals.

When the terrible shock and floise of the smash had passed, the passengers scrambled out, a number of them having been injured through having been thrown violently against each other. Owing to the telescoping of the carriages, great difficulty was experienced in getting at the injured. Ultimately it was ascertained that two men had been killed and seven severely injured. Medical aid was rendered to the injured men and as speedily as possible they were conveyed by train to Greenock and afterward removed in ambulance vans to the Infirmary. The bodies of the two men who were killed were removed to the mortuary at Inverkip. Killed - James M'Mimneny (34), John Street, Greenock and Samuel Haddon (60), residing in a lodging-house in Greenock.

Injured - Alexander Waton (50), 26 East Crawford Street; J. M'Gachan (21), 13 Sprmgkell Street; J. M'Laughlan (25), 24 St John Street; Neil M'Millan (40), 13 Shaw Street; Joseph Riley (19), 5 Smith's Lane; James Boyle (22), 2 Tobago Street; P. M'Cann (24), 5 Shaw Street, all of Greenock. The injuries are chiefly about the legs and arms. Riley's condition is considered serious.

Saturday 26th November 1904 - Page 3

KELLY ESTATE, WEMYSS BAY

For Sale, Privately, the BEAUTIFUL RESIDENTIAL ESTATE of KELLY, WEMYSS BAY, situated in the COUNTIES of RENFREW and AYR and extending to 740 Acres or thereby. The estate lies upon the Eastern shores of The Firth of Clyde and is within an hour by train Glasgow. Of the Lands, about 340 Acres or thereby are under Wood and the remainder consists of Arable Land, Pleasure grounds, Roads and Rough Hill Pasture.

The Mansion-House, which has been recently built, is situated upon rising ground above the romantic Keily Glen which divides the Counties of Renfrew and Ayr. The House is in excellent order and is fitted up with every modern convenience and contains accommodation for a large family. The Offices are substantial and are my suitable for the Property. Wemyss Bay also affords an excellent Anchorage for Yachts.

WEMYSS BAY HOTEL, which is situated near the Railway Station and forms part of the Estate, will be included in the Sale. For Illustrated Book of Particulars and Orders to View apply to WATT, SON & CO., Writers, 183 St Vincent Street, Glasgow.

Wednesday 22nd February 1905 - Page 3and Saturday 4th March 1905 - Page 4

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KELLY ESTATE, WEMYSS BAY

For Sale, Privately, the BEAUTIFUL RESIDENTIAL ESTATE of KELLY, WEMYSS BAY, situated in the COUNTIES of RENFREW and AYR and extending to 740 Acres or thereby. The estate lies upon the Eastern shores of The Firth of Clyde and is within an hour by train Glasgow. Of the Lands, about 340 Acres or thereby are under Wood and the remainder consists of Arable Land, Pleasure grounds, Roads and Rough Hill Pasture.

The Mansion-House, which has been recently built, is situated upon rising ground above the romantic Keily Glen which divides the Counties of Renfrew and Ayr. The House is in excellent order and is fitted up with every modern convenience and contains accommodation for a large family. The Offices are substantial and are my suitable for the Property. Wemyss Bay also affords an excellent Anchorage for Yachts.

REDUCED UPSET PRICE £40,000

WEMYSS BAY HOTEL, which is situated near the Railway Station and forms part of the Estate, will be included in the Sale. For Illustrated Book of Particulars and Orders to View apply to WATT, SON & CO., Writers, 183 St Vincent Street, Glasgow.

Saturday 12th February 1910 - Page 5

WEMYSS BAY - For SALE by private bargain Or to LET, TIGH-NA-MARA Large and Handsome Villa situated on the shore - It contains 4 Public Rooms, 9 Bed Booms, 2 Bath Rooms and Extensive Kitchen, Pantry, Laundry and Servants' Accommodation. The Offices consist of 2-Stalled Stable, Coachman's House, 2 Coach Houses, Harness Room etc.. The property can be seen at any time on application Messrs Alex. Stewart and Sons, House Agents, Wemyss Bay.

Offers will be received by Messrs. J. and F. Anderson, W.S., 48 Castle Street, Edinburgh.

Saturday 6th December 1913 - Page 9

CLYDE MANSION DESTROYED - FIRE AT WEMYSS BAY

The West Coast mansion house of Kelly, situated on The Firth of Clyde, in a very commanding position above Wemyss Bay, was destroyed by fire yesterday, in the early hours of the morning. The building, which has recently been unoccuoied, was in flames when the outbreak was first observed and little or nothing could be done to check the progress of the fire.

The main door of the mansion had apparently been forced open during the night and a note bearing the words, "Retaliation; a Reply to The Cat and Mouse Act" and suffragist literature was found in the grounds and near the railway station.

The alarm was raised shortly after five o'clock. A foreman platelayer employed on The Caledonian Railway at Wcmyss Bay was preparing to leave for his work at that time when he observed an unusual glare in tho sky and he soon discovered that Kelly House, on the rising ground about half a mile away was ablaze. He roused the local constable, who lives in the same house and also communicated with the Wemyss Bay stationmaster. A telephone message was sent to Johnstone, fifteen miles away, summoning the assistance of the fire brigade of the Lower District of Renfrewshire. Despite the distance across country to be covered, the brigade arrived on the scene about an hour after receiving the alarm.

A SUFFRAGIST MESSAGE

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Meanwhile the station-master, Mr Thomas Prentice, had walked up to Kelly House. He found the mansion to be "literally a roaring furnace". Flames and smoke were issuing from almost every window and parts of the roof were beginning to fall. Notwithstanding the great heat, Mr Prentice made his way close to the building and he made the discovery that the main front door had been forced open, one half of the door lying over towards the interior. He proceeded to make a brief inspection of the grounds around the house when he found a brown paper parcel lying on the lawn. Inside the parcel was a small piece of cream-coloured paper on which appeared the words, "Retaliation; a Reply to The 'Cat and Mouse' Act". This paper he handed over to the police. The suspicion to which this discovery gave rise was confirmed about five hours later, when a chauffeur found suffragist literature, including copies of 'Votes for Women and Women's Suffrage : Or, In the Cause of Humanity' lying in the shrubbery near the entrance to the railway station.

FIREMEN'S HOPELESS TASK

The situation was found by the firemen on their arrival to be a hopeless one so far as the prospect of saving the building was concerned. Not only was the fire in so advanced a stage as to make it beyond control, but there was a scarcity in the supply of water. Lines of hose had to be laid down between the mansion and the Kelly Burn, a distance of about three hundred yards, before any satisfactory supply of water could be brought into play. Soon, however, the roof of the building crashed in and only the "walls remained standing. The firemen continued to pour water on the burning mass for several hours, but the forenoon was well advanced and the mansion had been completely burned out, before the fire began to subside. While the conflagration was at its height, the reflection in the sky was visible for miles round. It was conspicuous from the towns of Greenock, Rothesay and Largs.

Yesterday afternoon it was learned that Captain Williamson of the Fire Brigade had made arrangements for the firemen to be at work throughout the night, in order to prevent a further outbreak. Practically the only part of the building not destroyed is a corner of the south side wing. One of the ground floor rooms at this part was found to contain a marble timepiece which had escaped damage.

POLICE INVESTIGATIONS

Early in the day Inspector Watson and Detective Lobban of the Renfrewshire Constabulary, at Gourock, reached Wemyss Bay and began investigation into the cause of the fire. The literature found in the grounds was naturally considered to be of some importance as a clue. Information was received of a motor car having been heard to pass the railway station about half-past three o'clock. The belief in the theory that the fire was the work of incendiaries is strengthened by the circumstance that there was little possibility of the outbreak having been accidental in its origin. There were no fires in the house and the supply of electricity, which was maintained from a private power station, had been cut off when the tenant left the house about nine months ago.

HISTORY OF THE MANSION

Kelly House was one of tho most imposing mansions on The Firth of Clyde and, being situated on rising ground above Wemyss Bay Station, it commanded a magnificent view of the estuary from Kilcreggan to Arran. The grounds, which are handsomely laid out, with a large area of pleasant woodland, extend to about 740 acres. They are situated in Renfrewshire and the Kelly burn, which joins the sea south of Wemyss Bay Pier, forms the boundary with .Ayrshire.

The burn of Kelly has its place in Scottish song, traditional verses entitled "The Farmer's Old Wife" having been moulded by Robert Burns into "The Carl of Kelly Burn Braes". The estate is an old one, having been granted to tho Bannatynes of Kames by James III and it was held by that family for three centuries. The old castle of Kelly was destroyed by fire in

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1740. The lands came into the possession of Mr John Wallace of Neilstonside, a prosperous West India merchant and a descendant of Sir William Wallace, in 1792. The next owner was Mr Robert Wallace, an ardent advocate of Chartism, who represented Greenock in Parliament from 1833 till 1845 and who did valuable work in connection with postage reform. The estate passed into other hands about the middle of the century and it was soon afterwards divided, one part being sold to Mr John Burns in 1860 and the other, the Kelly of the present, sold to Mr James Young, the pioneer in Scotland of the paraffin industry, in 1867.

A MEMORIAL OF LIVINGSTONE

Mr James Young was a close friend of Dr Livingstone. They were fellow-students in Anderson's College and Mr Young subscribed liberally to the Central Africa missionary enterprises. A replica of the straw hut in which Livingstone died, erected by the explorer's two native servants who brought his body to Britain, is a prominent feature of the estate policies. About twenty-six years ago Kelly was purchasod by the late Mr Alexander Stephen of Linthouse for £30,000. Theo mansion-house, which was situated near the public road where it passes Wemyss Bay Station, was cleared away and Mr Stephen had the new house built of local red sandtone in a position higher up the slope.

A large sum of money, the amount estimated is £70,000, was spent in erecting the mansion and improving the polices. On Mr Stephen's death, the property became the property of his sons, Messrs. Alexander and Frederick Coats and they leased it to Mr J. Clark Neill, one of the directors of Messrs. J. and P. Coats (Limited), about five years ago. Mr Neill ceased to occupy the mansion in April of the present year, when he removed to Curling Hall, Largs and recently the property has been on the market. Negotiations had been proceeding within the past few days, it is said, between the owners and the representatives of Mr Spencer, shipbroker, Glasgow, for a lease of the house.

Saturday 11th July 1914 - Page 9

Alexander D. Paton of Skelmorlie Mains has been appointed a J.P..

Saturday 14th November 1914 - Page 7

ECCLESIASTICAL

SKELMORLIE Minister for ST GEORGE'S, EDIN BURGH—At a special meeting yesterday, Greenock Presbytery had before them an application fron the Rev. D. Bruce Nicol, Skelmorlie, for six months leave of absence in order to take temporay charge of St George's, Edinburgh, whose minister the REV. Gavin Lang Pagan, has joined Lord Kitchener's Army. The Moderator, the Rev. D. J. Moir-Porteous, said that while there might be differences of opinion as to the propriety of ministers enlisting for active service, there was no doubt that they all felt a certain pride in the action taken by their former co-Presbyter, Mr Pagan (Applause). A letter was submitted from Mr Nicol stating that in the event of his application being granted, arrangements would be made to have the work at Skelmorlie carried on by the Rev. T. H. Wright, who, until recently, was Church of Scotland chaplain at Dresden.

Communication - We also read from the sessions of St George and Skelmorlie, the latter acquiescing to their minister's temporary transfer to Edinburgh. The Rev. Mr Nicol having cited a precedent for his application, said the request from St George's was unusual and perhaps his acceptance was an unusual thing too, but for a number of reasons he felt he was justified in making his application to The Presbytery. He was asked to take over the duties of St George's for a year, but he could not see his way to accept for more than six month and he also stipulated that he should be allowed to return to Skelmorlie one Sunday each month. The Rev. Charles Christie, in moving that the application be framed, said they all admired the gallantry and chivalry of Mr Pagan in volunteering as an

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ordinary private, to do what he could for his country's honour, (Applause). The Rev. T. E. Thomson seconded and the motion was unanimously agreed to.

Tuesday 18th January 1916 - Page 9

COURT OF SESSIONOUTER HOUSE - MONDAY, January 17.(BEFOBE LORD DEWAB)

DISTILLERS ALLEGED MARRIAGE

DECL. OF Marriage — Mrs RUSSELL OR MACKENZIE V. T. MACKENZIE'S TRS.

Lord Dewar heard further evidence for the defence in the action of declarator of marriage by Mrs Mary Russell or Mackenzie, Duncarse, Bearsden, Glasgow, against the trustees of the late Thomas Mackenzie, distiller, Dailuaine, Carron, Banff-shire.

Mrs Mary Miller stated that she was trained as a hospital nurse and in 1901 she was asked to attend the late Mr Thomas Mackenzie. He had pneumonia at the time, Mrs Russell looked after the house. The witness was there four or five weeks. She did not suspect there was any other relationship at that time between Mr Mackenzie and Mrs Russell. Mr Mackenzie addrossed her as "Mrs Russell". Mrs Russell told her about a child and witness presumed that she was married. From what she could judge, she thought she was married to some employee on Mr Mackenzie's estate. When Mr Mackenzie got well, the witness left him on friendly terms. He asked her to come and see him and he wrote to her from Skelmorlie and said his home would always be open to her. She went to see them at Annet Lodge, Skelmorlie.

Mrs Russell continued to play the part of housekeeper. The witness began to suspect that Mrs Russell was more to Mr Mackenzie than a mere housekeeper. That was because of the familiarity that existed between them. She did not act as a servant would. When Mr Mackenzie asked for a thing she took her time about it.Lord Dewar - Just as a wife would do ! Mr Sandeman - Does your Lordship wish that remark to go down in the notes ?

Lord Dewar—It doesn't matter. It was only a joke !

The witness said that in the summer of 1905 she went to see Mrs Russall in Glasgow. Mrs Russell told her that there had been a contract between Mr Mackenzie and herself. The witness spoke to her about not being openly married and said that it was a proper thing to be married.

Lord Dewar—What kind of a contract was it ?

The witness replied that it must have been a marriage contract. She understood it was that. In 1908 or 1909 Mrs Russell, in speaking about being married to Mr Mackenzie told her that owing to this contract or mutual agreement, in the event of Mr Mackenzie's death she would be provided for and be all right then. The witness thought that Mrs Russell told her about the contract being in an envelope and that the envelope was to be opened at Mr Mackenzie's death.

On her last visit in 1909 she felt that Mrs Russell should be openly recognised as Mr Mackenzie's wife. Mrs Russell said she wished that and Mr Mackenzie had led her to understand that he would do so. On one occasion Mrs Russell was in her bedroom weeping about her position, not being recognised as Mr Mackenzie's wife. The witness said then that she could never look on Mrs Russell's distress again. She knew the false position Mrs Russell occupied. The child was playing happily in the next room and the mother was in

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dire anguish and it was because of the distress it caused the witness that she said she could not go back again.

Cross-examined, the witness said she formed the impression that Mr Mackenzie was very much attached to Mrs Russell. She found Mrs Russell a gentle and shy woman and Mr Mackenzie was a strong and domineering kind of man. When the witness called at Mr Mackenzie's house in 1905, Mrs Russell and she talked about marriage. She understood that there was a kind of secret marriage between Mr Mackenzie and Mrs Russell. Mrs Russell told her that she had written and that Mr Mackenzie had written. The witness's impression was that it must have been about marriage. It was her view that there was a secret marriage.

Pursuor told her that Mr Mackenzie wanted her to be educated in order to benfitted to be his wife. She had heard Mr Mackenzie call the pursuer "child". That was the only endearing term she heard him use.

Lord Dewar — The impression I gather from your evidence is that she was a gentle, unselfish woman ? - Very, sympathetic.

Counsel were then heard upon the evidence and His Lordship reserved judgement.

Counsel for the Pursuer - Mr Home K.C., Mr M. P. Fraser and Mr Lippe. Agents - Martin, Milligan & Macdonald, W.S..

Tuesday 15th August 1916 - Page 6

GROUSE FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS IN GLASGOW

The Red Cross Game Depot, which has its offices at 47 West Nile Street, Glasgow, given to the Scottish Branch, British Red Cross Society for the purpose of distributing game to the various hospitals in and around Glasgow, was enabled, through the generosity of Mr W. A. Coats of Skelmorlie Castle, who sent 105½ brace grouse and 6 hares; Colonel J. G. A. Baird of Wellwood, Muirkirk, who sent 60 brace of grouse and of Mr H. F. Manisty, Dochfour, Strathyre who, besides sending to hospitals direct, gave 6 brace of grouse, to send 171½ brace grouse and 6 hares to the following hospitals - Stobhill, Yorkhill, Bellahouston, Merryflats, Oakbank, Woodside, Springburn, the Royal and Western Infirmaries, all delivered on the same day as received. It is hoped to supply other hospitals in turn. The Executive will be grateful for other gifts, which are highly appreciated by the sick and wounded soldiers. A few bunches of heather with the game could be distributed.

Monday 16th September 1918 - Page 1

LOCUM TENENS required for Skelmorlie Parish Church for winter months : Apply to J. M. Gairdner, Heywood, Skelmorlie.

Friday 25th October 1918 - Page 1

TABLEMAID or experienced house-tablemaid, where housemaid kept, wanted , term, state age, wages, references. Mrs Cedric Scott, Stroove, Skelmorlie.

Thursday 6th March 1919 - Page 1

SKELMORLIE For Sale by Public Roup within The Faculty Ball, St George's Place, Glasgow, Wednesday, 13th March 1919, At 3 o'clock P.M. (unless previously disposed of Privately), BEECHGROVE, SKELMORLIE. containing 3 Public and 7 Bed Rooms, with Cloakroom. Kitchen. Servants' Accommodation. &c; also Stable, Coachhouse, and Gardener's House. The Ground extends to fully Two Acres and the House commands a good sea view, Feu Duty £32 15s. 5d. (Casualties commuted) UPSET PRICE £1850. For particulars apply to DONALDSON & ALEXANDER, Writers, 185 (?) St Vincent Street, Glasgow, who have the Titles and Articles of Roup.

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Thursday 21st August 1919 - Page 4

FUNERAL OF LORD INVERCLYDE - IMPRESSIVE SCENES AT WEMYSS BAY

WITH solemn ceremonial, marked by many manifestations of sorrow on the part of relatives and fnends, the remains of Lord Inverdyde were buried yesterday afternoon in the family vault at The English Episcopal Church, which was built by his grandfather, Sir George Burns, at Wemyss Bay. In Glasgow, with which his business life was largely associated, flags were flown at halfmast from many buildings induding The City Chambers and the various shipping offices and at the harbour while this token of sympathy and remembrance was also displayed by shipping, in The Firth of Clyde.

At Wemyss Bay, the aspect of the place was in harmony with the occasion, blinds being drawn in the houses and the shops in the district being closed, while at the church and on the roadway to the Castle large numbers of people gathered and respectfully watched the passing of the cortege. There was no formal service at Castle Wemyss, where many of the more intimate friends joined the relatives and took places in the funeral procession.

The coffin, which was of panelled oak, bearing a plate with the simple inscription, "The Right Honourable James Cleland, third Baron Inverclyde of Castle Wemyss. Born 14th February, 1864 : Died 16th August 1919", was placed upon a gun carriage and covered with a Union-Jack, on top of which wore the military hat and sword of the dead -nobleman, beside a large cross in carnations having the words "In loving remembrance from his wife".

Flanking the gun-carriage were 27 of the ship's company of His Lordship's yacht Beryl, under the command of Captain Mac pherson, the carriage being drawn by ten members of the crew, with six officers acting as bearers. The Hon. J. Alan Burns, heir to the title, who was dressed in the uniform of an officer of The Scots Guards, took his place immediately behind the coffin, followed by the other members of the family and their friends and representatives of the various bodies with which Lord Inverclyde had been connected.

The principal mourners accompanying the cortege to the church were The Hon. J. Alan Bums, Theo Hon. Emily Bums (daughter), the Rev. John MacGilchrist and The Hon. Mrs MacGilchrist (sister), Prebendary Corfield, vicar of St Mary's, Taunton and The Hon. Mrs Corfield (sister), The Archdeacon of Coventry (uncle), Mr and Mrs A. E. Maylard (cousins), Mrs Reddie (cousin), Captain Alan Burns of Cumbernauld House (cousin); Colonel Bums Hartopp, Dalby Hall, Melton Mowbroy and General Sir Archibald Hunter and Lady Hunter; Mr A. D. Mearns, director and general manager of The Cunard Company, was present on his own behalf and as representing the chairman, Sir Alfred Booth and the other directors of the Company and the firm of Messrs G. & J. Burns, of which Lord Inverclyde was chairman, was represented by three directors - Messrs A. M. Kay, James Sharp and W. B. Laird. Others who were present included Lord and Lady Blytlwwood and The Hon. Olive Douglas, Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart, Sir James Bell, Sir T. Kennedy Dalziel, Colonel Nugent Dunbar, Major Maclean of Perth, Mr A. Campbell Douglas of Mains, Sir J. Ure Primrose, Sir A. M'lnnes Shaw, Colonel J. M. Denny and many leading shipowners and business men in Glasgow.and the West of Scotland.

A SIMPLE SERVICE

To the accompaniment of the tolling of the church bell, the cortege passed slowly from the castle to the church and the road way was lined by representatives of The Royal Naval Reserve, The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Clyde naval cadets, detachments of The 9th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Tho Clyde Royal Garrison Artillery, The Boy's Brigade, The Dumbartonshire cadets, boys of the training ship Empress and officers and men serving with the firm of Messrs G. .& J. Burns and The Cunard Company, including Captain Richard R.N.R. of the Acquitania.

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Inside the church there, was a large congregation, including the servants on the estate, for whom special accommodation had been provided, while outside, a large crowd for whom accommodation was not available, paid their respectful tribute as the cortege passed into the church. The service was a short and simple one along the lines of the burial offices of The English Church, the officiating clergymen being The Archdeacon of Coventry, Prebendary Corfiold, the Rev. John MacGilchrist and the Rev. T. W. E. Drury, rector of Rehony, the private chaplain.

The service opened with the hymn "For Ever with the Lord", at the conclusion of which the coffin was borne into the church by officers of the yacht Beryl and placed upon the altar in front of the entrance to the vault, Lord Inverclyde's heir, taking his stand beside it. After the singing of the 90th Psalm, Mr MacGilchrist read a portion of Scripture, which was followed by another hymn and the coffin was then carried into the vault, accompanied by the immediate members of the family and The Arch-Deacon of Coventry there conducted the committal service. Prebendary Corfiold offering prayer. "Abide With Me" was then sung and the service concluded with the pronouncing of the benediction by the Arch-Deacon. Outside the church a bugler sounded 'The Last Post' and the organist, Miss Skakles, played the Dead March in "Saul", while outside pipers played "The Flowers of The Forest". After the members of the family and relatives had visited the vault. the congregation dispersed, leaving the church by way of the vault.

BEAUTIFUL WREATHS

In addition to floral tributes from members of his family and other relatives, many beautiful wreaths were sent by personal friends and by the staffs of the firm with which Lord Inverclyde was identified and. also his employees at Castle Wemyss and at Hartfield, Cove and the various agencies in which he took an interest.

The senders included Lord and Lady Newlands, Sir Douglas and Lady Newton, Sir Charles and Lady Scott, General Sir Archibald and Lady Hunter, Colonel and Mrs Nugent Dunbar, Sir James Bcll, the directors of The Clydesdale Bank, the chairman and directors of The Cunard Company, the officers and crew of the yacht Beryl, the directors of The Glasgow City Mission, the directors and staff of Messrs G. & J. Burns (who sent a large anchor in flowers merited "The Service : In grateful remembrance and deepest sorrow"), The Glasgow Battalion of The Boys Brigade (who also sent a floral replica of the badge of the movement), The Dumbartonshire Territorial Force Association, the office-bearers of Craigrownie Parish Church, Cove and various yachting and other clubs with which Lord Inverclyde was connected.

Thursday 28th October 1920 - Page 6

RETAINING WALL COLLAPSES AT WEMYSS BAYFOREMAN KILLED - 6 WORKMEN INJURED

An accident of an alarming nature took place yesterday near Wemyss Bay Station, where a retaining wall alongside the Caledonian Railway line collapsed. The mishap occurred at a point known as Cook's Brae, a steep decline leading to the coast from Inverkip, where the railway crosses the road and the height of the track from the road is 24 feet. Railway workmen have been engaged for some time past in rebuilding a retaining wall on the shore side of the line, opposite Wemyss Bay Hotel.

While work was in progress yesterday, the wall suddenly gave way, many tons of earth and part of the raihvay track fallmg with it and burying the workmen. Unfortunately the remaining portion of the embankment was in imminent danger of falling and nothing could be done to extricate the buried men until the earth and the remaining part of the wall was shored up.

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A special train conveying a number of workmen and railway officials was dispatched from Glasgow to the scene of the accident and another gang with heavier apparatus later arrived from Motherwell. Traffic on both lines was rendered impossible for the time being and trains had to be diverted to Gourock for the steamer connections.

THE WORK OF RESCUE

Last night information was received in Glasgow that out of the eight men entombed all had been rescued alive with the exception of the foreman John Dalrymple. The rescued men had a remarkable escape. They had been engaged in digging a trench for the foundation of a new retaining wall between the old wall and the railway embankment. They had. almost completed the work when the old wall suddenly toppled backwards over them, at the same time bringing down tons of earth. They were saved by the fact that the trench had been lined with planks, held in petition by strong cross battens. In this way the weight of the wreckage was largely supported by the woodwork.

Gangs of workman were immediately summoncd from Glasgow and Motherwell and powerful cranes were dispatched by special trains. The work of reaching ths entombed men was of a strenuous and dangerous character. The groans of the men could be heard from below the wreckage. The cranes were utilised to lift the heavy blocks of broken masonry.

The accident happened shortly after midday and the first man was rescued about seven o'clock last night and within an hour and a-half the other six men had been extricated.

INJURED REMOVED TO INFIRMARIES

The body of Dalrymple was found last. He had evidently been killed outright when the fail took place. Another man, named Jerry O'Shea, was in a critical condition, having been severely crushed about the chest. The others all suffered from bruises and body injuries and also from shock and were in an exhausted condition, but all of them were conscious.

The first four to be recovered were conveyed by motor ambulance to tho Western Infirmary in Glasgow. The remaining three were brought to Glasgow by a special train, which arrived about 10 o'clock, two of them being sent to the Royal Infirmary and one to the Western Infirmary. It is stated that the work of the trench had been completed almost to the last shovelful and that Dalrymple had just gone into the trench to see that all was right before calling out the men. He was about 60 years of age and had been in the service of the Company for over 30 years. The followmg are the names of the men —

KILLED - John Dalrymple, 79 Jamieson Street, Govanhill, married and leaves grown-up family.

INJURED - Jerry O'Shea, 160 Caledonia Road; Timothy Foran, 30 Lime Street, South Side; Michael Brett, 16 Garscube Lane; Owen Boyle, 18 Salisbury Street; Andrew Reid, 538 Keppochhill Road and John Mutchkiditch, 128 Nelson Street, South Side, all resident in Glasgow. All of the men were employed in the engineering department of the Caledonian Railway Company.

THE TRAIN SERVICE

The Caledonian Railway Company announce that on account of the accident, the line between Wemyss Bay and Inverkip Stations will remain closed to-day, but the usual train connections will be maintained between Inverkip, Upper Greenock and Glasgow. Steamer passengers for Innellan, Craigmore, Rothesay, Largs and Millport will be served via Gourock, the services to Innellan, Craigmore and Rothesay being maintained by the 8.25 a.m., 2.50 and 5.20 p.m. trains and to Largs and Millport by the 10.30 a.m.

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train from Glasgow Central, which will be diverted to Gourock. Other connections are being arranged for.

Monday 29th August 1921 - Page 4

CHARABANC OVERTURNS NEAR SKELMORLIE2 KILLED - 13 INJURED

A MOTOR accident occurred on the Wemyss Bay road on Saturday evening about 6.30. The scene of the accident was about four miles from Largs, where the road passes Skelmorlie Castle. The car was a large charabanc belonging to The Clyde Coast Transport Company of Gourock and was rej turning from Largs with a full complement of passengers numbering about 20. The accident is said to have been caused by a small car going in the opposite direction striking the off right front wheel of the charabanc. The charabanc burst through the railing at the sea wall and completely overturned on to the shore, where it lay with the wheels in the air. Two of the passengers, both women, were killed and a number were injured.

The bodies of the killed were removed to mortuary at Largs and the injured pasengers were taken on to Gourock. The accident caused quite a sensation in Largs and many people visited the scene of the accident in the evening.

The following is a list of the killed and injured :—

KILLED

Mrs Fielding, 5 Caledonia Crescent, Gourock and Mrs Forbes (widow), 4 Nile Street, Greenock

INJURED

James Forbes (19), son of Mrs Forbes, who has concussion of the brain and whose condition is serious.James Abercrombie, Glasgow, who is lying unconscious with a fractured scull and internal hemorrhage.Mr and Mrs Arthur Prodd, 21 Royal Street, Gourock. Both seriously injured, Mr Prodd with fractured ribs and Mrs Prodd having a broken arm.Mr and Mrs John Robertson and a three-year-old son. Mr Robertson has his arm broken and several severe bruises. Mrs Robortsen having a broken leg and suffering from shock. They are visitors and their home is at Lomond View, Alloa.Mrs Walls, 14 Almond Park, Glasgow is lying unconscious and her condition is critical.Mr and Mrs William Cabrie. Both are suffering from severe injuries, but their condition is not considered critical. Mr Cabrie is a member of Greenock Fire Brigade.Mr William Elgin (24), lying unconscious, with a leg fracture.Mr and Mrs James Toole, 3 Elderslie Road, Yoker, Glasgow. Mr Toole's leg is broken and Mrs Toole suffering from fractured ribs. In addition to the above, two men were able to proceed home after receiving attention at the Infirmary, their names are Peter Erskine, 85 Thistle Street, Glasgow and James M. Brown, 110 Annfield Street, Glasgow.

Saturday 4th February 1922 - Page 7

OUTER HOUSE(BEFORE LORD ANDERSON} COLLISION AT SKELMORLIE

W. CABRIE AND OTHERS V. CLYDE COAST TRANSPORT COMPANY (LTD.) AND G. EDGAR

Issues for trial were approved of in seven actions arising out-of a collision between a motor charabanc and a motor car near Skelmorlie on the evening of 21th August inst. The collision resulted in the charabanc crashing through an iron railing on the breakwater, overturning and landing upside down on the shore.

The pursuers, passengers on the charabanc, claim various sums of money from the defenders, The Clyde Coast Transport Company (Limited), Tarbert Street, Gourock, who owned the charabanc, which was driven by one of the directors and Graham Edgar, Eastfield, Farmecross, Rutherglen, the driver and owner of the motor car.

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The pursuers are William Cabrie, sub-officer of Greenock Fire Brigade and his wife, Mrs Rachael Cabrie, who each sue for £400 damages; John Robertson, master painter, 18 Paton Street, Alloa, who sues for £3,000 for himself and £100 for his son, John Alexander Robertson and Mrs Robertson, who sues for £1,500 for herself; James Toole, 3 Elderslie Street, Yoker and Mrs Margaret Toole, his wife, who sue for £1000 and £500 respectively; William Abercrombie, jun., 141 West Graham Street, Glasgow, who sues for £5,000; Robert Bell, 30 Bridgend Road, Greenock and Mrs Rebecca Pell his wife, who sue for £250 and £350 respectively and James Forbes, jun., 4 Lyle Street, Greenock, who sues for £1,000.

The pursuers attribute blame to the drivers of both vehicles, who are alleged to have driven in a reckless and negligent manner without having their vehicles under proper control. The defenders both deny fault and blame each other. It is explained that, for some time before the accident, Edgar's car was proceeding behind the charabanc, which drew into the left side of the road, leaving sufficient room for the motor car to pass on the off side. Mr Edgar, however, states that when he had drawn abreast of it the charabanc suddenly swerved and collided with his car. He alleges that the charabanc was not in good working order. This is denied by the owners of the charabanc, who state it was the impact of the motor car striking the charabanc that wrenched the steering wheel out of the hands of the charabanc driver and turned the front wheels in the direction of the near side of the road. Both defenders state that their vehicles were being driven carefully and under proper control.

Counsel for the Pursuers, Mr Watt K.C., Mr Gentles K.C.; Mr Garrett and Mr Duffes. Agents , Balfour & Manson S..S..C. and Hanson & Turner, MacFarlane, W.S.. Counsel for the Clyde Company, —Mr Wark K.C. and Mr James Macdonald. Agents, J.J. Galletly, S.S.C.. Counsel for G. Edgar, Mr Graham Robertson. Agents, Campbell & Smith, S.S.C..

Monday 26th June 1922 - Page 9

WAR MEMORIALS

Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay — The Marquis of Graham yesterday afternoon unveiled a war memorial which has been erected in the parish of Skelmolie and Wemyss Bay on a site of the Kelly Estate. In his address The Marquis said some people were tempted to say and, perhaps a little thoughtlessly, that there were too many memorials, that honouring the fallen dead was being overdone - as if it could ever be really overdone. We should be proud of our nationality, of our British birth and we should honour and for ever respect the names of the brave men who had served us so well. The memorial, which takes the form of a Celtic Cross, contains 29 names. Thursday 7th September 1922 - Page 4

PROPERTY MARKET - GLASGOW

Out of nine properties exposed at the weekly Glasgow market in The Faculty Hall yesterday, three were sold, all at substantial advances on the upset prices, One was a villa at Craigendoran, another a tenement at Skelmorlie, and the third a picture house at Irvine. Details -

Craigendoran, Middleton Drive, "Edzell", Dwelling, Feu Duty £5, Upset Price £700, Realised £1555;Skelmorlie, "Ardview", Tenement, Rent £75 12s 6d, Feu Duty £2 10s, Upset Price £500, Realised £645;Irvine, West Road—Pavilion Picture House, no Feu Duty; Upset Price £!500, Realised £1600.

Wednesday 6th August 1924 - Page 12

ANDERSON—MITCHELL—At the Douglas Hotel, Bath Street, Glasgow, on the 4th inst., by the Rev. J. K ? Macaulay, M.A., Skelmorlie U.F. Church, JAMES ANDERSON, A.M.L.C.E., eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. Anderson, Edinburgh, to AGNES (Nancy), younger daughter of the late ARCHIBALD MITCHELL and of Mrs MITCHELL, Blair Athol, Skelmorlie.

Wednesday 15th October 1924 - Page 16

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SMITH—LAIDLAW—At Skelmorlie United Free Church, on 14th October, by the Reverend J. H. Chambers Macaulay M.A., assisted by the Reverend A. Morris Moodie of Ardeer U.F. Church, Charles Mitchell Smith, second son of the late Thomas Struthers Smith and Mrs F. A. Dubs, Woodbourne, Wemyss Bay and Frances Stevenson, elder daughter of Colonel and Mrs Laidlaw, Beechwood, Skelmorlie.

Monday 20th April 1925 - Page 7

SKELMORLIE RESERVOIR BURSTS FIVE LIVES LOST

By the bursting of a reservoir at Skelmorlie, an Ayrshire holiday resort on The Firth of Clyde, five persons, a woman and four children were drowned on Saturday afternoon. When the reservoir, heavily laden by the abnormal rainfall of the previous night, burst its banks, the waters rushed downhill to the sea and gardens, roads and walls were carried away.

The house occupied by Mr Alexander Dallas, which was situated 100 yards from the reservoir, suffered most by the disaster. Not a stone or a vestige of the house remained after the raging torrent had passed by and some of the furniture was found on the beach almost a quarter of a mile away.

Mrs Dallas and her daughter Lizzie were rescued. They were in the house at the time, but three children, including Mrs Dallas's two sons, were playing on the roadway and warning came to them too late.

Taymouth, the house of Mr T. Adams, was occupied at the time by two nieces and a maid. Mrs Adams was in a garage attending to a motor car when the waters swirled past. She manages to stagger through the flood to her house and saw the maid and one of the nieces roach safety. She then endeavoured to save the other girl, but both were drowned.

SWEEPING TORRENTS - CHILDREN DROWNED IN STREET - AN EDINBURGH VICTIM

Sweeping torrents of water liberated by the bursting of one of the reservoirs situated above the village of Skelmorlie, rushed down upon the inhabitants on Saturday afternoon and caused the deaths of a married woman and four young children.

A house standing right in the track of the oncoming flood was demolished and other

dwellings in the neighbourhood were damaged by flooding, as was also the (Skelmorlie)

Wemyss Bay Hydropathic Hotel. The water forced its way, uprooting trees and crumbling

walls that stood in its track, down and over the main road, half a mile away and into the

sea.

The names of the victims are Mrs Adams, wife of Pat. Adams, Taymouth, Skelmorlie; Ursula Scott (14), Edinburgh, niece of Mrs Adams; Alexander S. Dallas (7½) and Frederick Niven Dallas (5), sons of Alexander Dallas, coal contractor, Birchburn Cottage, Skelmorlie and Winifred Mary , Menhennet (6), 171 Brand Street, Glasgow, niece of Alexander Dallas, Skelmorlie.

Skelmorlie, a popular holiday centre, has a population of about 1000. The village stands on the face of a hill about half-a-mile from the eastern shore of the Firth of Clyde and, with high altitude, commands an excellent view of estuary and the surrounding countryside. Above the village are two reservoirs, which gives its water supply. With the excessive rainfall during the twenty-four hours from Friday to Saturday, the water in the reservoirs had risen to an abnormal height while the burns and rivulets in the district

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were in spate. The retaining wall of the lower dam cracked under the pressure, and the water began to spurt through the fissure.

CHILDREN SWEPT AWAY

Mrs Dallas was in her home at Birchburn Cottage, along with her two sons and a niece, who had been spending the school vacation at Skelmorlie and who was to have returned home that evening when water began to flood into the apartments.

Thinking the children would be safer on the roadway than in tho house, she took thern out and left them while she rushed to an adjoining house for assistance. When she made to return to the spot, the water, in full volume, had reached the roadway and the children had been swept away while her house, a substantially built four-apartment cottage, had been demolished.

Disaster also overtook Mrs Adams and her neice, who, like the girl Monhennet, had been on holiday in the village.

Mrs Adams had been in the vicinity of the garage attached to Taymouth cottage when she observed flooding and ran to get the girl, who had had been playing in the roadway. The girl was lifted by the water just as Mrs Adams was nearing the spot and, in an endeavour to catch her Mrs Adams was swept off her feet and carried away. She was alive when rescued, but did not recover. The force of the flood carried away the garage and also the motor car which it sheltered which it sheltered. A number of windows at Taymouth were smashed and the water entered the lower apartment, while another cottage, the nearest house to the reservoir, had a romarkable escape from extensive damage, the dwelling remaining intact while the walls of the garden were smashed.

Other houses in the vicinity suffered considerably by flooding and there was some damage to the local electric power station, with the result that the electric lighting supply to the hydropathic hotel, the larger houses and the shops was cut off.

A SCENE OF DESOLATION

A representative of The Scotsman who visited the scene of the disaster on Saturday evening found the villagers greatly distressed over the occurrence.

In the course of various conversations, it was gathered that grave anxiety had existed for a time, as it was feared the water would sweep through the main village. Fortunately however, the torrent was diverted after smashing the Dallas's home and a slight turn saved further disaster. In their track, the raging waters had left a scene of desolation and ruin. Following a natural dip in the land, through which a burn flowed, the water flowed across the roadway which fronts Taymouth cottage and rushed down, uprooting trees, to Birchburn Cottage, which stood right by its track. This too was smashed to atoms and all that was to be seen on the spot where it stood was a spring mattress, two or three pictures and a portion of the kitchen range. The garage belonging to Mr Adams and the motor car were carried downhill about fifty yards. There was little left of the garage, but the car was standing upright and outwardly did not appear to be greatly damaged. Continuing its wild career past Birchburn and sweeping over the roadway there, the torrent rushed onwards overwhelming the trees and the stone walls which stood in its track. Still following to some extent the glen of the burn, the floods rushed through a culvert, bursting it and smashing the next roadway. Here there was a gap of about 45 feet in depth and 10 feet in width. The (Skelmorlie) Wemyss Bay Hydropathic was then in grave danger of getting the full force of the water but, the torrent was diverted into a lane and rushed with increasing force down the decline to the sea.

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WEEK-ENDERS' PLIGHT

A party of holiday-makers, who had left the bus on the main road, were on their way up the roadway to the village, when they wore met by the flood. Immediately there was a wild scramle for safety and one man got clear by climbing a flanking wall and then a tree.

Although escaping the full force of the water, the Hydropathic suffered considerably by flooding. The flow was observed by a guest, who had been in the conservatory and he hastened to give the alarm. He told one of the girl attendants that there was something seriously wrong and she rushed and informed the staff. They were at first incredulous, but, shortly after the alarm had been given, water began to pour into the apartment where they were gathered and they were unable to make their escape by the doorway.

Chairs and tables began to float in the room and an exit had to be made by smashing a window. There were a number of guests staying over the weekend and the gentlemen, discarding their shoes and hose, waded to give assistance.

Owing to the damage, dinner was served in the writing room and the guests had to make their way about by candle-light.

A THREE-HOURS TORRENT

Mr Tweeddale of "Glencairn", the house nearest the reservoir, stated that when coming up the road at lunch time he observed that the water in the burn was running very rapidly and was muddy. He suspected there was something wrong, but thought no more about the matter until about an hour later, when he heard the roar of the water. But for the fact his house was built on rock, it would have been completely washed away. When he and his wife looked out there was a tremendous rush of water, which seemed to run below Dallas's house.

He went to give assistance and noticed that part of the garden of the house nearby had been

washed away. Then he saw that the Dallas's house had been completely destroyed.

The water, when it got to the roadway, was held back a little by a stone wall, but latterly it gained tho mastery and tore part of the wall away. He learned that Mrs Adams was in the garage at the time, working with a motor car.

Her maid-servant had taken one of the children, Mrs Adams' nephew, to a neighbouring house for saftey. Mrs Adams Adams observed the other child in difficulties and went to her rescue, but both were carried away.

A local joiner, who came on the scene at this stage, saw a hand appearing above the water. He grasped it and pulled out Mrs Adams and endeavoured to bring her round, but failed. The whole flow lasted fully three hours. Captain and Mrs Scott, who occupied a neighbouring house, went to the rescue and the former found the body of Winnie Monhennet on the roadway near his dwelling.

"LIKE NIAGARA"

A woman who happened to be looking out of the window at the time, said she saw the bursting of the embankment and the water pouring out 'like Niagara'. Her husband, in tho course of an interview, stated that the disaster occurred at 2.30 p.m.. On hearing a shout from the watchers at the window, he rushed on to the roadway. He did not think there was anything seriously wrong at first, but he soon realised the gravity of the situation. Dallas's house was just at the foot of his garden and Mrs Dallas, on finding the

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water going into her house, got the children out on the roadway, where she left them, apparently thinking that they were quite safe there.

She hurried over to Taymouth to give the alarm and appeal for assistance. When she returned the children had been swept away and her home demolished.Mrs Adams and her niece and a maid-servant were out at the time and Mrs Adams saw her little niece in the flood and made an effort to save her. When the maid-servant turned she saw Mrs Adams being carried away by the water. He further stated that two bodies had been recovered in the sea, practically half a mile away. Other villagers stated that the roar when the embankment burst was like thunder, while the noise of the torrent rushing along sounded like a racing motor car.

Immediately after the disaster, assistance was asked from Greenock and the surrounding

district and the aid was quickly forthcoming.

Rescue parties were quickly formed, two medical men resident in the Hydropathic joining in and workmen set about clearing the damaged roadways.

A daughter of Mr and Mrs Dallas and the eldest of the family was absent from the cottage

when the disaster occurred. The bereaved couple and this daughter received shelter in

the house of Mr Moodie.

Mr Dallas was also absent and the first intimation he received was from his wife, who met him with the pathetic remark, "The flood has swept away the family".

The fathers of the girls Scott and Menhennet arrived in Skelmorlie in the afternoon to escort their children home after their holidays and it was only when they reached the village that they learned of the tragedy.

The bodies of the girl Menhennet and tho elder boy Dallas wore recovered not far from where Birchburn cottage stood, while those of Frederick Dallas and Ursula Scott were found on the beach, the last-namcd at a late hour on Saturday night.

A DASH TO SAFETY

A charabanc was going uphill when the driver encountered the first of the waters. He turned and effected a mad dash downhill to safety.

The reservoir is on the Eglinton estate and willing assistance in the rescue work was given daring tho afternoon by The Countess.

MRS ADAMS'S BRAVERY

Mrs Adams was a well-known Grecnock woman. It is believed that she lost her life in going to the garage in an attempt to save her niece. Police and other assistance was hurried from Grcenock during the afternoon, and willing help was rendered to the families who suffered by the flooding.AWE-STRUCK CROWDS

Large crowds motored to the scene yesterday and were awe-struck by the 40-feet deep culvert on the golf-course road.

Wednesday 29th July 1925 - Page 10

SKELMORLIE RESERVOIRNO CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS - QUESTIONS IN COMMONS

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In The House of Commons yesterday, Mr Stephen (Soc.; Glasgow Camlachie) asked The Secretary for Scotland if he could state the name of the proprietor of the reservoir at Upper Skehnorlie, Ayrshire, which burst on April 18 and resulted in the drowning of five people and if he could state the amount of the rate levied upon the tenants in the district for the maintenance and supervision of the reservoir and the total amount of the money paid for this purpose.

The Secretary for Scotland, Sir John Gilmour, replied "I am informed that the reservoir belongs to The Earl of Eglinton, I have no information on the joints referred to in the second part of the question. As I stated in my reply to the question of June 23, the water supply is a purely private one".

Mr Stephen also asked The Lord Advocate if he could now inform The House what steps he intended to take with regard to a prosecution in view of the jury's finding in connection with the bursting of a hillside reservoir at Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, on April 18, in which they returned a unanimous verdict that the five victims were drowned by water which escaped from the lower reservoir at Upper Skelmorlie and that the accident was materially contributed to by the absence of any regular skilled supervision and inspector of the-reservoir.

The Solicitor-General for Scotland, Mr Fleming, replied "After full consideration of the evidence and findings of the jury at the public inquiry which was held by the direction of The Lord Advocate, he is of opinion that there are no grounds for criminal proceedings".

Mr Stephen—Does not the Right Hon. Gentleman notice that in the finding of the jury this accident is stated to have been materially contributed to by the gross carelessness of those people and is he not going to take action because it is an Earl that is responsible in this case ?

The Solicitor-General for Scotland - "I would point out that the jury did not find that there was any gross carelessness on the part of anyone. They might have fourid that it was due to negligence on the part of an individual, but they did not do so. They found that the accident was materially contributed to by the absence of any skilled supervision".

Mr Stephen — Is that not, carelessness ?

Mr Hardie (Soc., Glasgow, Springburn) This carelessness has killed certain people and are you going to remain inactive ? (Cries of "Order") This is a question of human life.

Mr Maxton (Soc./Glasgow, Bridgeton)—It seems not to be understood by The House that we have no right in Scotland to institute private proceedings and if The Lord Advocate does not institute proceedings we have no other course. We want to know from the Solicitor-General why he's not prepared to take action in this case. Is it because a noble Lord is involved ?

The Speaker—That has been answered.

Wednesday 16th September 1925 - Page 10

SKELMORLIE HOUSES - DISASTER RECALLED

Several appeals of an interesting character came before the Ayr County Valuation Appeal Court at Ayr yesterday, Mr James Middleton, Kilmarnock, presided.

The Skelmorlie reservoir disaster was recalled in appeals by Mr P. B. H, Adam, Taymouth and Mr Robert Stewart, Glengyron Villa, both of Upper Skelmorlie, whose houses lay practically in the track of the flood, asking that the valuation of their houses should be

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reduced, the former's from £70 to £55 and the latter's from £55 to £45. Mr Adam, whose wife was drowned in the disaster, stated that the whole of his garden and the walls had practically been washed away, while he feared that his house was damaged to some extent by the rush of water. The Court reduced his valuation to £60 and, having heard the other appeal, reduced Mr Stewart's to £50, subject to revision next year.

Saturday 20th November 1926 - Page 7

SKELMORLIE DISASTER ECHO — At a meeting of the Northern District Committee of Ayrshire County Council at Kilwinning, a report, submitted by the sub-committee on the questions of water and drainage at Skelmorlie and was adopted. The report stated that since the regrettable disaster Skelmorlie had been formed into special crater and drainage districts. As regards the water, the committee had practically completed arrangements for the acquisition of the existing water supply system from Eglinton estate. Engineers' reports bad been considered with a view to improving the existing system, including the restoration of the damaged reservoir, the ex tension and reconstruction of filters and tanks, the cleaning out both reservoirs and for augmenting the supply by laying down new pipes at a cost of £13,500, which includes £6,000 as the purchase price of the existing works. As regards the drainage, the subcommittee had now to assume responsibility for tbe arrangements and it was proposed to take over the existing system from Eglinton estate at the price of £500.

Saturday 2nd February 1929 - Page 20

RUSSELL — At Oakhill, Skelmorlie, on 1st February, Robert Russell, in his 83rd year, late chairman and managing director of Coltness Iron Co. (Ltd.). Funeral on Monday, 4th February, to Cambusnethan Cemetery, Wishaw. Services at Skelmorlie Parish Church at 11.45, after arrival of 10-30 train from Glasgow Central to Wemyss Bay and at the graveside, Cambunethan Cemetery, at 3.15 p.m.. Friends desirous of proceeding from Skelmorlie to the cemetery, please notify Wylie & Lochhead, Glasgow.

Monday 25th March 1929 - Page 10

SCOTTISH ESTATES FOR SALE — Among the properties to be offered for sale this spring by Messrs Walker, Fraser, & Steele, the Glasgow and Edinburgh estate agents, is the estate of Skelmorlie, formerly the home of the ancient family of the Montgomeries of Skelmorlie and the seat of the Earls of Eglinton and Winton - It extends to 2450 acres or thereby and includes the well-stocked Skelmorlie Grouse Moor.

Saturday 13th April 1929 - Page 3

CASTLE FOR SALE

WALKER, FRASER & STEELE - ON FIRTH OF CLYDE - The Residential, Historical, Sporting and Feuing Estate of SKELMORLIE - One and a half miles from Wemyss Bay Station and 34 miles from Glasgow by road. FOR SALE in Glasgow on 17th April, 1929 at 2.15 p.m..

The castle, dated from 1502, situated overlooking The Firth of Clyde. Magnificent views. 4 Reception Rooms, Billiard Room, 10 Principal Bedrooms and Dressing Rooms, Ample Servants' Rooms and Offices. Electric Light. Central Heating. Delightful old-fashioned garden.

Feu Duties yield £1,500 per annum. Extent 2,450 acres. Shooting 500 brace grouse. Fishing. Good trouting. Three reservoirs. Hunting, two packs convenient. Racing, Ayr and Bogside. Yachting in Firth of Clyde.

The above estate will be offered FOR SALE BY AUCTION within The Faculty Hall, St. George's Place, Glasgow on Wednesday, 17th April 1929 at 2.15 p.m. (Unless previously sold privately.)

THE PROPERTY will first be OFFERED AS A WHOLE and IF NOT SOLD will immediately thereafter be OFFERED as under -

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Lot 1 The WHOLE ESTATE, excluding the feu dutiesLot 2 SKELMORLIE CASTLE and Policies, extending to about 80 acresLot 3 The AGRICULTURAL and SPORTING PORTION of the estate, extending to about 2,370 acres or thereby and including 500 BRACE GROUSE MOOR and the Fishing RightsLot 4 The FEU DUTIES secured over the Residences and Villas of Skelmorlie, yielding an income of £1,500 or thereby per annum.

Further particulars and Orders to View from the Sole Agents and Auctioneers, Messrs. Walker, Fraser and Steele, Edinburgh and Glasgow; or from Messrs. Blair and Cadell, W.S., 19 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh; or from John Wilkinson Esq., Estate Office, West Park, Skelmorlie.

Wednesday 16th July 1930 - Page 20

WHYTE — ALPINE — At Belhaven Church, Glasgow, on the 15th July 1930, by the Rev. T. J. Campbell Crawford M.A., The Barony Church, West Kilbride, assisted by the Rev. J. H. Chambers Macaulay M.A., North Church, Skelmorlie, Captain HARTLEY WADDINGTON WHYTE M.C., second-son of the late James Whyte and Mrs Whyte of Tudor House, Skelmorlie, to HELEN SHEILA LOUDOUN, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs GEOKGF ALPINE, 11 Donne Gardens, Glasgow, and West Kilbride, Ayrshire.

Monday 25th August 1930 - Page 13

Inverkip, Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie Horticultural Show

A record entry of 550 exhibits were on show at the annual exhibition on Saturday of The Inverkip, Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie Horticultural Society. The principal results were: —

Pot Plants — Gardeners' Class — Four Table Plants — 1st W. M'Morran; 2nd D. Leitch; 3rd J. Wilkinson2 Greenhouse Plants in Flower 1st D. Leitch; 2nd W. M'Morran; 3rd E. GreerTwo Geraniums in Flower lst D. Leitch; 2nd W. M'Morran; 3rd J. FlemingBest Plant to Bloom — 1st D. Leitch; 2nd W. M'Morran; 3rd R. RitchieTwo Foliage Plants — 1st D. Leitch; 2nd W. M'Morran; 3rd R. RitchieTable of Plants — 1st W. M'Morran; 2nd R. Ritchie; 3rd E. GreerAmateurs' Class — Chrysanthemum — T. HeggieTwo Pots Lobolia — J. BurgessSingle Begonia — T. HeggieGeranium — J. BurgessCut Flower — Gardeners' Class — Sir Gladioli — 1st B. Greer; 2nd A. Elliot; 3rd S. RaeTwelve Roses — 1st H. Montgomery; 2nd J. Gaibraith; 3rd W. M'MorranBasket of Flowers — 1st R. Ritchie; 2nd G. M'Kinnon; 3rd W. MitchellFour Vases of Sweet Peas — 1st D. Leltch; 2nd J. WilkinsonTwelve Roses (Championship Cup) — 1st H. Montgomery; 2nd A .Elliot; 3rd J. Wilkinson.Miniature Rock Garden — 1st R. Ritchie; 2nd G. M'KinnonAmateurs' Class — Six Stalks Antirrhinum — 1st W. Galbraiith; 2nd T. HeggieSix Asters — 1st W. Mitchell; 2nd W. Young; 3rd T. HeggieSix Dahlia Blooms — W. MitchellSix Roses (Six Varieties) — 1st W. Mitchell; 2nd T. HeggieBouquet of Border Flowers — 1st W. Mitchell; 2nd W. YoungBouquet of Sweet Peas — 1st W. Mitchell; 2nd W. Young; 3rd T. HeggieBouquet of Chrysanthemums — T. HeggieOpen Vases of Sweet Peas — 1st W. Young; 2nd J. Burgess; 3rd W. Mitchell

VEGETABLES

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Gardeners' Class — Best Collection of Vegetables (10 Varieties) — 1st D. Leitch; 2nd A. MurdochSix Leeks — 1st A. Murdoch; 2nd D. Leitch; 3rd W. YoungTwelve Potatoes (Four Varieties) — 1st K. Howie; 2nd W. Young; 3rd J. and P. M'DonaldTwelve Potatoes (One Variety) — 1st W. Young; 2nd W. M'Morran; 3rd D. LeitchBest Savoy — 1st J. Fleming; 2nd S. RaeTwelve Tomatoes — lst D. Leitch; 2nd P. Stewart; 3rd R. RitchieAmateurs' Class - Best Collection of Vegetables — 1st J. & P. M'Donald; 2nd J. Dunlop; 3rd W. MitchellThree Stalks Rhubarb — 1st J. M'Naught; 2nd W. Galbraith; 3rd R. HowieSix Potatoes (Three Varieties) — 1st R. Howie; 2nd W. Mitchell; 3rd A. MurdochSix Potatoes (One Variety) — 1st R. Howie; 2nd A. Murdoch; 3rd J. M'KnightFarmers' Class — Twenty Four Potatoes - 1st R. Howie; 2nd A. Murdoch; 3rd J. & F. M'DonaldFour swedish Turnips — 1st A. Ritchie; 2nd W. M'Intyre; 3rd R. HowieTwo Heaviest Cabbages — A. RitchieFruit — Gardeners' Class — Three Dishes Ripe Fruit — 1st D. Leitch; 2nd J. M'KnightTwelve Plums — T. StewartTwenty-Four Gooseberries — 1st J. Fleming; 2nd J. M'Knight; 3rd D. LeitchBlack Grapes — K FlemingAmateurs' Class — Four Apples — T. Stewart.Twelve Gooseberries — J. M'KnightSix Plums — T. StewartScholars' Section - Best Collection of Wild Flowers — Dorothy MontgomeryBest Collection of British Leaves — Dorothy MontgomeryDrawing of Group of Flowers or Fruit — W. M'KnightHoney Section — Two Sections Comb Honey — W. MartendaleExtracted Honey — J. Webster (Light Colour); C. Scott (Medium Colour); R. Ritchie (Dark Colour)

Saturday 18th October 1930 - Page 5

SKELM0RLIE HYDRO HOTEL, SKELMORLIETelephone Wemyss Bay 88 Telegrams "Hydro"For Booklet and Terms, apply Manageress.

Thursday 18th December 1930 - Page 13

NORTH CHURCH - Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay

At. a meeting held on Monday evening, a presentation of pulpit robes was made to the Rev. J. H. C. Macaulay as "an expression of appreciation, affection and encouragement". Miss Macaulay was also presented with a generous gift, "a token also of affection and in recognition of her duties to the manse and her work, especially among the young". Mr D. C. Macleod presided and there were present the Rev. Donald Campbell, Moderator of the

Greenock Presbytery; the Rev. D. E. Moir Porteous, B. D.; the Rev. R. P. Fairbairn, M.A.

and the Rev. A. Douglas Frazcr, M. A., all of whom spoke of the value of a scholarly, instructive, sympathetic and helpful ministry.

Saturday 31st January 1931 - Page 3

AYRSHIRE - HEYWOOD - SKELMORLIE

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This Commodious Residence occupies an exceptionally fine situation on the Shore Road and commands magnificient unobstructed views of the Firth. Contains 3 Reception Rooms, Billiard Room, 8 Bedrooms, 2 Dressing Rooms, 2 Bathrooms, Servants' Hall and 4 Bedrooms Cloakroom and Complete Domestic Offices. Electric Light and Central Heating. Tennis Lawn. Gardener's house. Excellent Double Garage. Chauffeur's House. Ground extends to just under 5 Acres and is well wooded and sheltered. Apply W. F. & S.

AYRSHIRE - SKELMORLIE HOUSE - SKELMORLIE

For Sale, or to Let, Unfurnished, HOUSE, occupying one of the finest Situations above the Village, and commanding- magnificent Panoramic Views. Contains Hall, 3 Public, 5 Bed Rooms, 3 Servants' Rooms. 2 Small Tower Rooms, 2 Bathrooms, &c. Garage and Man's House. Ground of over an Acre. For full particulars apply to Messrs Miller, Thompson, Henderson & Co., 190 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, or T.1145, WALKER. FRASER & STEELE, from whom Permit to View may be had.

AYRSHIRE - (SKELMORLIE)

FOR SALE OR TO LET. UNFURNISHED. COMMODIOUS RESIDENCE standing 150 feet above sea level and commanding magnificent views of the Firth of Clyde. Contains 4 Public, 6 Bed Rooms, Dressing Room, 2 Bathrooms, 3 Servants' Rooms, Kitchen and Usual Offices. There is also a Large Room with polished floor for dancing. Central Heating. Garage. Ground of 2 Acres, including Tennis Court. Apply T 93, W., F. & S.

Wednesday 25th March 1931 - Page 11

The Central Electricity board is to erect a transmission line from the Dellingburn generating station in Greenock to supply the villages of Inverkip, Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie.Saturday 26th December 1931 - Page 5

NEW SCOTTISH COMPANIES

Six joint-stock companies were registered in Scotland this week, with capital amounting to £26,000, making a total of 404 companies since the beginning of the year, with a capital of £6,885,453.

Amongst the new companies, Number 16656, The Skelmorlie Hydro Hotel (Ltd.) - Private company to acquire Wemyss Bay Hydropathic, Skelmorlie and to carry on the business of a hotel and hydropathic - Capital, £10,000 in £1 shares.

Tuesday 31st May 1932 - Page 13

SKELMORLIE - A VISITOR'S NOTEBOOK - BY ROBERT T. SKINNER

Every Glasgow schoolboy ought to know where Wemyss Bay lies, but it is no rare experience in The East of Scotland to be asked whether Wemyss Bay is on The Firth of Forth ! Once at Wemyss Bay Railway Station, one has to step but a few yards from the county of Renfrew into that of Ayr, the line of demarcation the Kelly Burn, when one enters the picturesque village of Skelmorlie. The census, which to-day totals some 1700 souls, stood at 350 in the year 1853, including the crew of a yacht lying off the shore, as well as some roadmakers and drainers temporarily employed in the district. Skelmorlie occupies land which constituted the farm of Auchendarroch, whereas old Skelmorlie, now the hamlet of Meigle, surrouuded the castle a mile south.

At Meigle, one sees, on the old road at Brigend, the bridge at which, says tradition, Burns parted from Highland Mary.

The "Kist of Whistles"

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The earliest place of worship in Skelmorlie, known as the Kelly Bridge Cbapel, was opened in 1856, the feu disposition, granted by the Earl of Egliinton, claiming one shilling every year and one penny, "in full of cess, bridge and rogue money".

The endowment completed in 1860, the first ordained minister was the brother of Dr Boyd, "A.K.H.B." of St Andrews, author of "Recreations of A Country Parson". Skelmorlie was the second place in Scotland to use an organ in the service of The National Church, The Presbytery authorising the innovation on 21st June 1865. The "kist of whistles", which caused some commotion at Greyfriars, Edinburgh, had come into existence a month or two earlier.

While travelling by train, "A.K.H.B." one day heard two women speak spitefully of the doings in his brother's congregation, one thumping the seat of the compartment and ejaculating, "They call it Boyd's Theatre". Things have made strides since those days !

Beach House, built the year after The Disruption, is said to have been for a period the only villa on the shore, while there natives who remember the toll-gate near the site of the existing Post Office.

The Battle of Largs

Very little history is connected with this portion of Ayrshire. A round tower, reminiscent of Brechin or Abernethy, indicates, however, the scene of The Battle of Largs in October 1263. The presumption is that skirmishes were fought south of Gogo Water, the Scots under King Alexander III, the Norse under the veteran King Haco. The Western Isles being at that timeceded to the Scottish Crown; the fair-haired marauders have ever since remained at home.

The principal object of architecture in Largs is the portion of the old church, the Montgomerie Mausoleum. The builder was The 6th Earl of Eglinton, he who carried the spurs at the Coronation of King Charles in The Palace at Holyroodhouse, he who rendered signal service at The Battle of Marston Moor and whom General Monck imprisoned lest he should fight in favour of King Charles II.

In the graveyard stands the tomb of Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, astronomer. A friend of 'The Iron Duke', Brisbane distinguished himself in the Peninsula. Later, while Governor of New South Wales, he did much to encourage immigration. The Scots Baronet, whose name will ever be associated with the river and city of Brisbane, succeeded Sir Walter Scott as president of The Royal Society of Edinburgh and acted the following year as chairman of The British Association at its meetings in the Scottish capital.

Netherhall, at the north end of Largs, was the favourite residence of Lord Kelvin. From here his remains were conveyed to Westminster Abbey.

The Measured Mile

One of the features of Skelmorlie is 'the measured mile', a couple of posts standing in front of The Hydro Hotel, another couple near Meigle. Vessels coming to the Clyde, not only from Scottish shipyards, but also from Belfast, Dublin, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Liverpool, run at full speed, at half speed, at cruising speed and undergo tests for fuel consumption. Liners spend anything up to three weeks in the Clyde and to prevent the wash from destroying the residential foreshore of Skelmorlie, have final tests in deep water off the Island of Arran.

Kelly House, a ruin since December preceding The Great War, has, with the former residence, a record of no mean distinction. The proprietor of Kelly 140 years ago, a West Indian merchant, was succeeded hy his son Robert Wallace, Wallace of Kelly, member.of Parliament for Greenock, who presided over the delibera tions of The Select Committee of The House of Commons on post office reform. Wallace was disposed to regard the Dundee bookseller, James. Chalmers, the inventor of the adhesive stamp.

Originator of Paraffin Industry

A later laird of Kelly was James Young, originator of the paraffin industry. Apprenticed as joiner with his father, he attended the evening lectures of Thomas Graham at the Andersonian Institute, forming a life-long friendship with David Livingstone and Lyon (afterwards Lord) Playfair. Young's attention having been directed to a

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petroleum spring at Alfreton, Derbyshire, which eventually dried up, he began a series of experiments which ended in the discovery that paraffin oil can be distilled from shale.

Having assisted in financing Livingstone's expeditions, Young brought the explorer's body-servants, Susi aud Chiiina, to Britain. Susi, it will be remembered, was the man who found Livingstone on his knees dead, Chuma the boy whom the explorer rescued from slavery in the Shire highlands.

Guests at Kelly one summer, they erected a facsimile of the hut in which the distinguished traveller had died. So friendly wwas Livingstone with Young in his correspondencethat he frequently wrote the salutation, "My Dear Lord Paraffin". Young invariably spoke in the venacular. He made a phonograph (record), his delight inexpressible when the instrument repeated the word "Timbuctoo" !

A Beautiful Panorama

Glorious is the panorama presented to the spectator who stands on the golf course at Skelmorlie, the Cowal Hills in front, Ben Lomond on the right, Goat Fell on the left. Mention of the high ground, the course flanked by two dams, reminds one of the bursting of the lower reservoir on 18th April 1925, when five lives were lost.

Looking across the Clyde to Innellan, one recognises the church of the Rev. Dr George Matheson, author of the hymn, "O love that wilt not let me go". One June evening upwards of fifty-years ago, he wrote the verses, seated alone in the manse garden, his sisters having gone to Glasgow for a wedding.

The versatile divine told the present writer that he had undergone some mental suffering known only to himself, that the words were the voice of his depression and that he attributed much of the hymn's popularity to the tune "St. Margaret", composed by Dr Peace, organist of Glasgow Cathedral.

Dr James 'Paraffin' Young, an honorary graduate of St Andrews, was wont to experiment with Professor George Forbes on the velocity of light, the final observations being made between Kelly and a hill behind Innellan. These scientists found the velocity of white light to be slightly higher than the velocity hitherto obtained by Albert A Michelson and by Cornu and found also that blue light travelled faster than red.

In the bay of Rothesay (May 1932), seven vessels ride at anchor, a striking proof of the depression of trade. Here is the "Megantic", the White Star liner which, it may be recalled, brought Crippen and Miss Le Neve from Quebec in August 1910.

Fursther south, one gets a glimpse of Mount Stuart House, the seat of The Marquis of Bute. One wonders where the kangaroos still thrive in the precincts of the mansion !

Monday 26th September 1932 - Page 7

RESCUE AT WEMYSS BAY

Wemyss Bay Pier was the scene of an exciting rescue on Saturday night, when Hugh M'Naughton of High Street, Rothesay, slipped and fell into the water while assisting to place a gangway on the steamer Jupiter. He fell between the pier and the vessel but managed to get hold of one of the pier piles. Several men dived to the rescue and M'Naughton was taken aboard the steamer in an exhausted condition. The incident was witnessed by a large number of holidaymakers, including Mr James Max ton M.P., who were returning from Rothesay to Glasgow, M'Naughton revived after attention on the steamer.

Monday 22nd May 1933 - Page 9

TWO SKELMORLIE MEN DEAD IN MOTOR CYCLE ACCIDENT

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Two Skelmorlie tradesmen were the victims in a double motor cycling fatality which occurred early on Saturday afternoon opposite Skelmorlie Castle, on the main shore road about half a mile from the village.

The men were returning homo from their work in Largs and one of them, Hugh Boyd (45), Victoria Place, who was riding pillion, was killed outright, while Robert Hamilton (26), Hope Cottage, died half an hour after admittance to Greenock Infirmary. It is presumed that the cycle skidded on the greasy surface and crashed into tho iron railings which skirt the road.

Two Largs men, James Harkness and Charles Arthur, who were proceeding to Largs on a motor lorry, were on the scene a few seconds after the mishap, although a bend in tho road obscured their vision of the actual occurrence. They found the men and cycle lying on the road. Boyd was dead and Hamilton was suffering from severe head injuries. Both men were employed by a firm of plumbers in Largs. Boyd leaves a wife and two young children and Hamilton was unmarried.

Monday 5th June 1933 - Page 15

LATE REV. D. BRUCE NICO L

Memorial Dedicated in Govan Old Parish Church

A memorial to the late Rev. David Bruce Nicol, M.C., B.D., a former minister of Govan Old Parish Church, "was unveiled and dedicated in the Steven Chapel of the church on Saturday afternoon. The memorial was erected by the congregations of the churches in Edinburgh, Dundee, Skelmorlie and Govan, in which Mr Xicol had ministered. It comprises a beautiful reredos in light oak placed on the Trail at the east end of the chapel, above the altar. A finely-wrought tapestry, a gilt lantern hung from the roof and a bronze tablet bearing a suitable inscription.

The service was conducted by The Rev. George F. MacLeod, M.C., B.A., who succeeded Mr Nicol in Govan and the memorial was dedicated by the Very Rev. Professor George Milligan, D.D. The commemoration address was delivered by The Very Rev. Professor W. P. Paterson, D.D..

Mentioning the notable line of churchmen who had ministered in Goran Old Parish Church, he said the ability of the late Sir Nicol bad been quickly recognised by the Church of Scotland and he had been called in quick succession to fill a number of important charges. A son of the manse, he was nurtured in the professorial atmosphere of old Aberdeen and completed his University course at an early age. He served a three years apprenticeship as assistant in the Scots Church, Buenos Aires and in St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh and in 1912, at the age of 25, he was ordained to The Parish Church of Skehnorlie. During the war he acted as an Army chaplain in France, Salonika and Palestine. A year after his return to Skelmorlie he was translated to St Margaret's, Edinburgh, where he had to cope with a large population in a congested area. Five years later he accepted a call to St Mark's, Dundee. In 1929 he was translated to Govan Old Parish Church, but after six months he died with tragic suddenness.

Wednesday 23rd August 1933 - Page 10

Reports from the Moors

Skelmorlie Castle and the shootings on Skelmorlie moors have been let for the season to Mr R. W. Sharples, London and the house party, which includes Sir Stanley Hewitt, have had excellent sport. In the early part of last week seven guns had a bag of 140 brace of grouse, 3 snipe and 5 hares, while a drive on Friday over Skelmorlie moor yielded 110 brace grouse. On Saturday a bag of 50 brace was secured on the Ban moor.

Friday 1st September 1933 - Page 16

MITCHELL - At Blair Athol, Skelmorlie, on 31st August, JANE, last survivor of the family of the late Dr JAMES MITCHELL of Brankston, Stonehouse, in her 89th year. Funeral on Saturday from Skolmorlie at 11, arriving at Stonehouse Cemetery about l p.m..

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Friday 8th December 1933 - Page 13

Induction at Skelmorlie

The Rev. John Begg B.D., formerly of Queen Street Church, Edinburgh, was inducted last night as minister of Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay North Church, in succession to the late Rev. J. H. Chambers Macaulay. The Rev. George Mackenzie, Moderator of Greenock Presbytery, presided and carried out the induction ceremony and the Rev. A. R.R. Reid, Greenock and the Rev. D. J. Moir-Porteous, Port Glasgow also took part

Monday 5th February 1934 - Page 13

SKELMORLIE MAN'S ORDEAL ON ROAD KNOCKED DOWN AND BEATEN

DESPITE intensive investigations by The Ayrshire and RenfrewshireConstabulary, no trace has been found of the two cyclists who are reported to have have attacked Mr Alexander Macphail (50), licensed grocer, 5 Eglinton Place, Skelmorlie, on Friday night.

Mr Macphail was returning to his home in Upper Skelmorlie, after closing his business premises, when he observed the lights of two cycles in a dark hillside road, a short distance from his house. He was asked for a match by one of the men, but before he had time to comply with the request, he was struck on the back of the head, forced to the ground and beaten brutally on the head.

NO VALUABLES TAKEN

It is presumed that robbery was the motive, but no valuables were taken and the men are thought to have taken

fright after their dastardly act and run off.

Mr Macphail was found by a passer-by and was removed to his house where his injuries, which necessitated stitching, were attended by a doctor. The police believe that the attack was carefully planned and that the men awaited Mr Macphail returning homo at his regular hour. The possibility that local men were responsible is discounted and it is thought that the assailants came from a distance.

Mr Macphail's condition is not serious, although he has suffered from severe shock. Police motor cycle patrols scoured the district for many hours after the occurrence, but without success. The investigations are rendered exceedingly difficult Macphail has been unable to give any description of his attackers.

Saturday 12th May 1934 - Page 11

SATURDAY May 12, AYRSHIRE - Ashcraig, Skelmorlie, "Admission 6d. Tea 1s, Golf, croquet, etc. 3d (Mrs. R. C. Allan)

Friday 14th September 1934 - Page 6

SKELMORLIE AND BARR

Record sport has been enjoyed on thoSkelmorlie and Barr moors, owned by The Earl of Eglinton, since the opening of the season. The moors have been let to a group of sportsmen consisting of Mr D. Bruce Warren, Major MacAndrew M.P., Colonel Barge and Mr R. Graham Napier. The best shootings have been 172 and 95 brace grouse on the Skelmorlie moor and 130 and 95½ brace on the Barr Moor.

Monday 3rd June 1935 - Page 8

Skelmorlie Church Memorial Tablets

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Tablets to the memory of the late Rev. J, H. C. Macaulay, former minister of Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay North Church and to the late Mrs Macaulay were unveiled in the church yesterday following the morning service. The tablet to Mr Macaulay was erected by the congregation and the tablet to Mrs Macaulay erected by their son and daughter.

Wednesday 9th October 1935 - Page 13

Sunset at Skelmorlie

"There is much to be said for choosing a beauty spot like Skelmorlie for these conference orgies. Concentration on the speakers hour after hour is tiring and Nature provides the best antidote when she offers fine scenery and bracing air. At Skelmorlie there was no need to make any exertion to enjoy the beauties of the Clyde Coast and the hills of Arran. They lay spread out to view, and few who saw it will forget the sunset that brought Friday to a close. Clouds that earlier had threatened rain took on fire-opal tints, with lakes of blue-green sky between and as the sun

sank behind the black line of the distant hills it left a path of gold across the rippling water. Seen through a gently

swaying curtain of rich autumn leaves, it was a sight for the gods indeed".

Tuesday 9th June 1936 - Page 16

FIRTH OF CLYDE TROPHY

The annual competition for the Firth of Clyde Trophy was played over Skelmorlie course and teams from eight coast clubs took part. The trophy was won by Skelmorlie Club with an aggregate of 209 for the best three scores. Details :— I. Kemp 69, A.W. Whyte 70 and J. S. Middleton 70, Total 209.

Tuesday 15th June 1937 - Page 6

AYRSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Ayrshire Lawn Tennis Championship tournament opened at Largs yesterday. Miss Louise Anderson, the 15-year-old Skelmorlie girl, who recently distinguished herself in The West of Scotland championships, won her way into the semi-final of the women's singles after a close game with Mrs M'Nair, Jamaica. In the first round of the men's singles, Skelmorlie's F.P. Wilkinson was beaten by Pollock's W. J. Logan.

Friday 2nd July 1937 - Page 9

TWO YEARS HARD LABOUR FOR FRAUD

Clement Harold Mitchell (36), a smartly dressed man, was sentenced to two years hard labour at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday, when he pleaded guilty to five acts of fraud. The Fiscal stated that Mitchell called upon the caretaker of a Glasgow house and appealed for financial help as he said his car had broken down and he wished suffi-cient to pay his fare to Queensferry.

The caretaker gave him 5s on the understanding that the money would be repaid on the following day, but accused did not turn up. Next he duped a Skelmorlie chauffeur to the extent of £2 by representing that he was awaiting the arrival of his luggage and he had no ready cash to meet certain expenses. He also defrauded a Skelmorlie landlady of lodgings amounting to 12s and obtained £1 from'her on false pretences. He then made an arrangement with the under manager of a Largs garage to hire a car to convey him to Strathpeffer, as he said his own car had broken down.

When he was driven to Strathpeffer he said he had no money to pay the bill and referred the driver to his brother-in-law in the district. The relative refused to have anything to do with him. He disappeared and was arrested in Brighton on June 12.

Monday 20th September 1937 - Page 9

RUNAWAY HORSE ON WEMYSS BAY PIERWoman Killed - 2 Persons Injured

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Mrs Jeanie Morrison, or M'Millan (64), widow, 35 Kilnside Road, Paisley, was knocked down and killed by a runaway horse on Wemyss Bay Pier on Saturday. The horse, which was drawing a luggage lorry, became startled when it was proceeding down the carriageway from the station to the pier. The driver, who was walking at its head, stumbled and the animal bolted. When it reached the pier, it dashed towards a crowd of about 200 people formed in a queue who were boarding the L.M.S. paddle steamer Mercury for Rothesay. Their attention was attracted by a pier official who blew his whistle as a warning, and-the crowd scattered. Mrs M'Millan was knocked down and on examination was found to be dead.

Two daughters who were accompanying her to Rothesay for the Paisley holiday week-end were witnesses of the tragedy. They returned to Paisley where their mother's body was. removed later. Two persons were injured but boarded the steamer and continued on their journey. They were Miss Janette Brechin (43), shop assistant, 12 John Carrick Street, Springburn, Glasgow, who sustained injuries to the back and legs and Hugh Richardson, clerk, 101 King's Heath. Avenue, Bankhead, Rutherglen, whose left knee was hurt. After the accident the horse fell and a railway policeman seized the reins and got the animal under control.

Tuesday 28th December 1937 - Page 6

Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay South Church choir have handed over the sum of £17 7s to Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie District Nursing and Benevolent Association. This sum was the proceeds of three nights' carol singing in Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay.

Monday 24th January 1938 - Page 15

Memorial Dedicated at Skelmorlie

Four silver patens were, dedicated and a brass tablet unveiled un Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay South Church on Sunday, the gifts of the Church Women's Guild and friends, to commemorate the work done for the church by Miss Mary Campbell, a native of Skelmorlie, who died in 1936, in her fiftieth year. Miss Campbell was president of The Women's Guild.

Tuesday 12th April 1938 - Page 9

Mrs Elizabeth Simpson Johnston, the oldest resident in Skelmorlie, died at her residence, Redesdale, on Sunday, in her 99th year- A native of Glasgow, she had resided in Skelmorlie for many years and, up to six years ago, was a regular attender at the morning service in Skelmorlie South Church.

Friday 20th May 1938 - Page 9

Arrest - THE story of how the wife of a soldier serving in India continued to draw her allowance right up to the time she was arrested on a charge of bigamy was told in Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday. Sheriff Wilton, KC., in sending Mary Young or Topping (28) for six months, remarked, "I don't think this case calls for much commiseration".

Mr James Adair, Procurator-Fiscal, stated that the accused married in Peebles in 1932, her husband being a signalman in the Royal Corps of Signals. For some time past however, he had been stationed in India and the woman had continued to draw allowance up to the time of her arrest. She had no children.

In the summer of last year, the Fiscal continued, the accused obtained employment as a nurse with an English family who were on holiday at Skelmorlie and while there she met a man.

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She told him that she had been previously married but that her marriage had been annulled and he proposed. In October 1937 they went through a form of marriage in Paisley and took up residence in Skelmorlie but there were words between them in April this year and the accused returned to her parents in Lanarkshire.

Apparently just before that the man had discovered that she was drawing an allowance from the Post Office, When challenged, she said it was in respect of an uncle but later she said it was for certain arrears that were due to her prior to her divorce. The man was not satisfied with this explanation however and consulted a law agent who found that bigamy had been committed.

Monday 23rd May 1938 - Page 18

SKELMORLIE HYDRO HOTEL

200 feet above Sea Level ovcrlooking The Firth of Clyde. Within an hour's run of The Empire Exhibition - IDEAL STARTING PLACE FOR CLYDE BEAUTY SPOTS. Excellent Cooking Ballroom Winter Garden Salt Water Baths and Swimming Pool Golf Tennis Brochure on request Phone Wemyss Bay 88 - Miss R. F. Watson, Manageress

SKELMORLIE — Brigend Guest House — Secluded and beautifully situated on Clyde Coa«t in grounds of 60 acres - Sea 1 minute's walk - Putting - Tennis on lawns - Pnone Wemyss Bay 122

Monday 6th June 1938 - Page 5

FIRTH OF CLYDE TROPHY

The annual competition for The Firth of Clyde Trophy was taken part in by nine West Coast clubs over Largs Routenburn course on Saturday. The Skelmorlie team were the winners, with an aggregate for the three best scores of 224. Gourock took second plate and Largs third.

Ian Kemp, Skelmorlie, playing in a continuous downpour, created a new record for the altered course vith a round of 68. He had a brilliant outward half of 31. His card read — Out — 3 4 4 5 4 3 2 3 3, 31. In — 5 3 6 5 3 4 4b 4, 37 and Total 68.

Monday 15th August 1938 - Page 1

GAS COMPANY SHARES FOR SALE

The following SHARES belonsing to a Trust Estate are FOR SALE:—

BLAIRGOWRIE GAS LIGHT CO. LTD. 12 SHARES of £10 eachLOCHWINNOCH GAS LIGHT CO. LTD. 40 SHARES of £5 eachNEW CUMNOCK GAS CO. LTD. 85 ORDINARY SHARES of £1 each 170 5% CUMULATIVE SHAKES of £1 each

SKELMORLIE AND WEMYSS BAY GAS AND ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO. LTD. 27 SHARES of £5 each ( £ 2 10s paid)

STIRLING GAS LIGHT CO. LTD. 25 SHARES of £5 7s 6d each (original Capital) 75 NEW ORDINARY SHARES of £10 each

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Offers should be sent to Anderson, Fyfe, Littlejohn & Co., Solicitors, 201 West George Street, Glasgow, C.2.

Monday 22nd August 1938 - Page 13

Inverkip, Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie Flower Show was held at Skelmorlie on Saturday and was opened by Lady Alice Shaw Stewart of Ardgowan, Inverkip. Principal prizewinners - Fleming Cup for 12 Roses - A. Elliot, Skelmorlie. Best Plant in Bloom - C. Titterton, Skelmorlie. Collection of Vegetables - R. T. Wingate, Wemyss Bay. Dinner Table Decoration - Mrs R. Ritchie, Skelmorlie.

Monday 10th October 1938 - Page 9

Miss Litterick, Victoria Place, Skelmorlie, has retired from the position of telephone caretaker - operator for Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay after 35 years service owing to the installation of the automatic system.

Thursday 3rd November 1938 - Page 16

WEDDING GIFT TO LORD MONTGOMERIE

Lord Montgomerie, son of The Earl of Eglinton and Winton and heir to the Earldom, whose marriage to Miss Ursula Watson, elder daughter of The Hon. Ronald and Mrs Watson, takes place in Edinburgh on November 10, was yesterday presented with a mantelpiece chiming clock as a gift from the tenants, employees and friends on Skel-morlie estate. The tenants and others met in Skelmorlie Castle at the invitation of Lord and Lady Eglinton and the presentation was made by Mr M'Ewan Downie, head game-keeper, Lord Montgomerie, who was accompanied by Miss Watson, acknowledged the gift.

Thursday 9th March 1939 - Page 8

Sale of Skelmorlie Dwelling-House

One transaction was effected in The Faculty Hall, Glasgow, yesterday, when eight lots were exposed for sale - Annet House, residence and ground of 3 ¼ acres, Rental £116, Feu Duty £16 10s, Realised Upset Price £900.

Saturday 13th May 1939 - Page 6

SKELMORLIE HYDRO HOTEL. 200 feet above sea level, overlooking Firth of Clyde. IDEAL STARTING PLACE FOR CLYDE BEAUTY SPOTS Excellent Cooking. Ballroom. Elevator. Winter Garden. Salt Water Baths and Swimming Pool. Golf. Tennis. Brochure on request. Phone Wemyss Bay 2161/2.Miss R. P. WATSON, Manageress.

SKELMORLIE—MIRA MAR Commanding view of Firth, also Measured Mile; Parties catered for. Telephone Wemyss Bay 2188 J. & W. Bradley.

Saturday 3rd June 1939 - Page 2

FOR SALE, the following WELL-SECURED GROUND ANNUALS at 16 years purchase : —

£16 5s 7d Redclyfe, Skelmorlie Rental £95£17 10s 6d Fionnla, Skelmorlie Rental £100£22 7s 7d Lincluden, Skelmorlie Rental £135

For further particulars apply to MONCRIEFF, WARREN. PATERSON & Co., 45 West George Street, Glasgow C2

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Friday 16th June 1939 - Page 13

Wills - Ayrshire

Crawford, James, late of Everlie, Skelmorlie - £56,160

Monday 14th August 1939 - Page 7

The Earl of Eglinton and a small party from Skelmorlie Castle did a little shooting in the vicinity of the castle, and a few birds were brought down. The first regular shoots will not take place till Friday and Saturday next Birds are not very plentiful on the Skelmorlie Moors.

Wednesday 23rd August 1939 - Page 9

SKELMORLIE MOORSShooting over Skelmorlie moors, Lord Eglinton and party of seven guns had 84½ brace of grouse and seven hares. Over Barr Moor, the same party had another 84½ braceof grouse, two ducks and another two birds variously.

Tuesday 25th June 1940 - Page 3

SKELMORLIE GARDEN FETE - A garden fete held at Skelmorlie in aid of the British Red Cross Society comforts for the Forces and army huts raised £104.

Monday 25th November 1940 - Page 3

YOUTH CONFERENCE AT SKELMORLIE

A youth conference was held at Skelmorlie at the week-end, a party of 120 drawn from Glasgow and the West of Scotland attending. A varied programme was carried through under the direction of Miss Melicia M'lndoe, training supervisor to the Scottish Association of Girls Clubs and Mr Stanley Nairn, general secretary of the Scottish Association of Boys' Clubs. Subjects dealt with included "The Club in War Time" and "The Club as A Training Ground for Citizenship". Mrs Watt and Mr Kane, organisers of youth welfare for The Scottish Education Department, were present and gave advice and information.

Thursday 4th September 1941 - Page 8

MERCHANT SAILORS LOST - Many Scots in Casualty List

A total of 477 names of members of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who have died by enemy action on various dates is contained in a list published by the Ministry of of War Transport to-day. There are also the names of 51 men who are presumed to have been lost, the vessels on which they were serving being overdue. Among them are 19 masters, two skippers, six chief engineers, and seven first engineers. Amongst the Scots, P. L. Dodds, assistant cook, Stanlane, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire.

Tuesday 2nd December 1941 - Page 4

EX-DIRECTOR OF PATONS & BALDWINS DEAD

Mr Thomas Stirling, a former director of Patons & Baldwins Ltd., Alloa, died yesterday at his residence in Skelmorlie, where he had been living in retirement for the past ten years. Mr Stirling was 74 years old and had been in failing health for some months. A native of

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Alloa, he started his working career at the age of 13 and was associated with the Alloa firm for over 50 years being a wool buyer before being appointed to the management board. Mr Stirling was keenly interested in musical circles in Alloa and was an accomplished violinist. He was treasurer of the West U.F. Church, Alloa for a number of years. In his younger days, he took an active part in the Volunteer movement. He is survived by his widow and one daughter.

Monday 23rd March 1942 - Page 6

WILSON,—At " Skelmorlie." 20 Cadogan -Road, EDINBURGH, suddenly, on 21st March I942t

in his 86th year, ALEXANDER WILSON, formerly of Edinburgh General Cleansing Department. Funeral Tuesday, 24th March, to Newington Cemetery. Friends desirous of attending please meet cortege at Newington Station gate at 1.45 p.m..

Wednesday 10th June 1942 - Page 3

Ayrshire Headmasterships

Short leets for three headmasterships in Ayrshire were interviewed at the meeting of the Education Commitee at Ayr yesterday, Mr John Trotter, New Cumnock, presiding, when it was agreed to recommend to The County Council the appointment of the following:—Mr John M'Gibban Short, chief assistant in Ardrossan Academy, to be head of Russell Street Public School (28 teachers); Mr John Kennedy, Skelmorlie, to be head of Beith Academy (10 teachers) and Mr John B. Strachan, Waterside, to be head at Lugar (7 teachers).

Friday 26th June 1942 - Page 6

Death of Angus Minister

The death has occurred at Park House, Brechin, of the Rev. Thomas H. Wright, formerly minister of Oathlaw Parish Church, who retired in 1938. The Rev. Wright, who was in his 85th year, was born at Oundle, Northants. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh in 1904, having been admitted from The Congregational Church. After being an assistant in Tolbooth, Edinburgh, he was ordained to The Scots Church in Dresden, Saxony, in 1908.

He was subsequently minister of St James', Kirkcaldy and Skelmorlie and Inverkip parishes and was appointed to The Scots' Church in Paris in 1918. There he remained until 1927 when he became minister of Oathlaw. Mr Wright was the author of a number of publications, including Francis Thompson and His Poetry and The Sermon on the Mount for To-day, both published in 1927.

RADIO - WAVELENGTHS

HOME SERVICE on 203.5, 391.1 and 443.1 metres and on Short Wave 49.34 metresFORCES PROGRAMME on 296.1 and 342.1 metres and on Short Wave 48.86 metres

HOME SERVICE

7 a.m.—News 7.15—Records. 7.30—Exerciser 7.55 —Thought for To-day. 8 a.m. —News 8.15—Kitchen Front. 8.20—Records. 8.45—Eric Spruce (Organ) 9.05 —Schools Service. 9.25—The Little Orchestra 9.55—Welsh Schools 10.5—Schools 10.15—Service 10.30—Records 10.45—Health Magazine 11—Schools. 12 noon —B.B.C. Military Band 12.30—Break for Music 12.55—Over the Border 1 p.m.—News 1.15—London Symphony Orches-tra 2—Schools 3—Percival Mackey and Band 3.30 Wlnter Garden Orchestra 4—Carter String Trio 4.30— Benny Laoban and Music Weavers 5—Welsh Programme 5.20— Children's Hour 6 p.m.—News. 6.30—Ariel in War-time 6.50—Today in Ulster 7—B.B.C.

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Orchestra 7.30— News in Norwegian 7.45 Plays that Shook Society 8.5—Harold Williams (Baritone) 8.20—1, James Blunt 9—News 9.20—Tonight's Talk 9.35—Love in a Village: Ballad Opera 10.45—News in Gaelic 10.53—Don't Listen to This 11.10—Reading 11.15—Billy Cotton and Band 11.45—Geoffrey Philippe (Piano) 12 midnight—News

FOR THE FORCES

6.30—Greetings and Reveille ! 7.30—Records 8.15—Music of Gaelic Scotland. 9.5—Singing Strings 9.20—Manchester Regiment Dance Band 10 a.m. —David McCallum (Violin) 10.30— Billy Mayerl and Band 11—Robinson Cleaver {Organ) 11.20—B.B.C. Revue Orchestra 1.15 p.m.—War Commentary 1.30— Harry Roy and Band 2—London Gipsy Orchestra 2..30—Records 3 p.m. —B.B.C. Men's Chorus 4—Canadian Forces Party 5— Operatic Records 5.30—B.B.C Midland Light Orchestra 6.30—Sandy Calling The Middle East 7— Giants of Sport 7.15—The Long Gallery: Play 7.30—Let's Get Acquainted 8—Private Smith Entertains 8.30—Irish Half-Hour 9.20—Into Battle 9.25—Records 10—Greetings from Cairo 10.30—Reg Pursglove and Band

Saturday 8th August 1942 - Page 7

GOLDEN LABRADOR bitch, 9 months, from pedigree working parents; particulars stamp; 112 .20 bore smokeless cartridges; offers. Peter Smith, Skelmorlie.

Wednesday 19th August 1942 - Page 6

RUSSIA CONVOY ATTACKC.B.E. for Glasgow Skipper's Work as Commodore

Captain William H. C. Lawrence, of 27 Riccarton Street, Glasgow, who last January received the O.B.E. for heroism when his ship was attacked by a bomber, has now been awarded the C.B.E. for his work while master of a ship in a convoy to Russia.

The convoy was subjected to heavy and continuous attack from the air from surface craft and from submarines. The Commodore's ship was sunk and Captain Lawrence, who was acting as Vice Commodore, took over the duties and, states last night's London Gazette, performed them with signal success during the remainder of a very arduous operation.

On the return passage, he was Commodore throughout and again showed sterling qualities to which the escape of the convoy, from no fewer than five attacks by German destroyers, was largely due, for under his orders it acted in perfect co-ordination with the escorts.

Scottish recipients of other awards included Captain Samuel M. Lamont, master, "Uig", Montgomery Drive, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, he being awarded an O.B.E..

Thursday 17th September 1942

GLASGOW BUSINESS MAN DEAD — The death has occurred at his residence in Upper Skelmorlie of Mr James Robertson, who was a J. P. of the City of Glasgow. He was well-known in business circles in Glasgow, having been depot manager of Messrs J. & P. Coats' Central Agency for over 40 years, from which position he retired ten years ago. He was 76 years of age.

Monday 31st May 1943 - Page 3

MACROBERT'S REPLY - SQUADRON ATC — Lady MacRobert devoted yesterday to a visit to the "MacRobert's Reply" Squadron A.T.C. (49 F), of which she is patron. At the headquarters at Greenock she was received by a guard of honour and inspected the premises. "I was deeply moved", she said, in an address to the cadets, "when I received your squadron's request to bear the name MacRobert and, to use our crest, I readily

51

agreed, because I felt sure you would realise what it means to carry on the MacRobert tradition. Our motto is your motto, "Glory is the reward of valour". The symbol or meaning of "MacRobert's Reply" is something that I hope will live. Something conveying a message not only in war but in peace, a virile spirit of unselfishness, a band of brothers ready to give of their best". Later in the day Lady MacRobert visited a week-end camp of the cadets of the squadron at Skelmorlie.

Friday 4th June 1943 - Page 6

ORDER OF INDIAN EMPIRE (Companion C.I.E.)

Colonel (Temporary Brigadier) Henry Dean Charles Rankin M.B., who becomes a C.I.E. is son of the late Mr Henry Rankin of Briarfield, Skelmorlie. He is a graduate in medicine at Glasgow University. He has spent all of his professional career in the R.A.M.C., chiefly in India.

Friday 17th September 1943 - Page 4

FORTHCOMING MARRIAGE

LIEUTENANT J. R.. M.. COCKBURN, R.N.V.R.— THIRD OFFICER E. M. MATHIESON, W.RN.S.The engagement is announced between Ronald, elder son of the late John Cockburn and Mrs Cockburn, Balvonie, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire and Evelyn, only daughter of William Mathieson and the late Mrs Mathleson, Roselea, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian.

Thursday 4th November 1943 - Page 8

DODDS — At an infirmary, Glasgow, on the 2nd November 1945, PETER DODDS, in his 68th year, beloved husband of Mary A. Robertson, Stanlane, Skelmorlie, late Mucbhart and Kinross. Funeral private.

Thursday 30th December 1943 - Page 3

WILLS AND ESTATES

Dodds, Peter, sometime of Auchlinsky, Dollar, thereafter of Maybank, Gallowhill Road, Kinross and Alma, Kinross and late of Stanlane, Skelmorlie £5432 and Miller, Mrs Mary Jane Brown of Dunclutha, Skelmorlie £4625.

Tuesday 31st October 1944 - Page 6

SKELM0RLIE GIFT — In memory of her two sons, one of whom was killed flying over enemy territory, Mrs J. Hally Brown, Craignahullie, Skelmorlie, has formed a trust for the building of a cottage hospital at Skelmorlie to which she has given £33,000. Should objection to her plan be raised by the administrators of the new health service, the money will be used for building a community centre for the village, a library, reading room and concert hall and, if desired, classrooms for adult education and for handicraft training.

Friday 12th January 1945 - Page 6

PAULSEN—At Cubrieshaw Hall Nursing Home, WEST KlLBRIDE, on 9th January 1945, to Lieutenant D. M. PAULSEN R.N.V.R. and MRS PAULSEN (Isabel Macallan), Clevedon, Eglinton Drive, Skelmorlie, a daughter (Jan).

Thursday 15th February 1945 - Page 3

WILLS and ESTATES - AYRSHIRE

Fleming, Mrs Jane Henderson or, widow, "Kilmory", Skelmorlie £49,931

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She bequeathed the following, free of Death Duty - Skelmorlie South Church of Scotland £200; Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie District Nursing and Benevolent Association, Greenock Branch of The Salvation Army, Ayrshire Mission to the Deaf and Dumb, Kilmarnock, Mission to The Outdoor Blind for Glasgow and The West of Scotland and The National Vigilance Association of Scotland, Glasgow, £100 each and Skelmorlie Amateur Athletic Association Recreation Hall £50.

LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER WILL ?

Purves-Stewart, Dame Elizabeth Phipps, wife of Sir James Purves-Stewart, formerly of Belle Toute Lighthouse, Beachy Head and White Hart Hotel, Lewes and late of 1 Glebe Road, Kilmarnock £9,815.

BIGGER WAR BONUS FOR SCOTS THEATRE MUSICIANS

WAR advances paid to members of Scottish theatre orchestras are increased to 24s as from the first pay period following February 7 by an award of the Industrial Court for the entertainment industry. In "A" theatres increases on minimum rates of pay of 4s 6d a week will be made to all members of orchestras, in "B" theatres 5s 6d and in "C" theatres 6s 6d. The Musicians Union had asked for an all-round increase of £1.

As a result of the Court's award, minimum rates of pay will range from £4 11s to £5 14s 6d a week.

Thursday 5th April 1945 - Page 3

20 MILLION CIGARETTES LOST IN FIRE

About 20 million cigarettes were destroyed when a N.A.A.F.I, store at Upper Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, was gutted by 'fire on Tuesday night. The cigarettes, duty free, represented a loss of £25,000, or, if sold at the NAAFI cheap rate, a loss of £75,000, When a great quantity of matches caught alight they exploded and blew off the roof of the store, a building of brick and wood, A large stock oi foodstuffs, including tinned meats, milk, and chocolate, was destroyed. Firemen from Skelmorlie, Greenock and Gourock were engaged fighting the outbreak throughout the night, and were assisted by naval fire fighters. Adjoining stores, also full of foodstuffs, were saved.

Tuesday 24th April 1945 - Page 4

SCOTTISH PEER DEAD - Earl of Eglinton and Winton

The Earl of Eglinton and Winton, a Deputy Lieutenant of Ayrshire, who sat in The House of Lords as The Earl of Winton, died at Skelmorlie Castle, Largs, Ayrshire, on Sunday, at the age of 65. He had been in indifferent health for some time.

Archibald Seton. Montgomerie, 16th Earl of Eglinton and Winton, was born in 1880 and succeeded his father to the title in 1919.

He was educated at 'Eton and later was a Lieutenant in the 2nd Life Guards. During the war of 1914-1918 he served as a signalling officer and was mentioned in dispatches. He was twice married and had issue by both marriages. A keen sportsman, he was for many years master of The Eglinton Hounds and also played golf and polo.

His interest in local affair later mainly centred around Skelmorlie Unionist Association, of which he was chairman for many years. In addition, he had been actively connected with the war savings movement in the district. The heir to the Earldom is his eldest son, Lord Montgomerie who is in The Royal Artillery.

Friday 4th May 1945 - Page 3

Mr Neil Macdonald, a South African War veteran, has died at his home in Skelmorlie, in his 73rd year. He joined the Royal Observer Corps as a full-time observer, serving for three years, when he had to resign owing to ill-health. He was a gamekeeper by profession and a native of Muirkirk in Ayrshire.

Thursday 17th May 1945 - Page 1

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EXECUTRY NOTICE

ALL PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS against the late Right Hon. ARCHIBALD SETON MONTGOMERIE, Earl of Eglinton and Winton of Skelmorlie Castle, Ayrshire, are requested to lodge the same forthwith with the undernoted. Solicitors for deceased executors, BLAIR & CADELL. W.S. 19 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, 3. 15th May 1945.

Tuesday 5th June 1945 - Page 3

A country market at Skelmorlie in aid of Skelmorlie North Church Woman's Guild and Comforts Fund, the Church of Scotland Church Extension Fund and Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay Forces Welcome Home Fund realised £435.

Saturday 14th July 1945 - Page 3

NOTED MINISTER'S DEATH

The death occurred yesterday at The Dreish, Forres, of the Rev. Dr George Muncur Fairweather M.C., M.A., for long noted as an outstanding preacher and a devoted worker in the social activities of the Church wherever his service took him. A graduate of Edinburgh University, where his two elder brothers also graduated, Dr Fairweather's ministry took him to a variety of charges and brought him into contact with diverse groups of people, for they included churches in Glasgow, Rome and Edinburgh before he went to Dyke, Morayshire.

A man of unflinching courage physically as well as morally, he was awarded the M.C. during the last war while serving as a chaplain with the 9th Gordon Highlanders. Youngest son of the late David Fairweather, Dr Fairweather was born in Angus in 1873 and received his early education in Dundee. His first charge was as minister of Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie in 1903 and after five years there he went to Wallace Green, Berwick-on-Tweed. In 1914 he became minister of Claremont Church, Glasgow and six years later—his ministry at home having meanwhile been interrupted by his war service in 1916 and 1917—he went to Rome, where he stayed for three years before accepting the charge of Broughton Place, Edinburgh, from where he proceeded to his last charge, the East Church, Dyke.

Many of his sermons, which showed freshness in their phrasing as well as a keen spiritual insight and a strong evangelical appeal, were published in magazines devoted to religious affairs. During his ministry in Edinburgh, he was for a time Moderator of the Edinburgh Presbytery. In 1937, the year that he left Edinburgh, he had the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred upon him by Edinburgh University.

Thursday 23rd August 1945 - Page 3

Woodend House, Skelmorlie, was destroyed by a fire which broke out early yesterday morning in the absence of the occupants, Skelmorlie and Gourock sections of the NFS were summoned but were unable to save anything.

Thursday 13th June 1946 - Page 3

Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay Community Centre was declared open yesterday by Sir Harry Lauder. The Centre is a mansion house in Skelmorlie and is the gift of Mrs J. Hally Brown, Craignahullie, Skelmorlie and a memorial to her two sons, one of whom was in the R.A.F.. Mrs Brown gave £33,000 to purchase and equip it.

Monday 12th August 1946 - Page 6

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WEMYSS BAY — ROTHMAR HOTEL has been de-requisitioned and is NOW OPEN to receive Guests. Ideal centre for Clyde Steamers. Telephone 3109. Proprietors - Mr and Mrs CUNNISON.

Monday 11th November 1946 - Page 6

MRS ALLAN requires on November 28th at cook or cook-general, one lady. Skelmorlie, Ayrshire; good reference essential. Ashcraig, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire.

Tuesday 19th November 1946 - Page 1

SKELMORLIE, AYRSHIRE — Substantial property consisting of shop and two dwelling houses, together with general merchant's business, for sale by private bargain; immediate vacant possession can be given to the dwelling-houses; the assessed rental for the whole is £85, with annual feu-duty of £4 ls 8d; separate offers for the business and the property are invited; Mrs Findlay, Collinslea, Skelmorlie, will show inquirers over the premises. For further particulars apply to J. DOWNIE CAMPBELL, Advocate, 2 Bon Accord Square, Aberdeen.

Thursday 20th February 1947 - Page 5

YOUTH HOSTELS -

Plans for 1947 in Scotland

DURING 1947, states the 18th annual report of The Scottish Youth Hostels Association, for the year ending October 31, 1946, it is planned to open new hostels at Beattock, Inverness, Melrose, Skelmorlie and Strathpeffer and negotiations are in progress for the acquisition of a building at Staffiin.

Monday 24th February 1947 - Page 3

SCOTTISH YOUTH HOSTELS

Increase in Membership and Accommodation Charges

THE National Council of the Scottish Youth Hostels Association, meeting at Loch Lomond Hostel during the week-end, decided that the annual subscription for juveniles (under 16) be increased from Is to 2s; juniors (16 to 21) from 2s 6d to 5s and seniors (over 21) from 5s to 10s.

It was also agreed to increase the accommodation charges for juveniles from 9d to Is, and juniors and seniors from Is 3d to Is 6d per night These increased charges are necessary as the result of the deficiency on the administration and hotel accommodation account of £3,611 sustained in last year's working.

The National Council have empowered the National Executive to provide canteen meals at the new Skelmorlie Hostel but decline to give their sanction to provide meals elsewhere than at hostels where they are at present provided, these are at Barns, Carbisdale Castle, Corraith, Loch Lomond, Perth and Strathtummel.

It is felt that an extension of this service is all against the idea of hostelling where members provide and cook their own meals. Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Bt., was re-elected honorary president of the AssociationMonday 5th May 1947 - Page 5

STORMY WEEK-END - Damage by 50-Miie-an-Hour GaleHILLS CAPPED WITH SNOW

Many parts of Scotland experienced a strong gale at the week-end. which was the cause of one death in Glasgow and drove ships to shelter. At the height of the storm on Saturday, Skelmorlie tennis club's pavilion was blown over and practically wrecked.

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Friday 23rd May 1947 - Page 3

"BEST-KEPT STATIONS" COMPETITION

DISCONTINUED during the war years, the L.M.S, Railway Company's Scottish "Best-Kept Stations" competition is now to be revived. Stations will he judged.not only on the cultivation of flowers, plants and shrubs, but also on the general cleanliness and tidiness of platforms waiting-rooms and offices, ana on tne neatness of time-table, poster and notice displays. Surprise visits will be made by judges in the summer and once in the winter, so that the

uniform standard of cultivation and cleanliness throughout the year may be assessed. Stations in industrial areas

will not be Handicapped by their environment, as special allowance will be made for unfavourable local conditions. Certificates will be given to, the winning stations, and, in addition, prizes wall be awarded to the station staffs.

WILLS AND ESTATES

GARROWAY, Miss Margaret Helen, Thorndale, Skelmorlie £53,248Muir, Miss Ida Graham, Oakhill, Skelmorlie £36,343Horne, Mrs Janet Hamilton Rankin or, widow, Alvah, Upper Skelmorlie £6,682Rankin, Annie Lindsay, Alvah, Upper Skelmorlie £5,206

Saturday 2nd August 1947 - Page 7

SKELMORLIE HYDRO HOTEL, AYRSHIREHAS NOW REOPENED

This Modern luxury hotel overlooking The Firth of Clyde has been completely Redecorated and refurnished and there are vacancies in August and September.

Glorious situation 200 feet above sea with magnificent View across the Firth - 65 Very Comfortable Bedrooms. Ballroom. Sun Lounge. Own Salt Water Bathing Pool. Elevator. Fully licensed. Garage. Golf. Tennis. Bowls. Sea Fishing. Sailing on the Clyde. Tariff from The Manageress. Phone Wemyss Bay 2184.

Wednesday 13th August 1947 - Page 1

HEYWOOD HOTEL (Licensed), SKELMORLIE, AYRSHIRE

The Proprietors intimate that Heywood Hotel, Skelmorlie, has been Derequisitioned and will Reopen on 1st September, 1947 - Booking is now open. Phone Wemyss Bay 2258 M. & E. MACRAE (Props.)

Monday 19th January 1948 - Page 3

SKELMORLIE BRITISH LEGION - Lord Inverclyde presided at the first annual dinner of The Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie branch of The British Legion since 1939. Sir Hector M'Neill, Lord Provost of Glasgow, proposing the toast of "The Imperial Forces", said they were entitled to draw the attention of the whole world to those who had stood in the breach while other nations were preparing to help smash the German machine. Brigadier J. W. H. Gow replied to the toast.

Monday 29th March 1948 - Page 5

BLYTH—At HINDHEAD, Surrey, on 24th March 1948, after a very short illness, ALICE BLYTH, aged 73, of Belvonie, Grayshott, eldest daughter of the late Mr and Mr Robert Blythe of Belvonie, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire.

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NOTE - The Charge for inserting in The Scotsman an announcement of a BIRTH, MARRIAGE, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SYMPATHY, or IN MEMORIAM notice, not exceeding 18 words is 6s prepaid and 2s for each additional Six Words - The SIGNATURE AND ADDRESS of the Sender must accompany each Notice as a guarantee of good faith - These notices cannot be accepted by Telephone.

The Charge for ANNOUNCEMENTS OF FORTHCOMING MARRIAGES, ETC, is at the rate of 2s perWord with a minimum of Thirty Words - Sunday—Open from-7 p.m. to 9 p..mn. for notices only.

Thursday 15th April 1948 - Page 8

SKELMORLIE—Situated on the Sea Front between Wemyss Bay and Largs, the MIRA-MAR HOTEL is the Perfect Centre for Firth of Clyde Sailings. The Hotel has Beautiful Gardens, Ballroom, Garages, H. & C., Central Heating, Home Baking, Excellent Cuisine, Golf, Tennis and Bowling Adjacent. Open to Non-Residents. Booking Now for Spring Holiday Onwards.MIRA-MAR HOTEL, SKELMORLIE Telephone Wemyss Bay 2188

Thursday 27th May 1948 - Page 8

Choose the CLYDE COAST this Summer and Stay at the

HYDRO HOTEL, SKELMORLIE, AYRSHIRE Beautitully Situated, overlooking The Firth of Clyde, providing all the Refinements of Comfort and Service expected of a First Class Seaside Hotel. 60 Bedrooms Sun Lounge, Swimming Pool, Hot Salt Water Baths. Elevator, Central Heating, Fully Licensed. The Hotel is within a few minutes of Wemyss Bay Pier, the starting point for many delightful cruises on the Firth and neighbouring sea lochs. Tariff from Manager. Telephone Wemyss Bay 2184.

Monday 31st May 1948 - Page 2

SKELMORLIE LADIES GOLF - Captain's Prizes - Scratch - Miss J. R. Semple, 87. Handicap - Miss Henderson (23), 69; Mrs M'Millan (22), 71.

SKELMORLIE - Club Championship (27 holes) - J. Hamilton, 113; A. W. Whyte, 116.

Saturday 5th March 1949 - Page 6

This Spring - Come to SKELMORLIE HYDRO HOTELMAGNIFICENT VIEW ACROSS THE FIRTH OF CLYDE

Excellent Kitchen; Fully Licensed. Sea Water Swimming Pool Elevator to All Floors and Cliff Elevator Central HeatingF. I. SCHILLER, Resident Manager Telephone Wemyss Bay 2184

Thursday 3rd March 1949 - Page 4

The Snowdrop

Sirona, Shore Road, Skclmorlic, AyrshireFebruary 28, 1949

Sir, I have been much interested in the correspondence on "The Snowdrop", Mr McCallum seeks advice on forcing the snowdrop, but he does not state whether it is indoor or outdoor bulbs that he desires to force. I can only pass on my own plan for snowdrops at Christmas.

As soon as the spears of the bulbs appear through the ground, I lift about a spadeful and replant them in bulb bowls filled with riddled soil and transfer them to a warm room. With only normal house warmth, regular watering and such sunshine at the window as there

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may be in December, I have succeeded this season in having two bowls of blooms at least a month before the outdoor ones. When the flowers are over, the bulbs are replanted in the wild garden.

Incidentally, by adopting this method, I have been accused by my friends of cheating Nature. In to-day's issue, Mr Taylor of Longhiddry states that "snowdrops will not grow everywhere". With this I heartily concur. I have planted many snowdrop bulbs in the cultivated soil in this garden, but they did not even show through the surface, whilst in the woodland ground they grow and spread considerably.—I am &c. MARGARET H. MacMILLAN

Saturday 23rd April 1949 - Page 4

FORTHCOMING MARRIAGES

MR A. A. BELL—MRS D. GOALENA marriage has been arranged and will take place shortly between Archibald Angus Bell M.A., only son of Mr and Mrs J. Dunlop Bell, The Birkenward, Skelmorlie, Ayrshire and Dorothy Goalen, daughter of Dr Pollok Donald, 46 Ferry Road, Leith and the late Mrs Donald and widow of J. D. Goalen of Leith.

Monday 27th June 1949 - Page 7

SKELMORLIE GOLF RESULTS - Mixed Foursomes (Bogsy) - Mrs Powell and T. MacMillan, four up; T. Hawcutt and W. Halliday, two up; Mrs Smart and C. W. Gourlay, one up.

Thursday 14th July 1949 - Page 9

THE LONDON SALEROOMS - £7,396 for Old Masters

A woman led the bidding at Sotheby's, London, yesterday, when Old Master pictures and drawings realised £7,396 - An attractive little interior with figures dancings ascribed to the Dutch painter, Hendrlk van der Burch, sold for £400. This picture, formerly attributed to Pieter de Hoogh, had been in the W. A. Coats collection at Skelmorlie Castle.

Monday 25th July 1949 - Page 6

COCHRANE HOUSE, Skelmorlie

COCHRANE HOUSE, a holiday home at Skelmorlie, for the old folk of Alva, was formally opened and dedicated on Saturday. The Cochrane Foundation was established some years ago during the lifetime of the three brothers—James, Charles and John Cochrane, natives of Alva, who emigrated to America as boys in the 1860s. They entered the carpet-making industry and built up a large business. On the death of the last brother, the residue of their estate, about £250,000, was left in the hands of the Foundation for the benefit of their native town. The latest benefaction is the holiday home at Skelmorlie.

At the luncheon, which followed the opening of the house, the principal toast, 'The Cochrane Foundation and Cochrane House', was given by The Earl of Eglinton and Winton D.L., Mr James Nicol Jarvie, chairman of the directors of the Foundation, replying. In the house there is accommodation for 16 old folk, who will holiday for a fortnight under the care of a qualified matron. They will be conveyed to and from the house by bus.

Saturday 8th October 1949 - Page 7

TANKER REFLOATED - Grounded in the Clyde ' During Fog On Final Trials

With the help of three tugs, the newly-built motor tanker Biscoe (8980 tons) was refloated last night off a sandbar in The Firth of Clyde. She had been aground for nine hours with 100 people on board, including directors of her builders and her owners,

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United Whalers Ltd. The Biscoe, built for the Antarctic whaling trade, ran aground in fog 200 yards south of Wemyss Bay Pier while on her final trial before being handed over to the whaling company. Three tugs failed to get her off in the afternoon but the refloating occurred three hours before the midnight tide was full. Surveyors reported that she was unlikely to be damaged to any extent. She set off under her own power for Port Glasgow, where the keel will be inspected.

The tanker had completed three runs at speed over the Skelmorlie measured mile and was turning south again for a fourth run when she grounded at 1.30 p.m., half an hour after high tide. She was fully loaded at the time with 13,500 tons of water ballast in the tanks which normally carry oil and it was decided to start pumping the tanks dry in the hope that she would lighten sufficiently for tugs to pull her clear.

It became a race between pumps and tide. Three tugs strained for over two hours at her stern to take her off, but the tide won in the end. The attempts were abandoned, though they might have been more successful but for the fact that the tugs were delayed in their arrival by the fog and the guests were taken ashore by motor boat.

The Biscoe was launched at Port Glasgow last June by Lithgow's Ltd., to the order of United Whalers Ltd.. She is designed to attend the 21-ship fleet of The Balaena Whaling Expedition, which operate in Antarctic waters this winter, carrying fuel oil south and whale oil back to Britain.

Tuesday 15th November 1949 - Page 8

LANARKSHIRE & DISTRICT MINERS WELFARE - CONVALESCENT HOMES - MATRON—Applicants are invited for the post of Matron, at Chaseley Home, Skelmorlie. Applications stating age and experience to be lodged with the under-signed, not later than Saturday, 19th November 1949. For further particulars and terms of service apply to John Young Robertson, Secretary, 140 Cadzow Street, Hamilton.

Friday 18th November 1949 - Page 5

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

Hire-Purchase Reintroduced in South-West

The scheme of hire-purchase for electrical appliances is to be reintroduced by The South-West Scotland Electricity Board. This was announced yesterday by the Area Consultative Council, who expressed their appreciation of the efforts of the board in thus making available such items as cookers, water heaters, refrigerators, wash boilers, vacuum cleaners and agricultural appliances. It was also announced that the area board had agreed to reduce the running charges or secondary rates of domestic tariffs to 0.75 pence per unit in the areas of the former Ayrshire

Electricity Board, Hamilton Electricity Department, Kirkcudbright County Council and Skelmorlie Electricity

Supply Company, Ltd.. The present rates vary from 1 pence per unit in Skelmoriie to 0.7575 pence per unit in the case of Hamilton.

Monday 13th February 1950 - Page 3

PREMIER IN SCOTLAND

THE Prime Minister spent the week-end at Skelmorlie, a few miles from Greenock. He arrived there on Saturday evening, accompanied by Mrs Altlee and Chief-Inspector Boswell of Scotland Yard. Mr Attlee opens his Scottish tour with a meeting in Greenock Town Hall this forenoon.

Friday 3rd March 1950 - Page 10

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BOYD — At a nursing home, EDINBURGH, on 2nd March 1950, Helen Thomson, widow of the Rev. JOHN BOYD, of Skelmorlie, Ayrshire and daughter of the late William Adam, Elderslie, Kidderminster. Service at Crematorium Chapel, Warriston Road, to-morrow (Saturday), at 11 a.m., to which all friends are invited. (No flowers).

Wednesday 26th April 1950 - Page 10

SKELMORLIE HYDRO HOTEL, AYRSHIRE, Attractively situated, overlooking The Firth of Clyde. The Hotel has 60 Bedrooms, Central Heating throughout, Elevator to all floors and spacious Sun Lounge. Ideal centre from which to explore the many Beauty Spots of the Firth. REDUCED RATES (ex-Easter) IN OPERATION TILL 31st MAY. Fully Licenced. Resident Manager : F. J. SCHILLER Phone Wemyss Bay 2184.Friday 12th May 1950 - Page 2

COLVILLES - At the company's 19th General Meeting, held in Glasgow on Friday June 2, Sir John Craig reported that the Craig War Memorial Home at Skelmorlie has been in constant use and has proved of very real value in the rehabilitation of employees after sickness or accident. The committee are now considering how it can be extended to meet an ever-increasing need.

Tuesday 26th September 1950 - Page 1

SKELMORLIE  -  BEACH HOUSE  -  For Sale

Situated on the shore of The Firth of Clyde,  immediately south of Wemyss Bay Pier,  5 minutes walk from Wemyss Bay Station.  Extent of ground over 2¾ acres  -  Tack Duty £26. 6s 8d

The property comprises  -  1)   Dwelling-House of 12 main rooms,  Conservatory and Usual Offices and Detached Billiard  Room  -  Walled Garden.  2)   Small Gate Lodge  3)   Gardener's Cottage (3 Rooms and Kitchen) and Outhouses  4)   Garage and House (5 Apartments)  5)   Cottage of 2 Rooms and Kitchen  (Rent Controlled)  Total Assessed Value £161

To be Sold by Public Roup within The Faculty Hall,  St. George's Place,  Glasgow on Wednesday,  October 4,  1950 at 2 p.m.,  unless sold privately - Upset Price £3,000

For further particulars and Cards to View,  apply to McGregor Donald & Co.,  Solicitors,  172 St. Vincent Street,  Glasgow

Thursday 21st September 1950 - Page 10

AYRSHIRE, UPPER SKELMORLIE — For sale, the business and property known as the EGLINTON BAR AND HOUSE, UPPER SKELMORLIE; six-day licence.

A substantial stone-built and slated property occupying a prominent position and comprising, on the ground floor, the licensed premises, containing public bar, service bar, lounge and two sitting rooms, beer cellar and store; new beer pipe line and bar fittings throughout and on the upper floor, dwelling-house of four apartments, bathroom, etc. The house is all-electric and in first-class condition. The combined assessed rental is £99. Ground available for garage. Feu-duty £8. Excellent business with good quotas - Further particulars can be obtained from WILLIAM DUNCAN & CO., C.A., 25/27 Beresford Terrace, Ayr with whom offers should be lodged.

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