Month: December 2022

St Brigids Church History 1862-1962 #kilbirnie #northayrshire #catholic

please click here for the document (PDF) 

Final page uploaded with names seperately here

This 27 page document produced in 1962 looks at Catholicism on the west coast of Scotland and details how the  Church in Kilbirnie came to be  opened in 1862. It contains a photo of the first priest  ( I already posted his death certificate on this blog) as well as the  surnames of all of the first Catholic families to worship in the Church which is very good for genealogy researchers.  It gives a rare glimpse of Catholic life on the west coast of Scotland and also talks about the opening of the school as well as other Churches in the area.

Jean Jeffrey McTaggart

 

This picture is of Jean Jeffrey, my Great Great Grandmother, (sometimes spelt Jeffray or Jeffries) who was married to Neil McTaggart and lived at 13 Dennyholm Street, Kilbirnie, by the mill on the site of what is now Dennyholm Wynd, Her Mother was Mary Jeffrey who married Andrew Stevenson, whose family were coal merchants in the town.

There is a family story that Neil was a twin with a brother Malcolm but I have not been able to prove that from any government records.

Jeanie had a very large family, including my Great Grandfather Neil as well as a daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth married Samuel Cairns and two of their children are sitting on Jean´s lap. Jean was red haired and used to walk from the Dennyholm out to Glengarnock barefoot to visit some of her children

Jean died in 1927. I estimate this photo to have been taken around 1923.

 

A Description of Kilbirnie from 1837

This came from a link held by a site called Maybole.org, which seems to be no longer available. 

Including the names:

 

CLERGY
Ferguson, Rev. James (reformed presbytery),  Hill cottage
Urquhart, Rev. Robert (established church),  Manse

ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS
Miller, James,  Bank
Parochial School, James Muir, master
Stewart, James,  Dennyholm

BLEACHERS AND THREAD MANUFACTURERS
Knox, William & James,  Water side

BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS
Allan, George,  Bridge st
Allan, James,  Newtown
Allan, John,  Cockran st
Anderson, William,  Cockran st
Irvine, David,  Mill st
Sinclair, John,  Bridge st
Steel, John,  Bridge st

CARTWRIGHTS
Barclay, James,  Bridge st
Crawford, Archibald,  Cockran st
Dickie, William,  Newtown

COTTON MANUFACTURERS  (by power)
Watson, David, Kilbirnie Mill – Matthew Shanks, manager

FLAX SPINNERS
Wilson & Jamesons,  Garnock mill

FLESHERS
Orr, Robert,  Bridge st
Patton, Robert,  Bridge st
Shedden, William,  Bridge st

GROCERS & SPIRIT DEALERS
Allan, John,  Bridge st
Brodie, James,  Mill st
Fife, Robert (& agent),  bridge st
Fife, William (tea dealer),  Main st
Law, John,  Bridge st
Mackie, James,  Bridge st
Patton, Robert,  Bridge st
Shedden, William,  Bridge st
Walker, James,  Bridge st

STONE MASONS
Knox, Robert,  Bridge st
Russell, Allan,  Bridge st

TAILORS
Bryan, Hugh,  Main st
Clark, Robert,  Bridge st

VINTERS
Archibald, Elizabeth,  Bridge st
Crawford, Robert,  Bridge st
Durrock, Alexander,  Bridge st
Love, William,  Bridge st
McCormick, Janet,  Main st
Orr, Robert,  Bridge st
Walker, John,  Mill st

MISCELLANEOUS
Barclay, Peter,  joiner,  Cockran st
Baxter, Daniel,  sexton
Beech, Allan,  tinsmith,  Hamilton st
Crawford, Rachael, draper,  Bridge st
Dickie, George, miller,  Nether mill
Graham, James,  cabinet maker,  Main st
Howie, Andrew,  lime burner,  Auchinleck
Jameson, James,  coal merchant,  Lade side
McCosh, John,  baker,  Main st
Montgomerie, Skeoh (?), rope maker,  Dennyholm
Orr, Robt, earthenware dealer,  Bridge st
Pebles, James, wheel maker,  Bridge st
Walker, William,  surgeon,  Main st

CARRIERS
To Glasgow, James Allan and James Allan jnr, every Thursday.

Mary (Maria) McTaggart 1887 – 1907

Maria McTaggart  was a sister of my Great Grandfather Neil McTaggart. She  died of a lung condition. 

It seems the family were living out at “the Den” which was a little village called Barkip. It no longer exists but you can still see traces of it on the Beith to Dalry Road. It was disbanded in the early 20th Century and the people were moved to other locations such as the Longbar, Rows, Beith and Dalry. It had a Church, Bank, Post Office and school.

Janet Hay and John Andrews are  also mentioned on the certificate

Mary – Death Certificate