And comes a snow white blanket dawn around the Garnock way across the darkened thoughts of man a Love at break of day And o´er the bogs and hills there´s ice the cows they gently cower a voice says “Man with all your cares be still for just an hour” The darkened views of waning health exchanged for winter cheer the snow reflects a gentle calm upon the town so dear And on the braes the deer are seen walking proudly by no man can touch their safety now upon their mountain high Upon the tombs of rested men lies layers of icy sense reflecting that the One great Mind preserves their innocence O the Love that comes to Man and all that went before with coal fires, spades and gas lamplight the steel work furnace roared Now with vision double glazed with houses big and warm we still declare it's not enough to get us through the morn Demanding more at every turn it gently takes us higher looking towards a Higher sense than simply vain desire
Category: Kilbirnie / North Ayrshire
Mary (Maria) McTaggart 1887 – 1907
Maria McTaggart worked for W and J Knox in Kilbirnie and sadly caught her breast in one of the machines. She was a sister of my Great Grandfather Neil McTaggart.
She eventually died at the young age of 19. The family maintained it was because of her wound which became “cancerous”, yet there is no known link between a breast wound and cancer. That is now known to be an urban myth. She in fact 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.
Witch Trials
What an interesting map! Witch trials for the whole of Scotland.
I knew about William Semple of Kilbirnie but I didnt know about the other one, Agnes Houston.
The River Garnock at Grahamston Avenue #poem
Flowing to a land of peace We watch her gentle stream Old Churches, schools ravished by time Reflect her gentle beams. Starry nights and sun-filled days Upon her granite poised Where children played upon the bridge O´er shadowed now with noise. Yet peace she brings with every stone Where faltering birds do nest And otters with their children come To take their peace and rest. In her divine appointed flow Fear leaves no saddened thoughts For change is named upon her brow With no heightened sense of loss. And by her banks sweet angels flow Attending to their wards while we stand upon the bridge alone With only darker thoughts. Yet sweet repose and Love are here For all who hear her song Far away from bills to pay And every sense of wrong. Her gentle flowing higher streams Do guide us in our thoughts to a peaceful place of mind flowing o´er the darker rocks. ´Tis good for us to stop and hear Her gentle peaceful flow While Angels pass with quieter thoughts Allowing us to grow.
Willlie Rabey´s Reading Room, Glengarnock Steel Works
This was the first library in North Ayrshire.
Kilbirnie Home Guard 1940s?
James Clifford
James, later known as Jaime (Jamie) Clifford was a 19th century protestant missionary who went from Kilbirnie Gospel Hall to Argentina. Ironically he was born in a house which sat on the present site of the Gospel Hall at Schoolwynd.
It was noticed that he had great oratory skills when he gave speeches for the Independent Labour Party. He initially attended the red kirk across from St Columbas before his religious conversion.
He became very well known in Argentina and is buried out there. Visiting Kilbirnie a few times after he left. His son Alejandro Clifford continued his work in Argentina.
His biography in Spanish is here
Kilbirnie & Beyond 