Last night I dreamt of Lilac buds Upon the Garnock Stream amid the thorns and briars thick a purple colour beamed I thought about the folk who came and chanced upon this sight perhaps ancestors,long since gone who left it burning bright Perhaps a bird did carry it from far and distant lands or from a child´s hands it fell and grew to proudly stand Or from Place Castle seeds did blow across the glade and vine to where the lovers meet in quiet with bodies deep entwined From where before the lilac came no man knows for sure cemetery or Moorpark House or from the Fairlie Moor So when you come and chance upon the purple lilac hue Give a thought from whence it came Ancestors before you
Dennyholm Mill (and houses)
Kilbirnie Tract Band 1931
Memories of the Rows: Fading Breath of the Past
This map of the steel works is from John McFarland´s book mentioned above. If anyone has an Ecopy of this book, please get in touch and I will upload it here.
Thanks.
Largs to Millport Hovercraft
I had completely forgotten about this.
#Kilbirnie First Parish Priest 1864 Death Certificate #northayrshire
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