Tag: ayrshire

Hugh McDonald Watson, Soldier WW2.

Hugh McDonald Watson

I don’t know much about him except that he lived in Muirend Street. Kilbirnie. He became quite well known.

Let me know if you have any further information.

The photo came from The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.

 

LIlac – A Poem

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

Knox Institute, Kilbirnie

 

It is great news that the Knox Institute in Kilbirnie will be restored.

Here is a picture of the man who built it, Robert William Knox:

The original portrait was last seen in the “Stables Museum” underneath the Walker Hall in the 1990s. I have been trying to get information about what happened to the stuff that was in there. I have asked North Ayrshire Council but Im not getting any replies except to say they are looking into it and that was a few years ago now.

There is also a lamp which was donated to the town by RW Knox and it sat upon one of the bridges. Last seen also in the Stables museum.

Lilac Poem

Lilac

Last night I dreamt of Lilac trees,

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

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 the Castle seeds did blow

across the glade and vine

to where the lovers meet in quiet

with bodies deep entwined

 

1980s #radiojingles from #westsound radio #northayrshire

I visited west sound in 1986 and had a tour of their studio. The photos I took are very interesting. I wrote to them recently but they didnt want the photos so I passed them to Andy Walmsley who runs an online radio history site. You can see them on his site (search for west sound) here along with my collection of Autographed photos of West Sound Presenters

Here is a jingle montage I found on Soundcloud, the best ones are about half way through. They had a theme called “Mystical Waters” which was recorded by a group of kids singing the theme in North Ayrhsire, the opening jingle is the music only version done by session musicians and the other one on this demo is  with the kids. They used it to close the station at 8pm every night. It was recorded at a recording studio in Ayr with kids from the local town of Stevenson. It was supposed to be used in the “Dolphin Club” but was finally used as a station ident. (Thanks to Letitia McLaughlan the jingle author of “Mystical Waters” for this info).

That first kids show “the Dolphin Club” on Saturday mornings was with Dippy the Dolphin, John MacAuley and Fiona MacDonald. (was it Fiona?)