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Kilmaurs
Kilmaurs maps
Historic maps of Kilmaurs and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Kilmaurs maps
Kilmaurs area books
Displaying 1 of 2 books about Kilmaurs and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Kilmaurs
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Kilmaurs
My husband and I are Australians and went to Britain on a driving holiday in 2007. We stayed in some marvellous B&Bs but one that will always be memorable for us was at Anna Steel's farm 'Laigh Langmuir'. What a welcome we had - come in, make yourself at home, a fire is in the lounge. Tea or coffee?. Home made sponge, slice, pikelets with homemade jam and cream! She made everyone who stayed there (and it was packed to the rafters) very welcome. We stayed there for 3 nights. We travelled on the train to Glasgow one day - what a memorable journey that was! Scotland was playing Lithuania and the train was full of Scottish supporters, mostly decked out in their kilts and tam-o-shanters with red hair blazing! On our way back to the station, we met a few Scottish supporters in fine fettler, who told us that Scotland had won, which made... Read more
Ayrshire memories
St Marys Catholic School
Hi, my name is Elizabeth McKibbin, my maiden name was Brannan. My father James Brannan was born in Knockentiber at number 21 Greenhill Terrace. My father married and moved to Mauchline where we stayed for 7 years. When my grandmother died in 1964 our family moved to Knockentiber to look after my grandfather, Peter Brannan. This is when I started going to St Marys school - it was a small school of only 28 pupils and two school teachers, a husband and wife Mr and Mrs Bennett. I started in primary 4 and there were four in my class, Ann Muir, Eamon Kelly, Robert Mckibbin and myself. The school closed soon after and we were relocated to Mount Carmel in Onthank. I have very happy memories of St Marys, albeit a short time there, but it was very special. We would to go across to the hill in the field across the road on sunny days and read, and we could go... Read more
Fishing at Craufurdland Lake.
I was born in Armour Street in Kilmarnock in 1959. Around 1963 we moved to Onthank. I went to Onthank School. My friend Bryce Herbert and I from about the age of 10 onwards used to go to Craufurdland Lake to fish for Perch and Pike. On Saturday mornings we would knock on the door of the castle in the picture. An upstairs window would open and we would shout up asking for permission to fish in the Lake. If "Mr Craufurdland" as we imagined he was called said yes, off we went. If no, we walked home again. The Lake was and is a magical place for me although now it is a trout fishery and all of the beautiful lilies and reeds are gone.
Hogmanay in Kilmarnock
Sometime in December of 1953 I was posted to Preswick Airport from London Airport, being a motor cycle Constable with what was then the Ministry of Civil Aviation Constabulary, for a tour of duty of one month, the police motor cycle, a 350cc Matchless was shipped from London by train.
It had been reported that cars were mistaking the single runway for the main road to Glasgow, however during my tour I didn't come across any such incident, although it was bloody cold riding a motor cycle eight hours a day.
But the fondest memories of that time I have are first-footing on new year's eve with three pretty Scottish girls in Kilmarnock, being a tall, dark, stranger I was pushed into various homes with a piece of bread in one hand and a piece of coal in the other, giving the promise of food and warmth for the year, all new to me being an Englishman.
As I seem to recall this lasted for two... Read more
Killie
My memories have a date range from 1958 to date. Although I was born in Irvine due to my mother needing urgent medical assistance I was brought up in a town that I grew to love and found easy to defend against anyone who barracked it.
I lived with my mother and father originally in Paxton Street which looked onto the bleechy (childrens' play area) which backed onto the cemetary of the St. Andrews Church.
Like my Dad, I went to nearby Bentink Primary School and during lunch time would go to my Gran's in Richardland Road which had a great view of the woollen mill and the comings and goings around that area.
In 1959 we moved to the new housing estate at Bellfield where I lived for 25 yrs.
Throughout my time in Killie I represented the town's local swimming club - like my mother, father and younger brother did. Like my younger brother I also played rugby for the rugby club and also... Read more
Crossing The Moor
My secondary education was completed after spending 4 years at Irvine Royal Academy. The school was broken into two buildings known as the old school (pictured) and the new school in Kilwinning Road. Classes were conducted between both buildings and often meant crossing the moor to and from either building. This was fine and considered a great timewaster in good weather but was a pain in pouring rain and ice & snow etc.
The old school was a beautiful building which was loaded with character and that also included some of the teachers who could be characters in their own right, the older of whom wore the black robes and generally carried a belt for discipline, although I never saw one used. The classes were split following the results from the 11+ exam and we were taught according to capabilities. I loved it.
I loved the old building, the character, and the learning (although the exams were a bit stressful). However we survived and although that... Read more
Irvine Royal Academy
In relation to Margaret's memory of 'crossing the moor', we did the same! I have various memories of gym periods in embarrassing shorts, running around on 'the moor', with the boys from the 'new' Ravenspark School (now Irvine) passing us and whistling etc. Heather C. and Joan R. were my pals -I've used my own name here - maybe someone remembers? The old building was lovely, I loved the 'lecture room', seen top left of the pic, huge windows onto the moor. Yes, teachers with flowing black robes. I bumped into Mr. Rab McGarry (Art) a few years back, loved art, (got my degree just recently!). Mr. McGarry was so cool, he seemed surprised when I told him we thought he was cool - proves he MUST have been! Did we really see Gallagher and Lyle at Ravenspark in 1970-71-just after school bell, walked in still with uniforms on - organised - (remember head teach telling us not to miss the bus)! Met Jean McKee in London... Read more
