Kilncadzow

Wilson of Braidwood

My brother and I were packed off to Scotland from London each summer to visit our ancestral homeland, whence we would visit our Aunt Daisy and Uncle Adam at their place next to the old Braidwood school near the bottom of the village. This was always a real treat. The wonderful garden that sloped steeply down to the stream at the back of the house. The grape vine and its delicious tasting grapes from the greenhouse. The curling stones sat, redundant. Aunt Daisy's delicious teas. The walks she would take us on, to the Tower of Halbar, the old coal mine etc. Daisy was the only sister of my grandfather Robert, who was one of four brothers and who originally lived in a house opposite, in lower Braidwood overlooking the Clyde valley and Tinto Hill in the distance. Wonderfull memories!
Keith Wilson, 2008.

MY OLD HOME, STONEBYRES SMALLHOLDINGS

Hi there to everyone who reads this, it might jog your memory some, only I don't really think there are many of the old gang left now from Stonebyres estate. To jog your memory I will mention a few names from there, ok, here are some of my old friends, hope you see this and put a reply in to veryfy my letter. OK here goes: Billy, Adam, and Jean Whiteman, James and Alex Paisly, Billy and Murdo Stewart, Jack Kirk, Isaac Gray, Helen, Agnes, and Alice Miller, Tom and Anne Paisly, to mention a few of the young ones from those days. My own family was Tom, Netty, Jim, May, Gorge and myself, known as Alistair but my real name is alexander Hannah, as was my dad's name. We lived at 12 Stonebyres, also known as Deer Park as it was the deer park in the glory days of Stonebyres House which was still standing as a ruin when we went there in I think 1936 or 37,... Read more

I Was Born in Ashgill

I was born above the old post office in Ashgill and my family moved to Cornsilloch when I was around 6 months old.
My whole family from my grannie and grandad Nellie Waddell and John Smith and their parents Hugh Smith all lived in Ashgill Prospect Drive and Douglas drive.
My uncle Sandy had tomato houses out at Ayr road, I spent many a school holiday working in them.
Many a great time I spent in my formative years visiting the area.
Now here I am living in the great state of Wisconsin USA.
Happy happy memories,

John Smith.
tshanter@hotmail.com

Fond Memories of Ashgill

My Dad was from Ashgill and my Mum was from Stonehouse. Emigrated to Canada in 1957 where I was born. First visit to Scotland in 1967 and met my grandparents in Ashgill - 15 Bogside Rd - Peter and Jeanie Hamilton. My Dad was Willie Hamilton, or Bill. Am very familiar with the school in Dalserf - Dempsters garage - the Fingerpost - the old Post Office. The old miners houses at the bottom of the hill called Tint-a-view? (one of Dad's cousins lived there. There was no bathtub or shower and it was only one bedroom) and the Meeting Hall at the bottom of the hill - the farms up top (the Marlege?) Moved to Scotland in the early 1970s and attended Larkhall Academy while living in Stonehouse. My few years in Lanarkshire allowed me to see the whole village with my Dad's Uncle Geordie on our Sunday walks. Moved back to Canada in the mid 1970s but have been over... Read more

Granda

I remember Ashgill well, my mum was born and brought up there. They lived at 51 Bogside Rd, granda was a miner. I never met my gran, she died when my mum was very young - their name was Dodds. There was Lizzie, Mary, Matt, Jeannie and John. Can anyone tell me if there was a wee shop at the bottom of Bogside Rd called Queenies? I am sure there was - anyway great times was had in Ashgill.

Titled."Summers in Kirkmuirhill".....My Granny Brown lived there and as a wee boy I was sent from my home in Glasgow to stay with my Granny for the summer. I loved the time there and enjoyed the fequent walks with my Uncle Dan down by the river Nethan, where he would guddle for trout. There was a pub on the main road and a little shop was nest to it. On a Friday my uncle always said he was going to see a "man about a dog". Naturally he was going to the pub. I would walk along with him and waited on the wall beside the pub with a "jotter" and pencil in my hand which he gave me to copy down the registration of any cars and buses passing. Of course in those days hardly anyone had a car and the bus passed every hour. Needless to say I never logged too many numbers. I still have fond memories of those days and think of it often in Canada... Read more

Playing Out in Kilmichael Avenue

My happiest memories of our street is of me and my sisters playing with our friends. We played all sorts of games ... skipping ropes ... peever ... tig ... film stars ... swaping scraps ... We were never bored, in fact we enjoyed ourselves so much that we hated when night time came and we were called in to go to bed. We never had much money, but we were always happy.