Bob McWilliam

It is with great sadness that we intimate the passing of Bob McWilliam at Crosshouse Hospital on 23 May 2013

 Until fairly recently, Bob led a very busy life.  He was much involved with many  organisations within Kilmarnock and beyond, including, Kilmarnock & District History Group, Opportunities in Retirement,  Probus, Kilmarnock Burn's Club and Burn's Federation and Riccarton Church.

 Bob was no mean football player in his youth and he was heavily involved in the organisation of schools football.  Last year he was honoured by the SFA  for his lifelong contribution to Scottish schools football.  

Along with Ian McVey, Bob was one of the driving forces in the production of our most recent Town Trail booklet and in the siting of plaques at sites of historical interest around Kilmarnock.

He served as a committee member of KDHG for many years and his thoughtful and fully considered opinions were always valued during discussions.

 Bob's funeral service will be held on Friday 31 May at 11.45  at  Riccarton Church and thereafter at 1.00pm at Holmsford Bridge Crematorium. The family have requested no flowers, but donations to the Beatson Institute in Bob's memory will be most welcome.

New Memorial - Fenwick Kirkyard

CONVENTICLE IN FENWICK KIRKYARD

On Sunday 21^st April, Fenwick Parish Church and the Trustees of Lochgoin and Fenwick Covenanters Trust are holding a Conventicle in Fenwick Kirkyard to dedicate a new memorial to the “Deerness 8”.  

The Deerness 8 were Covenanters from Fenwick who perished at sea when their prison transport ship (The Crown) floundered on rocks. 

The Conventicle begins at 2:00pm with refreshments in the Church Hall afterwards.

This is an open invitation to Ayrshire Parishes who also have a link to men lost in the sinking of the Crown of London.  

There is a memorial in the graveyard at New Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock, dedicated to the memory of men from Kilmarnock parish who also perished in this disaster. 

Ayrshire Victims of the Crown Shipwreck, 1679

Auchinleck       Andrew Richmond

Barr                  Alexander Burden

Colmonell         John McClellan, Thomas McClurg, John McCornock

Dalmellington   Walter Humper senior, Hugh Simpson

Dalry                David McCubbin,  William McCulloch

Dreghorn          James Bouston

Fenwick            David Bitchet, William Bitchet, Andrew Buckle, David Currie, James Gray, Robert Tod, John White, John Wylie

Galston             George Campbell, James Young

Girvan              William Caldwell

Kilmarnock       James Anderson, Robert Anderson, William Brown, John Cuthbertson, Thomas Finlay Link

Kirkmichael      John Brice, Robert Douglas, James McConnell, John McTire, RobertRamsay

Kirkoswald       Thomas Germont, John White

Loudoun           Thomas Wylie

Mauchline        William Drips, William Reid

Maybole           Mungo Eccles, Thomas Horn, Robert McGarron, John McHarrie, John McWhirter, William Rodger

Muirkirk           John Campbell, Alexander Paterson

Ochiltree           Andrew Welch

Old Cumnock   John Gemil, James Mirrie

Stewarton         Andrew Wylie, Robert Wylie, Thomas Wylie

Straiton             George Hutcheson, Alexander Lamb, James McMurrie

850 Years of Paisley Abbey

Celebrating 850 Years of Paisley Abbey

Saturday 7 September 2013

In Paisley Abbey

Plans are being made for a conference to be held on Saturday, 7^th of September, 2013, to celebrate the history of Paisley Abbey since its foundation in 1163.
It is expected that the morning session will concentrate on the period up to the seventeenth century and the afternoon session from the eighteenth century.
The morning session will include subjects such as the medieval cult of St Mirin, the early Abbots in Paisley, the Abbey estates and the use of their resources, and the archaeology and architecture of the Place of Paisley.
The afternoon papers will concentrate on the Abbey’s place in the wider Scottish context and on its interaction with the growing town of Paisley.

Paisley Abbey 850 Conference 2013 Leaflet & Application Form

(Right Click to Download or just left click to open)

ABBEY 850 CONFERENCE – PROGRAMME

Gilbert Márkus

Paisley, the Stewarts, and the Use of Saints

Professor Richard Oram

The Abbey, its Estate and the Changing Face of the Land

Alan Steel

Patrons, Troublemakers and Angry Abbots

Tom Addyman

The Archaeology of the Cloister and Place of Paisley –
a new investigation and analysis

oo0oo

Professor Charles McKean

The Modernising of Paisley 1750 – 1820 – the use of the Abbey lands and the formation of the new town

David Roberts

Fighting the Good Fight: The Life and Times of the Reverend Patrick Brewster”- charismatic People’s Champion or bigoted self-important windbag?

Rev Tom Davidson Kelly

An Edwardian Scots Medieval Architect – Macgregor Chalmers and the 20h Century Choir Restoration

David Livingstone

Celebrating the bicentenary
of the birth of Dr David Livingstone

19 March 2013 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of David Livingstone. This explorer, writer, missionary, medic and anti-slavery campaigner rose from humble beginnings in a Lanarkshire tenement to become celebrated as “Africa’s first freedom fighter.”

 

There are "David Livingstone 200" bicentenary events happening around the world.  Details can be found at
 David Livingstone 200 Events 



 

Ayrshire and The Red Cross - 1918

Ayrshire and the Red Cross, 1918
 
This latest item in the digitised collections at the Burns Monument Centre is a very special book, edited by J. Arthur Findlay, and printed in Glasgow by F. F. & Arthur Wilson in 1918.
Ayrshire and the Red Cross: a record of a great work done by the people of Ayrshire for a noble cause,  lists the numerous Red Cross Divisions of Ayrshire, providing lots of detail and statistics of the work done by the various work parties in the towns and villages of the county. The book is highly illustrated, with photographs of every Division and their various work parties – made up almost entirely of women. The photographs also show the temporary hospitals and depots, for example the Dick Institute Hospital, Montgreenan Hospital, and Troon Hospital.
The book has been digitised and reproduced with the kind permission of the British Red Cross Museum and Archives.

Ayrshire and The Red Cross - 1918

Frank Beattie & AGM

Our last meeting of this session will be held on Tuesday 19 March in Kilmarnock College.  There will be a very brief AGM at 7.30pm, followed by what should be a very interesting talk by Frank Beattie, erstwhile writer and sub-editor of the Kilmarnock Standard.  Now retired from his day job, Frank holds on his files masses of useful information about all aspects of Kilmarnock's rich history.  Come along and listen to him.  He might even plug his new book, "The Kilmarnock Fact Book".

James Clerk Maxwell

On Tuesday 5 March we are holding a joint meeting with KESS (Kilmarnock Engineering and Science Society).
Professor Jim Penman from the University of Strathclyde will be speaking to us about " The Genius of James Clerk Maxwell".

Born in Edinburgh and buried at Parton Kirk near Castle Douglas, James Clerk Maxwell is one of the most influential scientists of all time. Albert Einstein acknowledged that the origins of the special theory of relativity lay in Clerk Maxwell's theories, saying “The work of James Clerk Maxwell changed the world forever”.

Clerk Maxwell's research into electromagnetic radiation led to the development of television, mobile phones, radio and infra-red telescopes. The largest astronomical telescope in the world, at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii, is named in his honour.

It should be a most informative and enjoyable evening.