STEWARTON, DUNLOP AND NEIGHBOURHOOD
Ayrshire Directory 1837 - by Pigot & Co
Stewarton is a prosperous manufacturing town, in the parish of its name and
district of Cunningham; 16 miles s by w from Glasgow, 6 n from Irvine, 5 n from
Kilmarnock, and 3 from Fenwick; situate in a pleasant part of the county, on the
bank of the water of Annock. The parish, which is about ten miles in length, and
varying from three to four in breadth, is a rich agricultural district, highly
cultivated and improved, and adorned by several gentlemen's tastefully laid out
seats. For centuaries Stewarton remained an inconsiderable and unnoted village;
and it is only of a comparatively recent date that, owing to the general extension
of trade and manufacture, it has increased to its present dimensions and
consequence. It has, however, been long distinguished by the production of
Highland or tartan and other bonnets, especially of regimental bonnets and caps;
this business, which is chiefly carried on domestically, and partially in
factories, furnishes employment to from three hundred and fifty to four hundred
hands; whilst in the manufacture of carpets one hundred and fifty more persons
find occupation. The making of spindles for cotton and woollen mills is an
extensive branch here, and a considerable number of the cotton mills of Scotland
are supplied from hence. The manufacture or forging of clock-work, for which
this town is peculiar in North Britian, is a trade of some significance, as it
forms an item of exportation to the continent of Europe and America. Several
woollen mills are engaged in carding and spinning for the carpet and bonnet
trades; the largest concern is that belonging to Alexander Kerr Esq of
Robertland, and occupied by Messrs Muir, Dunlop & Co, who have a steam
engine for propelling the machinery on the occurrence of droughts or frosts. A
large portion of the population consists of silk and muslin weavers, who are
employed by the Glasgow and Paisley establishments; linens and damasks are also
issued from the Stewarton looms to some extent; and in the ingenious pursuits of
"Ayrshire Needlework" not fewer than three hundred females enjoy the
fruits of industry. The "Glasgow Union Banking Company" have a branch
of their firm in this place, and there is likewise a bank for savings; this
latter institution, together with several benefit or friendly societies, creates
a stimulus to the spirit of dilligence and frugility in the working classes.
This thriving little town has no magistracy or police; but regular district
courts for the recovery of small debts, and such business as falls under the
jurisdiction of Justices of the peace for the parishes of Stewarton, Dunlop and
Fenwick, are held by quorum of the neighbouring magistrates. Beside the
established church, there are three other places of worship, including a united
seccession church, one for original burghers, and the third for independant
congregationalists. The market day is Thursday. The fairs are held as follows:
on the Monday before Irvine fair, for the sale of horses, cattle, dairy produce
and dairy utensils, and for the hiring of servants; on the last Thursday of
June, or Thursday following (Shotts and Kelton Hill fairs), for horses and
cattle; on the next Friday after the 12th November, for fat cattle, dairy stock,
and hiring servants; and on the last Thursday of December, for horses and
cattle. Dunlop is a small village, two miles and a half from Stewarton,
romantically situate on the banks of the Swiney, about three hundred yards off
the road leading from Kilmarnock to Paisley; and when seen from a little
distance, through the trees in which it is embounded, has an agreeable retired
appearance. The houses being mostly old, and the street narrow, it does not
improve on a nearer view, though in this respect it does not suffer by
comparison with other places of similar rank throughout the country. A new and
handsome church was erected in 1835, its predecessor having suffered much from
the continued effects of age and weather; it is a great ornament to the
neighbourhood. In the church-yard is a small arched chamber, formed under the
direction of Lord Viscount Clanaboyes, in 1641, over the grave of his father,
the Rev Hams Hamilton, who for 45 years was minister of this parish; it contains
a well executed monument in marble, justly deserving attention. The parish, to
whish the village gives name, lies principally in the bailery of Cunningham, and
county of Ayr; but on the north it extends into Renfrewshire. It has long been
noted for the excellent quality of its cheese, which bears a rich character
throughout Scotland. About the close of the seventeenth centuary one Barbara
Gilmour is said to have commenced the practice of making cheese from the entire
milk, nothing but skimmed milk having been used in the process, in this
district, previously to that period; at present all the cheese similarly made in
the western counties receives the appellation of "Dunlop"; about
25,000 stones imperial are made in this parish annually. There is also a very
considerable trade in meal carried on by the inhabitants of the village and the
surrounding territory. Dunlop House, in this parish, the seat of John Dunlop,
Esq. member of parliament for Ayrshire, is one of the handsomest mansions in the
county; on this estate, resting on a small knoll, is a stone of large
dimensions, called the "O Great Stone", supposed to have been employed
in some ancient rites of worship. Two fairs, for the sale of dairy stock, take
place here annually; one about the middle of May, the other on the 12th of
November; both are almost invariably well attended.
Post
Office, Avenue street, Stewarton, Andrew Barr, Post Master. Letters from all
parts arrive (from Kilmarnock) every morning at half-past eight, and are
despatched every evening at ten minutes before five.
GENTRY & CLERGY
(Marked thus * are Justices of the Peace)
Brisbane, Rev Jas, Manse, Dunlop/ * Brown, Andrew Esq. (of Hill house) surgeon
in the Hon. East India Company's service, Clerk hill/ Cairns, Rev Peter, Bridge
end/ * Cuninghame, Wm Esq of Lainshaw/ Dickie, Rev Matthew, Borland/ *Dunlop,
John Esq. MP of Dunlop/ *Kerr, Alexander Esq. of Robertland/ * Macallister, Col
Charles Somerville of Kennox/ * Pollock, William Esq. of Barnyhill/ * Provan,
David Esq. of Lockridge/ Steven, Rev Charles B manse
ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS
Brownlee, John, High st/ Buchanan, Walter, Dunlop/ Holborn, John, Avenue st/
Marshall, Peter, Langton/ Parish School, near the Church - Duncan McFarlane,
master/ Parochial School, Dunlop - Wm Bryce, master/ Smith, Alexander, Kingston/
Sutherland, Dundas, Avenue st
AGENTS TO MANUFACTURERS
Brown, John, Townhead/ Caskie, Mary, Vennel st/ Dunlop, Alexander, High st/
Kerr, James, Avenue st/ Logan, Andrew, High st/ Logan, Robert, Townhead BAKERS
Craig, Robert, High st/ Mackenzie, Duncan, (& spirit dealer), High st/
Picken, Thomas, (and spirit dealer), High st
BANKERS
Glasgow Union Banking Company (Branch of) - (draw on Robert Burns, Glasgow, the
Union Bank, Edinburgh, and Jones, Loyd & Co, London) - James Anderson
Sandgrass, agent Saving Bank, Townhead - John Brown, secretary and treasurer
BLACKSMITHS
Baird, John, Lainshaw smithy/ Brown, Thomas, Townfoot/ Edgar, William, Dunlop/
Simpson, Thomas, Sidehead/ Wyllie, James, Avenue st
BONNET MAKERS - TARTAN, MILITARY &C
Bicket, James, Kirkford/ Bicket, Mary, Kirkfoot/ Black, Hugh, Darlington/ Black,
Mary, Darlington/ Bowles, James, Darlington/ Caskie, Jane, Holm/ Currie,
Alexander, Darlington/ Currie, Andrew, Townhead/ Currie, David, Darlington/
Currie, James, Darlington/ Currie, John, Darlington/ Currie, Thomas, Darlington/
Gibson, James, Kirkford/ Gibson, James jnr, Kirkford/ Harper, Margaret, Kirkford/
Highet, William, Townhead/ Knox, Alexander, Kirkford/ Laughland, Alexander,
Holm/ Laughland, David, Townhead/ Laughland, James, Townhead/ Laughland, John,
High st/ Picken, Alexander, Townhead/ Picken, David, Darlington/ Ramsay, David,
Darlington/ Rayburn, Robert, Kirkford/ Robertson, John, Darlington/ Scoullor,
Isabel, Townhead/ Stewart, Shaw, Kirkford/ Stewart, Shaw jnr, Kirkford/ Wilson,
James, Kirkford/ Wilson, John, Townhead/ Wilson, Margaret, Kirkford/ Wilson,
Mary, Darlington/ Wyllie, Agnes, Darlington
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
Dunlop, William, High st/ Dunlop, William jnr, High st/ Ferguson, Robert, High
st/ Fulton, Robert, Dunlop/ Hall, Roger, High st/ Hood, Thomas, Dunlop/
Jamieson, James, Dunlop/ McFarlane, Andrew, Kingston/ Picken, Alexander, High st/
Smith, David, Dunlop/ Young, David, Rigg st/ Young, William, Society buildings
CABINET MAKERS
Alexander, John, Cross hill/ Dunlop, John, Avenue st/ Paton, Adam, Avenue st/
Smith, George, Townhead
CARPENTERS, JOINERS AND CARTWRIGHTS
Bowies, James, Townhead/ Conn, James, Avenue st/ Dunlop, John, Avenue st/
Gemmell, Robert, Dunlop/ Kerr, James, Kirkford/ Logan, William, Dunlop/
Mitchell, William, Sidehead/ Paton, Adam, Avenue st/ Picken, James, Dunlop/
Robertson & Dunsmuir, Dunlop/ Smith, John, Thorn/ Smith, Robert, High st
CARPET MANUFACTURERS
Deans, John, Thomas & Co. Scoto, Turkey & Persian carpet & rug,
& three ply superfine & fine carpet manufacturers , Holm Muir, Dunlop
and Black, Nether Robertland mill
CATTLE DEALERS
Dunlop, Gabriel, Rigg st/ Dunlop, Gabriel and John, Vennel st
CHEESE & MEAL DEALERS
Cochrane, John, Dunlop/ Cochrane, Robert, Chapel house/ Cochrane, Thomas, Mains/
Malcolm, James, Dunlop/ Maxwell, Frame, Dunlop/ Nairn, Robert, Dunlop/ Nairn,
William, Dunlop/ Peacock, Andrew, Dunlop/ Reed, Robert, Leighmoor/ Robertson,
Robert, Dunlop/ Ross, John, Titwood/ Stevenson, David, Money acres/ Stevenson,
James, North Borland/ Wyllie, Alexander, Dunlop
FIRE & LIFE OFFICE AGENT
Insurance Co of Scotland (fire) & Standard (life), James A Snodgrass, High st
FLESHERS
Kerr, John, High st/ Kerr, William, Cross/ Mackie, Peter, High st/Sommerville, David, High st/ Wyllie, James, Townhead
GROCERS
(marked thus * are also spirit dealers)
* Anderson, William, High st/ Barr, Andrew, Avenue st/ * Blair, James, High st/
* Blair, Joseph, Townhead/ * Dalgleish, John, Avenue st/ Dunlop, robert, High st/
* Ferguson, James, High st/ Ferguson, John, High st/ * Grubb, Thomas, High st/ *
Jackson, David, High st/ King, Alexander, High st/ Logan, John, High st/ Nairn,
James, High st/ Stirling, James, Cross/ * Wallace, Francis, High st
INNKEEPERS & VINTERS
Anderson, William, High st/ Angus, Malcolm, Leighmoor/ Barbour, John, High st/
Brown, James, Dunlop/ Brown, Matthew, High st/ Chapman, Roger, Cross/ Craig,
William, Holm/ Currie, John, Darlington/ Dunlop, Thos, (Buck's Head) Avenue st/
McLelland, Andrew, Dunlop/ Picken, M.A. Townhead/ Ramsay, James, Darlington/
Slater, David, Cross/ Smith, John, High st/ Thomson, James, Townhead/ Wyllie,
Hugh, Townhead/ Young, Matthew, High st/ Young, Richard, Leighmoor
IRONMONGERS
Miller, Hugh, (and nail maker, and printer & stationer), High st
LINEN AND WOOLLEN DRAPERS
Armstrong, Jane, High st/ Gavin, Hugh, High st/ McHardie, Joseph, High st
MILLERS
Anderson, James, Aiket mill/ Eaglesham, William, Lainshaw mill/ Kerr, Robert,
Old mill/ Orr, William, Crosshill mill/ Wyllie, John, New mill
MILLINERS & DRESS MAKERS
Dalrymple, Mary, High st/ Picken, Martha, High st/ Richmond, Janet & Sister,
high st/ Snodgrass, Margaret, High st/ Wallace, Margaret & Sister, High st/
Wilson, Mary & Sister, Avenue st
SHOPKEEPERS & DEALERS IN SUNDRIES
Anderson, John, Dunlop/ Greig, Margaret, Dunlop/ Morns, John, Dunlop
SLATERS
Kirkland, James, High st/ Stevenson, John & Son, High st
SPINDLE MANUFACTURERS
Skeoch, Charles & Son, Avenue st
STONE MASONS
Anderson, William, High st/ Brown & Steel, Dunlop/ Brown, Matthew, High st/
Gillies, James, High st/ Howie & King, Dunlop/ Love, John (quarryman),
Vennel st/ Stevenson, Robert, High st
SURGEONS & DRUGGISTS
Caskie, John, High st/ Ferguson, Alexander, Langmoor/ Ferguson, Alexander,
Avenue st/ Newman, William, Avenue st/ Renfrew, William, Langmoor/ Skeoch,
Charles R.N. Avenue st/ Wyllie, Andrew, Townhead
TAILORS
Aird, John, Dunlop/ Allan, John, High st/ Borland, James, High st/ McRaith,
Mungo, (and clothes and haberdasher), High st/ Morton, John, High st/ Stewart,
Andrew, Dunlop
WATCH & CLOCK MAKERS
Cameron, James, Rigg st/ Wilson, Thomas, High st
WOOLLEN SPINNERS
Bowes, James, Crosshill mill/ Harper, Margaret, Scrogle mill/ Muir, Dunlop &
Black, Nether Robertland mill/ Somerville, William, Hapland mill
WRIGHTS
(See carpenters, Joiners &c)
WRITERS
Miller, Robert (and Notary Public & justice of peace clerk), Clerk hill
Snodgrass, James Anderson (and Notary Public and proctor in the Ayr court), High
st
MISCELLANEOUS
Aitken, James, cooper, Vennel st/ Faulds, Andrew, factor to Lainshaw/ Gas Works,
Holm - James Stirling, manager; John Caskie, treasurer; Andrew Dunlop, clerk/
Gordon, William, tinsmith, Avenue st/ Kerr, James, damask manufer, Avenue st/
Kerr, Robert, saddler, High st/ McKie, Thomas, dyer, Darlington/ Patrick,
William, auctioneer, Kirkford/ Skoech, (J?), clock-work forger, High st/ Smith,
Robert, wheel maker, High st/ Templeton, Robert, flax dresser, Aiket mill/
Thomson, Wm, skinner &c, Robertland/ Watt, Alexr., horse dealer, Peacock
bank/ Wilson, John, umbrella maker, High st/ Wilson, Thomas, painter, oil and
colour man, and druggist, High st
PLACES OF WORSHIP
Established Church, Rev Chas B Steven
United Secession Church, Rev Peter Cairns
Original Burgher, Rev James Clelland
Independent Congregational
COACHES
To Glasgow - the "Union" (from Irvine), calls at the Buck's Head, Stewarton, every morning at eight; goes through Barrhead and
Pollockshaws
To Irvine - the "Union" (from Glasgow), calls at the Buck's Head, Stewarton, every evening at seven.
CARRIERS
To Glasgow - George Russell & George Smith every Tuesday and Friday
To Kilmarnock - Alexander Picken, daily, and George Russell and George Smith every Tuesday and Friday
To Paisley - Alexander Russell, every Monday and Thursday
This transcript was
kindly provided by Keith Muirhead
from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.
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