Troon, Dundonald & Symington
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TROON, DUNDONALD AND SYMINGTON
Ayrshire Directory - 1837 - by Pigot & co

Troon, an excellent and imposing sea port, in the parish of Dundonald, is situate 75 miles south- west from Edinburgh, 31 sw from Glasgow, 9 sw from Kilmarnock, and 5 s from Irvine. Under the patronage of his Grace the Duke of Portland, this place is advancing steadily to a degree of eminence, and bids fair to becoming one of the most important sea-ports on the west coast of Scotland; possessing uncommon natural advantages, in having an extensive bay and a secure harbour, into which vessels of great burthen(?) can confidently enter with the wind from almost any point, and anticipating the beneficial results to be expected from the completion of the grand line of railways from Glasgow to Preston, Troon is obviously destined to attain a high rank in maritime estimation. His Grace has of late been making material improvements in the harbour, by running out dykes and quays; and large basins are being formed, in which the shipping may moor in perfect safety; when these are finished, it will be securely protected from every blast. It has two superior dry docks for the repairing of vessels, large store-houses, a light-house, and a caparious wet dock in progress; the whole is, and has been for many years, under the immediate superintendence of Mr John Wilson, civil engineer, the Duke's agent. His Grace has also a fine ship-building yard here, under the inspection and control of Mr Robert Thomson; the vessels launched from it have not been surpassed in mould, speed, elegance, or workmanship; there are sixty men on an average employed in it. There is likewise a rope and sail manufactory in this place. From the extremity of the harbour directly to Kilmarnock runs a railway, on which immence quantities of coal are conveyed from the neighbourhood of the latter town, and from hence shipped for Ireland, &c.; about 100,000 tons are exported annually. By the latest returns the number of vessels employed in the shipping trade of Troon amounted to 1,000, with an aggregate burden of 79,291 tons, and 4,996 men; the number belonging to the port was 23 - tonnage 3,194, employing 193 men. The village is progressively enlarging; and, in addition to the prosperity derived from its commerce as a port, it enjoys the advantage of being visited in the bathing season by numerous respectable families. "The Portland Arms" is a respectable Inn and posting-house, and there are several other convenient public houses of an inferior grade. The place of worship is a chapel of ease, in connection with the parish church at the village of Dundonald. 

Dundonald is a parish on the sea-coast, in the district of Carrick, extending eight miles along the shore from the water of Irvine toward the south; the village, situate about four miles and a quarter from Troon, contains a church of the establishment. Dundonald castle is a ruin of great celebrity, and occupies an elevated and commanding situation, within a mile of the sea.

The parish of Symington, in Kyle district, is bounded by Monkton on the south and Dundonald on the north; the village being situate about two miles from the latter, where is the parish church. The lands in this district were held, at a remote period, under Walter, the first Stewart, by Symon Loccard, from whom the place originally obtained the name which it bears at the present day.

Post Office, troon, John Cowan, Post master - Letters from Kilmarnock and all parts of Scotland arrive every morning at a quarter before ten, and are despatched every afternoon at three.

NOBILITY, GENTRY & CLERGY
Boyd, William, esq., Symington/ Bole, Colonel John, of Stewarton/ Campbell, Jno. Deen, esq of Curneath (?)/ Crawford, Col. Robert, of Newfield/ Fairlie, James, esq. Troon/ Finnie, William, esq. Troon/ Flemming, Rev. James, Troon/ Glen, Rev. Andrew, Dundonald/ Kelso, Col. William of Dunkeith/ Lambie, Rev. James AM. Dundonald/ McKerrel, Henry, esq. of Hillhouse/ McLeod, Rev. Jno. A. DD. Dundonald/ Portland His Grace the Duke of, Fullarton house/ Rankin, Dr. William, Fairlie house/ Waugh, Rev. _____, Symington/ Wharrie, Rev. T.S. , Symington/

ACADEMIES & SCHOOLS
Auxiliary School, Darley hall, - James Stewart, master/ Baird, Fullarton, Troon/ Lockhart, James Spence, Troon/ Parochial School, Dundonald, - Alexander Taylor, master/ Parochial School, Symington, - Robert Young, master/ Stevenson, Jane, Troon

AGENTS - at Troon
Andrew, Robert, (for the Gatehead colliery)/ Brown, Wm, (for the Fairlie colliery)/ Crawford, Hugh, (for sewing muslin)/ Reid, James, (general)/ Wharrie, Thomas, (for sewing web)/ Wilson, James, (for sewing cotton)/ Wilson, John, sen., (civil engineer and manager for hte harbour and railways)/ Wilson, John, jnr., (for the Duke of Portland's collieries)

BAKERS
Andrew, Hugh, Troon/ White, Robert, Troon

BLACKSMITHS
Campbell, William, Troon/ Cockburn, Lawrence and William, Dundonald/McMillan, James, Symington/ Porter, Joseph, Symington

BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
Blair, John, Symington/ Brown, Thomas, Symington/ Drennan, William, Troon/ Eitken, James, Symington/ Galt, James, Dundonald/ Galt, john, Dundonald/ Lucas, William, Dundonald/ Sym, William, Troon

CARTWRIGHTS, JOINERS & CABINET MAKERS
Alexander, James, Troon/ Allinson, Hugh, Troon/ Ballantyne, James, Dundonald/ Findlay, James, Dundonald/ Stevenson, John, Troon/ Thomson, James, Dundonald

FLESHERS
Aiton, William, Troon/ Gillies, John, Troon

INN & POSTING HOUSE
Portland Arms, Gabriel Douglas, Troon

MILLERS - CORN &c
Andrew, Hugh, Lave mill/ Andrew, James, (flax), Lave mill/ Blair, William, Greatridge/ Wilson, Thomas, Shewalton

ROPE & SAIL MAKERS
Currie, James & John, Troon

SHIP BUILDER
Thomson, Robert, Troon

SHIP OWNERS & MASTERS OF VESSELS - at Troon
Marked thus * are Masters only
Andrew, Robert/ Boyd, John/ Brown, Captain Matthew/ Brown, William/ Caldwell, Capt., Jn/ Cowan, John/ Currie, James/ Currie, John/ Davidson, Capt., John/ * Drummond, Jn./ Gillies, Alexander/ Highet, John/ Hunter, Captain Alexander/ Muir, Martha/ Nichol, Capt Dul./ Nichol, Capt Rbt/ Reid, James/ Samson, Matthew/ * Shields, William/ Stirling, Capt Jno/ Thomson, Robert/ Watson, Captain William/ Wilson, John/ Wilson, John jnr

SHOPKEEPERS & DEALERS IN SUNDRIES
Andrew, David, Troon/ Brown, Jean, Troon/ Buchanan, Nathan, Troon/ Cowan, Hector, Troon/ Cowan, James, Troon/ Cowan, John, Troon/ Giffen, Janet, Symington/ Hall, Matthew, Troon/ Hay, John, Dundonald/ Henry, Helen, Symington/ Highet, John, Troon/ McMurray, John, Troon/ Muir, Hugh, Troon/ Patrick, John, Troon/ Porteous, William, Symington/ Templeton, Robert, Dundonald/ Walker, William, Dundonald/ Weir, William, Dundonald

STONE MASONS
Alexander, John, Dundonald/ Auld, Hugh, Troon/ Thomson, John, Dundonald

SURGEONS
Alexander, William, Dundonald/ Black, Robert, Dundonald/ Paterson, Alexander, Troon

TAILORS & CLOTHIERS
Ballantyre, Daniel, Troon/ Gillies, Alexander, Troon/ Jamieson, William, Troon/ Louden, Hugh, Symington/ Louden, Thomas, Dundonald/ Munro, John, Dundonald/ Wallace, John, Dundonald

VINTERS
Aiton, William, Troon/ Andrew, David, Troon/ Brown, Jean, (Crown), Troon/ Buchanan, Nathan, Troon/ Cowan, Hector, Troon/ Cowan, James, Troon/ Cowan, John, Troon/ Findlay, John, Dundonald/ Gibbs, William, Troon/ Giffen, Janet, (Black Bull), Symington/ Hall, Matthew, (Ship), Troon/ Henry, Helen, (Thistle), Symington/ Highet, John, Troon/ Lockhart, James Spence, Troon/ Muir, Hugh, Troon/ Orr, John, Dundonald/ Patrick, John, Troon/ Pearson, John, Troon/ Porteous, Wm, (Crown), Symington/ Smith, David, Troon/ Thomson, William, Dundonald/ Walker, William, Dundonald/ Weir, William, Troon

MISCELLANEOUS
Aiton, James, lime burner, Troon/ Buchanan, John, cooper, Troon/ Dinnen, Hugh, saddler, Dundonald/ Paterson, Alexander, ship broker, Troon/ Paterson, John, land measurer, Troon/ Wharrie, Thomas, clothier, Troon

CUSTOM HOUSE - TROON
Landing Waiter - Robert Alexander
Tide Waiters - Thomas Erskine & Archibald Mc Neil

COACHES
To Irvine - an omnibus, from Cowan's, every Sunday morning at nine
To Kilmarnock - the "Royal Sovereign", from the Portland Arms, Troon, and an omnibus, from the Crown, Symington, every evening (Sunday excepted) at six; an omnibus, from Cowan's, every morning ( Sunday excepted) at seven, and evening at five; from the Ship, Troon, every evening (Sun. excepted) at half past six; and from the Crown, Symington, every Friday morning at nine.

CARRIERS
To Ayr, John Mc Clarking, from Troon, every Tuesday and Friday
To Kilmarnock, John Haddy, from Troon, daily

CONVEYANCE BY WATER
Steam Packets from Troon
To Ayr, the 'St Mun", every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the "Nimrod" every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
To Glasgow, the "Nimrod", every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the "St Mun" every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Coasting vessels Sail regularly to all the principal ports in IRELAND, and also to the ISLE OF MAN.


This transcript was kindly provided by Keith Muirhead from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.