News Events for 2013                                            Archives 1999-2012

The Cockburn Gallery opened its annual Christmas Exhibition with two successful private views. Local artist Gordon Cockburn is exhibiting his own works through the decades, giving the art lover a variety of subject matter and styles. Also on sale are various art works and memorabilia supplied by Redbus Art. Gordon is happy to welcome old and new visitors to browse in the gallery amongst the limited edition prints, original wax and carefully selected glassware.  He is also happy to open his studio for visitors to view his latest works.   The Christmas exhibition will run till the end of January 2014 although access to the gallery in the first two weeks of January are by appointment only and Gordon can be contacted on 07909518519. The gallery will be open from mid-January on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 4pm. more

The case for a Maybole Bypass has been well made and in 2012 Amey was commissioned by Transport Scotland to progress it. In January, 2013, a public information exhibition was held in the town to give people the chance to comment on the preferred option for the scheme. Last Friday, December 13, another exhibition was held in the Carrick Centre to show the progress made.  Maybole is congested partly as a result of the large numbers of cars and heavy goods vehicles using the A77 traveling to and from the port facilities at Cairnryan, resulting in poor conditions for pedestrians and road users alike. A further constraint exists to the north of the town, where the A77 passes beneath the Glasgow to Stranraer Railway line through the Smithston Railway Bridge which has restricted height clearance. more

It may have been St Andrew’s Day but in Maybole it was also the day of the big switch on of the town’s Christmas lights. The entertainment started just after 2pm in the Town Hall and Magic Malky kept the fun going from then on with plenty of music and dance to keep everyone happy.  The entertainment was provided by St Cuthbert’s Primary choir; Chikaz; Cairn Primary choir; Gardenrose Primary choir; A Band Called Cadence; plus Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

At 5.30pm, everyone made their way outside as Maybole Pipe Band marched from the library to the Town Hall followed by Santa and his special friends. These included Cameron McCulloch and Ruth Dowie, Gala King and Queen of Carrick; Sandra Osborne MP; Adam Ingram MSP; and local councillors Brian Connolly and William Grant. more

South Ayrshire Council has responded well to the concerns about safety issues with the former Cooperative building and 31 Whitehall which had forced the closure of the public conveniences in the town. In an update on progress, Mark Fletcher, chair of Maybole Community Council, told us, "As you can see from the photos, 31 has now been demolished and the tenders for the old Co-op are being reviewed at present and the contract will be awarded soon. South Ayrshire council have granted the extra money required for the asbestos-based demolition so work can progress swiftly." more

An ambitious community-led tourism project today (8 November 2013) unveiled the first of a new collection of art installations that create a heritage trail for the first time telling the story behind the local communities of Carrick, Ayrshire.

Carrick, home to major attractions including the Turnberry Resort and Culzean Castle, has a rich history steeped in Scotland’s roots that its community does not want people to forget.

The first installation took place in Maybole, where 6 etched stainless-steel panels in the shape of boots will mark the old locations of the shoe factories that dominated the area during the 19^th century. Over 1 million pairs of boots and shoes were exported worldwide from the small town annually, while the industry employed approximately 1,600 people. more

Armistice Day, held on 11 November every year, commemorates the signing of the armistice between the Allies and Germany at 11 am on 11 November 1918 - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Although hostilities continued in some areas, the armistice essentially brought an end to World War I. Maybole remembered its war dead with two services last week. On Thursday November 11 at 11am there was the traditional two minutes silence during a service led by Rev Arrick Wilkinson. The first was on Remembrance Sunday, November 10. The second was the following day Monday November 11 at the Greenside at 11am.The first was on Remembrance Sunday, November 10. The second was the following day Monday November 11 at the Greenside at 11am.   more

Remembrance Sunday in Maybole began with an ecumenical service in the Town Hall conducted by Rev Brian Hendrie. During the first hymn, the flags of the local branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland were accepted from standard bearers Stephen Sinclair and Alex Gemmell.

Following the service, Maybole Pipe Band led the parade to the war memorial for the traditional two minute silence and a wreath laying service led by Rev Hendrie, chaplain to the local RBLS. Pipe Major Gavin Nicol played the lament and Alex Kelly recited Binyon’s Lines and the Kohima Epitaph. more

Improving Maybole Town Centre  South Ayrshire Council and Maybole Community Council are hoping to gather a group of local people together to look at ways of improving the High Street in appearance and its appeal to shoppers and visitors to the town. They want to hear from anyone who would like to be involved in what is being called a “Stakeholders Group” to give local input to the project. A spokesman for the Community Council said, “To get this activity started in Maybole in a structured way, South Ayrshire Council is hoping to arrange for a specialist in urban regeneration to get involved. “This will provide some input to the development of ideas, with a view to establishing a clear “agenda” for taking future joint working forward. “The group will meet at the most on a couple of occasions, so volunteers don’t need to be worried about being involved in a whole series of meetings. more

Maybole’s webmaster Rich Pettit visited the birthplace of his ancestors recently and was presented with a pair of whisky glasses etched with the Castle and the Town Hall. The presentation was made by Michael Connell, vice chair and secretary of Maybole Community Council, as a token of appreciation for the work Rich has done as the web site enters its 15^th year of existence.

The town’s web master lives in Clearwater, Florida and was visiting Maybole with his wife Elaine and son Mark. He thanked Michael for the gift and explained that, for various reasons including family and work commitments, he has been unable to keep the web site as up to date as it was a year or so ago when it was regularly attracting a million page hits per month. more

" Ye may gang farther and fare waur"

Regular visitors to the Memorial Park in Maybole, especially those who pass the swing park, now have the opportunity to take time out on a newly erected bench . This commemorative seat is in memory of two Minniebolers – Alex and Marion McDowall who enjoyed more than 60 years of married life in the town.

For Alex, or Sanny as he was perhaps better known locally, the above inscription from around the old well near the West Parish Church was a guide for life. In 1938 Alex went to Glasgow as an 18 year bricklayer in search of work; he also found Marion, the love of his life. more

A recent afternoon tea in Maybole raised £2,080 for Cancer Research.The event, hosted by Mhairi Davidson, Laura McSorley and Gayle Ferguson, was supported by local businesses and individuals who very generously donated items for the raffle. The ladies would like to thank all those who attended and gave so generously. Particular thanks to Morag McCulloch and Sandra Lindsay who catered for the event.

Hosts left to right - Mhairi Davidson, Gayle Ferguson and Laura McSorley

Alex Kelly has decided to give up his position as a community councillor. This is his letter to Maybole Community Council’s secretary:

Dear Michael
It is with a tinge of sadness that I write this letter informing the Community Council of my decision to step down as of 1st September 2013. I say a tinge of sadness because I have enjoyed my 32 years on the Community Council filling various positions Treasurer, Vice-Chair and even a short spell as chairman. I have enjoyed every minute of my service to the community of Maybole, I have met so many wonderful people over that time and made many friends as well. But as a wiser man than me said you know when the time is right to take a back seat namely Mr Kiltie I will however continue to chair Maybole Community Association and of course the job I love doing South Ayrshire Crime Prevention Panel what was formerly Carrick Crime Prevention Panel. So please pass on my thanks to the members of the Community Council for the past years. Once again it has been a pleasure to have served on the Community Council and I hope you continue to keep up the good work.
Yours Faithfully,
Alex Kelly.

It was 1950 when John McCulloch left Cairn school to go to year 1A in the secondary at Carrick Academy. In those days Carrick was also a primary school and the pupils from primary 7 at Carrick also went on to secondary school which was upstairs and in the annexes which had newly been built in the playground.

There John met Bill McCubbin who, being a country boy, had received his primary education at Carrick. During the next three years they were classmates and good friends while being introduced to the mysteries of French, Latin, Geometry, Algebra, English and all the rest. In June 1953 Bill left Carrick Academy to seek gainful employment and decided that as television had not long been introduced in Scotland to study to become a television engineer through an apprenticeship with a Maybole TV business. more

  In Memory of Jimmy Lucas

Jim Lucas, wee Jimmy as he was known, was born at the Greenside in Maybole in 1936. The youngest of three children, he was raised by his grandmother from the age of three together with his big sister Nancy and big brother Tommy, following the premature death of their mother. The three siblings were brought up alongside the late Ina, big Jim and Jack.

South Ayrshire Provost hosted a special celebration in Maybole to mark the occasion of David Kiltie retiring from the Community Council after 36 years of service. South Ayrshire Provost Helen Moonie said: "David Kiltie has made an immense contribution to the town of Maybole and to its community. Born and educated in Maybole, he has used all his talents and lifeskills to improve the lives of others by serving on a wide range of committees and working groups. Many people will remember David for the work he did with MayTag through the 1980s and the 1990s where he worked  tirelessly to help deliver training and work initiatives to help people find employment, and moving with the times went on to help set up their very successful website.

Involved in so many projects - Maybole and District Business Association, Carrick Community Transport, Maybole's annual town gala and Maybole Town Twinning Association. David is now retiring and I wish him and his wife Margaret a long and happy retirement." more

Culzean Castle and Country Park was transformed recently with a fantastic  array of historical military personnel. There was weaponry, vehicles and operational equipment used by a range of representatives from the armed forces throughout history.

Last year, Bill Wingate, secretary of the Maybole Branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland (RBLS) came up with the idea of raising the profile of the RBLS in the Ayrshire area by getting involved in the Forces in the Field event. The Maybole Branch was again invited by the National Trust for Scotland to conduct a Parade and Beating Retreat during the Forces in the Field even this year. more

Maybole Gala Week was held Sunday, June 2, with an ecumenical service at Crossraguel Abbey at 3pm. The theme was Boots and Shoes - to tie in with Maybole's main industry through the ages. The service is organised by Maybole Council of Churches and features hymns chosen by representatives of all churches in the town. Making their first public appearance year’s Gala King and Queen of Carrick – Cairn pupils Cameron McCulloch and Ruth Dowie were officially crowned on Gala Day Saturday June 8. The king and queen were also present at the annual Pet Show  held on Tuesday June 4 at 6.30pm at Ladywell Stadium. The Gala Quiz was held in the Maybole Arms on Thursday June 6 at 7.30pm and teams are welcome to just turn up on the night. more

Earlier this year we received a request from a site viewer, Stephanie Rizk, to be put in touch with the photographer responsible for the website photos of Ailsa Craig, an island ten miles off the South Ayrshire coast from Turnberry in the Fifth of Clyde. We put Stephanie in touch with Davie Law. Stephanie told Davie…

I'm interested in purchasing some prints of photos you've taken of Ailsa Craig.  My husband, Craig, named our daughter, Ailsa, after seeing the island on a trip he took right before she was born.  So I'm looking to get a print for her and a print for him, at least. I live in Maryland in the U.S.  My husband was golfing at Turnberry and just simply fell in love with the name and since his name is Craig, it just seemed right.  I was pregnant with twins at the time, so one of them became Ailsa.  He tried to convince me to name the other one Drew, after St. Andrews, but I couldn't let him pick both of their names!            more

On May 4, 2013 a new memorial was unveiled in Goudriaan, a small village in the southern part of Holland. On that memorial is the name and photograph of a Maybole man who was killed in the Second World War, Sergeant James Kiltie. James’s photograph was only found after a world-wide search which traced him back to Maybole, local newspaper archives of the Carnegie Library in Ayr, and descendants of the family.

Sergeant Kiltie was a wireless operator/gunner and he and his fellow crew members were in an RAF Lancaster which was shot down in the night of May 21 – 22, 1944 as they flew over Holland on their way home after bombing Duisburg in Germany.  Five of the crew, including James, were killed that night and are resting in the graveyard in Goudriaan; Two others were captured and held as prisoners of war. more

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