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Last weekend the new Bishop of Galloway visited Maybole for the first time. Bishop John Cunningham was ordained bishop in Ayr in May and he led services at St Cuthbert’s on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. more |
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Last week two members of the Tackety Bit Club went to Wester Ross where, in excellent weather, they climbed the impressive Quinag with its three Corbetts, Spidean Coinich, Sail Garbh and Sail Gorm. more | |||
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Broadband will be launched in Maybole on Wednesday July 28 at 11am by Malcolm Starke BT's broadband deployment strategy manager. Also attending will be George Foulkes, Andy Hill, Alan Murray and Sarah Anderson who co-ordinated the campaign to bring broadband to the town. more |
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At the recent examinations held in Ayr of the royal Schools of Music, the following candidates were successful in pianoforte: Grade 2 – Sam Fleming Grade 5 – Sarah Watts Both are pupils if Miss Jenny graham, 39 Kirkoswald Road, Maybole. | ||||||||||
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Sally Kennedy of Maybole would like to thank all friends, family and sponsors who supported her efforts to raise money for breast cancer research and breast cancer care. Sally took part in the recent Moonwalk in London which involved 15,000 women ... more |
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At the recent BB display in Maybole the following trophies were awarded: Anchor Boy Trophy Douglas Paton/Gregor Connoly, Junior Section Stephen Paton, Company Section Michael Paton, Drill Ross Fergussonmore more | |||
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Maybole school nurse Sina Currie would like to thank everyone who helped raise funds to buy six pairs of “beer goggles” which were presented to Carrick Academy just before the school closed for the summer holidays. more |
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The Country and Western afternoon in the Welltrees Inn, Maybole recently was a great success although the weather meant that the outdoors fun had to be curtailed. The Frank Welshman Duo entertained everyone from 2-5pm .. .more | ||||||
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The complete text of the headlines above follows. |
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July 30th 2004 |
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Last weekend members of Maybole Historical Society headed to the Scottish Crannog Centre at Loch Tay to look for ideas on how to recreate a crannog. Murray Cook travelled there with Dave and Gordon Killicoat to glean as much detail as possible and “steal” as many ideas as they could so that the Society can rebuild the Lochspouts crannog either digitally or in model form to display in Maybole Castle. Dave told us, “We received a tremendous welcome and were basically given the run of the place - even more so than the normal visitors and this took some doing - and we have come away with exceptionally detailed information and photographs to help us on our way.”
The Historical Society has been very active in promoting Maybole Castle since May-Tag moved out and Dave said, “The Castle goes from strength to strength and we have a very good relationship with the factor and through him the Estate and Trustee. “We are putting together proposals and plans for opening the castle regularly to the public next year; improving and expanding the display material in the castle; and the future of the castle as a heritage centre. He continued, “The latest suggestion from the trustees and factor is that the Factor's office will be relocated, all the archives moved to Ayrshire Archives Centre for digitisation and return to Maybole in digitised form and that a "North Carrick Heritage Trust" in some name or form will take over the running of the whole Castle and grounds.”
“We have been in contact with all the relevant bodies,” he added, “and are now awaiting their responses as to exactly how the ‘Heritage Trust’ should and can proceed. With the new proposals for Charitable Bodies regulations it is essential we get this right and it has already been suggested that we might even be used as a pilot case to show how it can be done properly. Things are proceeding along the proper, if somewhat slower, lines and we know that when we get things together it will be for a secure and prosperous future for the Castle and the town.”
The Society is delighted at the number of visitors to the castle even if it holds them back from some of the work needing to be done! Dave said, “Visitor numbers continue to surprise us every time we open the Castle. So much so, that all the routine work we were hoping to do last Saturday such as hovering, washing windows, sweeping floors, moving redundant furniture, etc went completely by the board.” He went on, “Our very good core of volunteer guides work extremely well but we will be appealing for one or two more to cover for illnesses and holidays etc, and to help us next year when on two or three occasions we hope to have the Castle open over a straight three day period on special bank holiday weekends and at Doors Open Day.” The first part of a photographic exhibition is now on the walls in the main room in the castle and the rest should be up and ready by August 8 for the next opening.
David Hunter has given the Society two banners - those for Kennedy of Cassillis and Kennedy of Bargany - that he used to use on his re-enactment forays, and he has also given them a number of Kennedy ancestry charts that will provide enough material to produce a full Kennedy room with displays. Dave Killicoat said that Gordon Cockburn, of the Gallery in the High Street, has proved to be a great friend to the Historical Society “We now have four of his original paintings of Maybole hanging in the dining room,” he commented, “and he has given us a number of original black and white as well as colour photographs of the boot and shoemaking trade in Maybole which, together with one or two from Isabel Seymour's collection, will allow us to fill another room with a very good display on Maybole's major contribution to industrial heritage in Britain.”
The Society now has thirty very comfortable chairs in the Castle so it can cope with smaller meetings if required and very soon they should have sufficient resources to comfortably seat fifty-five in the main room or thirty in the dining room or have the main room seated and a buffet or similar in the dining room. The Historical Society, as part of Maybole Castle, is now a member of the Ayrshire and Arran Tourism Forum and the hope is that the castle will soon be part of the Ayrshire & Arran Visitors Attractions Association.
Last weekend the new Bishop of Galloway visited Maybole for the first time. Bishop John Cunningham was ordained bishop in Ayr in May and he led services at St Cuthbert’s on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. After Sunday Mass he joined some local parishioners in the church hall for a cup of tea. Bishop Cunningham will also be leading the diocese’s annual pilgrimage to Whithorn for the first time next month. Also joining him will be Cardinal Keith O'Brien. St Cuthbert’s parishioners have decided to make this their main pilgrimage this year and will taking in the archaeological dig at Whithorn. After Mass at St Ninian’s cave they will head to Stranraer for high tea. In the past they have visited sites in Scotland and England but next they may head abroad. Committee members are looking into the possibility of Lourdes or Rome. Last week two members of the Tackety Bit Club went to Wester Ross where, in excellent weather, they climbed the impressive Quinag with its three Corbetts, Spidean Coinich, Sail Garbh and Sail Gorm. A wisp of cloud drifted in while they were on the top but they still had great views. The following day they took the path over to the Eas a Cuol-Aulinn waterfall which was not as spectacular as usual as it had been dry for some time. On the way back they went over Glas Bheinn which gave them great views of Quinag and Canisp. Two days later it was decided to take the long walk in to Suilven from Glencanisp lodge, they were well rewarded as the views from the summit were the best that had been all week. The return route was down to Fionn Loch and out to Inverkirkaig. |
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July 23rd 2004 |
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Jack Boyd Maybole solicitor Jack Boyd has been a member of Turnberry Golf Club since 1960 and has recently produced an illustrated history of the club. Captain of the club from 1992 till 1994, Jack chaired its Championship Committee for the 1994 Open. Jack was a top class athlete and was Scottish half mile champion in the late 1950s. He also still holds the Scottish record for the thousand yards which he took with a time of 2 minutes 10.9 seconds in 1957 at Murrayfield Highland Games from another Maybole man James Rodger who had held it from 1898. A former pupil of Carrick Academy he went on to Glasgow University and completed his National Service with the Royal Air Force. From 1964 till 1975 he was the part time Town Clerk to Maybole Town Council.
Golf has become his passion, not only as a player but also as a student of the history of the game. His enthusiasm for and love of the sport and particularly of Turnberry and its golf club show in his writing. His long personal association with Turnberry and his memories of characters and events make his illustrated history of “The Bonnie Links of Turnberry” a very enjoyable and readable book. It is also a very valuable historical resource.
The book was originally conceived as a history of Turnberry Golf Club to cover its centenary years from 1902 to 2002 but it is not just a history of a golf club. It will also appeal to a wider audience as it is the story of a place and of events of historical importance and of great interest to students of the game of golf. As the book cover says, “It is the story of kings, lords, railways, hotels, wars and international businesses as well as of Open Championships and ordinary club members. It is a story of a place so favoured by nature and so renowned for the sporting theatre it has inspired that, if there was ever to be a call to establish a single home for the Open, Turnberry would surely be a prime candidate. Copies of the book, price £25, are available through Turnberry Golf Club or from J & H McInnes, newsagent in Maybole.
Local Maybole historian Murray Cook recently celebrated his 80th birthday and was very surprised to discover his family had secretly planned a party for him. His birthday was actually in late June but they waited until July so that he would think nothing had been arranged! He was on an outing with Maybole Historical Society, of which he is Honorary President, and vice chair Dave Killicoat and his father Gordon suggested going to the Crosshill Arms for a meal to end the day out.
When they arrived there was a piper playing and Murray thought he was a busker. In fact, it was his son Fergus. “The extreme surprise I felt when I peered into the piper’s face and recognised Fergus,” Murray said, “was indescribable.” He continued, “Then to stumble into a hall full of weel-kent faces…! Marvellous, but I have not yet recovered.” The evening took on almost a “This is Your Life” theme as speakers traced Murray’s life since his birth in 1924. His brother Tom covered his early years with humorous anecdotes up to Murray running away to join the British Parachute Regiment during World War II.
David Kiltie, chairman of Maybole Community Council, traced his war years from having been severely wounded and captured in the heavy fighting in Tunisia, in January 1943 to his time in a prisoner of war camp, Stalag 344, and being forced to march for hundreds of miles towards the end of World War II. Hundreds of prisoners of war died on what became known as "The Long March" or “The Death March”. Luckily, Murray managed to escape and arrived back in Maybole towards the end of May 1945. Local solicitor Jack Boyd recounted some funny stories from days at Maybole shore and Murray’s granddaughter Karen showed some family photographs on a large screen.
Dave Killicoat paid tribute to Murray’s contribution to keeping the history of Maybole to the fore and hoped that his ambition of seeing a heritage centre in the town would soon be realised. Unusually for Murray he was rendered speechless, although he did manage to thank everyone especially daughter Janet and sons Fergus, Seamus and Tom in what must have been the shortest talk he has ever given. Broadband will be launched in Maybole on Wednesday July 28 at 11am by Malcolm Starke BT's broadband deployment strategy manager. Also attending will be George Foulkes, Andy Hill, Alan Murray and Sarah Anderson who co-ordinated the campaign to bring broadband to the town. Following on from the success of a Rock’n’Roll, a50s and a 60 night, Carrick Sports Club’s next night of memories will feature one of the best known Country and Western singers. Jim Reeves died in a plane crash on July 31, 1964 and commemorate the 40th anniversary of this the club is having special night for members and guests on Saturday, July 31 from 9pm onwards. Members are invited to take along their favourite record by Jim Reeves or others of that type of music. At the recent examinations held in Ayr of the royal Schools of Music, the following candidates were successful in pianoforte: Grade 2 – Sam Fleming Grade 5 – Sarah Watts Both are pupils if Miss Jenny graham, 39 Kirkoswald Road, Maybole. An exciting new business venture has been created in Maybole’s St Cuthbert’s Road and already looks as if it is set to be very successful. St Cuthbert’s Business Centre has been set up in a former store behind the Carnegie Library building and the building has been split into a number of units. Already established are JB’s AutoClean and Made2Measure with others such as a security firm, a plumber, a landscape gardener, a printer and a tyre and exhaust business set to move in. John Boyle runs his car wash and valet service from the new business park and also provides a fully mobile service so customers don’t need to go to him as well as a patio cleaning and restoration business. He has taken on responsibility for managing the business park says there are still units available of various sizes and anyone interested can contact him at 01655 884498. Mark McCrae, of Made2Measure, builds indoor and exterior wooden furniture to customers’ specifications. He can be contacted on 01655 883434. |
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July 16th 2004 |
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Maybole Resource Centre was officially opened last week by Councillor Alan Murray. The Centre is based at 48/50 High Street and the project, which is run by May-Tag Ltd, has attracted £188,611 from The Big Lottery Fund over the next three years. David Kiltie, chairman of May-Tag, welcomed Councillor Murray and other guests to the opening and said that the aim of the project is to provide support and advice to local groups and to help them to develop and become more sustainable. When MCDG closed in May, 2003 a pilot project was set up in 48/50 High Street with the help of Councillor Andy Hill and a grant from South Ayrshire Council. The results of this pilot enabled May-Tag to attract the lottery funding. Mr Kiltie thanked Councillor Hill, who was unable to attend the opening, and the Council for the help given. He added that this new project is very different from the previous project, Maybole Community Development Group, in that it will now work very closely with groups, especially those who deal with disadvantaged people. Councillor Murray said he was delighted to open the facility and hoped that it would be widely used by local groups. He also congratulated May-Tag in being able to attract such an amount to provide the Centre and staff. Peter Walker has been appointed to manage the project and he outlined its aims. “We will offer support, advice and guidance on a wide variety of facilities,” he said, “and local groups will be able to hold meetings here and have access to computers.” Peter continued, “We will also look to providing facilities outside of normal working hours, and groups will be able to produce leaflets, posters, minutes, reports etc.” Advice and support will also be available for groups who are looking for funding and training can be provided depending on the needs of groups. New software is being bought to allow visually impaired people to use I.T. equipment thanks to a grant from South Ayrshire Council’s Community Learning Partnership. Resource Centre staff Elizabeth Blair and Eleanor Jamieson will also help with genealogy researches, local family history enquiries and tourist information. Peter Walker said that he and his staff will be contacting all local groups over the next few months. “In the meantime,” he added, “they are invited to drop in and find out how the project can assist them. BRA-VO. Sally Kennedy of Maybole would like to thank all friends, family and sponsors who supported her efforts to raise money for breast cancer research and breast cancer care. Sally took part in the recent Moonwalk in London which involved 15,000 women – and some men – walking through the city at midnight. They covered half and full marathon distances wearing decorated bras! Sally raised £750 and was part of a team from the south west whose total was over £4,000. She would to offer special thanks to her Mum who decorated the bra and if you think of Big Bird from Sesame Street in pink you will be close. The next goal is the Great Scottish run in August, so Sally’s trainers are still pounding the roads around town. I had a dream! For 35 years Sue Reid of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada had a dream of walking in the footsteps of her great grandmother. Not in some of the most famous places in the world - from the Capital of Carrick to Maybole shore! And recently she did just that. It was in February 2003 that Maybole web site, www.maybole.org, received an email from Sue who was researching her family history and had found a connection to the capital of Carrick. She started to plan a trip from Canada to Maybole last year but was involved in a motorcycle accident in July which prevented her from visiting here in September. As she said in another email just before leaving home, "I am whole again and very, very excited." Sue spent three days recently in Maybole and met Billy McDowall (her 6th cousin) and visited places her grandfather and other relatives lived. These included Weaver Vennel, Welltrees Street and Welltrees Square. She added, "I wanted to take a walk to the coast from Maybole, walking in my great grandmother's footsteps. My dad remembers Great Gramma telling him how she used to walk to the shore with her friends and explore the caves, so I wanted to walk the same walk and video tape it for him - to give him pictures for his memories." Working on the family tree for a few years created a desire to see Maybole and try to find any relatives Sue might still have had here. The only piece of information she had was a receipt for a telegramme sent to a Nettie McDowall in 1968 when her great grandmother's daughter Margaret was returning to Maybole to visit. Sue found the Maybole website, and decided to email in hope that there were still relatives of Nettie who would like to contact her. Sue said, "What happened next was nothing short of miraculous! With one email inquiry we found an entire branch of our family that we thought lost since all older generations in Canada are now passed on." While here Sue stayed at Drumellan House and from Maybole she went on to Stirling, Inverness, Perth, York, London and Exeter to meet other relatives. In total she spent 28 days abroad. Last week she sent another email saying, “I finally made it home all safe and sound. I had a wonderful trip and the highlight of my trip was Maybole. As soon as I set foot off the train I felt like I had come home. I cannot tell you how much the people of Maybole made me feel so welcome, they were all so friendly. The town is beautiful, don't ever let it change! I will be back again I promise.
At the recent BB display in
Maybole the following trophies were awarded: Junior Section Stephen Paton Company Section Michael Paton Drill Ross Fergusson
Other awards were:
Junior Section Frazer Hodge green, white and purple Joseph O’Donnell green, white and purple Aiden Milligan red and gold Stephen Paton red and gold
Company Section William Jess 1 & 2 Community & Adventure Karl McClure “ “ Ross Ferguson “ “ Michael Paton “ “
Promotion certificates Stephen Paton promoted to Company Section Aiden Milligan “ “
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