Margaret Haggarty says

Who has got the film reels of the Darvel Lace Queen? Are there any records of the store trip?

May Anderson says

May Anderson, IVRP

Does anyone know the origin of the inscription on Alexander Morton Memorial at Gowanbank?

Agnes Wilson says

Darvel is incorporated into Loudoun Parish together with most of Newmilns and a small part of Galston. The Friends of Loudoun Kirk was originally established in order to raise funds to repair the historic site of Loudoun Kirk, however this has developed into much more and part of our interest is in family history. We have been trying to learn more about the families in Loudoun/Galston parishes, particularly of those buried in Loudoun Kirkyard and if anyone is interested in family history research, a substantial number of birth, marriage & death registrations have been transcribed on our wiki site:- http://loudounkirk.wetpaint.com We are also interested in any family stories you may wish to share with us.

MAX FLEMMICH. MBE says

Looking for a picture of the Burn Green before the Burn was culverted sometime in the 1950s. The green used to go right down to the burn and was used by the public as a washing green and general meeting place. Contact Gill at the Telephone Museum. Would be good to see an old picture.

John Oliver says

On a recent visit to the Wind Farm we were shown a grave. Does anyone know about Euphemia Whyte and William Smith? The inscription on the Headstone says "Euphemia Whyte in Memory of her Husband William Smith of Townhead Newmilns."

The area is very remote and has had railings around it. It is miles from anywhere and the site manager said the couple used to picnic here and loved it so much they wanted to be buried here. It would be good to know the full story.

Jim Wilson says

Lace making was a staple industry in Darvel before the date stated on the opening page, 1875 was the date the first Nottingham lace Furnishing Machine was first installed in Davel and following months of hard labour and fault finding the first cloth was produced in Feb 1876. The machine in question was a Sharman and Wilson 220" 11point only capable of making basic type of weaves ie- double action, other early machine makers were E.Reader & Sons, Carver & Co and Lake & Wigley.

Alex Christie says

The National Cycle Network 73 makes its way nearer to the most recent memorial to Sir William Wallace at Loudoun Hill. Sir Chris Hoy Cycle Way - Hurlford to Galston. The Flying Scotsman Cycle Way - Galston to Newmilns. The Spirit of Scotland Cycle Way - Newmilns to Memorial. Lochranza to Brodick section is without a name. Ardrossan to Kilmarnock is Park to Park. It could have been Eglinton to Dean. I thought originally Park to L.I.N.K. but I now prefer the Olympian/Champion/Knight-Patriot option. Proud of my Ayrshire heritage, who would argue if we stand shoulder to shoulder.

jim morton says

I'm very ashamed to say that I remember going into the old picture house as a kid and finding reels of film of the lace queens. We destroyed them. My dad Rab Morton was the projectionist there in the 1950s. I've just been looking at pictures of Darvel and saddened to see it now. I can't believe the Co-op has closed down, and Kirkland Park a ruin. Mind you, I never was in Kirkland Park! I was last in Darvel about 3 years ago, and intended to stay at the Turf for the night on my way to Aberdeen. It was closed down. Sad. Feel free to contact me..........jsmorton@hotmail.co.uk

donald campbell says

I just found a source (Scottish Screen Archive) for a 1953 video of "The crowning of the lace queen, Darvel 22nd Aug 1953." I intend to place an order hoping that it shows friends and relatives at a very happy time in the history of Darvel. I too have been extremely saddened by the apparent decay of a once vibrant community which I left in 1959 with my parents (Neil Campbell - the painter).

Alex Christie says

Following a recent meeting in Muirkirk. Muirkirk Diamond, Ayrshire's gem has been unearthed. The four points of this Octahedron are Spirit of Scotland Link, Muirkirk, Ayr and Irvine.
River Irvine Way (R.I.W.), Forest, River Ayr Way (R.A.W.) and Coastal. Muirkirk Circular meets Diamond at Forest B 743. Sustrans digital mapping will show the route while a customised 'Cyclopedia' will feature the heritage.

Karen Morton says

Does anyone have any old stories about Jenny Hendry & her sweetie shop? We are putting a family album together for her 100th birthday. Any old pictures or anicdotes would be greatly appreciated!

Karen Morton

john hannacher says

anyone have the darvel dvd all about the town and where to buy it etc

john hannacher says

what happened the the old hay rake that used to located at frog pond at top of jamieson road, was it taken away and used by a museum?

john hannacher says

the hay rake looked a bit like this

jim morton says

i remember jenny hendrys very well. we lived at 2 Blair terrace in the 1960s until about 1974-75 when we went to 25 muir drive. if i remember rightly you could ask for the penny, tuppenny, thrupney trays etc and pick out your chosen sweeties. also I HATED fish and cauliflower which my parents Big Rab and Norma insisted on serving up to us kids. so what I done was stuff it all into my pockets and throw it over jennies hedge! maybe the sweetie trays were john reids, not sure on that one now? I think after jenny left an english man took it over and modernised it. hardly a day went by that we didnt go into her shop. and who remembers the tablet that julian the bakers made!! yum yum..........jim morton

john burns says

John Burns "I grew up at No 75 across the road from Jenny Hendry's so all my pocket money was spent there. The Penny Dainty could not have been less aptly named as it was huge."
The Coop movement is supposed to have started in Rochdale in 1845 or so but didn't the Coop buildings in Darvel predate that? I seem to remember a date prior to that carved on to the facade above the hardware store.

Scott Young says

Im one of the Youngs who grew up in 89 West Main street,next to the Horse shoe, along with the Greggs and McAllisters. Jenny and Val Hendry were very weel kent to aw the weans in the toon.I can remember when they sold fish and chips in the shop and the smoke used to come out the metal pie on the roof from the fryer, and it was them who had the sweetie trays for you to pick from. The entrance to the shop is where the house door is now (middle of the building) and you entered the the doorway and then turned left to the counter.They had a big wooden shed at the back which Stuart,their grandson, used to let us go inside and play. After they sold up English Pete bought the place and after renovating it he ran out of money and it was sold. Like Mrs and Mrs Papini nearby they knew every single one of the weans in the place who came aboot their shops.

Leon Morton Burgess says

My Morton direct line back was connected to the Morton's of Broomhill Farm.
I have a copy of a will dated April 1618 of a Johnne Mortoun of that farm. His Grandson or Great Grandson John Morton was killed at the Battle of Drumclog 1 June 1679. I am very proud of my Scottish heritage of which I have only found out about in the last 15 years or so. I live in Australia and hope to visit your area later this year. A small piece of humour, my married name is Burgess and they came from Aberdeenshire to Australia so I tease my family that they were the wild Highland Scots and we the lowland Scots were the quiet sensible people!

Agnes Wilson says

In answer to John Oliver's query re Wm Smith & Euphemia Whyte. This is one of the brief family histories I've been working on recently. Wm, a farmer, as was his father John and grandfather William in Townhead, Newmilns married Euphemia Whyte of Stonehouse. William's sister, Euphemia married Dr Robert Carrick Donaldson and they are buried in Newmilns Churchyard as are many of the Smith family.

Alexander Morton says

Re- Leon Morton many of my relatives lived in Broomhill Farm. Interested in a chat about them.
Sandy

Leon Morton Burgess says

Hello Alexander,  Yes it would be interesting to discuss our Morton's of Broomhill Farm.  My email address is burgess7@bigpond.net.au.

Leon Morton Burgess

linda martin says

im trying to find some information/book that my dad robert martin had years ago. it was about (or had a part in the book) about the monks and priests who lived in priestland and they used to take food to templehill in darvel which was a home for lepars at the time. we lived there from 1969 until 1972 then we moved down to blair terrace. mum and i did try to plant flowers and veg at the side and back of the house but absolutely nothing grew, but the front was beautiful with snowdrops and rhodedendrums and other flowers and trees. we found out later that the lepars were buried at the side and back of the house. does anyone know the story or which book it was in.

thank you

linda

Geoff Crolley says

The are 12 Gateways to Ayrshire, Darvel being one of them.

I believe that every one of them is more than just a Gateway and on their Welcome sign should have - "Welcome to Darvel > a Gateway to Ayrshire" using the place in question.

Let people know what is special about Darvel, Skelmorlie, New Cumnock etc.

Sean says

Hi, I am thinking of moving to Darvel, sounds like a nice place...

I am a writer www.quirkyclaus.com but if anyone has somewhere to rent, I would be interested please?

Also, if anyone can offer any advice on the social life there etc...

My email is seanwhite06@aol.com or you can contact me through my website.

seanwhite06@aol.com

Scott Young says

William Paterson says

Hello Darvel!

Can anyone throw any light on the Jamieson family? I know there is a stone plaque or headstone in Darvel Old (graveyard) donated by the "people of Darvel in memory of Provost J"

Background: Names which appear on the headstone (I will omit the b/d dates) Alexander Jamieson, Nicol Jamieson, William Paterson (d 1917), Margaret Kirkwood Paterson, Alexander Jamieson, Evelyn Russell Jamieson.

I am writing a novella which circles about my father Ernest Wilson Paterson who is directly related and left Scotland, fought in East Africa during WW1 and went on to go cotton and sugarcane farming in Zululand, Natal, South Africa from about 1920 to 1930.

I think the Jamiesons lived at ‘The Braes’. The Darvel background I have is very thin and I would be delighted to hear of anything related to the Alexander Jamieson & Son lace factory in Darvel, the workers and just general 'colour' about the family. [ie anecdotes, especially Rex & Evelyn Jamieson and Bessie Jamieson, a kindly spinster who lived in a cottage called ‘Kirkmahoe’ at Lochabrigs]

Sandy Jamieson was a pilot in WW2 and suffered severe burns when his fighter plane was hit and the engine caught fire. Kirkwood Jamieson (a son) allegedly had an unhappy marriage and left for London never to return.

I know there was some connection between the Jamiesons (Rex & Evelyn) and Loudoun Castle, Galston before the place burnt down as a result, it is thought, of a Belgian SAS exercise during WW2

William Russell Paterson

Journalist

Co Wicklow

Ireland

(+353) 86 057 8926

PS: It is less than a coincidence that my son's Christian names are Kirkwood Donald!

alex allan says

Regarding jamiesons .. Further to our telephone call , Having talked to my dad he has lots of info if you are interested . I also have a lace panel with the jamiesons signatures on it . it was made as a retirement present for a lace buyer that they knew , alex allan