Scotland > 1882-1915 - Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland > 1886 - Slater's (late Pigot and Co's) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland

AYRSHIRE
KILBIRNIE
SLATER'S
VINTNERS & TAVERN KEEPERS.
(See also under the head Grocers.)
Alexander Gilbert, Main st
Anderson Mary, Cochrane fit
Brown Agnes (Wheat Sheaf), Main Bt
Brown Agnes, Newton st
Dick William, N ewton st
Dobie James, Main st
Durroch James, Main st [nock
Ferguson Bryce (Glengarnock Inn), Glengar-
Hogg Ebenezer, Main st
Kerr Peter, Glengarnock
King Andrew (Station), Glengarnock
M'Hattie William, Newton st
M'Millan Margaret (Black Bull), Main st
Millar Robert (King's Arms), Main st
Reid Andrew, Bridgend
WINCEY MANUFACTURERS
BY POWER.
Faton, Brown & Co.^and flannel
shirtings, skirtings, and dress
goods, &C), Glengarnock Factory, ami
176 Ingram st. Glasgow
MISCELLANEOUS.
Allan William, collector of poor rates, regis-
trar of births, deaths and marriages, and
house factor, Bridge st
Armour "William, watchmaker & umbrella
repairer, Main st [holm st
Brown David, printer & lithographer, Denny-
Glasgow George, clothes dealer, Main st
Glasgow William, bellirau, School wynd
Hall John, slater, Main st [garnock
Holmes John, broker & general dealer, Glen-
Knox George, miller, Nether Mill
Law John, musician, Main st
Logan William D. cashier, Glenside
M'Bride Hamilton, slater, Glengarnock
Orr John, preserver of birds, &c. Bridge st
Reid William, civil engineer, Bridgend,
Samuel James, manager of the Glengarnock
Iron "Works, Glengarnock
Sraylie Samuel, tinsmith, Craighouse square
Spears Jane, pawnbroker, Main st
Thomson Robert, inspector of poor, Main st
Watson J. & T. cabinet & chair makers,
Glengarnock
Walt Robert, ironmonger, Main st
Whiteford John, woollen manufacturer,
School wynd
Public Buildings, Offices, &c.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
AND THEIR MINISTERS.
Established Church, Kilbirnio— Rev. John
Orr
Free Church (East;, Kilbirnie— Rev. Alex-
ander B. Brown
Free Church (WeBt), Kilbirnie— Rev. Alex-
ander Davidson
United Presbyterian Church, Glengar-
nock — Rev. Robert Andrew
Roman Catholic Chapel (St. Bridget's) —
Rev. James Milne, priest
Constabulary Station, Bridgend— David
Smith, constable [sec
Good Templars' Hall, Bridgend — John Hood,
Free Gardeners' Friendly Society — John
Fyfe, secretary, Main st
Kilbirnie Public Library, School wynd — Wm.
Watt, librarian
Parochial Board Office, Main st — Robert
Thomson, inspector of poor, Main st; Wm.
Allan, collector of rates, Bridge st
School Board Office, Main st — Wm. Allan,
clerk
CONVEYANCE BY RAILWAY,
ON THE GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN LINE.
Station, about a milo and a quarter south-
east of tho villago --Alexander M'lntosb,
station muster
KILMARNOCK,
WITH THE VILLAGES OF CROOKEDHOLM, CROSSHOUSE, RICCARTON, HURLFORD, KILMAURS, FENWICK, ROSE
FENWICK, CRAIGIE, AND NEIGHBOURHOODS.
KILMARNOCK is a large and important manufacturing town in
the parish of that name, and district of Cunninghamo,65V; miles
b.w. of Edinburgh (through Glasgow), 21 s.w. from Glasgow, 12 n. by
E. from Ayr, and between 6 and 7 e. by n. from Irvine ; situated on
evel ground near the confluence of the Kilmarnock water with the
Irvine. Two centuries ago this now thriving and populous town
was a mere bamlet, dependent upon the baronial castle in its neigh-
bourhood. The chief advantages of the place as a site for manufac-
tures was the presence of coal, aod for many years it seems to have
been distinguished only for the production of Scotch bonnets itud
military caps. In 1781 the population had so increased that a new
parish, the High Church, was fume 1. Subsequently, and for a co i-
siderable period, tho staple manufacture was that of carpets, audih
this branch it yet ttands pre-eminent. The leading kinds are two-
ply, three-ply and Brussels. A Kilmarnock mechanic had the
honour of being the discoverer of the three-ply carpets ; they excel
the two-ply in design, colour, and durability. Steam is now used by
several firms for the weaving of two-ply and Brussels. An extensive
trade is carried on in tbe manufacture of shoes for exportation.
Formerly skin works and tanneries were common in Kilmarnock,
but at the present time there is ouly one of each. Of late years an
extensive trado in the manufacture of tweeds and winceys has been
developed, and woollen and worsted spinning is also carried on.
The iron trade may now be said to be the staple trade of the town,
and there are many large machine making and iron founding estab-
lishments. The most extensive of these are the Caledonian Works,
carried on by Messrs. Andrew Barclay & Son; the Gleufield; tho
Vulcan, Messrs. M'Cullock ; the Towuholm, Messrs. Grant, Ritchie
& Co. ; the River Bank, Messrs. Barclays & Co., and others ; the
Townholm Forge, carried on by Messrs. Reid & Co. is famous lor the
size and excellence of its forgings. The wages paid in this branch
of manufacture alone amount to several thousand pounds weekly.
Shawl printing was formerly the most important department of
manufacture. It has almost disappeared, and there are now only
two small works engaged in it. The manufacture of cotton and
other goods by steam power has been in operation for some years,
and gives employment to several hundreds of females. There is
also a large establishment for the manufacture of a patented water
meter, invented by an ingenious townsman, Mr. Thomas Kenned}'.
The importance of Kilmarnock has been much increased by a large
engineering establishment in connection with the Glasgow and
South-WesLern railway, for tho manufacture and repair of loco-
motive engines, carriages and other apparatus.
Tho banking establishments are branches of the Bank of Scot-
land, the Royal Bank of Scotland, tbe Commercial Bank of Scotland,
Limited, the National Bank of Scotland, Limited, the Union Bank
of Scotland, Limited, tho Clydesdale*, Bank, Limited, and the
British Linen Company, together with a Local Bank for Savings,
apart from the one in connection with the Post Office. Surrounding
the town are extensive coal fields, from which fuel is obtained for
tho works of Kilmarnock, besides large supplies transmitted cun-
tinually by railway to Ardrossao, Ayr, Troon and Irvine, where it
is shipped to various places.
Tho civil government is vested in a provost, six bailies, and
eighteen councillors. The magistral* b preside iu the criminal
court by turns, and the justices sit monthly. This town joins with
Dumbarton, Port Glasgow, Renfrew and Rutherglen in returning
one member to Parliament. Tho Duke of Portland and the Right
Hon. Viscountess Ossington are the principal owners of Kilmarnock
and its neighbouring lauds. Few towns can boast of a larger and
finer cross, where no fewer than seven streets converge. The
streets are regularly laid out, and the greater part of the|bouses are
built of stone. The opening up 9f such new streets as John Finuie
230
street, in which is the now and commodious post office,
Duke street, and John Dickie street, have done much to
improve the general appearance of the town as well as to
promote sanitary purposes. Tho suburbs on the east, south
and west sides contain many handsome villas, occupied by
business men or retired merchants. The Town House, built. in
1805, contains a court room for the magistracy, and public offices.
The new Court House in St. Marnock street., erected in 1802, is an
elegant structure, attached to which are Lhe sheriff's chambers and
the offices of the procurator fiscal. The Corn Exchange buildings
comprise a large public hall, erected by an, influential joint-stock
company. At the junction of John Finnic and John Dickie streets
is a handsome range of buildings, belonging to and occupied by
the Kilmarnock Equitable Co-operative Society, and built at a cost
of £6,000. The Kilmarnock Academy is a handsome and commodious
structure, worthy of the town and highly creditable to the architect,
Mr. William Railton. It is built of red sandstone, iu tho Gothic
style of architecture of the Elizabethan period, and is designed to
accommodate GOO pupils, boys and girls, where they aro taught
various branches of education by able masters. It was erected by
the burgh School Board at a cost of £5,000, and was opened in June,
1876. There are also two well-built and commodious elementary
schools in High street and Low Glen cairn street, also erected by
the School Board. What was formerly tho Free school has been
converted by the Board into a Grammar school, and the Femalo
Industrial school is now an elementary school of the Board. Besides
these there are several private schools of a high character. In
addition to these are Kay's Endowed schools, in Wellington street
and Beutinck street, founded by Alexander Kay, a native of Kil-
marnock, who left the sum of £6,000 for the building and endow-
ment of these schools. These schools are, by tho Endowment
Commissioners' scheme, to be closed, sold, and the interest of tho
proceeds to be applied to educational purposes. Two School
Boards have been elected here — the Burgli School Board and tho
Landward School Board, and all public schools within Lhe burgh
are under the supervision of the former, and those outside tho
boundaries of the burgh under the latter. The institutions likewise
comprise some well conducted societies. The most important is
tho Kilmarnock Library, founded iu 17i)7. At present, including tho
Shaw and Philosophical libraries now amalgamated with it, there
are 7,32S separate works, with upwards of 2U.000 volumes. By a
bequest from the late Mr. Crawford, bookseller, a free income of
fully £100 annually has become available for the purchase of books.
The Philosophical Society was formefl in 1823, for tho promotion of
general and specially scientific knowledge. The Kilmarnock
Athenrenm was instituted in 1S48, for promoting the social and
intellectual improvement of the inhabitants. The reading room of
this association is largely supplied with newspapers, magazines and
other periodicals. Tbe library is now amalgamated with the Kil-
marnock library. The rooms in which the business of these three
important societies are carried on form part of tho new Corn Ex-
change buildings. Another institution worthy of notice is the Kil-
marnock Philharmonic Society. Besides theso institutions, there
aro in tho town four masonic lodges, a society of the Independent
Order of Oddfellows, one of the Free Foiesters, oue of the Free
Gardeners, and others. An object of interest in this town is the
observatory, erected in 1818, by the late Mr. Thomas Morton, at an
expenso of £1,000. The observatory, which is 70 feet iu height, and
furnished with valuable telescopes and other apparatus, stands on a
fine site, and commands a delightful view of the surrounding coun-
try as far as the Firth of Clyde. Mr. Morton obtained considorablo
celebrity for his mechanical genius, and iu 1835 he was elected a
momber of the Royal Society of Arts. Iu 1818 was inaugurated iu