Jean Hay of Maybole has provided the programme below, published for the Coronation Pageant, held in Maybole on Saturday 30th May 1953. The programme was scanned and converted to text and images by Jim Millar. Click on the images below or use the scroll bar of your browser to view the pages following the table.

 Pages 1 - 8  │ Pages 9 - 18  │ Pages 19 - 28 (photos)   │ Pages 29 - 38  │ Pages 39 - 49 │ Advertisements

The stores of Hutchison and McCreath are on the site of the former boot factories of Crawford and Ramsay. There are only three boot and shoe factories doing business—Harrison and Goudie. J. McCreath and Sons, and John Lees and Co The first two of these continue to make the hard wearing shepherds' and gamekeepers' boots for which Maybole is famous, and which are still in great demand, particularly in the North of Scotland. (By way of contrast, the Ladywell Tannery does most of its business with the South of England.) The third and largest factory, John Lees and Co., although still making heavy boots, is rapidly gaining a reputation for light fashionable shoes for town and country wear. Success in this new venture may well go a long way towards rejuvenating Maybole by giving young men and women the chance to find employment in their own town.

At the present time large numbers travel by bus to Ayr, Girvan and the surrounding towns, whilst others go regularly by train to Glasgow. This daily travel is, of course, a feature of life to-day, and not peculiar to Maybole. To some extent it is two-way traffic.

Many of the teachers and pupils in Carrick Academy, the central Senior Secondary School for the area, travel by bus every day. Four special buses, a taxi and a shooting brake are required to transport them.

Next to Carrick Academy is a number of new houses, known as the Whitefaulds' scheme. More new houses are urgently required, as the conditions in some of the old houses are not in accordance with present-day standards.

The town has three Presbyterian churches, the Old Church, the West, and Cargill-Kincraig which were recently united: one Episcopal church, St. Oswald's: one Roman Catholic church, St. Cuthbert's: and one Baptist Church opened some fifty years ago, and placed under the Pastorship of the late Thomas Ramsay, Esq., father of Dr Guy Ramsay of Hillhead Baptist Church. There is also a group of Christian Brethren in the town.

Golf, tennis, bowls, fishing, football, rifle shooting, swimming, country dancing, badminton, sailing, bridge, singing, amateur dramatics, and sketching are all organised in clubs.

There are two picture houses. Stage shows, of the concert and dramatic variety, are frequently presented in the Town Hall, mainly by local amateur companies. The ice-rink at Ayr is very popular, particularly with farmers keen on curling.

The burgh, according to the census of 1951, has a population of 4,766, of which 2,259 are males and 2,507 females.

As the Coronation heads a new chapter of history, may we write it in such a way, that when in the future, it is but a tale of the past, it will stand out bold and clear.

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Order of Procession

1.       The Town Band

2.       The Town Staff. Emblem of Civil Authority since                             1432

3.       Crannog Dwellers (Loch Spouts)                                           1st Century

4.       A Viking                                                                                               a d 870

5.       The Vicar of the Parish Church                                                           1192

6.       Knights in Armour                                                                                 1200

7.       Crossraguel Abbey (Cluniac Monks)                                                1260

8.       Robert the Bruce                                                                                   1313

9.       The Chantry Chapel (later the Collegium)                                       1371

10.    The Countess of Cassillis                                                                  1560

11.    John Knox and the Abbot of Crossraguel                                        1562

12.    The Roasting of the Commendator                                                  1570

13.    The Stocks from the Tolbooth                                                            1600

14.    The Union of the Crowns                                                                    1603

15.    The Scottish Episcopal Church                                            1610 – 1638

                          (The Established Church)                                     1661 - 1690

16.    The Conventicle at Craigdow                                                              1678

17.    The Act of Union                                                                                    1707

18.    Smugglers                                                                                18th Century

19.    John Loudon Macadam }In a Carriage{                                 1756-1836

         Sir Gilbert Blane                                                                       1749 - 1834

20.    Robert Burns entering Maybole to receive payment
               for his poems                                                                                 1786

21.    Orange Lodge No 0                                                                             1798

22.    Weaving                                                                                     1800 - 1850

23.    Early Shoe-making                                                                               1850

24.    The Howe Bicycle sold at £15 15s                                                    1883

25.    Vehicles Hired from King's Arms
      A. Governess Car B. Phaeton C. Gig D. Brake                          1890

26.    James Rodger, Scottish Mile Champion
        and his trainer                                                                                1895

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27.       A Co-operative Home                                                     19th Century

28.       The Boys' Brigade ... ... ... ...           ...                                           1898

29.       Poachers ... ... ... ... ...                ...                                                 1900

30.       The Mass Emigration to Canada ... ...                                       1907

31.       The Boy Scouts—"Kangaroo" Patrol ...                                     1908

32.       Carrick Homing Society ... ... ...          ...                                      1910

33.       The Girl Guides ... ... ... ...             ...                                             1911

34.       "T" Ford ... ... ... ... ...                ...                                                     1911

35.       The First World War—The British Legion ...                  1914-1918

36.       John Knox's Daughters of the Covenant ...   ...                        1922

37.       The Wolf Cubs ... ... ... ...               ...                                             1922

38.       The Brownies ... ... ... ... ...            ...                                             1926

39.       Jack's "Dunlop Rubber Tyred" Cart ...       ...                             1932

40.       The Life Boys ... ... ... ... ...           ...                                               1936

The Second World War

41.       The Girls Training Corps                                                             1940

42.       The Junior Red Cross .... ... ...         ...                         1943                                                

43.       General Eisenhower ... ... ... ...          ...                                       1947

44.       Boy Scouts' Tableau—Camping Scene                                   1953

45.       Farming (William Wallace)                                                         1953

46.       Agricultural Implements (Jack's)                                               1953

47.       Grain and Fertiliser Merchants (Hutchison & McCreath)      1953

48.       The Boot and Shoe Trade (Lees)                                             1953

49.       A Co-operative Home                                                                  1953

50.       Carrick Cruising Club—(16ft. Hornet Dinghy—the

 property of William Kerr, Esq.)                                             1953

51.       St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic School                                      1953

52.       Cairn Primary School                                                                   1953

53.       Carrick Academy                                                                           1953

54.       The Crown—Symbol of the Unity of the Commonwealth      1953

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Notes' on Procession

Town Staff

An Act of Parliament passed by James I at Perth in 1432,     states :-

"Ane officer of Regality must gae furth before his folk carrying ain rod or staff, three quarters of a yaird long, tane pairt coloured reid, and tother pairt coloured quhite"

Maybole being a Burgh of Regality has the right to carry this. The present rod, which is made out of one piece of wood on the principle of the Rod of Aaron, was presented to the town by Mrs Harold Chesney, in memory of her father, Mr James Millar, who was Provost from 1912 to 1921. It was carved by Mr James Jeff, the famous Galloway artist, who also carved the casket for the scroll presented to President Eisenhower, when, as General Eisenhower, he was given the Freedom of the Burgh

The staff has at the base the burghal coronet and at the top the burghal helmet, surmounted by a dolphin (the town crest).

Orange Lodge

During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, a regiment of Militia from Ayrshire was sent across to serve in Ireland. Returning when peace was restored, some of the more ardent brought with them an Orange Warrant, which had been granted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland authorising them to hold and constitute an Orange Lodge in Scotland. In 1799 or 1800, the Lodge was installed on Scottish soil at Maybole. It was Scotland's first Orange Lodge and had as its ideals the furtherance of Protestantism and Loyalty to the Crown.

To signify the honour that Maybole holds as being the birthplace of Orangeism in Scotland, Grand Lodge on 26th October, 1929, instituted in the town a new lodge with the name of Loyal Orange Lodge No 0.                  This Lodge, as the oldest one in Scotland, has the honour of carrying the Union Jack, which in 1801 incorporated the Cross of St. Patrick, in addition to the banners of St. George and St. Andrew

James  Rodger

He was an outstanding athlete at the end of the nineteenth century, when Maybole was famed for cross-country runners and cyclists.

In 1891 and 1894 he was Scottish mile champion, and in 1895 and 1896 Scottish quarter-mile champion. He was a prominent member of Carrick Harriers and West of Scotland Harriers, winning over one hundred medals and prizes

The corks which he gripped in his hands when running are now in the possession of his grandson, James Rodger, son of the janitor of Carrick Academy.

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Carrick' Sailing Club

Honorary Presidents:

The Most Noble The Marquess of Ailsa

Commander G. H. Hughes-Onslow, D.S.C., R.N.

Captain    ...          ...                                  William A. J. Kerr, Esq.

Commander      ...    ...    ...                               A. M. Shaw, Esq.

Hon. Secretary and Treasurer                                      Mrs R. Armstrong

This club was formed in 1950 with its club centre at Girvan. The membership, which was originally about thirty, is now one hundred. Because of the harbour drying out, when the tide is low, club members are inclining towards fast sailing dinghies rather than large yachts. The wide variety of small boats includes four Hornets, two Merlins, and two "Yachting World G.P.'s".

The club has made extensive preparations for celebrating the Coronation, the members having hand-made over 500 yards of bunting. They hope on Coronation night to light four floating bonfires in Girvan Bay.

Carrick Homing' Society

A racing pigeon society existed in Maybole as early as 1910, when H. Logan was secretary, and other members were: N. Hinton, R. Scobie and J. Strachan. The present society appeared about 1925 and included Messrs D. and G. Briggs, J. Johnston, A. McCann, J.Gill. The club is affiliated to the Kyle Federation of Homing Pigeon Societies and operates according to the rules of the Scottish Homing Union.

The Carrick Society has always aimed at attracting boys and youths to its ranks and continues to do so in spite of rising costs. The gambling side of the sport is discouraged, and the emphasis is on pleasure rather than profit, the benefits are social and educational.

At present the sport is increasing in popularity all over the country. Her Majesty the Queen has a loft at Sandringham, and has presented Coronation trophies for competition.

L.L.O.L. No. 98. John Knox's Daughters of

the Covenant

The first meeting took place in the lodge room, Orange Hall, Dailly Road, on 26th August, 1922. The late Mrs J. P. Boyd, Carrick Street, Maybole, was installed as the first Worthy Mistress and the late Mrs Margaret Rae, Weaver Vennel, as Deputy-Mistress of the Lodge.

The present Worthy Mistress of the Lodge is Sister Jean Knox, and the Deputy-Worthy Mistress is Sister Elizabeth Devoy.

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“T” Ford

It was first assembled at Trafford Park, Manchester, in 1911. By 1925 one-quarter of a million Fords had left this factory, and as more space was necessary a new plant was found at Dagenham, Essex. This car featured in many of the early films, including Charlie Chaplin's. It is an immortal among cars.

Junior Red Cross

A Junior Red Cross detachment came into being in 1943 to encourage girls to train for the Nursing Services and to help the local Detachment in War-time. First Aid and Home Nursing classes were organised and help was given in gathering and cleaning spaghnum moss for dressings, thus putting into practice in a small way the Junior Red Cross motto "Serve One Another".

Carrick Provident Co-operative Society

President                                                     Mr J. Dunlop

Managing Secretary                                   Mr M. L. Storrar

Vice-President                                             Mr A. G. Frew

Board of Directors

Mr J. Boyd, Mr W. Boyd, Mr R. McCreath, Mr W. McKnight, Mr E.  Thomson, Mr J.  Brennan, Mrs E.  Dunn, Mrs J.  Clark,  Mr A. Anderson.

Educational Committee

President — Mr A. G. Frew                      Secretary — Mr R. Stewart

Committee

Mrs Hyslop, Mrs Bingham, Mrs Dunn, Mrs Clark. Mrs Wilson,  Mr Simpson, Mr W. Boyd, Mr R. McCreath,  Mr J. Dunlop.

Membership to-day, 4,000. Branches in Crosshill, Dailly and Girvan

Members will take part in the procession, on two lorries.

1st Lorry -Co- operative Home                                                       19^th Century

2nd Lorry -Co-operative Home                                                      20th Century

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Boys Brigade'  (Founded 1883) 

16th Ayr (Maybole) Company (1898)

Formed in Maybole West Church in 1898 by Rev. Thomson and first drilled by Sergt. Stewart.

Presented with Company Colours by the Woman's Guilds of West Church and Old Church at their Jubilee in 1948.

Boy Scouts (Founded 1907)

7th and 10th Ayrshire

First Boy Scouts met in Maybole in 1908 and were four in number. They formed a 'Kangaroo' Patrol, P.L. John Muir (later Dr Muir). Their information about this "new game" so recently started by Robert Baden Powell came from the evening newspapers. "Auld Jean's" at Greenhead was their first meeting place.

Registered originally in London as 12th Scottish, they were no doubt nearer the beginning than this but had difficulty in finding a scoutmaster and so registration was delayed.

Girl Guides (Founded 1909)

1st Maybole — 1911

The first Girl Guide Company in the town was formed in 1911 under the Captaincy of Miss Strain. Many girls wished to become "Girl Scouts" and it was to meet this demand that the Company was formed. The 1st Maybole Guide Company has been in existence ever since.

Wolf Cubs

The Junior branch of the Boy Scout movement dates back to 1922, when local Scouting was extended to include boys of the ages of 7 to 11 years.

Two successful packs function, at present under two Scout Troops.

Brownies—lst Maybole

1926 saw the start of Brownies in the town. Planned to train girls of 7 to 11 years of age, the Brownie programme aims at teaching the value of service and good sportsmanship.

'LEND A HAND AND PLAY THE GAME' is their motto, and their name comes from the name of the helpful "wee folk" of Orkney.

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Girls' Association

1933 saw the formation of Maybole's first G.A. This was soon followed by two more, and for several years this Junior Branch of the Woman's Guild of the Church of Scotland attracted many of the young girls of the Churches. Study, work and social activities formed the main part of their programme. Unfortunately the Second World War and the call up of women dealt an almost fatal blow G.A.'s and their numbers are still greatly reduced.

Life Boys

The Junior branch of the Boys' Brigade was formed on a national basis in 1929. Seven years later the first Life Boy Company started in Maybole, giving preliminary training to younger boys who are later promoted to the Boys' Brigade.

A.T.C.

This was one of the Pre-Service Training Organisations started at the beginning of World War Two, to train boys for entry into the R.A.F. It attracted a considerable number of enthusiastic recruits and flourished during the war years. A return to peace-time conditions saw a fall in numbers, and A.T.C. was discontinued for a time. However, a new Flight has been formed recently. (Members are in other sections of the procession.)

Girl Training Corps

Girls' Training Corps formed during the War Years was a Voluntary Organisation aiming at training girls to assume a fuller share of responsibility in time of National Emergency and also at preparing them for National Service. Two sections formed in the town and continued until the end of hostilities. The Senior section was for girls between 16 and 18 years and the Junior one was for 14 to 16 year olds.

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Sporting Spectacle

———————————————————————

1.  Weight Lifting

2.  Hacking

3.  Archery

4.  Tournament

5.  Country Dancing

6.  Miming and Singing

7.  Flying

8.  Musical Ride

9.  Clay Pigeon Shooting

10. Clowns

11.  Golf

12.  Liberation of Pigeons

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Notes on the Sporting Spectacle

A kitten will play happily with a golf ball for hours so will a man. The earliest forms of human sport were probably somewhat similar to the kitten's, consisting mainly of developing skills essential for existence in a wild state. When fighting was a major occupation, archery, jousting, sword-play and horsemanship were all popular. Later, when the law became a protective force, and the pattern of life changed with the growth of industrial towns sport ceased to be directly connected with occupation, but became instead a relaxation and a tonic. Thus the golf club is as important to day as the lance was yesterday.

Weight-Lifting

This is a highly specialised form of sport in which knack and muscle control are much more important than brute strength. There are many different types of weight-lifting, such forms as swings, presses, snatches and jerks being among the best known one-hand lifts. There are also two-hand lifts and shoulder lifts. Weight lifters are recognised in five classes featherweight, 9 stone 10 lb., lightweight, 10 stone 81/2 lb., middleweight, 11 stone 11lb light-heavyweight, 12 stone 13 lb., and heavyweight, 12 stone 1lb. and over. The first Britisher to lift more than double his own body weight in the jerk style was Charles Biggs, who weighing only 122lb. lifted 247 lb.

In this episode Mr J Shaw demonstrates various lifts.

Hawking

"It is easier to train a gun than a hawk"

Hawking is one of the oldest of sports, having been practised in China about 2000 bc. Hawking, together with hunting, was one of the main occupations in the 15th century, having been introduced into Scotland via England in Norman times. Once known as "the sport of kings" it declined due to the decrease of game and the increase of civilisation. It was nearly extinguished with the invention of gunpowder, but the tradition was kept alive by a few enthusiasts. There has been some revival in recent years, due at least in part to the increased interest in the wonder of "flight". The words "hawker' and cadger" are relics of the ancient language of falconry. The "hawker" was originally a man who travelled through the country selling trained hawks and spaniels. The "cadger" was the lowliest member of the hunt whose task was to carry the frame for the hooded birds in order to cage them between flights (Episode—Marjorie and Bruce- See page 10).

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Pages 1 - 8 │Pages 9 - 18  │ Pages 19 - 28 (with photos) │ Pages 29 - 38 │Pages 39 - 49 │ Advertisements