NOTE: THE HISTORY CENTRE IS NOW CLOSED BUT MAY REOPEN IN MAYBOLE CASTLE
Maybole has a rich history. And more of it is now accessible, with the opening of Maybole Historical Society’s Local and Family History Centre. Equipment was bought thanks to a National Lottery grant of £2,320. And Maybole Community Development Group has kindly allowed part of its High Street premises to be used for the centre. Click on the images below to view them full size.    Photos by David Kiltie.    More about the centre.

Cathy Jamieson MSP cuts a ribbon, held by Helen McAdam, to open the new history centre.

Guests  included Eleanor Jamieson, Gordon Killicoat, Jan Connelly, Willie Connelly, Margaret Davidson and Davie Hunter.

Cathy chats with Maybole Historical Society’s honorary president Murray Cook and vice chairman David Killicoat.

A trio of ladies from Maybole Community Council check out the centre. From left to right: Helen Whitefield, Frances Campbell, Marianne McCreadie.

Pictured at the opening
(left to right) are Jack Boyd,
 Jim McDermott, Ellen Hawkes,
 David Kiltie and Peter Walker.

Guests viewing the new centre included these three ladies: From left: Patty Kewney, Elizabeth Eaglesham and Margaret Dick.

MAYBOLE’S HI-TECH HISTORY (Ayrshire Post July 19th 2002)
MAYBOLE has a rich history. And more of it is now accessible, with the opening of Maybole Historical Society’s Local and Family History Centre. Equipment was bought thanks to a National Lottery grant of £2,320. And Maybole Community Development Group has kindly allowed part of its High Street premises to be used for the centre. Cathy Jamieson officially opened the centre by cutting a ribbon, and the MSP’s name is first in the visitors’ book. Ms Jamieson and more than 30 invited guests were welcomed by society chairman Helen McAdam. And the busy MSP, who is also a Scottish Executive minister, congratulated all concerned with setting up the facility. She said: “This is a wonderful example of what can be achieved by people working together.  “And I am delighted that the facilities will be available for all locals and visitors to enjoy.” Facilities include: a microfiche/microfilm reader, with microfiche of International Genealogical Index; an index to the 1861 census for Ayrshire; early Ordnance Survey maps of Ayrshire; microfilms of the 1851 census of Maybole; Maybole Old Parish registers; a lap-top computer with family history software; the 1881 census of Great Britain on CD Rom; a gazetteer of Scotland; and much more.

Maybole Local and Family History Centre (Ayrshire Post May 2002)

Having received £2320 from a successful application for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to provide equipment and help with costs during History Week 2002, space was offered by Maybole Community Development Group within their offices in the High Street to house the laptop computer, printer, microfiche/film reader and display stand.  Gratefully accepting both the grant and the offer to share premises, the Historical Society decided to provide a small library of local and family history material including books, computer programmes, census material for 1881 on CD Rom, the International Genealogical Index on microfiche and the Maybole Old Parish Registers and Maybole Census Returns on Microfilm and create a small Local and Family History Centre for the use of society members, local residents and visitors alike.  Application is also being made to the Ayrshire Archives for a copy of the microfilm of the extant Maybole Poor Relief Applications.

Several local and family history societies throughout the country provide research facilities for their members and visitors however the Local and Family History Centre in Maybole will be the first community based facility where all the facilities will be available free of charge to anyone who wishes to use them.  As it is hoped that the centre will be well used, a booking system may have to be operated which will be well advertised should it become necessary to implement it.  Other groups in Maybole will also be able to borrow the display stand for short periods for their own use providing it is not required by the Historical Society.

The Historical Society are very pleased that their application for a grant to provide facilities for their members will now provide these same facilities to many more people than originally projected.  Cathie Jamieson MSP has agreed to perform the official opening of the Centre in the near future.