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I have been researching my family history for some time although for many years I did not even know that my grandmother's family came from the Kirkoswald area. I find the Maybole site very interesting particularly the History section. I have just read the story entitled 'Five people drowned.....' and it prompted me to write and tell you about a similar incident that happened in my family in 1887. My great grandmother Jessie Fergusson, had an older sister Sarah who had married David Girvan in Knockdon, Maybole and had 5 children. My research had brought to light that Sarah and her youngest son, Robert had both died in 1887. So I went in search of their death certificates. I found that Sarah had died through complications during pregnancy in January and Robert had died a few months later on Ailsa Craig but the cause of death was not noted. I was intrigued so I went to the Carnegie Library and looked up the Ayrshire Post for that year. Sure enough I found the following for Friday, June 3, 1887: |
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"A fatal accident took place on Saturday at Ailsa Craig. A boating party had proceeded there for a day's pleasure, and amongst the company were some boys. One of them Robert Girvan, 10 years of age, son of David Girvan, dairyman, Turnberry, had gone with others to climb for sea bird's eggs, and not turning up search was made for him, when he was found at the bottom of the Craig on the north side quite dead. He had fallen on his head, which was fearfully crushed and death must have been instantaneous. The gannets and other sea birds build their nests high on the shelving face of the rock, difficult and dangerous to reach by the most expert climber. The boy's father was waiting at the Maiden's shore for the returning party, and was shocked to received the dead body of his son." |
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The birds of Ailsa Craig |
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I later found the gravestone that David Girvan erected to his wife and son in Kirkoswald Auld Kirk. I felt very sorry for this ancestor who had lost both his wife and son in the same year. As he had a young family to raise it was not long before he married again and left for Stoneykirk in Wigtownshire and I don't know whether they ever returned to Ayrshire. I would be interested to find out it anyone else has heard this story told in their family as I am still looking for members of the Fergussons and Girvans of Kirkoswald. Andrena Wallace andrena.wallace2@btinternet.com Kilmarnock |
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