Hugh
Douglas, coauthor of Minishant
is a bonnie wee place, has generously
provided the notes below in regard to his mother's recollection of details for
Minishant residents found in the Carrick directory of 1883. To obtain a copy of Minishant
is
a bonnie wee place click here or for
other books by Mr. Douglas click
here.
I
asked my mother (who died in 1988 aged 88) about people from the Minishant
district included in the Carrick Directory of 1883. She came to the village in
1910 when she was 10, so of course many of those listed in it had died or moved
on by then. Anyway, here are her answers to which I have added my own comments
and additional information in capital letters. Naturally she related what she
told me to our family where she could. Incidentally, by 1883 the village was
called Minishant, and the other village on the high road was Culroy. Prior to
about 1860 Culroy appears to have been referred to as Culroy Bridge, and
Minishant was called Culroy. The little stream that runs down from Culroy to
Minishant and then into the river Doon was known at Culroy as the Culroy Burn,
but at Minishant we called it the Minishant Burn. Its real name was the
Polnatibber Burn.
Hugh Douglas.
[Notes
in lower case are details recalled by Henrietta Douglas. Those in
CAPITALS are further comments by Hugh Douglas]
George
Anderson, Laigh Smithston. Only have heard of him vaguely.
John
Boyd, Blacksmith, Culroy Bridge (present day hamlet of Culroy). Aunt Jeanie's
father. I think her mother's name was Buchanan. HE WOULD BE A BROTHER OF MY
FATHER'S GRANDMOTHER. AUNT JEANIE (NOT REALLY AN AUNT, BUT WE ALWAYS CALLED HER
AUNT WOULD BE A COUSIN TWICE REMOVED OF MY FATHER.)
John
Clark, Teacher, Minishant. He taught your grandfather (Robert Orr) and me.
ALWAYS KNOWN AS THE MAISTER. HIS DAUGHTER, AGNES, ALSO TAUGHT IN MINISHANT
SCHOOL, AND SHE TAUGHT MY SISTERS AND ME.
Sir
Peter Coates, Auchendrane. He was very good to the villagers and built the
church (called Lady Coates Memorial Church) and endowed it. He was very good to
his workers. He gave them a pension of ten shillings per week when I was at
school. On I remember in particular was Tom Neary. I REMEMBER THE NEARY FAMILY
TOO - THE NEXT GENERATION. THEY LIVED IN THE HOUSE BESIDE PERU COTTAGE.
INCIDENTALLY, TEN SHILLINGS SEEMS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT FOR HIM TO HAVE GIVEN HIS
RETIRED STAFF - PERHAPS MOTHER'S MEMORY WAS AT FAULT.
Thomas
M. Crawford, Grange. I have not heard of this gentleman; it was Mr Mcmechan
who was in Grange when I was at school (1910-1912). Their daughter, Miss Nora,
presented our school prizes at what we called our prize exam. Mr McMechan shot
his wife and Nora's young brother around 1916-1917. Nora became Mrs Thomas. THE
THOMASES WERE IN GRANGE IN MY DAY, AND A SON SETTLED IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. I AM
STILL IN TOUCH WITH HIS WIDOW.
Adam
Cunningham, miller, Grange mill. Mill also known as Currie Mill. I remember
Mary Cunningham, or Kinnicum as the locals called her. She used to walk to
Cassillis Station with two big butter baskets of eggs and butter to sell in Ayr.
James
Currie, head gardener, Auchendrane. I did not know this man. A man called
Currie called last summer (1980?) asking about relations named Currie, but
unfortunately I was out, and he did not come back.
John
Douglas, Blackbyres. My husband's grandfather. He was previously in
Blairbowie, and lived in Minishant village in the house where Maggie Halbert
lived for a time shortly after his marriage. Subsequently moved to Droystone,
Tarbolton.
John
Douglas, Joiner, Minishant. No relation to our family. His wife's name was
Margaret Henderson. By the time I was at school in the village his son, David,
was joiner in Minishant. Another son Jimmie was a ship's carpenter. Jimmie spent
a lot of time at the Park of Barnaigh, Lochwinnoch, as an old man. He made the
writing desk I have out of an old table piano. PRESUMABLY JIMMY WAS A FRIEND OF
MY GRANDFATHER, ROBERT ORR (THEY PROBABLY GREW UP TOGETHER.). I NOW HAVE THAT
DESK, AND WORK AT IT EVERY DAY. THE JOINER'S SHOP AND THREE COTTAGES WHICH
STOOD ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AT MONKWOOD MAINS ROAD END HAVE BEEN
DEMOLISHED FOR ROAD WIDENING.
John
Forgie, Labourer, Minishant. I have never heard of him.
John
Gray, Labourer, Minishant. I have never heard of him.
John
Garry, Labourer, Minishant. I knew Bob Garry, a joiner, who was probably a
son. Bob's daughter, Janet, still lives in Maybole.
William
Gibson, Shoemaker, Minishant. My Granny mentioned him, but I never knew him.
John
Gray, Farmer Midton. He was farmer in High Midton, but I did not know him.
He daughters, the Misses Gray, lived in Midton Road, Ayr, after retiring from
the farm.
Charles
Guthrie, Farmer, Kewnston. I have heard his name, but he was before my time.
Robert
Hunter, Whitleys. Didn't know him. James Roberts farmer there when I was
young.
John
Jackson, cowkeeper, Otterden. Don't know of him.
Mrs
Kennedy, spirit dealer, Culroy. Don't know of her. MOTHER SAYS SHE DOESN'T
KNOW OF MRS KENNEDY, BUT THERE WAS A PUBLIC HOUSE IN CULROY BESIDE THE
BLACKSMITH'S. AUNT JEANIE, I'M SURE, SPOKE OF A KENNEDY. I MUST INVESTIGATE THIS
FURTHER
Robert
Laught, Farmer, Grange Mains. Know only the name. William Richmond farmed
there and he moved to Thorneyflat farm at Whitletts. RICHMOND MARRIED JANET
DOUGLAS OF BLACKBYRES (SISTER OF JOHN DOUGLAS) AND CONSEQUENTLY WAS MY FATHER'S
UNCLE BY MARRIAGE. MY FATHER WAS NAMED AFTER HIM.
Andrew
Limond. Wool Spinner and Blanket and Tweed Manufacturer, Old Mill,
Minishant. Firm was called A & J Limond. By my day the mill belonged to
Andrew Limond (presumably his son).
James
Limond. As above.
James
Limond, Woolspinner and Blanket and Tweed Manufacturer, New Mill, Minishant.
Known as the Drummer. Why, I have no idea.
Mrs
Thomas Limond, Minishant. Could this be the mother of Tommy Limond, the
tailor, who lived in the Brick House. Tommy's father was nicknamed Speedy, and
worked at Monkwood Mill in my young days.
Alexander
Mitchell, Sauchrie. Don't remember him.
Thomas
Muir, Farmer, Breek. There were Muirs in Otterden in my young day. William
was farm manager at Knockdon.
John
McCall, senior, Joiner, Culroy Bridge.
John
McCall, junior, Joiner, Culroy Bridge he would be father of Bob McCall, the
last Joiner in Culroy.
William
McCurdie, Blacksmith, Minishant. Gone by my time, but I remember his sons
Sandy and John.
John
McEwan, Labourer, Minishant. Heard the name, but did not know him.
James
McMaster, Ship's Carpenter, Minishant. Heard the name, but did not know him.
John
McMurtrie, Tailor, Minishant. Heard the name, but did not know him.
Alexander
Nelson, Woolspinner, Minishant. Don't know.
William
Niven, farmer, Laigh Culzean. I remember him. He was later factor for
Lanfine estate.
Robert
Orr, Farmer, Monkwood Mains. My grandfather.
William
Paterson, Monkwood. He was the laird of Monkwood estate, which included the
farms Monkwood Mains, Midton, Crorieshill, Monkwood Mill, Laigh Smithstone and
Kewnston.
Matthew
Richmond, Farmer, Laigh Grange. His son, William, married Janet Douglas of
Blackbyres (PERSON MY FATHER WAS NAMED AFTER).
Claud
Ronald, Miller, Monkwood Mill. His daughter, Agnes, married John Tweedily,
the auctioneer.
James
Templeton, Minishant. Don't know.
Charles
Thom, Joiner, Minishant. I never knew him , but they lived in Ayr latterly.
His daughter married the Rev. William Limond, son of 'Postie,' who had the post
office in the village.
James
Thomson, Spirit dealer, Minishant. The Thomsons later farmer at Tranew,
Kirkmichael.
Peter
Tweedily, engineer, Minishant. He worked in Peru and lit the first gas lamps
in Iquiqui in November, 1873. Retired to Minishant where he built Peru Cottage.
Hugh
Wilson, Woodman, Minishant. Possibly father or grandfather of Jenny Duncan
who lived in village in my time.
William
Wyllie, farmer, Low Midton. The family were in Midton for many years. His
son farmed it, and then his children, Bet, William and Alec.
James
Wyllie, Farmer, Crorieshill. Brother of Midton
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