Carrick Directory 1883 - Notes on Minishant area listings
Home ] Up ] Photo Galleries ] Town Guides ] Notables ] Community ] News ] Places ] History ] Search ] Contact Us ]


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