Ashgrove Postcard.  Image sizes Large │ Very large

Evacuees 1940 (see note below)  Image Large│Very large

Ashgrove was built originally as a private house but later taken over by Glasgow Corporation as a holiday home for children from Glasgow, who were in need of holidays in rural surroundings. Ashgrove Home was originally "Craigengillan" and was built about the end of last century by James A. Gray, owner of one of the shoe factories and it is said he built it at the top of Kirklandhill Path so that he could look down on the "Bog Lum" which was the chimney stack of Ladywell Factory and a well-known landmark to older residents in the town. The top of the tower was said to be the same height as the Lorne Tannery chimney, which as also owned by Mr. Gray.  The postcard above contributed by Frances Fleming.

This photo of evacuees from Glasgow who stayed at Ashgrove House was contributed by Sadie McKay or Kerr as she was then. She says it is from about 1940 and front centre is Nurse Cameron and back row left is Doris who was the maid. Sadie wonders if others recognise themselves. Names that she remembers are Willie Paterson, James Manning, Albert Dunn, James Donnie, M Innis, David Kane, Tommy and James Lamont, Margaret and Frances Baker (who went to New Zealand and Canada respectively), Alex Turner. Let us hear from you if you know anyone in this photo!

Message received from a former resident of Ashgrove House
I have browsed your Maybole site for quite some time now and never tire of  it. As a child growing up in a large family in Glasgow in the 50's my two sisters and I spent a few of our summer holidays in Ashgrove house which belonged to the Glasgow corporation. I have many happy memories from my time there and when in Scotland visited Maybole and all the places I could remember. The house still looks the same but took a while to find as I only remember the vast grounds it stood in and where we played. It is now totally surrounded by houses I can still see the sweeping staircase in the entry and the row of dolls that were placed on the window ledges. Never to be played with. Are there any pictures out there of the inside of the house before it was renovated into flats? I would love to see some. I don't even have a picture of any of our time there. We would walk over the railway bridge into the main street and buy sweets in the little shop on a Saturday. I'm sure it was the only holiday many kids from Glasgow ever had. Your website is a credit to you and your community and I hope to be there in person in 2006.   Many thanks. Margaret O'Brien (nee Roper) Qld .Australia ( March 2005)