From one man working part time catching lobsters to a factory employing over 100, 5 trawlers and several lorries the history of West Coast Sea Products can now be read West Coast Sea Products
Local Firms
Kirkcudbright Shops 1953 over 67 years
During the two community walks this week we have been asked some questions about our local shops. For this reason I am reposting the article which was published earlier on in the year.
The community is very lucky to have had two men who had the foresight to record shops over the years in the town. Billy McKeand recorded the shops in 1953 and 2013 with Robin Middleton taking photographs over the years.
I have tried to update and combine these records. To keep the information as similar as possible only the three main dates have been used. I recognise that the result is not the definitive record of shops that have existed also there will be mistakes. For this reason, I welcome constructive 
comments but request these be kept helpful. It is hoped that we can reach a final document that will accurately reflect what shops we have been lucky to have had in the town. To access the document please use the link below.
The images that are inserted are small. They can be increased, in the usual way, but are also available in the website’s mages library under Kirkcudbright Old Shops. https://www.kirkcudbrighthistorysociety.org.uk/image-library/old-shops-in-kirkcudbright/
Any comments secretary@kirkcudbrighthistorysociety.org.uk
Helen Bowick
February2021
Thanks are due to
Original text- Billy McKeand
Photographs – Robin Middleton. Sandy Bowick collection and online
The Story of the Carswell Family and Castle MacLellan Foods
The next in our local history articles series, looking at local firms, is now available on the link below.
From the humble beginnings of this shop, one of the major industries in the town was born.
Jim Carswell has given us the story of three generations of family grocers resulting in the formation of Castle McClellan with Colin Warden
The Story of the Carswell Family and Castle MacLellan Foods
With Thanks to Jim and Sandra Carswell
March 2021
A Short History of Fishing at Kirkcudbright
This interesting and informative article was sent to Society members, in place of David R Collin’s planned talk which was cancelled due to the pandemic. He has given permission for us to post it on our website.
The Kirkcudbright Factory that supplied the world
Nowadays Kirkcudbright is known as the Artists Town. How many know that we had our own knitting factory in this former factory, that produced such fine knitwear that not only did they supply Harrods, but were visited by buyers from as far afield as Japan? Intarsia is a knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. The final products produced by this factory were reckoned to be “like pictures when we were finished with them”.
The link to the article MGeorges
The History of Douglas Swan and Son
At 154 years old, Douglas Swan and Son is the oldest established family business in the town and must rank amongst the oldest monumental sculptors in the country. Douglas (Dougie) a present partner, has given us permission to post his history of the firm. Well presented and informative, this is an interesting addition to the Society’s record of businesses in the area for which we are very grateful. Each page gives a detailed explanation of the contribution made by the five generations to the firm. Click on the link Swan1 (002)
The Rise and Fall of Kirkcudbright Creamery
Kirkcudbright Creamery was opened in October 1921, An account of the opening ceremony can be read in this link. opening of creamery
Elizabeth McKeand and Family have lent us Billy’s notebook containing his various recordings of times past in the town. The excerpt describing the Creamery in its hey day can be now be found on the link below.
A further memory has been contributed by Isabel Holroyd.memories of creamery butter
A Master Grocer’s Life
We are indebted to Douglas (Dougie) Ross for allowing us to post his presentation on “A Master Grocer’s Life in Kirkcudbright”. For many years his family has owned and run the local grocers shop in town, formerly Clingans. His talk included many more photos and memorabilia than we have been able to include in this document. We hope to make a feature of them at a later date. Click on the link below.