Following a snap being sent in by Mary (Crawley) McLean, several months ago an appeal was made for those who lived in Kirkcudbright Prefabs to send in memories of living there. An article has now been posted on our website relaying living in Victoria Place when it was the prefabs in the town. Victoria Place Kirkcudbright
In a recent posting on the “Stewartry Old Postcards” page, reference was made to the amount of mud in the harbour. Comment was also passed about the harbour being cleaned, originally in preparation for the Tankers. Here are some images of the cleaning procedure when men went down with hoses and latterly an excavator. One image is dated 1983 and another isn’t very good, maybe someone can improve it? A challenge !!
This painting, by Sheena McCurrach, and an article describing the homestead and its surroundings have been brought to my attention. Known locally as Loch Goy it can be seen from the Ringford to Laurieston road. The article describes it as it is now with an account of its possible history. As it was occupied till the 20thC more is probably known about it. Does anyone have any more information about it, when it was built, who owned it, who lived there? The article can be read here.
A recent posting by Sam Kelly included a newspaper cutting about lopping of the trees in St Mary St Gardens. Using this as another example of history from a snapshot I have gathered together some other photos showing the trees in the area over the years. See the end of this article. Alan James brought our attention to the production of a leaflet in 2018 revised in 2020 by Chris Ingram with details of the trees. Apparently a minister in the last century encouraged parishioners to
donate trees in memory of loved ones and in consequence a good many quite valuable specimens are growing here. stewartryu3a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Soaperie-Gardens-Leaflet.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3lEQcT2841xAqfd48q_VpU4Irnq2XIKznSHV5KW0m-sAF7agv5-1uYSJw
As for the debate about which name the gardens should be called. My understanding has always been that The Soaperie Gardens were the triangle behind the Selkirk Cross the remaining belonging to the Church and called The Church Grounds.
When Sally McKenzie was walking in beautiful Sefton Park in Liverpool last week, she had a closer look at this sandstone obelisk and discovered that it was dedicated to the memory of Borgue man Samuel Smith! She posted the information on Facebook.
Donald Tait supplied the following further information.
“In later life, Smith wrote an autobiography which includes an account of his early upbringing and education in Borgue (see image). He never forgot his roots in Borgue, and the Log Books from Borgue Academy show he was a generous donor to the Borgue Soup Kitchen. He was buried in the family plot in the local
churchyard, the headstone now ineligible, but there is a transcription available on the kirkyards.co.uk website”.
In his book “Borgue Academy, The Story of a Village School”, Adam Gray includes an extract from Smith’s “My Life Work”. In this extract he describes life at the school in a very similar vein to John McKie the subject of last month’s meeting. Adam also says he came from a line of local ministers, his grandfather having written the “Statistical Account of Scotland “edited by John Sinclair.
As Donald said, Smith was a generous donor to the soup kitchen, Adam writing that “The renowned institution of Borgue Soup Kitchen was set up and the soup was served to the children for the first time on 5th December 1884 thanks to Samuel Smith M.P. “donating to the plant” which was installed in the Free Church schoolroom”.
Another image contributed by David R Collin showing very clearly how the yair nets were constructed. For many years yair nets were an unusual and distinctive feature of the River Dee, with the last example falling into disuse in the late 60’s or early 70’s. Their construction and use to catch salmon are seen as being unique to the Dee. The snap also shows Carswell’s MIll before being altered into flats. The Barrhill Wood shows a large area with no trees. Is this following the felling that took place about that time? A detailed account of Yair Fishing on the River Dee can be found at https://www.kirkcudbrighthistorysociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/History-of-KBT-Fishing-002.pdf
Thanks to Ifor Roberts once again for an interesting image. This has led me to wonder- when did the quarry start and why? What did it quarry? Who owned it and who has owned it since?
John Boyd driving a Ruston machine, one of 3 used in the quarry when owned by the Council till it ceased operating in the 80’s. This machine went to Barry Paterson, Dalbeattie.
Continuing the theme of History from Snaps we discuss the lamppost at the
Tolbooth, The post was said to be the position of the mercat cross, which is claimed to have been erected in 1504, prior to being removed to the top of the steps.
David R Collin sent in the image of the view of the High Street taken in the 60’s.
A photo taken of the same view today shows no lamppost, it has in fact been moved and given a new pedestal. I have also attached a section of this view from a postcard dated 1906.
