INDEX Year Year Chapter Page Chapter Page 1907 .................................. ONE ................................... 3 1941 ......................... THIRTY-FOUR .......................... 144 1908 .................................. ONE ................................... 3 1942 .......................... THIRTY-FIVE ........................... 147 1909 ..................................TWO................................... 9 1943 ........................... THIRTY-SIX ............................ 150 1910 ................................ THREE ................................. 15 1944 ........................ THIRTY-SEVEN ......................... 154 1911 ................................. FOUR .................................. 18 1945 ........................ THIRTY-EIGHT ......................... 157 1912 .................................. FIVE ................................... 21 1946 ......................... THIRTY-NINE .......................... 162 1913 ................................... SIX .................................... 24 1947 ................................FORTY................................. 166 1914 ................................ SEVEN ................................. 27 1948 ........................... FORTY-ONE ............................ 172 1915 ................................ EIGHT ................................. 31 1949 .......................... FORTY-TWO ........................... 176 1916 ................................. NINE .................................. 34 1950 ........................ FORTY-THREE ......................... 181 1917 .................................. TEN ................................... 38 1951 ..........................FORTY-FOUR ........................... 187 1918 .............................. ELEVEN ............................... 43 1952 .......................... FORTY-FIVE ........................... 193 1919 .............................. TWELVE ............................... 48 1953 ............................ FORTY-SIX ............................. 198 1920 ............................ THIRTEEN ............................. 53 1954 ........................ FORTY-SEVEN ......................... 203 1921 ............................ FOURTEEN ............................. 58 1955 .......................... FORY-EIGHT ........................... 208 1922 .............................. FIFTEEN ............................... 63 1956 .......................... FORTY-NINE ........................... 212 1923 .............................. SIXTEEN ............................... 68 1957 .................................FIFTY.................................. 217 1924 ...........................SEVENTEEN............................ 73 1958 ............................ FIFTY-ONE ............................. 224 1925 ............................ EIGHTEEN ............................. 78 1959 ........................... FIFTY-TWO ............................ 234 1926 ............................ NINETEEN ............................. 82 1960 ......................... FIFTY-THREE .......................... 240 1927 .............................. TWENTY ............................... 88 1961 ........................... FIFTY-FOUR ............................ 246 1928 ......................... TWENTY-ONE .......................... 94 1962 ........................... FIFTY-FIVE ............................ 254 1929 ........................ TWENTY-TWO ......................... 101 1963 ............................. FIFTY-SIX .............................. 263 1930 .......................TWENTY-THREE........................ 106 1964 ......................... FIFTY-SEVEN .......................... 275 1931 ........................ TWENTY-FOUR ......................... 109 1965 .......................... FIFTY-EIGHT ........................... 283 1932 .........................TWENTY-FIVE.......................... 113 1966 ........................... FIFTY-NINE ............................ 289 1933 .......................... TWENTY-SIX ........................... 116 1967 ................................ SIXTY ................................. 296 1934 .......................TWENTY-SEVEN........................ 120 1968 ........................... SIXTY-ONE ............................ 303 1935 ....................... TWENTY-EIGHT ........................ 124 1969 ........................... SIXTY-TWO ............................ 312 1936 ........................ TWENTY-NINE ......................... 127 1970 ......................... SIXTY-THREE .......................... 320 1937 ............................... THIRTY ................................ 131 1971 .......................... SIXTY-FOUR ........................... 325 1938 .......................... THIRTY-ONE ........................... 134 1972 ........................... SIXTY-FIVE ............................ 331 1939 ..........................THIRTY-TWO........................... 136 1973 ............................ SIXTY-SIX ............................. 339 1940 ........................ THIRTY-THREE ......................... 140 1974 ....................... FINAL CHAPTER ........................ 346 2 CAIRNTABLE ECHOES F O R E W O R D On 19th September, 1907, the first issue of "The Muirkirk Advertiser" made its appearance in the village. It was the brainchild of the late William Shaw Smith, who came to Muirkirk from Girvan in the latter part of the 19th century to set up a printing business in the village. Previously he had been in partnership with the late Thomas Gourlay in Girvan. From his premises in Main Street, W. S. Smith had produced several Christmas Advertisers, but he evidently thought that the time was ripe for a weekly edition to be printed in Muirkirk, as indeed it was. It was produced primarily as a four-page advertising sheet, but perhaps Mr Smith's own editorial in No. 1 Issue speaks for itself:— "In issuing a sheet of any kind—be it daily, weekly, or monthly—it is customary to make some apology for its appearance. In this case no apology is offered. It is born for the purpose of mutual benefit: to reader, customer, and advertiser." "Our village is peculiarly situated—between the de'l and the deep sea as it were—on the ridge between Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, and, although there may be periodicals that cater for the news of the district, it will be at once admitted that the advertising columns of these periodicals are not taken advantage of as they might be by the inhabitants of this district." "The Muirkirk Advertiser," as the name suggests, is primarily an advertising medium, and makes no pretence at being a newspaper. At the same time, any news of local interest will, if possible, be chronicled; a place will also be found for other matter of an interesting kind, and the whole will be made as readable as possible. It will be considered an obligement if, when presentations take place, or meetings are held, the secretary or some other person present will either write a few lines or call at the Office and give a few particulars for publication. Short, interesting articles will also be welcomed." "The advertising columns will be open to all at a very moderate rate, and advantage should be taken of the opportunity afforded to advertise meetings of all kinds, entertainment, articles wanted and for sale, houses for sale, wanted, and to let; as well as business notices of every description. The guarantee that a copy of the paper is put weekly into every home in Muirkirk, Glenbuck, Torhill and Bankhead, adds greatly to the value of the advertisement." "The future of the 'Advertiser' is left with every confidence in the hands of the public." There can be no doubt of the role that "The Advertiser" played in the life of the village, and it certainly exceeded the expectations of its founder. In its sixty-seven years of existence, in which time it only had three Editors—the late William Shaw Smith, the late John Samson, and finally, James Taylor—it became an institution in itself. During those years it chronicled most of the events of life in Muirkirk, and from its files I now attempt to paint a history of the village and surrounding district from the year 1907 until 1974. No doubt there will be some omissions and some lapses of information, and some "jumping" from one story to another, but on the whole it will be a history of the people, of the place, of the tragedies, of the pleasures, and of the achievements of life in a close-knit mining community during the first half of the 20th Century. The task of compiling this history has taken me several years, it being mainly a hobby, rather than a chore, but it has been nevertheless a fulfilling and enlightening experience, and if the reader of this book finds it enjoyable and interesting, then I will have been amply rewarded for my labours. JAMES TAYLOR 2 The Style, Muirkirk, KA18 3RS, October 2002 CAIRNTABLE ECHOES 3 CHAPTER ONE Sports and leisure activities played a major part in the life (1907—08) of the community at that time, and amongst the organisations contributing in this field were: —————— Muirkirk Angling Association. It was at once evident from reading the early copies of "The Toll Scouts A.C. Muirkirk Advertiser" that Muirkirk itself was no ordinary village, that it possessed a way of life and had a friendliness Glenbuck Angling Association. about it which was absent in other places of like size and Muirkirk Bowling Club. circumstances. Muirkirk was a thriving village in 1907, as a Muirkirk United F.C. perusal of