International Day of the Abolition of Slavery

Today is the International Day of the Abolition of Slavery. Here is a snapshot of one of the slave lists within our collections. This particular one is from the Kennedy of Kirkmichael collection and details slaves on a Jamaican plantation in 1829.

Reference ATD/60/8/10

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Did you know….

…that St Andrew was also the patron saint of fishmongers? Why not have a piece of fish instead of haggis tonight?

Happy St Andrew’s Day

Happy St Andrew’s Day, what better way to celebrate than with some tartan? Here’s how to wear yours…

Glasgow University Archives and Special Collections Visit

As part of the graduate trainee role at Ayrshire Archives, there are opportunities to visit other archives and recently we received a tour of Glasgow University Archives from their graduate trainee.

Glasgow University Archives holds official University records, including matriculation records, but also houses the Scottish Business Archive and Scottish Brewing Archive, with records for businesses including Tennents, McEwan’s and House of Frasier. There were many interesting records, such as the Blackhouse Charters, plans relating to heavy industry and a selection of labels relating to the United Turkey Red Company.

We also visited Glasgow University Special Collections which holds rare and unique books and records as well as a large collection of PhD theses, the Scottish Ballet Archives and the Scottish Theatre Archive. One of their most well-known collections is the Hunterian large collection of books that once belonged to William Hunter, the male midwife to Queen Charlotte. The libraries of many individuals are a part of Special Collections, including those of Sir William Stirling Maxwell and James McNeill Whistler. The graduate trainee had been working on the Ferguson collection, a collection made up of volumes from the library of John Ferguson (1838-1916), who had once been the regius professor of chemistry at the university.

We learnt a great deal from our visits would like to thank both Glasgow University Archive and Glasgow University Special Collections for their wonderful tours!

Online Catalogues

Some more catalogues relating to Ayrshire associations, churches and images have been added to our website today! They are

AA/DC135 Robert Burns Bicentenary Records

AA/DC136 Records of the Burns Memorial Window, Alloway Church

AA/DC142 Ayr Town Centre – High Street Enhancement

AA/DC143 Images of Ayrshire and The Clyde

AA/DC144 Decorative Postcards from First World War

We recently shared a blog about the AA/DC144 Decorative Postcards prior to the centenary of World War One, so take a look at our previous posts!

Ayrshire Archives Remembers

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon

 

Ayrshire Archives Remembers: Ayr Academy

Today we are sharing a notice from our collections relating to fund-raising carried out by pupils at Ayr Academy during World War One. Throughout the course of the First World War, the students and staff at Ayr Academy organised different fund-raising activities, along with contributing to war savings and providing comforts and gifts from home for soldiers fighting at the Front. The school also made donations to war charities, and maintained ‘Ayr Academy beds’ in military hospitals.

Accession 10/30 – Notice for the Ayr Advertiser

The school also looked to commemorate former pupils and staff who served during the War. From 1914 each issue of the school magazine provided a Roll of Honour for students who had enlisted. A special edition ‘Xmas Souvenir to Former Pupils on War Service’ which was printed in 1917 listed over 500 names of students who served during the First World War.

Ayrshire Archives Remembers: Wallacetown School Former Pupils

We are sharing more images from Wallacetown Public School Admission Register.  The register contains newspaper clippings saved by the headmaster of former pupils who served during World War One.  These included former pupils who died and also those who were wounded or awarded medals.  We will share more of these over the next few days.  Their final resting place has been commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  We would be pleased to hear about any of your ancestors who served in World War One.

Newspaper clipping from Wallacetown Public School Admission Register recording the death of William Galt and his brother James Galt.

William Galt was buried in Amara Cemetery in Southern Iraq in 1917 and his brother James was interred in Loos, France after being killed in action in 1915.  They were both former pupils of the school.

Certificate from Commonwealth War Graves Commission website https://www.cwgc.org/

Certificate from Commonwealth War Graves Commission website https://www.cwgc.org/

Ayrshire Archives Remembers: Troon Parish Church

Today we are sharing a booklet marking the dedication service at Troon Parish Church of memorial tablets and windows to the men of the parish who died in World War One. If anyone has further information on the names included in this booklet, please do let us know.

Booklet to commemorate the unveiling of memorials in Troon Parish Church to the men of the parish who died in World War One. (ATD6/4)

Names on the memorial in Troon Parish Church to the men of the parish who died in World War One (ATD6/4).

Ayrshire Archives Remembers: Wallacetown School Former Pupils

We are sharing more images from Wallacetown Public School Admission Register.  The register contains newspaper clippings saved by the headmaster of former pupils who served during World War One.  These included former pupils who died and also those who were wounded or awarded medals.  We would be pleased to hear about any of your ancestors who served in World War One.

 

Newspaper clipping from Wallacetown Public School Admission Register recording the death of John McCord.

Extract from Admission Register.

John McCord was buried in Preston (New Hall Lane) in 1917. His final resting place has been commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Certificate from Commonwealth War Graves Commission website https://www.cwgc.org/