Hello to all Threetowners,

I just happened to be scanning the internet and came across your web page. I was very impressed and pleased to learn that it may be possible to contact either people who still live in the towns or who have emigrated to Canada, America and Australia.

I have been working on my family tree for some four years and while I have many of the main branches back to 1690`s, I have data back to 1550 which I am trying to confirm, before entering into my family tree. I have over 1000 relatives on my database. So perhaps I can be of help to someone out there and you can help me either confirm or add to my family tree. I also have a large collection of school and local photographs from 1880 to 1960. In the 1950`s. I was a freelance photographer (as a hobby) and had pictures printed in both National and the Local paper, including the ICI paper and magazine.

My name is John Fullarton ( known in Scotland as Ian Fullarton). My family comprise of names such as, Sutherland, Boyd, Breckenridge, Dunlop, McCleland, McGrath, Orr, plus many more On my mothers side there are Brown, McMurray, Black, Ballantyne, McCulley, etc, all from Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston. I was born in Killwinning and lived in Stevenston until 1960. I attended Stevenston Higher Grade School till early 1950`s (I have a photograph of the Class of 1952), I then went to Ardrossan Academy until 1954. I served an Engineering Apprenticeship at ICI, Nobel Division, Ardeer from 1954 to 1959 finishing in the Power Station. I was in the Scouts (11th Ayrshire) at Stevenston, finishing up as Scoutmaster for a number of years, in the late 1950`s.

My father`s family came from the Isle of Bute and settled in Ardrossan in the early 1800`s, then moved to Boglemart Street in Stevenston, where he was born, we also had relatives in Hamilton Street, Saltcoats and in Ardrossan. My mother lived in Oswald Cottage in Hamilton Street, and Wellpark Road, Saltcoats. My father played football for Stevenston United in the 1920`s, Kilwinning Buffs, Irvine Winton, Kilmarnock, Clydebank, Glasgow Rangers and Glasgow Celtic. He was President of Ardeer Recreation Bowls Club and Secretary of Ardeer Recreation Club in the 1950`s.. My mother (Jean McMurray Brown Fullarton), was a keen lawn bowler, playing, for Ardeer Recreation Club, Saltcoats and Ardrossan Bowling Club in the 1940`s 50`s and was President of the Scottish Women's Bowling Association. My Father Alexander Sutherland Fullarton) known as Sandy Fullarton was Foreman in the Acid Department, including the TNT Plant at Ardeer in the 1940`s -1950s retiring
in 1956. My fathers oldest brother was Master Baker at Morrisons, the bakers in Fullarton Place, Stevenston. I had an elder brother Alex Fullarton who served his time at Ardeer Factory and worked in the Drawing Office. He worked at Ardeer from about 1940 to 1950`s and attended Stevenston Higher Grade School in the early 1940`s.

The Boyd side of the family came from Dalry, where James was employed in the Quarry Business, he later became Quarrymaster at Stevenston. (Anybody with information on Stevenston Quarry?) The descendants of the Boyd`s were Grace Boyd, Head mistress at Stevenston Junior school and her sister Maggie was a maths teacher. The other Boyds lived in Sharphill Road, Saltcoats and worked at Ardeer Factory. The Orr side of the family came from Kilmaurs and settled in Saltcoats. John Orr`s father was Robert Orr and John was a GP in West Kilbride. His sister Annie Orr lived in West Doura Avenue, Saltcoats. The McGraths also lived in West Doura Avenue, Saltcoats and Hamilton Street, Saltcoats. I am also trying to trace the Dunlops who married Boyd`s and lived in Dreghorn.

The Breckenridge side of the family came from Sorn, settling in Ardrossan. I am trying to trace the branch of the family that moved to America. I am also trying to trace the descendants of a John Mc Crae who married a Jessie Fullarton and moved to Hamilton Ontario, Canada ( John may have had a connection with the Hamilton Tigers Football Club in Hamilton). Alexander Ballantyne, who married a Martha Brown and moved to Illinois in the 1920`s 30`s.Bella McLean, who owned the Tam O Shanter Motel in the 1950 in Niagara Falls Canada, all immigrated in the 1920`s 1930`s. I am also trying to trace Australian relatives call McCulley and Brown. Hugh McCulley was in the Australian Army and fought in France in the 1914-18 war and lived in Sydney. I am trying to trace the Flemings who lived in Saltcoats and Stevenston, especially Ian Fleming and his sister Susan. Ian`s Father owned the "Spindrift" boat that took "holiday makers"on "round the bay trips" from Saltcoats Harbour.

I have probably gone on too much, as I have much, more information. Perhaps the above information may just land on fertile land and help me complete my family tree. I also knew many people who lived in Saltcoats and Stevenston between 1945 to 1960, especially those connected with Scouting and Ardeer Factory and could possibly help you find details of your family and long lost friends, as I still have family members in their 80`s who live in Kilwinning , Largs and West Kilbride and they still recall many people who lived in the three towns.

If you would like to communicate please don`t hesitate to contact me at johnfullarton@ hotmail.com and perhaps we have something in common. I would much prefer to deal with individuals direct on a "one to one basis", rather than on the "open system". Although I have no objections to general comments about the area and people on the "open system" and sharing some of the many photographs I have of local events between the 1940`s - 1960. I have a very large collection of both 8mm, 9.5mm and 16mm film of events in Dreghorn, Kilwinning, Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan dating between 1940 - 1960. I also have my fathers photographic record dating back to the late 1800`s.

If anyone is interested in communicating with me, then you now know where you can find me.

Yours,
John ( Ian) Fullarton.