Does anyone happen to remember Gilmour's Grocery on Shore Road in Stevenston? It used to be Crawford's. I believe there may have been at least one more Gilmour Grocery, perhaps Kilwinning and/or Dalry. Would love to hear .... anything. My grandfather, John, and brothers owned and operated these stores. John moved to Canada in early 1900's, and I don't know how long the stores remained after that.

Thanks,
Pat

From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxx.au>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Friday, September 24, 1999 

Hi Pat,
Thought I'd wait to see if someone from Stevenston answered. In the late 1950s it was the local Co-op, my sister and her husband lived above the shop at that time. No doubt your aware of the photograph in "Old Stevenston" which shows the shop as Crawford's in 1910 - it's located opposite the Railway Station.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne

From: "Pat Ryan" <soxys.@xxxx.ca>
To: <THREETOWNERS-digest@iList.net>
Sent: Monday, September 27, 1999 

Thanks Hugh for the information! I do indeed have the Old STEVENSTON book by McSherry. I also have Old KILWINNING by Laughlan. Both are wonderful! The picture of the Crawford, later to be Gilmour Store is the only record our family has of the working life of our Grandad so you can imagine how exciting it was to find!

We still don't know which brothers of Grandad John worked in the stores - perhaps in Kilwinning and/or Dalry - but we have found that their parents lived at 28 Dalry Road in Kilwinning, at least until death of their mother Agnes/Nancy Gilmour in 1929, age 86. Their father, David, had died there, 1903, age about 59 (after 4 days of laryngitis!>. The
informant was son Thomas. This is the same Thomas who married Susan Steele, and whose son Joseph died aboard the "Vindictive", 1918, and is buried in Stevenston cemetery among the WW1 graves. This information was also found through links to this group! Thanks so much to the wonderful group here, and in particular to Hugh. My fondest wish is to someday be able to see the homeland of my ancestors. In the meantime, as I sometimes get impatient with my computer,<#$&^%*> I am taking a moment to really appreciate the miracle of this technology, and all the kind folk associated with a group like this one.

Having an introspective moment in Canada,
Pat
 

From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxx.au>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 

Hi Pat,
A friend of my wife's family in his 80s and living in Stevenston remembers the shop on Shore Road when Gilmore's had it. Unfortunately he has no recollection of the owners. Says it was a licensed grocers. other shops alongside were said to be Park's Bakery, a milk shop and Armour's Ironmongery.

Talking about licensed premises. In the book "A History of the Scottish Coal Industry" it says: Colliery townships were notorious for the number of their inns or drinking dives. Stevenston in 1793 counted thirty-four spirits shops or inns.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne

From: "Pat Ryan" <soxys.hse@xxx.ca>
To: <Threetowners-Digest@iList.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 1999 

Hi Hugh and all,
Thanks so much for the Gilmore Grocery information! Also I was not aware of the existance of the book "History of Scottish Coal Industry". My great grandfather William Muir, was a coal miner in Kilwinning, so I'm interested in this book. I've read bits and pieces about the industry <*not* a good time for the workers>, but I'm wondering if you have the author's or publishers name. This would help me locate the book, I think.

Thanks again Hugh. I am surprised, happily surprised, to hear of a living person who remembers the store. I guess that means it must have survived later than 1910 for the gentleman to remember it. Amazing. One more piece of the puzzle answered, and five more questions spring to mind!<grin> Och.

Thanks,
Pat in Canada
 

From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxxx.au>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 1999 

Pat I was quoting from the following book, the details are from the State Library of Victoria catalogue on line. No IBSN Number given.

Title: A history of the Scottish coal industry: a social and industrial history.

Author / Creator: Duckham, Baron Frederick.
Imprint / Date: Newton Abbot, Eng.: David & Charles, 1970-
Physical Description: v. :
Contains: illus., maps ;
Size: 22cm.
Subject: Coal trade --Scotland--History.
Coal mines and mining --Scotland--Hist.
Contents: v.1. 1700-1815.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne