Railway gatekeeper 1840 Saltcoats

[TheTeslarian]

Trying to track one of my ancestors. He was railway gatekeeper in the early to mid-19th century, shortly after the invention and introduction of the railways.

[Hughie]

Hi Teslarian,

Chapter 20 of "Saltcoats Old and New" might be helpful.

[TheTeslarian]

That was particularly interesting Hew. Thanks very much for that!

The first Bank in Saltcoats (when the late W B Orr became agent for the Ayrshire Bank) was abandoned and its portico and windows have since remained boarded up. The old line of the Yard, which had belonged to an Irvine Sailor, "Orr's Nine Yard", going back to Bradshaw Roading, was framed and shaped to suit the official rules of uniformity and Dan McAlister's house was submerged beneath the Station buildings.

...almost under the shadow of the Western Bank, lay a house which sometimes went under the name of the "Goat House", but was not that celebrated institution. It was the house of Francie Wood, a contractor in the busier days before the railway.

Behind the house of the Woods, at the end of the narrow pathway leading from kyleshill to Raise Street, stood the distinguished Goat House...

So...Ah'm offski tae fin mair info oan yon Orrs, they woods an wan Goat's Hoose. Cheers MAC!!!

[harrysteell]

Hi, I have fond memories of Jock Trodden of Ardrossan, as most of the children of my time and Hewmacs, all went to the gospal hall in glasgow Street Ardrossan for his mettings even my dad went as he was a great preacher, I nice man and kind to every one, I used to love the old singalongs deep and wide the little drummer boy, fishers of men, and more, he used to show magic lanter shows every now and again at the gospel hall and at the annex school AILSA gardens, those were the days, a thourghly nice person, Harry

[Hughie]

So true Harry, Jock Trodden was well kent in Ardrossan.

[Jim McCreadie]

Any relation to a Helen TRODDEN?

Jim McCreadie
Fremantle
Western Australia

[tuppence]

John Trodden railway gatekeeper was my lagte husb and's 3xgreatgrandfather. |he married Campbell Aird in 1825. Do you know any more about him?

Tuppence