Community Curators Project

An old picture of Maybole High Street with horse and cart and people crossing the road.

1833 time capsule from Ayr

In March 1898, Turner’s Ayr and Newton Brewery was established to acquire the Watson and Brown Ayr Brewery located on Mill Vennel (later known as Mill Street), previously owned by the Dominicans. During its construction in 1833, a time capsule was placed within the masonry of the building by James Watson and Robert Brown. In […]

The Citadel of Ayr and the 1660 Restoration

Events at Ayr played a part in the power struggle which followed the death of Oliver Cromwell on 3rd September 1658, and which led to the restoration of the monarchy (which had been abolished in 1649 following the execution of King Charles I). John Lambert, the dominant figure in the army’s council of generals, was […]

The Royal Visits to South Ayrshire 1956 and 1995

On 3rd July 1956, Queen Elizabeth arrived by train at the Burgh of Troon to begin a one-day tour of Ayrshire. She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, who had come ashore at Troon Harbour from the Royal Yacht Britannia, and a civic welcome was extended by Provost Henry McCall and other dignitaries. After […]

Holocaust Memorial Day -South Ayrshire Kindertransport Connections

When the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany and the territories under its control escalated in November 1938, the British government agreed to relax immigration restrictions and allow unaccompanied Jewish refugee children under the age of 17 to enter the country on temporary travel visas. Private citizens or welfare groups such as refugee aid committees […]

An Ayrshire sailor of the Great War: Able Seaman John Newall

John Newall was a Girvan sailor whose eventful active service during the First World War came to a tragic end. Called up as a navy reservist on the outbreak of war, he was sent to the Indian Ocean to take part in operations against German East Africa, now part of Tanzania. John survived when his […]

From Jamaica to Coylton: the story of Alexander Waters, with a Great War postscript

On 3rd September 1894, a large crowd assembled at Coylton churchyard to pay their last respects at the burial of a highly-regarded member of the local community. He was Alexander Waters, whose obituary appeared in that week’s issue of the Ayr Advertiser. He was described as being tall and erect with a somewhat military bearing, […]

VJ Day in Ayr 1945

Following the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945, it was generally expected that there would be a long continuation of the war in the Far East; that British forces, after driving the Japanese from Burma, would fight on to re-take Malaya and Singapore, and would ultimately participate in a costly invasion of Japan. However, […]

VE Day in Ayr 1945

Rumours of the surrender of Nazi Germany on Monday 7th May 1945 were confirmed in the evening when BBC radio announced that the surrender had been signed and would come into force early the next day. Tuesday 8th May was to be celebrated as Victory in Europe Day. Work on the decoration of Ayr’s streets […]

“There’s nothing quite like an Ayrshire Tattie!”

This exhibition was due to open on the 5th April 2020 at the McKechnie Institute, Girvan. The topic was chosen partly to celebrate the award of PGI status to the ‘Ayrshire Earlies’, and partly because – we love them! We want to thank everyone who has offered their expertise, time, and permission to share these […]