LOOKBACK IN TIME

The following appeared in the town’s newspaper of 19 and 26 October 1895

Miss Jane Clacher, Renton, has been appointed assistant teacher in Beith Female Industrial School in place of Miss Barr, who has received an appointment in Lochwinnoch Public School.

The Water Committee of the town agreed to grant a four inch connection to the new Caledonia Works as desired by Mr Pollock.

In pursuance of the desire to have a golf course for Beith, a number of local golfers accompanied by George Fernie, a Troon Professional, prospected ground in the neighbourhood of Bigholm on Wednesday last. After a careful and painstaking survey it was ultimately agreed that the Burning Mount land belonging to Mr Patrick of Grangehill was most suitable. The position of the holes have been marked off, and the ground is to be commended at a meeting of those interested and favourable to the establishment of the ancient and royal game. The round of the course, nine holes, is about 1½  miles, which is quite an average length and there are plenty of hazards in the shape of hedges, dykes and whins to make the game more exciting and envigorating. The greatest distance between greens will be 260 yards and the shortest not less than 120, so that our experienced as well as our embryo players will have plenty of room to display their best driving powers and their skills in evading bunkers. The professional declared the turf to be excellent ground in every way well adapted for the purpose. He hinted that any man able to do the course in 40 might consider himself the equal to the best players of the day.

On Friday night first, under the auspices of the Rechabites Society, Miss Jessie McLachlan, the queen of Scottish song, will make her only appearance in Beith this season. It is superfluous to speak of this lady’s abilities as a singer of Scotch songs – she has held her position at the top of the profession for such a lengthy period that her name is now almost a household word. She will be accompanied by Mr Stuart Moncur, the popular tenor. No one should miss the opportunity  of being present at the Templar’s Hall on Friday next.

Beith would appear to be in the unenviable position of with regard to the number of pauper lunatics who have to be maintained at public expense. During the year ended at 15^th May last, no fewer than 34 unfortunate individuals from Beith were under treatment at a cost to the ratepayers of the parish of £517, which does not include the sum of £292 from the Probate Duty received by Mr Samuel Kerr from the Local Government Board. So that £809 has been expended on the lunatic-poor of the town which plumes itself upon being pretty well up in the compos mentis scale!

Our readers will pleased to learn that Mr George Miller (the second son of the late Mr Robert Miller, Reform Street, Beith), who has been studying medicine in St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, was on Monday admitted to membership of the Royal College of Surgeons, England, and Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, London, MRCS Eng, and LRCP Lond. The Surgeon’s qualification is a very high one, and we understand the Mr Miller is the first Beithite to obtain it.  Mr Miller was educated at the Academy here and for a number of years followed the profession of teaching. Relinquishing his position of dominie at Moffat Academy some four years ago, he went to London where by steady application and burning the midnight oil, succeeded as stated. His elder brother, Dr Robert Miller, has already won fame as a successful doctor at Forest Gate, London, and to his coaching is no doubt George indebted in some small degree for his success.

The usual meeting of Beith Robert Burns Curling Club has held on Monday night when seventeen members attended. The secretary and treasurer’s report was read showing that the club was in a good financial position. Five new members were admitted. The office-bearers were appointed as follows:- J M Pollock, patron; Mrs J M Pollock, patroness; president, W Hamilton; vice-president W M Gilmour;  secretary and treasurer, James S Millar; representative members, T Hunter and J S Millar. It was agreed to send a rink to represent the club in the international match, Scotland V England at Lochmaben.

A special J P Court was held at Beith on Monday before Messrs A Stewart and T Thorburn. John Dorrin, navvy, appeared on a charge of assaulting  John Gallacher, also a navvy, in New Street, Beith on Saturday night. He was fined 15/- or 10 days imprisonment. On being taken by train to Ayr jail, some philanthropic gentleman paid the navvy’s fine, and he was released at Irvine Station, returning to Beith in high spirits.

Truth is very severe this week upon the Rev I Grant Sutherland, of Beith Established Church, who it appears, has taken offence at the Parish Literary Society of the church because it passed a resolution affirming the superiority of the press over the pulpit. Mr Sutherland has resigned the presidency of the society which he describes as “a standing insult to his ministry.” Mr Labourchere, of he London News who reported on this squabble says, “The action of this child-tempered cleric appears more likely to result in the emptying of his church than the suppression of the society.” (The local paper of 9 November, 1895 reported: “The Beith Kirk Session resolved to take no cognisance of the squabble between the Literary Society and the minister.”)

Beith St Inan’s Angling Club met on Tuesday night when the usual supper of the members took place in the Saracen’s Hotel. Mr James Walker, vice-president was in the chair. After enjoying a sumptuous repast, the prizes won during the year, and contributed by friends of the club, were presented. Mr George Laing took the first, a cup and gold badge presented by the club, other 29 prizes were distributed to the several winners. There were nearly forty present, and with song and sentiment a few hours were pleasantly spent.

At the Sheriff Court at Kilmarnock on Friday an enquiry was held before Sheriff Hall and a jury. The public inquiry took place regarding the death of Peter Stewart, pit bottomer, Gateside, Beith. The evidence showed that on 25 September last, whilst on duty in the mid workings of Barr coal pit, he accidentally fell along with a hutch to the bottom of the shaft, he having wrongly supposed that the cage had come down, and pushed the hutch on where he supposed it to be. He received injuries from which he died in the Western Infirmary, on 30 September. The jury found accordingly. With commendable generosity, the jury handed their fees and allowances for travelling, amounting to £2 0s 4d, to the widow of the deceased.

Wednesday was observed as the annual Autumn holiday here in Beith. Unfortunately the weather outlook in the morning was discouraging, and consequently many were kept at home who would otherwise have inclined for a day’s outing. Notwithstanding the unfavourable conditions, 855 persons booked with the two railways for different parts of the country.