Gordon Robertson		So many good photos of places I remember so well and a smashing history lesson too. I also have some photos of Beith which I took with my digital camera the last time I was up there.
Carolyn Handley		I've just had a flick through your homepage on Beith for a trip down memory lane. I'm now living in Melbourne and was brought up in Beith - lived at 20 Dalry Road for many years, moved to Edinburgh in '84 and migrated to Australia in '86. My family (Donaldson) moved to Cruden Bay about 13 years ago, but I still have relatives in Beith and visit each time I'm across from Australia (every two years or so). I was interested to see that funding is being sought to preserve some of the older buildings - hope it all happens!
Laura Smith		My name is Laura Smith. I was told to go to your page by Gordon Robertson. I just want to say I look forward to exploring the site. I was born in Irvine in 1966 and spent my first 3yrs in Beith, then on to America. I was back during primary 5 and 6-Beith Academy. My family name is Burns. My grandparents Jean and Thomas Burns lived at 53 Beech Ave for many years, but they have passed on. I still have lots of family in Beith and Kilbirnie and hope to visit next year. Anyway just wanted to drop you a line, say hello and if you have time let me know how you are. aloha laura
George Munn		I enjoyed your page on Beith. I grew up in BEITH, Morrishill estate and lived there from about 1947 to 1960. Apprenticed for J & R Smith the joiners, just around the corner from McConnels fruit shop. The joiners shop is all torn down now.
John Beith		Hi Catherine, my name is John Beith and I live in Campbellville, a small town in Ontario Canada. I am currently researching my family genealogy and bumped into Gordon Robertson's web page. He has referred me to your page. My grandfather, John Beith (1883-1950) came to Toronto, Ontario from Rothesay, Bute, Scotland in the early 1900's. I am going through approximately 40 rolls of passenger list microfilms to identify the specific date, entry port, ship, etc. What a job! I have traced links back to John Beith (1798-1872) and have verified the links with records from the GRO in Scotland. There were a lot of Beith's in Rothesay! Well, I have now hit a brick wall. John Beith was one of seven children. The parents are listed as Hugh Beith and Mary Wallace. I can not seem to find reference in the Old Parish Records of their marriage. It would be wonderful if you could direct me to someone that may have researched the Beiths'. On the funny side, my grandmother was really "ticked-off" with my wife and I when my son was born. She was 94 at the time and said, "Why did you call that boy Ian. You have broken centuries of tradition. He should have been named Hugh!" To make things worse, my son's middle name is John. My grandmother's response to this was, "And to make things worse, you called him John-John." You know, my research has proven her to be right! I wish I could make those times come back and spend more quality time learning about family history. Now I have to do it the hard way. I would appreciate hearing any information about the history of Beith. John Beith
Alistair Anderson		I managed to access your "Beith" website recently through Gordon Robertson's ( a former "Beithite") web site. I went to school, judo in Beith, and played for Garnock Rugby Club with Gordon, and haven't seen him in almost 20 years, so I was delighted to find his website. I, I'm afraid, am originally from Kilbirnie. I moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada in March 1980 and have lived here ever since. However, I have good Beith connections. I am from the Andersons of Barrmill, and I have many relatives in Beith. My late father, Robert Anderson, was an ardent Beith Juniors football supporter and almost every Saturday of my younger days were spent watching Beith Juniors. I love your website. I wish someone would do the same for Kilbirnie.
Janet Wallace		I was born in Beith in 1967, in Hawthorn Crescent (my parents still live there!, basically all my family live in Beith). My Mum is from Beith and my Dad is from Barrmill. I went to Beith Primary and Garnock Academy before starting work in the Bank of Scotland in Beith (in 1986). The Bank then transferred me to Manchester in 1991 (BIG STEP FOR ME!). I now live in Burgess Hill, West Sussex with my cat and my Welsh boyfriend, I still work for the Bank of Scotland (in Brighton). I come back to Beith regularly (I drink in the Eglinton). Like the rest of my family, I am Beith Juniors supporter. I'll admit the football is not that great, but the banter in the crowd is wonderful. I really enjoyed your web site and you have made an ex-pat very happy!
David Obert		I happened upon your very nice webpage about Beith today. I'm from Maryland, USA, doing a little genealogy digging. I suspect that my relatives came from Beith back about 1780-1795. Are there many of the names WILSON or PEEBLES still in the Beith area?
Jimmie Barmore		I was wondering if anyone in Beith or the surrounding area has done any photography or historical writing or work of Beith. I am interested in the loch to the south, the Makin? river, Beith town proper and St.Inan's Chair. I have visited the two web pages and enjoyed them but I was wondering if the was anymore information available.
Will Scott		It has been almost thirty years since I returned to Beith, where both my parents grew up, but I still recall running out of my gran's front door (Mrs. Nell Scott, who lived at "Clovelly" on Barmill Rd.) and anxiously awaited the throngs who would soon arrive for the annual bonfire accross from her house to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. We lived for a while in a house designed by my father Ian Scott on glebe Rd. named "Red Gables". Gordon Robertson mentions my father in his history of the Old Sperians Rugby team from the fifties. He and my mother are still doing well here in the United States. I can remember as a youngster headed down into town to consume orange ice cream floats at Dora's, or wait for their yellow van to come around to our neighbourhood selling ice cream. Another memory was of the "Frying Scotsman" which was a converted bus which would deliver fish and chips to the townspeople, wrapped in newspaper, and the grease still dripping out of them!!

 

Mark House		I couldn't believe it when I stumbled across your web page! Beith of all places! I have very fond memories of the place I lived there from 1983 to 1987, stayed with the Elliots at Mains Hill for a couple of months at first then moved to Saltcoats for a year or so then moved into Giffen House which is at the back of the Admiralty (where I used to work) I still visit at least once a year, as the owners of Giffen House - the Stewarts - are still good friends of mine. Great web site
Anne Boyd Gallacher		I have just spent some time looking at your lovely photos of Beith and enjoyed them very much ( also the little dog in the church photos!) I hope that you may be able to help me find a map of Beith - the town, as I would like to locate assorted spots that my early Boyds came from. My James Boyd - Carrier to Glasgow early 1830's - who lived at Wilson Street. His father (William) whom I think lived at Crooked dam His children who were baptised at the United Pres. Church, Mitchell Street ( was this "The Old Kirk??"  School wynd Gateside I hope that you may be able to assist me with where I look for a map to cover these areas. 3 of James Boyd's children came to Australia, and settled in Bendigo, Victoria. Melbourne, Australia
John Warren		We are producing a documentary film on the case and are looking for photographs of Henry Faulds who helped originate the process of using fingerprints to solve crime. He was born in Beith. Would you happen to have a photograph of him in your collections or know of a source for one? Thanks for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Smith		I stumbled on your website tonight while doing some geneology lookups. My compliments to the creators ! The pictures are charming ! I have only been doing research on my mum's line for a short while (about 3 months), but have learned quite a lot. While it is difficult to do the research remotely it has been fun (I am "across the pond", just south of Boston, Massachusetts, USA). I have traced my great grandmother's side back to Ann Dean, daughter of Archibald Dean and Ann Deackon, born in 1828 in Beith - which is why I was interested in where Beith was. My great-grandfather's line goes back to Dalry. Wouldn't it be nice to find new "cousins" in Beith ? Here's hoping !! Bridgewater, Massachusetts: Researching Smith, Crawford, Martin, Dean(s), Deackon
Sandy hatchett		i would be grateful if you keep me up to date with Beith as my family were from there and I was brought up there also,my family have all scattered through out the Uk, and I love to hear what is happening to my old roots...
Marc Rodgers		Just thought I'd say HI. I live in Kilbirnie. You probably remember that Beith/Kilbirnie/Dalry rivalry thing that was going on. Well don't times change!! These surrounding towns are still at loggerheads with each other for no particular reason and at the moment it is particularly bad. See ya
Lynda Pattison		Hi my name is Lynda Pattison and I live in Delta, BC Canada. I found your name on the internet regarding the small town of Beith. I am doing my husbands family history for his fathers 85th birthday and have found that many of the Pattison family came from Beith. I was wondering if you had access to Post Cards of the town as we would love to purchase some to make the book complete. Thank you for taking the time to read my note.
Dr Jonathan Hyslop		I wonder if you can advise me on a piece of historical research concerning Beith? I am researching the life of James Thompson Bain, born Dundee 1860. During his early life he spent some time working in Beith. Are there any records available in the town through which I could trace him? I am coming to Scotland next year to do some research and am interested in visting Beith, if there are any promising sources to investigate. Bain was a very interesting man. He fought in the British army in the Zulu war. He was involved in the socialist and trade union movements in Edinburgh in the late 1880s. he then emigrated to South Africa and became a prominent journalist and trade union in Johannesburg. In the Boer war, he took the Boer side. He was captured and imprisoned on Ceylon. He became the leading Trades Unionist in the Trasnvaal after the war and led a huge general strike in 1913. The subsequent year, he was amongst a group of trade unionists who wre deported to Britain by the South African government. This caused a huge outcry in the UK, and Bain received support from Keir Hardie, amongst others. He returned to South Africa later in 1914 and died in 1919. Although I am quite far along in studying Bain's South African career, I still have only the sketchiest idea of his life in Scotland. His period at Beith could have been any time between when he started work (at, incredibly, the age of 7) around 1867 and his arrival in Edinburgh around 1887. His period in the army was around 1879-1880. He trained as a fitter and was a member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. I'd be most grateful for any advice you could give me

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