robert barr says

Dalry Burns Club was established in 1825. Robert Barr secretary

robert barr says

Councillor Robert Barr holds his surgeries on the first Monday of the month in the Public Hall at 20.00hrs-21.00hrs

Billy Long says

Blair House Or Castle in Blair Estate dates back to the 12th Century which had wings added on. The family of Blair supported both William Wallace & King Robert The Bruce during the Wars Of Independence.

Tony Scott says

Dalry Thistle founded in 1920, before that were known as Dalry Primrose.

Laura Petersen says

Hi! My name is Laura (Woodside) Petersen. I am looking for any information on the Woodside family that lived in the area.

My great-great-great grandfather Robert Woodside was born in Kilwinning. I believe him to be the son of Robert and Margaret (Paton) Woodside.

My Roberts grandfather may be Hugh Woodside who married Isabella Lusk.

Hugh's son Archibald had 2 sons, according to a reference I found, who were butchers in Dalry. They were James and John Woodside.

Are there any Woodside families still in the area? Does anyone know?

Thank you so much.

Laura Petersen says

Hi! I just saw a photo on this website that was of a wedding.

The woman whose daughter was getting married was named Sheena Woodside. I may or may not be a relative of hers.

I live in the USA, and I would like to contact her if possible.

If she would be so kind as to answer this message, then I would give her my email address and information.

Laura Petersen says

Hi! I am looking for any Woodside family living in this area! I noticed in the photo section 2 photos taken by Sheena Woodside, wife of John Woodside. I was wondering if you might be a relative. Please contact me at laurajean56@frontiernet.net.

My great great great grandfather's name was Robert Woodside. He married Ann ELizabeth Graham in Pennsylvania, USA. I believe his parents to be Robert and Margaret (Paton) Woodside. Their children were: James, Helen, Robert, John, Thomas, Margrat.

Robert was a weaver. He married Margaret Paton on 18.03.1799 (March 18, 1799) Their son Robert was born 04.07.1802 which is the same date that my gr-gr-gr-grandfather was born. My Robert was born in Kilwinning, also. He moved to America and ended up in Pennsylvania, USA, where he married Ann Elizabeth Graham.

He had several children, one he named Robert Graham. Robert G married and moved to Cozad, Nebraska USA

Robert (husband of M.Paton) was the son of Hugh Woodside and Isabella Lusk. Hugh and Isabella's children were: Robert, James, Margaret, Ann, Mary, and Archibald.

I am trying to verify that Robert (married to M. Paton) is indeed my ancestor and I am on the right track!

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Thank you for your time and patience Laura (Woodside) Petersen

laurajean56@frontiernet.net

Susan Hutton says

I am researching the Andrew Mitchell family who lived at Maulside in the parish of Dalry in 1843. Can anyone help me please?

Rachelle Bishop says

Hi,

In exploring my family history I notice that nearly all of them seem to have come from Dalry.

Any history on the Boyds, Bishops, Dale or Oliphants that anyone has handy would be really appreciated! The families seemed to be quite large so there may be people still living in Dalry with these surnames.

Thanks so much!

Rachelle (Australia)

teddie1969@hotmail.com

Maryke Byron says

Greetings from Botswana,

Any information about the Byrons from Stevenston, who lived in Dalry from about 1848 - 1890? It is recorded that the father, Charles Byron, died in Paisley in 1890. Charles and Isabella (nee Mclaren) lived in Templand Rd with children Elizabeth (Lya) 8.3.1866, Margaret 20.4.1867, Janet (Jessie)1869, Jane (Jeanie) 14.10.71, Isabella (Bella) 19.1.1847, William (6.10.1876) and Robert (19.3.1879). William came out to South Africa with his sick brother Robert in 1897.

I'm interested in their living conditions and what education was like at the Parochial school they would have attended.

Regards, Maryke Byron

Stephen McGuire says

In reply to Susan Hutton's message we have some info. E-mail maulside@btopenworld.com

Robert Anderson says

I remember when David Woodside opened a grocery in Dalry about 1952.

Dr.John Smith says

There was an old tale of witches in Dalry in 1576, a Midwife called Bessie Dunlop was accused of witchcraft, Bessie Dunlop was known as the witch of Dalry (Ayrshire), she was burned at the stake in 1576 although she was seen as a white witch. Her story is interesting because it outlines some of the folk beliefs at the time. Although her confession was probably extracted through torture it contains none of the usual Devil and evil spirit references, and is similar in some ways to experiences by modern 'psychics'.

The 16th 17th and 18th Centuries were a dangerous time to be alive if you were a village wise woman, or in many cases somebody who did not fit into society. In Scotland the dictum "Thou Shalt not suffer a witch to live" was taken as seriously as it was in the rest of Europe, and those accused of Witchcraft could expect torture and eventual burning at the stake.

Many of the confessions, drawn out by the cruel tortures, were no doubt the ranting of pain-wracked wretches who confessed to ease their pain. On the other hand there is no doubt that some people acted as wise women or men, making herbal cures and using the gift of the second sight for the good of local people. One such person was Bessie Dunlop known as the 'Witch o' Dalry'.

According to testimony she helped local people with herbal cures for animals and children, and offered all sorts of oracular information, including finding stolen and lost property. In her confession (no doubt extracted under torture) she describes how she came to her powers. While she was taking her cow out to a field, she came across an elderly man with a grey beard wearing a grey coat. He wore a black bonnet on his head, and carried a white wand in his hand.

He said that he was the spirit of Thomas Reid, a former Baron Officer to John Blair of Dalry, who had been killed at the battle of Pinkie in 1547. At the time Bessie was stressed with worry, her child, husband and cow were ill, and it seemed that they would not recover. The old man comforted her and predicted that her cow and child would die, but her husband would make a full recovery. He then walked off towards the yard of Moncastle, and disappeared down a hole in a dyke that was much too small to let any mortal man pass by it.

This was to be her first meeting with the man who would act as her familiar. On their next meeting, the strange apparition offered her material goods in the form of horses and cows if she would denounce Christianity. She refused, and said that she would rather be riven with horse's tails (a form of whip) He was angered by her reply and promptly disappeared.

On his next meeting he introduced her to the fairy realm. Swearing secrecy and telling her that she could not speak in their presence, he introduced her to four men and eight women of Elfame, another name for the fairy realm. They were dressed as humans but very smartly, the men like gentlemen, and the women had 'all plaids about them'. They were very friendly towards Bessie, and asked her to travel with them to Elfame. She did not return their questions, and eventually they departed with a "hideous ugly blast of wind" leaving Bessie lying sick on the ground.

Thomas had also left with them, and on his return he told her of the nature of the fairies, and again begged her to change her mind and come with them. She resolutely refused, saying that she did not want to go without knowing of the consequences. He told her that in Elfame she would be well fed and fair of mind and body, pointing to his own well-fed and well-clad condition, but she still would not be persuaded.

It was from her strange mentor that she got all of her knowledge about how to cure cattle and children. People were now coming to her for advice on a regular basis and her reputation was beginning to spread. She consulted Thomas, and he gave her the potions and means to carry out her cures, and told her the location of missing items.

She was even consulted by some of the gentry of the day including Lady Johnstone, Lady Thirdpart in the Barony of Renfrew, and the daughter of William Blair of Strand, who was to be married to the Laird Crawford of Baidland. Thomas speaking through Bessie suggested that if she were to marry him she would come to an untimely demise by her own hand.

From her confessions it seems as though Thomas walked amongst mortal men on a few occasions. She saw him walking the street in Edinburgh, and once at Dalry churchyard, passing amidst a group of men. She also saw the fairy folk sporadically, although she did not interact with them: One day walking at the side of a loch, a huge company of riders came by making a tremendous din. They proceeded to ride straight into the loch and disappeared. She recognised one amongst them as the Laird of Auchinskeith who had passed away nine years before. The riders were fairies on their way back to Elfame. She is also purported to have met the queen of the fairies who was the mistress of Thomas.

Thomas had predicted that she would be called to account for her dealings with the spirit world, but that the assizes of her neighbours would save her from evil. Unfortunately for her, on November 8th 1576 she was arraigned at the bar of the High Court of Judiciary, accused of sorcery, witchcraft and incantation, dealing with charms, and abusing the people with devilish craft of sorcery. She was found guilty and sentenced to be burned at the stake.

It seems that she can really be seen as a white witch or wise woman, who used her abilities for the good of the community. Her reputation suggests that at least some of her cures and advice worked. She was never accused of doing any harm to any of her neighbours, but she fell victim to a time when witchcraft hysteria was just about to take a firmer hold. Her confession, when compared with the more outlandish claims of other torture extracted disclosures, is not unlike more modern tales of spirit contact. It also fulfils a few folklore motifs, for example the belief that some humans passed into the fairy realm, and became mediators between the two worlds was once widespread.

Judy Briggs says

Hi,

My Ancestor David Ferguson was a convict ,sent to Tasmania Australiain 1852 He stated that his native place was Dalry Scotland.

David was married to Jane (Wilson) and had 4 children Ann, Janet,Agnes and Robert Wilson Ferguson. He never saw them again. David had brothers Oswald b 1829 and Samuel who married Cathryn Hyslop 1844 Dalry Scotland.

He also had sisters Agnes Ann Jane Mary and Sarah. Any information on any of these family would be really appreciated. I am David's G.G grandaughter from his 2nd marriage in Tasmania

Judy scrapswork@st.net.au

Sharon Beddard says

Greetings from Aberystwyth!!

I, too, am researching my family history, but I am lucky enough to have living relatives in Dalry itself :D In reference to the Woodside family mentioned above, I believe that there is still a hardware shop in Dalry called Woodside's but you would have to check into this. My family names from the Dalry area are Jenkins, Hunter, Cairns, Gair, Carsewell and possibly Devlin and Andrews. If anyone has any info on these in the area I would be more than happy to share what I have in exchange!!!!

Sharon
riotstar99@gmail.com

Billy Long says

Yes Woodsides still exist to this very day but the business is up for sale.

Carolann Candy says

Spent a great deal of my childhood vacation (I'm 58) at BathBank Cottage in Dalry.

Have been trying for some time to locate relatives, most of mine have passed.

My Uncle David Cook was the fire chief there during the 50'60's. My Aunt Minnie Boyce lived at Bath Bank Cottage and was in service at the castle.

Things have changed tremendously no doubt, can anyone tell me if BathBank Cottage and the two neighbouring farms (both relatives) are still standing?

Thanks Carolann E. Candy (nee MacCallum) Canada

robert cowan says

My grandfather on my mother's side was born there in 1883.
The family name was Mullen anybody got any information on this family?
They moved to Edinburgh some time later.
I believe they were originally from Ireland.

Billy Long says

Bathbank Cottage near to The Blair Estate, Fishersmen's bridge and near Templeland Farm stills stands.

Roslyn Wales says

yeah i know somebody with the surname jenkins, they live just near me, and there is also a shop called woodsides,i live in dalry so mite be able to answer some questions. the name for jenkins is kelly her first name,thats all i know of the jenkins

Carol Young says

Hi there Sharon, Is your Dad's name Norman? My mum is Margaret McKenzie, your Gran's cousin. They used to live in an old tenement building in Dalry. They were known as the Golden girls. Jenny, Betty, Rene and my mum. Kind Regards Carol Young (Morrow)

May Harkins says

Hi can anyone help me about john Mclean (1850) who married Sarah Andrews (1855) and there history,they both came from Dalry, I come from Dalry but have got stuck in the family tree. Thanks May Harkins

May Harkins says

Hi there, I wondered if anyone knew of the family of John Mclean 1850 and his wife Sarah Andrews 1855 who both came from Dalry, even though I come from Dalry I'm stuck trying to do my family tree. thanks

Denise Gilmour says

Hi there, I've been trying to find out the history of Baidland Mill, but there seems to be very little documented. Does anyone know anything about how long it operated as a mill? Are there any local stories about the place? Thank you

Geoffrey Graham says

In 1948 a group of people visited Yorkshire and they really thought that the Rosebay Willow herb that we have in profusion was a wonderful flower and they wanted to take some back to Dalry. I pointed out to them that the woollen industry was responsible for the plant being here and that they would see it all along the railway lines because the seeds which the plant makes by the million were blown out of the wool where they had been lodged as it was being transported in trucks. Once planted a single plant starts to colonise the whole area using underground rhyzomes that send up shoots all over the place killing all opposition. In this manner they mount a two pronged attack on all other plants and the result was that they took over an area in a very short time and this made them one of the worst weeds that you could have. I begged them not to take any back home with them because as far as I knew there were no Rosebays in the whole of Scotland and they should not take it upon themselves to introduce such a pernicious weed. They agreed with me that there were no rosebays in Scotland but felt that there should be. They took some seeds and planted them in their gardens and so it was that Dalry became the first pladce in Scotland to grow Rosebay Willow Herb.