Moments in Local History - 08/10/18

Seagate Rotary’s speaker on Monday was member Ian Dickson talking about Moments in Local History, a series of 50 short talks he has recorded for Irvine Beat FM. 

 Ian gave a random selection from these talks, from the Ginger factory of 1881 and the Ardeer explosions of 1913/14, to the weather vanes on the Townshouse and local churches, and Liberace reopening the Eglinton Arms Hotel in 1960 at the invitation of the late Joe Caldwell, when a crowd of over 1000 blocked the High Street for more than an hour.

  Most attention was paid to the history of the local picture houses.  By 1947 there were 4 cinemas in Irvine with a total capacity of over 3000 seats.  Some members reminisced about them, some from their courting days and others remembering the one down the Grip at the Kings Arms, where you could get in for 2 jeely jars. 

 It was demolished in the 1970’s to make way for the new Town Centre building.  Ian’s talk was lively and entertaining, and after further memories a Vote of Thanks was proposed by Jim Anderson.