Harbour Street Irvine

We credit Belford Museum, whose 'Hidden History' exhibition folders detailing the story of each house on their High Street inspired this attempt to document the story of Harbour Street.

Originally known as the Quay, and The Shore (OS map 1856), it became Harbour St c.1880.

Harbour Street began as a 'causeway' in about 1677, when the town decided to give up fighting the problems of silt upstream and abandon the quays at Marress and plans to cut through from there to the sea. In that year, they laid stones to create a roadway and organised a quay somewhere on the current site of the harbour. This secured the future prosperity of Irvine as a port.

Scroll the street - click any photo to see the info. Please tell us more about the history of the buildings or the people (see contact page) and we'll add it to the notes below.

Only publicly-available information is included. Our main sources are listed below.

House numbers: none were used in the 1875 Valuation Roll, and few in the 1885 Roll. House numbers changed between 1895 and 1896, and again after 1915.
Information from the Valuation Rolls of 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1920, 1925 and 1930 is included below. RV=rateable value.

We have taken care to ensure accuracy - but if you find errors, please report them. During the year, we intend to improve text & photos and add more information.

#1: Now the Harbour Guest House.

In the early 19th c., Duncan McDougall had a smithy and machine shop on this corner - he started c.1801 making anchors and after 1827 made chain cables. Wood's Town Plan of 1819 simply shows him as owner ('D McDougald'), and his smithy is still shown on the first O.S. map of 1857. In 1899, the Irvine Smith and Machine Works were still making chains and cables, under Malcolm McDougall, great-grandson of the founder.

In the 'Irvine Herald' of Sept. 14, 1861, an announcement (dated Aug 4, 1861) reported the launch of a new business (though whether it lasted long is not known at present). In it, George Miller (late Manager for the Kilmarnock Foundry Coy.) announced that he had rented the Irvine Engineering Works at Quay (from Malcolm McDougall, whose own business was continuing) to carry on business on his own account as "Engineer, Boiler-Maker, Smith, etc., etc.".

1855: 'Houses & House' owned and occupied by Malcolm McDougald [sic], with several 'small' tenants (RV of his house £25)
Next part of site: Three houses, two owned by Mrs McDougald, Liverpool, with tenant Andrew Stewart, and one owned by Andrew Stewart.

1865: House & Smithy, owned by Malcolm McDougall, Halfway, Irvine, with tenants Robert Duff, blacksmith, James Duff, moulder, James Garrel, chain maker, John Clark, painter and Andrew Ducker, nailer.

1875: Dwelling-house and Smith, owned by heirs of the late Malcolm McDougall, per Mrs Jane McDougall or Andrew, Halfway, Irvine, and occupied by herself and Robert Duff, blacksmith.

1885: #1; Smithy and dwelling-house, owned by heirs of the late Malcolm McDougall, per Mrs Janet Andrew or McDougall, 97 Montgomery St, and occupied by herself and Wm Armstrong, labourer

1895: #1; Smithy and dwelling-house, owned by heirs of the late Mrs Janet McDougall or Andrew, per Malcolm Andrew, 97 Montgomery St, with weekly tenant/occupiers George Morgan, labourer, Thomas McEwan, labourer, Alexander McCartney, (?carter), and John Taylor, labourer
1896: #2: Andrew, M. and A.

1905: 'Smithy Houses', owned by Malcolm Andrew, with weekly tenants Michael Kelly, Archd Adamson, Wm Trelfall, Geo. McKane, and Wm Sweetin, all labourers, and Jas. Trainer, lamplighter.
1925: #2: The smithy, house & store are owned by M McD Andrew, smith, with tenant/occupiers Hugh McGeachie, labourer, John Blackley, labourer, ?Wm S Heron, Wm Nisbet, labourer, and (using one of the two stores) Thomas Young

#2, #3, #4, #5: [This information updated July 2017, prompted by helpful comments by two residents.]

The foundry, originally the smithy of D McDougall, later (from 1909) became the foundry of Henry Brown & Co (Irvine) Ltd, occupying a large area of ground between Harbour Street and Gottries Road. A photo of 1971, on the Canmore site (click it from here), shows the Harbour Street frontage of the foundry from the north-east prior to its closing later in the 1970s and its demolition by Irvine Development Corporation, who built these four houses, in traditional style, completed by 1980.

1925: The Foundry is owned by Mrs Jane Brown, Bank St, Irvine, with tenant Henry Brown & Co.
1930: The Foundry is shown as owned, along with the Smithy, by M McD Andrew, and let to Dugald Hair, blacksmith
Might there be an error?

The group of buildings from #6 to #14 are Grade B listed. #6, 8, 10 and 12 are of early 19th c. date, and #14 late 18th century.

#6 (postal number): Once the Victoria Hotel (the 'Vic'), now the Harbour Lights public house. It has been a Public House for well over a century. The listings description includes: "Early 19th century. 2-storey and attic, 3-bay, rectangular plan house (now public house). Painted, harled, plain margins, base course." Unfortunately, the listing puts it at 8, not 6, Harbour Street.

1855: House & Stable, owned by the heirs of John Wright, with five tenants

1865: 'House', owned by the heirs of John Wright, with five tenants, one being Joseph Parker, spirit dealer..

1875: owned by J & M Lamont, grocer, High St., Irvine, with six tenants: James Martin, engineer, Mrs John Paton, Mrs Muir, Mrs Manson, Mrs McMurtrie, and Mrs Robert McTear.

1885: Victoria Hotel - Hotel & Stabling - owner William Dunlop, Spirit Dealer, Croft Inn, by Dreghorn, with tenant James Crawford, Innkeeper. By 1895 he was at the Cross Keys.

1905: owned by David Mackay, wine merchant, Kilmarnock, and let to John Haggart, Hotelkeeper (r.v.: hotel £45, house £25)
1911 census: Alexander Hislop (69), hotel proprietor, and wife Mary (67)
1915/20/25: 'Victoria' Hotel owned and occupied by John J Dodson, innkeeper. Previously (1905) of the Portland Inn (see below).

Nos. 8-12 are a conversion, into four homes, of Grade B Listed traditional buildings, so internally differ from their original layout. In the 1911 census, these buildings comprised six homes.

Today, no.8 is a 3-bedroom apartment with door at rear of building, with ground floor living space, first floor bedrooms, private garden and residents parking.
No.10A has its front door on the street.
No.10B has its front door on right-hand side of the arched pend.
No.12, accessed by stairs in a round turret at the rear, is the whole top floor, with five double windows (two in lounge/diner and three bedrooms), giving stunning views of the harbour.

1819: on Wood's Town Plan: Property of Robert Boyd, with a Lime Kiln next to it.

1855: #10 & 12: house owned by Mrs Samson, occupied by herself and three tenants.

1865: house owned by the heirs of Mrs Samson, per Charles Samson, shipowner, Laurel Bank, Irvine, with four tenants.

1895: #6-10: owned by A M Samson, Janeville (Waterside), Irvine, with eight tenants [one being the Mrs Annie Fletcher, widow, listed in 1896 Directory as at (new no.) #12].

1905: owned as in 1915, with eight tenants - incl. three joiners, one pilot, and one P O clerk.
1911 census:
#8: Maggie Donald (36), married, and 2 daughters, 3 sons and 1 nephew on census day
#10: 3 homes: (i) Agnes Millar (70), widow
(ii) Elizabeth McFarlane (77), widow
(iii) John Stevenson, stone mason, and wife Janet
#12: 2 homes: (i) Jessie Kerr (69), widow, and 1 son and 2 daughters
(ii) William Aitken, hammerman, and wife and 2 daughters
1915:
#8-12: owned by Mrs Christine Samson, 1 Park Terrace, Irvine, with tenants Henry Russell, spelter worker, John Stevenson, Wm Bennet, James Orr, James Macdonald, Thos. Sykes, Dan. Meenan and Wm Watt.
1920:
#8-12 (no change of hse no.): occupants incl. Mungo Bicker
1920/25:
Owned by John Wilson <address unclear>, with tenant/occupiers Mrs M Bicker, John Langton, Thos. Sykes, James McDonald, smith, Thos McDonald, Wm Mathieson, Dan Meenan, rigger, and Thos Kennedy.

1930: owned by John Wilson, Clanfin, Fenwick, with tenants:
#8: Mungo Bicker, labourer, & Daniel Meenan, rigger
#10: John Langtry & Thos. McDonald, labourers
#12: Agnes Bicker, widow, James McDonald, smith, Wm Mathieson & Thomas Henning
1935:
#8: Mungo Bicker, Daniel Meenan, rigger
#10: John Langtry, Jean McLearie, William Mathieson
#12: Agnes Bicker, widow, Thomas Henning, James McDonald, smith

#14: Late 18th century, B-listed, believed to be the house shown on Wood's 1819 Town Plan as the property of Robert Boyd (Historic Scotland, ref. 35445).

It has been internally converted into three apartments:
Today: no.14a: the ground floor
No.14b: upper floor, left (east) side
No.14c: upper floor, right (west) side
Since, in 1911, four families lived here, we presume the ground floor had two flats and wonder whether there was another street door (the harling surface would suggest so).
There seems never to have been a no.16.

1855: House owned by the heirs of James Johnston, with six tenants.

1865: House owned by the heirs of James Johnston, with seven tenants.

1875: House owned by David Dickie, Glasgow, per James Dickie, solicitors, Irvine, with seven tenants

1885 & 1895: House owned by the heirs of the late David Dickie, with seven tenants, mostly Browns

1905/15:
#14: owned by Jane Jessie Dickie with tenants John Brown, engineer, Robert Brown, Jr, engineer, Mrs Jeanie Paterson, and Dan. Paterson, Jr, fisherman.
1911 census: 4 homes at #14, with 24 persons in total:
(i) Robert Brown (50), engineer (turner & fitter), and wife Mary, 4 sons and 3 daughters = 9
(ii) John Brown (49), general mechanical engineer, and wife Mary, 3 sons and 3 daughters = 8
(iii) Robert Brown (72), retired engineer (fitter), and wife Isabella, son, and grandson = 4
(iv) Daniel Paterson (48), fisherman (herring), and wife Jeanie, and daughter = 3
1920/25: owned by James J Dickie, with tenant/occupiers Mrs M Brown, widow, R Brown, Jr., engineer, Dan. Paterson, Jr., fisherman and Mrs Jeanie Paterson.

1930: #14: owned by James J Dickie, Glasgow, with tenants Henry Brown, labourer, Robert Brown, engineer, & Alex Blair
1935: #14: Margaret Blair, widow, Henry Brown, labourer, Robert Brown, engineer

The terrace of #18-30, built c. 1900 on what had been used as a timber yard, has three named sections, each with four homes.

a) #16, 18 & 20 form the smaller block, named St Inan - if you look at the right hand side of the block, you will - just - be able to make out the last two letters (...AN) of the name. Looking from the front, 16a is top left, 16 top right, and 18 and 20 on ground floor.
b) #22, 24 & 26 form the left half of the larger block, where the name Annickbank is on the left corner of the block. Upstairs are the two no. 22's, known as 22 left and 22 right, each with extra bedrooms at attic level, 24 and 26 being at ground floor.
c) #28, 30 & 32 form the right half of the larger block, where the name Scotnish Crescent is, though now very faded, on the right-hand end of the building; since the block is not curved, the name seems inappropriate, though the word 'Scotnish' is inscribed in a curve! Scotnish is beyond Lochgilphead, in Argyll, and we do now know what prompted the builder (King) to choose this name. The two street doors are nos. 28 & 30, and upstairs are 32 left and 32 right.

The Valuation Rolls show the ground as owned by the Burgh of Irvine, and let, in 1855, to David Stevenson, in 1865, to David Stevenson, carter, and to John Wright, timber merchant, in 1875/85, to John Wright & Sons, timber merchants, and in 1895(listed as a Log Park) to John Wright & Son, timber merchant.

1905:
a) <unnumbered & unnamed>: owned by John Wright, Westpark, with tenants John R Whyte, bootmaker, Dugald McCalman, chemist, Wm Bennet, chemical foreman, and Peter Lawson Snr, goods clerk.
b) 'Annickbank', owned by Alex McLean, joiner, Harbour St., with tenant/occupiers Peter Rankin, plumber, Wm Welsh, engineer, and Daniel Bain, chemist, and himself.
c) 'Scotnish', owned by Hugh King, contractor, Harbour St., with tenant/occupiers Duncan McCallum, Depute Harbour Master, Mrs Matilda King, John Young, engineer, and himself.
1911 census:
a) St Inan: 4 homes:
(i) John McLachlan (35), licensed grocer, and wife, 2 sons, and neice
(ii) Peter Lawson (35), railway goods clerk, and wife and daughter
(iii) William Bennet (61), chemical works foreman, and wife, son and daughter
(iv) John Renfrew Jr (35), marine & general engineer, and wife and daughter
b) Annickbank: 4 homes:
(i) Peter Rankin (40), Foreman plumber, and wife, 2 sons, and daughter
(ii) Jessie Campbell (33), married, and son and 2 daughters, her husband presumably being at sea
(iii) Alexander McLean (41), joiner at chemical works, and wife and 2 daughters
(iv) William Wilson (66), steamboat engineer with Irvine Harbour Trust, widower, and 2 daughters
c) Scotnish: 4 homes:
(i) Joseph Downes (69), widower, ship carpenter
(ii) Hugh King (38), carting contractor (employer), and wife Abigail, 2 sons, and 3 daughters (incl. 1-y-o Abigail)
(iii) Robert King (28), carting contractor (employee), and wife
(iv) Alexander Young (63), sailmaker (employer), and wife, 4 sons, and daughter
1915:
a) 'St Inans': owned by John Wright's Trustees per D W Wright, West Park, Irvine, with tenants John Rorrison, clerk, Jas. A Paterson, pawnbroker, John Renfrew Jr, engineer, and John D Mooney, chemist.
b) 'Annickbank': owned by Agnes H McLean, widow, with herself and tenants Robert A Spiers, grocer, James P Dawson, grocer, and Donald Campbell, captain.
c) Scotnish Crescent: owned by Mrs Abigail D King, widow, with herself and tenants Joseph Downs, John Carrick, clerk, and Alex Young, sailmaker.
1920:
a) Owned by D W Wright, Ardgillan, Bridge of Allan, with tenants John Rorrison, clerk, Jas. A Paterson, manager, John Renfrew, engineer, and John D Mooney, chemist.
b) Owned by Agnes H McLean, with herself and tenants Robert A Spiers, grocer, Jas. P Dawson, grocer, and Donald Campbell, captain.
c) Owned by A D King's heirs, with tenant/occupiers James Gilmour, John Carrick, P O clerk, Alex Young, sailmaker, and Hugh King Ltd, contractors.
1925:
a) Owned by D W Wright, Ardgillan, Bridge of Allan, with tenant/occupiers John Rorrison [sic], clerk, Arthur ?Samways, chauffeur, John Renfrew, engineer, and J M Elliot, chemist.
b) Owned by Agnes H McLean, widow, with tenant/occupiers herself, Donald Campbell, captain, John Hardy [sic], rivetter, and Wm Cochrane, engineer.
c) Owned by Hugh King, 34 Waterside, with tenant/occupiers James Gilmore, Robert Highet, shingler, himself, and Alex Young, sailmaker.

1930:
a) #16, 18, 20: owned by David W Wright, Carlisle
#16: John M Elliot, chemist, & John Rorrison, clerk
#18: Thomas Hill, grocer
#20: James McDonald, captain
b) #22, 24, 26: owned by Alex McLean's Trustees per Miss Janet McLean, 50 Harbour Street
#22: John Harley [sic], riveter, John Renfrew, engineer
#24: William Cochrane, motor driver
#26: Robert King, jr., engineer
c) #28, 30, 32: owned by Hugh King, coal merchant
#28: Joseph D King, ship's officer, and owner Hugh King
#30: Robert Highet, shingler, and Annie Young
#32: Hugh King Ltd, coalman
1935:
a) #16: John M Elliot, chemist, John Rorrison, clerk
Death notice 27/1/39: "At St Inan, Harbour St., John Rorrison, beloved husband of Elizabeth McCartney"
#18: James Stevenson, foreman
#20: James McDonald, master mariner
b) #22: John Harley [sic], riveter, John Renfrew, engineer
#24: William Cochrane, motor driver (Tel. 223)
#26: Robert King, jr., engineer
c) #28: Abigail, Sarah & Matilda King
#30: Robert Highet, Hugh King Ltd, coalmen (Tel. 86), Annie Young

Hugh King also owned stables next to Scotnish Crescent.

What today's Hugh King website tells of the company's history (permission to reproduce will be sought):

1853-1945: Hugh King & Co was established by Thomas King in the rustic surroundings of Harbour Street in Irvine in 1853. In the middle of the 19th century, Hugh King & Co was primarily a haulage contractor transporting hay, coal and sand using horses and carts. By the beginning of the 20th century, the company had expanded its operations and was removing sand from the beach to satisfy demand from the building and bottle-making industries. With little in the way of specialist equipment, the work was intensive and the resulting sand rudimentary.
1945-1980: After the Second World War, Hugh King & Co introduced a degree of mechanisation and the company’s emphasis shifted towards the sand side of the business. Indeed, by the late 1950s, control of the company had been passed to Hugh King who introduced a culture of investment that led to the introduction of dry screening in the 1960s. The Company relocated to Kilwinning after its home town of Irvine was given new-town status and the harbour area earmarked for redevelopment. Until then, the company had satisfied itself with importing sand from beach areas. The move to Kilwinning – and a white sand quarry – meant the company could diversify its products and expand its remit.

#34: (left side) "Garnock View", built in 1895/96.

1896: Resident: Robert Hall (in 1891, age 41, saw miller, with wife & 5 children, at 8 Montgomery St.)

1905/15/20/25: owned and occupied by Robert W Hall, sawmill foreman, with (in 1901) wife and six children
1911 census: Robert W Hall (61), sawmill manager, and wife and 1 daughter at home

1930: owned and inhabited by Donald Campbell, Shipmaster
1935: inhabited by Matilda Campbell, widow
1955: Capt. Calum Campbell (known as Mackie) married Abigail King, daughter of Hugh King.

#36: (right side) "Maryville", built in 1895/96.

1896: Resident: Robert Curle (in 1891, he lived at #18 [= #24 in 1896, = #44 in 1925]

at time of 1901 census, sisters E and Edith Curle lived here, and had a boarding couple,
Capt. Isaksson and his wife Hildegard, from Sweden [census spelling Isaksoon & Hildigard]
1905: owned by Robert E Smith, Glasgow, with tenant John McNee, Foreman Cooper
1911 census: John McNee (67), cooper at chemical works, widower, and daughter Mary, schoolteacher
1915: owned by a Judicial Factor, with tenant John Pollock, foreman
1920/25: owned and occupied by Miss C G Fletcher, teacher

#38: "Emerald Bank" - for the story of the name, see the page on Alexander McKinlay.

Behind here, until 1839-42, was a large pond known as 'The Sluices' (shown as 'Pond' on Wood's 1819 Town Plan). The pond was drained by the Town Council in association with the landowner, Lord Justice Boyle.

1865: owned and occupied by Alexander McKinlay, Harbour Master (r.v. £15)

1875: owned by Charles Merry, Veterinary Surgeon, High Street, and let to C S Gorman, chemist (r.v. £35)
1885: owned by Charles Merry, Veterinary Surgeon, East Back Road, and let to Mrs Susan Allan, widow.

1895: then #14: owned by Charles Merry, Eglinton St, and let to William Allan, ironforger
1896: renumbered as #20: Resident: William Allan

1905: owned by Charles Merry, V. S., Irvine, with tenant Wm Ellis, Chemical Foreman, and Allan Blair, fisherman.
1911 census: Duncan McCallum (78), ship berthing master, retired, and wife, 2 sons and 3 daughters. (In October 1914, Duncan McCallum, Deputy Harbour Master for many years, died here, at his residence.)
1915: owned by Charles Merry, Merryvale, with tenant Jane W McCallum, widow
1920/25: owned by Robert A & David J Gilmore, occupied by R A Gilmore, blockmaker
The 'Irvine Herald' of 21/2/1913 records that "Mr David Gilmore, Harbour Street, has passed the necessary exams for service in the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, and has received his appointment in the London office" - at that time, the Gilmore family lived in Mure Cottage (now part of HAC); David was a 17-y-o bank clerk.

1930: owned by Robert A Gilmore, blockworker, and David J Gilmore, accountant, Hong Kong, and occupied by the former.

The group of buildings from #40 to #58 are Grade C(S) listed. Early 19th century, they are shown on the OS 1st Edition map of 1856.

#40/42: Same design as #44/46, except without central upper floor window. (Historic Scotland ref.44662). The main door is #40, and #42 is the upper floor.

#44/46: No.44, 'Portnahaven', is possibly named after the picturesque village, and sheltered harbour, in the southern part of the Rhinns of Islay. Same design as #40/42, except with additional first floor window. Listing info.: "Earlier 19th century. 2-storey, 3-bay, rectangular plan house. Pointed ashlar front, harled to side, moulded ashlar margins." (Historic Scotland ref.35446). The main door is #44, and #46 is the upper floor.

#48: Early to mid 19th century. Today it comprises three flats - 48 ground right, 48 ground left and 48 upper flat.

#50: Earlier 19th century. Today it comprises two flats, Flat Ground and Flat 1.

1855: no Valuation Roll entries.

1865:
i) owned by Andrew McGregor, mariner, and occupied by self and four others
ii) owned by William Milligan, fisher, with self and three tenants
iii) owned by David Sinclair, fisher, occupied by himself and Duncan Sinclair

1875:
i) owned by Alexander M Samson, Waterside, Irvine, with four tenants
ii) owned by William Milligan, fisher, with self and four tenants
iii) owned by David Sinclair, fisher, occupied by himself and Duncan Sinclair

1885: :
i) owned by A M Samson, Janeville (Waterside), Irvine, with four tenants
ii): #18: owned by William Milligan, with self and three tenants, and one empty
iii): #20/22: owned by David Sinclair, fisher, occupied by himself and five tenants

1895:
#16: owned by A M Samson, Janeville, Irvine, with four tenants (see 1896 Directory #22)
#18: owned by Mrs Agnes Milligan, with self and two tenants, one being Robert Curle, engineer (1896 Directory #24)
#20: owned by David Sinclair, fisher, occupied by other Sinclairs and a tenant (1896 directory #26)
#22 (later 26, then 48): also owned by D S, occupied by self and Duncan Sinclair Sr (1896 Directory #28)

1905:
#22 (later #42): owned by Charles Turnbull, labourer, with tenant/occupiers self and a sawyer, a signalman and a labourer
#24 (later #44/46): owned by Mrs Sarah Barr, with tenant/occupiers self & three others, incl. Peter Sinclair, fisherman, and Joseph McCubbin, engine driver.
#26 (later #48): owned by David Sinclair, Sr., fisherman, with tenant/occupiers self & three others.
#28 (later #50): empty
1915/20:
#22 (Charles Turnbull et al.)
#24 (Wm Houston et al.)
#26 (Alexander Sinclair et al.)
#28 (Peter Sinclair, George Roxburgh et al.)
1925:
#42: owned by Charles Turnbull, labourer, with tenant/occupiers himself, Mrs Mary Elliot, Robert Mulholland, labourer, and John Smallwood.
#44/46: owned by Mrs Sarah Barr, with tenant/occupiers herself, John Black, joiner, John Barr, joiner, and Wm Houston, trimmer.
#48/50: owned by Alex Sinclair, with tenant/occupiers Peter Sinclair, James Wyllie, George Roxburgh, engineer, John Sinclair, Alex Sinclair, and Wm Lawson

1930:
#40, 42: owned by Charles Turnbull, #40 tenanted by Mrs Mary Elliot, James Wyllie, labourer, and Mrs L (sic) Lamb, and #42 occupied by Charles Turnbull.
#44, 46: owned by Mrs Sarah Barr, with herself and John Black, joiner, at #44, and William Houston, coal trimmer, at #46.
#48, 50: owned by Alexander Sinclair, #48 being occupied by George Roxburgh, engineer, John Sinclair, Alexander Sinclair, Sr., Alexander Sinclair, Jr., and #50 by Peter Sinclair and Jas. Carson
1935:
#40: Mrs Mary Elliot
#42: Mrs Elizabeth Lamb, Charles Turnbull, James Wyllie, labourer
#44: Mrs Sarah Barr, John Black, joiner
#46: William Houston, coal trimmer
#48: George Roxburgh, engineer, Alexander Sinclair, sr., Alexander Sinclair, jr., hairdresser, John Sinclair
#50: James Carson, Peter Sinclair

For the story of #48 (prev.#26, prev.#22) residents David Sinclair and Alexander Sinclair, Sr., see our Resources item.

#52 & 54: The ground floor, no.52, is now the coffee shop 'Small Talk'. This was, probably from when the Orrs moved their shop up from the other side of John St. (see under #70) in c. 1920, the Harbour Post Office, and still has its G.R. (Georgius Rex) postbox. #54 is the upstairs flat. The building itself is earlier 19th century.

1855: House, owned by James Boyd, occupied by himself and six others incl. John Boyd. Should we have this entry under #62 (q.v. re 1865)?

1865: House, owned by John Boyd, fisher, occupied by himself and two tenants.

1875: owned by John Boyd, fisher, and occupied by himself and three tenants.

1885: #24: owned by John Boyd, fisher, and occupied by himself and three tenants.

1895: #24: house, owned & occupied by John Boyd, fisher.
Note that the Post Office was then in a different shop, the one at the side of the Garnock Inn.

1905:
#30: owned by John Boyd, Sr., fisherman, with tenant/occupiers self & three others. Clearly not a shop at that time, being described as a 'house'.
1915/20:
#30: Wm Orr, grocer, occupiers incl. Miss Jane Orr
1925:
#52, house, and #54, shop, owned by Wm Orr, grocer, with tenant Hugh Muir

1930 & 1935:
#52, House, and #54, Shop, owned by Wm Orr, grocer, himself and tenant John Ralph occupying the house, and himself running the shop (Tel. 102).

Opposite here, a short jetty (OS 1968) once projected into the river.

The group of #56, 58, 60 and 62 are covered here together, though valuation rolls suggest we should split notes into the left-hand two houses (owners Boyd, McKelvie, Reid), and the right-hand two (owners Barr, Kelly, Barclay, Sinclair).
#56: Listing info.: "Earlier 19th century. 2-storey, 2-bay, terraced house, squared and snecked tooled sandstone, painted, plain margins, quoin strip to NE." Today it comprises three flats: 56A ground floor, 56B upstairs, east side, and 56B upstairs, west side.
#58: Earlier 19th century.
#60: A 20th century building in appropriate vernacular style creating a terrace with 56 & 58.
#62:

1855: House, shop and stores, owned by John Barr, with house tenant William Milligan, but shop and stores 'not let'.

1865:
(i) owned by James Boyd, fisher, with self and five tenants
(ii) house & shop, owned jointly by John Barr, shipowner, and Matthew Barr, clerk, Ardrossan, and let to three tenants, incl. Mrs Ann Brown, grocer, and John Carruthers, grain merchant, Kilwinning.

1875:
(i) owned by Mrs James Boyd, with self and five tenants
(ii) house & shop, owned jointly by John Barr and Matthew Barr, Ardrossan, and let to three tenants, incl. Mrs Janet [sic] Brown, grocer

1885: (incl. #28)
(i) owned by heirs of Elizabeth Boyd, with six tenants
(ii) House & shop, owned by Trustees of the late John Barr, with eleven tenants, incl. ... Blair, grocer
See also under next entry.

1895:
#26 (#32 in 1896): owned by heirs of Elizabeth Boyd per John Boyd at #24, with tenant Alexander McMurtrie, Master Mariner
#28: 'dwelling house & shop': with five tenants, incl. Alexander Muir, engineer
#30-34: owned by Wm Kelly, with eight tenants, incl. Mungo Bicker (later #34-42)

1905:
#32: owned by Elizabeth Boyd's heirs, with seven tenants, incl. David Sprott, carter, still there in 1925
#36: owned by Wm Kelly, Sr., with four tenants
#38: same owner, with two tenants
1915:
#56 (& 58) (#32 in 1915): owned by Mrs Jane McKelvie, wife of George McKelvie, grocer, Irvine
(#60/62, unnumbered in 1915): apparently part of Wm Kelly's property (see #64).
1920:
#56 (& 58) (#32 in 1920): owned by Neilina McKelvie, 11 Montgomery St.
#60/62 (unnumbered in 1920) owned by Mrs Isabella Barclay (with the Inn, see #64)
1925:
#56 (& 58): owned by Mrs Neilina Reid, 17 Galt Ave., with tenant/occupiers James Evans, painter, ?Wm C Mitchelson, James Boyd, watchman, John Boyd, fisherman, James Timothy, David Sprott, labourer, and Joseph W ?Govern, carter.
(#60/62) 'House': tenant/occupiers: Mrs Dalzell, Alex. B Wilson, James Smith, smith, Neil Cousar, turner, Hugh Gibb, labourer, Elizabeth Todd, J Hamilton

1930:
#56 & 58 owned by Mrs Jane McKelvie, 68 Waterside, Irvine.
#56 tenanted by James Evans, painter, Mrs Cath. Nicholson, James Boyd, watchman, John Boyd, fisherman, James Timothy, and Joseph McGovern, carter.
#58 tenanted by David Sprott, labourer
#60 & 62 owned by Mrs Isabella Sinclair, 33 Lainshaw St, Stewarton.
#60 tenanted by Neil Cousar, turner, R Brown, labourer, Wm Brown, labourer, Eliz. Todd, Jas. Hamilton, labourer, and Miss Smith
#62 tenanted by Alex B Wilson

1935:
#56: Mrs James Boyd, widow, Mrs John Boyd, widow, James Evans, painter, James Hamilton, blacksmith, James Timothy, tinsmith, John Watson, miner
#58: Robert A Gilmore, retired, David Sprott, labourer
#60: Robert Brown, labourer, William Brown, labourer, Neil Cousar, turner, Alexander McMurtrie, labourer, Duncan Sinclair, engineer, Elizabeth Todd
#62: Alexander B Wilson

#64: This corner building, a modern building, replaced the previous corner building, shown as a public house on the OS 1908 map - its name was (1905) the Portland Inn or (1915) the Portland Arms. In the mid-20th c., it was Guazzelli's fish and chip shop. Also the La Marina Cafe

1819: on Wood's Town Plan: Property of Mr Baird, with a Lime Kiln on the ground to its left.

1855: Houses owned by James Baird's Heirs, with nine tenants.

1865: House, owned by James Buchanan, fishmonger, Duke Street, Kilmarnock, and let to Nathan Jaffrey, weaver.

1875: House, 'Sandbank Cottage', owned by Matthew Taylor's heirs, and let to J R Ferguson, teacher

1885: House, owned by John Anderson, engineer, Sandbank Cottage, John St., with self and five tenants

1895:
#34 'Dwelling house & Shop' (#40 in 1896) owned and occupied by William Kelly, publican

1905:
(#40) owned by Wm Kelly Sr and let to John J Dodson, publican (who, see above, thereafter went to the Victoria Hotel). (r.v. £24)
1915: (#34 in 1915) owned by Wm Kelly, Dumfries, and let to J Y Penman, innkeeper
1920: owned by Mrs Isabella Barclay for D M Young, joiner, Irvine, and let to J Y Penman, innkeeper
1925:
'Shop and house': tenant: J B Chedburn, agent (r.v. £70)
'Inn and house': owned by Wm Nisbet Trustees with tenant/occupier Sam Morrison, innkeeper

1930: House & Shop owned (as #60/62 above, and nos. 2/4/6 John Street round the corner) by Mrs Isabella Sinclair
House, #64, occupied by William Black and Carl Guazzelli, restaurateur.
Shop, #66, tenanted by the latter.

1935:
#64: William Black, John Fletcher, Hugh Walker
#66: Carl Guazzelli, restaurateur

John St.: The opening here used to be John Street, leading through to what was originally Peter Street, now Gottries Road. The burgh boundaries were extended in 1881 to include John St & Peter St.

Opposite here was situated the Ballast Dock (OS 1857) where the slipway is today. Garnock Terrace were the houses, owned in 1915 by John Nisbet, publican, on John Street, adjacent to the Garnock Inn.

The sequence of shops, houses and inns in the early 20th century shows a densely populated area, well supplied with small grocery shops and bars, and housing a cross-section of society:

Inn: 'Garnock Inn'
Shop: Misses Brebner's shop #50, later #72
House:s #50-52 later #74-76
Shop: James Reid's shop #54 later #78
Houses: #56-58 later #80-82
Shop: Thomas Hill's shop #60 later #84
Houses: large block of flats - Bute Terrace # 66-68 (behind Kerr's garage) later #86-88
Inn: 'Harbour Bar' at #68 later #88
Houses: large block of flats - McBride's Land prob. #72-76 - later #96-106
Inn: 'Anchor Tavern' #82 later #108-112
Mission: Mure Mission Hall #84 later #114-116
Inn: 'Ship Inn' #86-88 later #120-122
Houses, etc.: offices #90-94 later #126-132; stores & houses #96-102 later #136-138
Shop: Cass Hazelhoff's shop #104 later #140
Inn: 'Cross Keys' #106-108 later #142
Houses, etc.: office, workshops & houses #114 later #144 ff
Inn: 'Harbour Inn' after #114, later #156 as Emma Brown's shop
~ renumbering took place between 1920 and 1925 ~

#66: Now the Irvine Water Sports Club (founded in 1974), the modern building continues the use of the site as licensed premises - the Garnock Inn, known as "Dirty Dick's", stood here.

1865: 'House', owned by heirs of Mrs Baird per Alexander Calderwood, shoe maker, High Street, Irvine, with eight tenants, and apparently two empty tenancies.

1875: Restaurant (r.v. £30), owned by Andrew Anderson, wine & spirit merchant, and let to James Wilson, Eglinton Arms Hotel

1885: Restaurant (r.v. £38), owned by William Nisbet, and let to Thomas Porter, spirit dealer.

1895:
#36-38 Restaurant & dwelling house (#44-46 in 1896) owned & occupied by William Nisbet, innkeeper (r.v. £28)

1905:
Owned and occupied by Wm Nisbet - Inn described as 'Public House, Restaurant' (r.v. £30)
1915/20:
#64 (previously #44) owned and occupied by Mrs Jane G Nisbet, Garnock Inn, Irvine.
1925:
#64: 'Inn and house': owned by Wm Nisbet Trustees with tenant/occupier Sam Morrison, innkeeper (r.v. £50)

1930:
Before the #68 inn, the Valuation Roll records a Harbour St Playing field owned by the Burgh of Irvine, though its position between John St houses suggests access from John St.
#68-70: Inn and House, owned (like the houses round the corner on John St) by the Trustees of the late William Nisbet and occupied by Wm Barr, innkeeper.
1935:
"68-70": Leonard Scott

#68: The cottage-looking building is a modern replacement for the previous cottages

.#70-108: Modern housing designed in keeping with the older streetscape. Now that we have Valuation Roll details, we should attempt to split this stretch into smaller sections.

1855: This stretch has four owners recorded:
House owned by Samuel Boyd, Campbeltown, with seven tenants.
Ground owned by the Burgh of Irvine and let to the Harbour Trustees.
Lime Kiln owned and occupied by Archibald Kenneth.
House owned by William Jamieson with thirteen tenants and one (room?) not let.

1865: Between the previous 10-tenant building and Kenneth's Lime Kilns there is only one house, then some empty ground, after which comes McBride's House & Shop:
House: Owned by Samuel Boyd, farmer, Campbeltown, with four tenants.
Ground: Owned by Burgh of Irvine and let to the Harbour Trustees.
Lime Kilns owned and occupied by Archibald Kenneth, Coal Master, Kilwinning.
House & Shop owned by William (ship master) & James McBride, occupied by self and thirteen tenants (incl. Mungo Bicker).

1875:
Shop (r.v. £17) let to William Orr, grocer
House: not mentioned, perhaps disused.
Shop: let to William Nisbet, grocer, who by 10 years later had bought the property.
House, with four tenants.
(the later #48) owned by Samuel Boyd and occupied by self and one tenant.
House & shop, owned by James Drysdale, dealer, occupied by self and three tenants, one being James Singleton, Depute Harbour Master
House, owned by E Bannatyne, carpenter and block maker, occupied by self and three tenants, incl. William Wilson, Harbour Master, and William Orr, grocer.
House & Shop, let to John Higgins, grocer.
The Lime Works and Land is owned by Archibald Kenneth, Coal Master, Kilwinning - the Lime Works are let to John Norval Murray, lime burner, and the Land is let to the Burgh of Irvine.
Public house, Shop, and two houses are owned by William McBride, spirit dealer, and occupied by himself and himself and eleven tenants - his big development was clearly only starting.

This "Fullarton Post Office" enjoyed a successful first year of trading (15.4.1880-15.4.1881), as reported by the 'Irvine Herald' (on 23.4.81). Letters posted totalled 23,687. A money order dept. had opened on 1st July, and the telegraphic department on 20th September, the latter sending 1579 messages, and receiving 1498, since opening. A Savings Bank had also been opened. The mails left on weekdays at 10.30am, 1.30 pm, 4 pm, and 6pm. "The management by Mr Wm. Orr, the agent, has given general satisfaction to the public. The telegraph work far exceeded the expectations of the Post Office Authorities, and they have increased Mr Orr's remuneration for this branch. The erection of a post office at the shore was a subject much agitated before a satisfactory response was elicited from the Post Office Authorities, but now that the first year has turned out such a success, the promoters of the scheme have much cause for congratulation." (info added by IJD on 19/2/2021)

1885:
Shop let to William Scott, grocer
House - empty
Shop let to William Orr, grocer
House and shop with various tenants
#48: owned by Samuel Boyd and occupied by Martin Boyd, Harbour Master
House owned by Lawrence Mathieson, Junr, house painter, Bank St., with six tenants
Shop, owned by same, and let to Stewart & Co., grocers
House, owned by Ebenezer Bannatyne, ship carpenter
House & Shop, let to Thomas Bimson, mariner
The Lime Works and Land is owned by the Trustees of the late Archibald Kenneth per Robert Kenneth, Coal Master, Buckreddan House, Kilwinning - the Lime Works are let to John Norval Murray, lime merchant, and the Land is let to the Burgh of Irvine.
Group of three houses owned by William McBride, spirit dealer, Bridge Hotel, Irvine, with a total of 32 tenants.

1895:
#40: Post Office let to Marion Orr, grocer (#48 in 1896)
#42: three tenants (#50 in 1896) and #44: two tenants (#52 in 1896)
#46: shop occupied by William H Nisbet, grocer (#54 in 1896)
#48: owned by Martin Boyd, 118 Harbour Street, but empty (#56 in 1896)
#50: owned by Trustees of the late James Steven, with tenant Samuel McLearie (#58 in 1896)
#52: shop, let, like #50, to Samuel McLearie, clerk (#60 in 1896)
#54: owned by Trustees of the late James Steven, with four tenants (#62 in 1896)
#56: owned by Ebenezer Bannatyne, ship carpenter, with self and three tenants, one being Marion Orr, grocer (#66 in 1896)
#58: house & shop, let to Thomas Bimson, shipmaster (#68 in 1896)
Lime Works and Land here is owned by the Trustees of the late Robert Kenneth per James Kenneth, Coal Master, Kilwinning - the Lime Works are unlet and the Land is let to the Burgh of Irvine.
#60-64 (McBride's Land, #72-76 in 1896) is owned by Mrs Jean McBride per Robert Yule, joiner, and houses herself and 30 tenants (incl. a William McBride, fisher, Mrs Mungo Bicker, and James Jaffrey, Master of Dredger.

1905:
Shop, #48: Marion Orr, grocer
#50: four tenants and #52: one tenant, the five being Wm Clelland, seaman, and four chemical workers.
Shop: #54: Henry Graham, grocer
#56: Martin Boyd, Harbour Master, owner & occupier
#58: owned by Duncan Sinclair, Sr., fisher, with self & tenants Wm Waddell, pilot, Jas Brooks, joiner, and Saml. McLearie, clerk.
Shop: #60: Saml. McLearie
#66: owned by Ebenezer Bannatyne, with three tenants incl. grocer Wm Orr
#68: owned & occupied by Ebenezer Banntyne
Land owned by John Renfrew is rented by Irvine Harbour Trust and used by the G & S W Ry Coy.
'Shop' (really an inn) owned by Bannatyne and let to Thomas Bimson, publican (r.v. £12).
The block of flats (McBride's Land, #72-76), now owned by George Moore, has 31 tenants, incl. Mrs Mungo Bicker and Jas Jeffrey, dredge master.
1915 Agnes Brebner is now the grocer at #48, and Jas. Reid the grocer at #54, with Martin Boyd still at #56. #58/60/66-68 were owned & occupied much as in 1925 (#80/84/86-88)
The name Bute Terrace is used for #66-68.
The adjacent 'inn' is named the Harbour Bar (r.v. £17) with W H Thompson, publican.
McBride's Land has 29 tenants.
1920: #68-80 was #44-54, incl. Brebner, Clelland et al., shop (#54) with Jas. Reid, grocer, and #80 was (#56) Mrs Wallace
#82 was #58, #84 was #60, and #86-88, incl. the inn, was #68-70 (no old 62/64/66!)
The tenement owned by Moore housed just as many families as in 1925.
1925:
(#72) 'Shop' tenanted (r.v. £17.10/-) by the Misses Brebner
(#74-76) <unnumbered> houses occupied by Wm Clelland, rigger, John Irvine, labourer, Adam Lamb, painter, Wm McKean, clerk, Arthur Kennedy, smith, and Alex Forsyth, slater.
(#78) 'Shop' , tenanted by David Hillis, grocer (r.v. £15.10/-)
#80: owned and occupied by Mary R Wallace
#82: owned by D Sinclair Trustees with tenant/occupiers Thos. King, carter, Mrs T Hill, Jas. Brooks, joiner, Wm Sinclair, labourer, and Robert Milligan, miner
(#84) 'Shop', rented by Thos. Hill, grocer
(#86-88) <unnumbered>: owned by John Bannatyne, contractor, and used/occupied by himself, the Misses Brebner, and J Gardiner
'Workshop' owned and occupied by John Bannatyne
'Inn' rented by W H Thomson, innkeeper (r.v. £25)
(#90) <unnumbered>: occupied by Jas. Delury, labourer (a furnaceman) (r.v. £19.19/-)
Land here is owned and occupied by Renfrew Bros & Co.
#96-106 (McBride's Land): owned by George F Moore with 29 tenants: Wm Lindsay, labourer, Peter Anderson, John Smith, labourer, Dan. Sinclair, labourer, Bernard Rox, smith, Thos. Murphy, labourer, George Mack, Jr., caulker, Mrs M McLaughlin, Frank McFedries, dealer, Jos. Halliwell, labourer, Mary Whiteside, Isaiah Hawkshaw, labourer, R A Dalton, labourer, Jos. Flynn, labourer, Henry Penman, labourer, Peter Sinclair, fisherman, Jas. Butler, labourer, Thomas Lamb, Hugh Anderson, dredgeworker, Joseph Berry, labourer, James Jeffrey, Mrs M Jamieson, widow, Alex Graham, lorryman, Mrs J Whiteside, widow, David Murray, labourer, Thos. Clark, slater, George Black, craneman, David Howie, docker, and Wm Jeffrey, labourer.

1930:
#68-78 owned by the Trustees of the late William Nisbet, tenanted by:
Shop #72: Agnes Brebner, confectioner
House #74: Mary Clelland, widow, John Irvine, labourer, Adam Lamb, painter, Wm McKean, clerk, and Arthur Kennedy, smith
House #76: Alex Forsyth, slater
Shop #78: Mrs Mitchell, grocer.
#80 owned & occupied by Mary R Wallace, spinster
#82-86 owned by Duncan Sinclair's Trustees, occupied by:
House #82: Mrs Catherine Hill, Wm Sinclair, labourer, and Robert Milligan, miner.
House #84: Thos. King, carter
Shop #86: Alex W Hannah, merchant
#88-92 owned by John Bannatyne, contractor, and occupied by:
House #88: himself
House #90: Misses A & B Brebner, newsagents, Ian Gardiner, a manager, and Jas. Delury, labourer
Workshop: himself
House #92: Wm J Bannatyne, contractor
Land, owned by Clydesdale Bank Ltd, Glasgow, tenanted by Irvine Harbour Co.
#94-106 owned by George F Moore's Trustees and occupied by:
#94: Joseph Halliwell, labourer
#96: Peter Anderson, Margt Smith, widow, Dan Sinclair, labourer, Bernard Rox, labourer, Thomas Murphy, labourer, George Black, Jr., caulker, Mary J McLaughlan, widow, Frank McFedries, labourer, and Wm Jeffrey, carpenter.
#98: Isaiah Hawkshaw, R A Dalton and Joseph Flynn, all labourers.
#100: Henry Penman, Hugh Anderson, Thos Lamb, plater, and Thos Cameron, sailor.
#102: Mary Whiteside
#104: Jas Polland, motor driver, and Jas Jeffrey, residenter
#106: Jos Berry, labourer, Margt Jamieson, widow, Alex Graham, lorryman, Jane Whiteside, widow, David Murray, labourer, Thomas Clark, plater, Jas Davidson, labourer, and David Howie, labourer.
1935:
#72: Agnes Brebner, confectioner
#74: William Clelland, John Irvine, labourer, Walter Kelso, Arthur Kennedy, smith, William McKean, clerk
#76: Alexander Forsyth, slater
#78: Mrs Mitchell, grocer
#80: John Gray, Edward Guyer, Bernard McQueenie, Mrs Annie Miller, Thomas West
#82: James Brooks, joiner, Thomas Hill, grocer, Thomas King, carter, Robert Milligan, miner
"82 and 84": Alexander W Hannah, merchant
#86: Ian Gardiner, stillman
#88: A & R Brebner, Archibald Kerr
#90: James Delury, Alexander Murdoch
#94: Joseph Halliwell, labourer
#96: Peter Anderson, George Black, jr., John Dalton, plater's helper, Mary J McLaughlan, widow, Margaret Pennan, widow, Bernard Rox, labourer, Daniel Sinclair, labourer, Lindsay Sinclair, Margaret Sinclair, widow, John N Wilson, bottle worker
#98: R A Dalton, labourer, Joseph Flynn, labourer, William Jeffrey
#100: Hugh Anderson, James Collins, labourer, Bella Kay, widow, Thomas Lamb, plater
#102: Mary Whiteside
#104: James Jeffrey, James Rolland, driver
#106: Mrs Margaret Beaton, Joseph Berry, labourer, Alexander Graham, lorryman, Daniel Howie, labourer, Margaret Jamieson, widow, Francis McFedries, labourer, David Murray, labourer, Mrs Jane Whiteside, widow

The Marina Inn, once the Anchor Tavern, a Grade C(S) listed building, including outbuildings and boundary walls. Earlier 19th century, it is shown on the OS 1st Edition of 1856. It was 'probably' (Historic Scotland) originally part of a terrace running to the east.
In the mid-20th c., the Anchor Tavern was known as "Minnie Tamson's" referring, presumably, to the innkeeper's wife.

1855: House owned by Charles Samson with five tenants.

1865: 'House & Shop' owned by Charles Samson, shipowner, Laurel Bank, Irvine:
with tenants James Convil, spirit dealer, Custom House per Mr Chalmers, and two others.

1875: owned by Charles Samson, timber merchant, Laurelbank, Irvine:
House & shop: let to James Conville, spirit dealer (r.v. £20)
'Custom House' occupied by John Buchanan, Collector of Customs
House: tenanted by Thomas McDonald, clerk

1885: Owned by the Trustees of Charles Samson:
Shop and house: let to James Conville, spirit dealer
Office, let to Hugh Watt & Co, Coal Agents
House: with two tenants, Daniel Paterson, fisher & Samuel Bamford, coal trimmer

1895: #68-70: 'Anchor Tavern', owned by the Trustees of Charles Samson and let to William Conville, publican (#78-80 in 1896), r.v. £23; the house occupied by himself and two others.

1905: (#78-82) owned by Charles Samson's Trustees and let to Wm S McKinlay, spirit merchant (r.v. £30), occupied by McKinlay and two other tenants.
1915: (#80) same owner, let to Mrs Mary Davidson, innkeeper (r.v. £39.10/-)
1920: (#80): owned by Wm H Thomson, innkeeper, with tenant Robert Killens, innkeeper (r.v. £39.10/-)
1925: #108-112: Inn & house: owned and occupied by Wm Henry Thomson, spirit merchant, (r.v. £25, adjusted on appeal to £20) with tenants Sam Bamford, labourer, and John Northcote, labourer.

1930 & 1935:
#108-110: William H Thompson, innkeeper
#112: Residents: John Northcote, driller, Jean Thomson, Mary Thomson

Opposite here, two jetties (OS1968) once projected into the river, where the two sets of pontoons are today.

#114-116: The Harbour Arts Centre - built as a Mission Hall in 1888 on the site of a railway from Shewalton pits to the quay (on OS 1856).

1855: House & Ground owned by Patrick Boyle, Esq.

1865: 'House' and 'Slate Yard', owned by Patrick Boyle, Esq., of Shewalton, and let to James Brown, slater, Kilmarnock, and Archibald Kenneth & Co, Kilwinning.

1875: 'House' and 'Coal or Slate Yard', owned by Captain David Boyle of Shewalton, and let to James Conville and E Bannatyne, block maker. The very low r.v. £2 of the 'house' shows it wasn't much of a building - E.B. lived further up the street in a house with a r.v. of £48 (4 homes @ £12 ea.)

1885: 'House Ree or Yard', owned by Captain David Boyle of Shewalton, and let to James Conville and Joseph Downs

1895: house, unnumbered (#70 in 1891 census), owned by Miss M R and Miss H J Mure of Perceton and occupied by George Duncan, missionary, and wife and (in 1891) seven children. (#84 in 1896)

1905/15: (#84) as in 1920, except described as a 'Reading Room and House'
1920/25: 'Mission Hall & House' owned by Helen J Mure per Gilmour & Christie, and tenanted by Fullarton United Free Church Deacon's Court

1930-35: #114-116 owned by Perceton Mission Trust and occupied by Wlson-Fullarton Church of Scotland (James Kirk, clerk), described as House no.114, Hall no.116, and Reading Room.

#120-122: The Ship Inn, "serving fare since 1754".
mid 20th c.: owned by Nan Bryson
subsequently by Matthew Brown, then Ian Murray, then his sons

In 1750 Charles Hamilton became a councillor in Irvine and acquired a feu at the quay and a lucrative monopoly of the sale of liquor at the harbour. Eight years later, he was elected Provost - for the first of an impressive number of six terms in that office.

1819: on Wood's Town Plan: Property of Thomas Milligan, with Thomas Young having some building on its left.

1855: House owned by Mrs Milligan's Heirs and tenanted by Mrs Forbes.

1865: 'House & Shop', owned by heirs of Mrs Milligan and let to Daniel Wilson, spirit dealer

1875: Public house & Shop, owned by heirs of Mrs Milligan and let to Alexander Allan Dyet, spirit dealer (combined r.v. £21)

1885: Public house & smithy, owned by heirs of Mrs Milligan and let to Alexander Allan Dyet, spirit dealer and blacksmith (inn r.v. £12, smithy £2)

1895:
#72: public house owned & occupied by Alexander Dyet, publican (r.v. £14) (#88 in 1896)

1905: (#88) owned and occupied by Alex A Dyet (r.v. £12)
1915: owned and occupied by Mrs Margaret Dyet, innkeeper (r.v. £19)
1920: owned by Margt Dyet's Rep.s per occupant Janet A Dyet, innkeeper
1925: 'Inn & House' owned by Wm M Dyet's heirs per occupant Janet A Dyet, innkeeper

1930: 'Inn & House' owned by Margaret Dyet's Heirs and occupied by Janet Allan Dyet, innkeeper.
1935: Janet A Dyet, innkeeper

#126-132: These four doors were two offices, then a house, then the Excise office, with stores and stables behind. They now form the Courtyard Studios (#128).

1855/65/75/85: Not mentioned - were they built c.1890?

1895:
Offices, all #74, owned and let as (#90-92) in 1905
House, unnumbered (at #76), let as in 1905
No mention of a H M Customs office, as William Dougall then operated from the harbour office (see under #174)

1905: offices owned by John Walker, grain merchant, Dalry:
#90: tenant Hugh Watt & Co, shipbrokers
#92: tenant Longmuir Bros, shipbrokers
#94: house (later #130): tenant Jas Andrew, carter
unnumbered, but #96: H M Customs - Wm Dougall, Officer
Store let to Jas. Welsh, Aerated Water Manufacturer, Beith.
Further store owned & occupied by Longmuir & Co, grain merchants, Irvine
1915: owned by Jessie G Walker, Langside, Dalry - now four offices,
three let as in 1925, except that in 1915 the third office was let to Wm Kirkwood, shipping agent
1920: tenants as in 1925, except that John McLean was then a boathirer.
1925: offices, owned by Jessie Walker's Trustees and occupied by:
~ John K Campbell, shipbroker
~ Hugh Littlejohn, shipbroker
~ R L Alpine & Co, Coal Agents
~ H M Customs
'House' (1905: #94) let to Jas Andrew, carter
'Stores' occupied by Jas. Rankin & Co., merchants
'Store' occupied by John McLean, miner
'Stable' - empty
'Store' (prev. Longmuir's) owned and occupied by John Anderson, grain merchant

1930:
Stores, Stable, Offices and House owned by Mrs Jessie Walker's Trustees, and occupied by:
Stores: Hugh M Rankin, merchant
Store: John McLean, boathirer
Stable: empty
Office #126: John K Campbell, shipbroker
Office #128: Hugh Littlejohn, shipbroker, and R L Alpine & Co, coal agents
House #130: Mrs J Andrew, widow
Office #132: H M Customs
then:
Store #134, owned and occupied by John Anderson & Sons Ltd, grain merchants, Quarry Rd., Irvine
1935:
#126: John K Campbell, shipbroker (Tel. 193)
#128: R L Alpine & Co (est. 1877), shipbrokers, coal agents (Tel. 176)
#130: Mrs J Andrews, widow
#132: H M Customs

#136: Another house once existed where the grass space is today.

#138a-e: A new block of apartments, replacing earlier houses/cottages.

1819: on Wood's Town Plan, there is property belonging to 'Cameron'. After this, a group of buildings consisted of Bryce's Store House (the 'oldest store house on the Quay', says Paterson, though with the date 1767 on its oak lintel), Mr Bryce's house, and Thomas Walker's house, this last one possibly being where the Cross Keys Hotel was later built.

1855: The entries between what became the Ship Inn and the Earl of Eglinton's property (see #146) are:
(a) House owned by Cameron's Heirs.
(b) House owned by Auld, Gray & Gemmell, with four tenants.
(c) House & Store, owned by John Gray, and partly let.
(d) House owned by Mrs McKelvie, with four tenants.

1865: The entries between the Ship Inn and the the Earl of Eglinton's property are:
(a) House, owned by heirs of Mrs Cameron and let to William Dickie, grain merchant.
(b) House & Store, owned by Auld, Gray & Gemmell, and let to Anderson & Thomson, Merchants, Irvine, and two others.
(c) House & Store, owned by John Gray, Glasgow, and unlet at that time.
(d) House & Shop, owned by Mr Thomas McKelvie, and occupied by self and three tenants.
Note that the next property recorded is the ground owned by the Earl of Eglinton, so George Mungles clearly bought the property of Gray and McKelvie c. 1870, and the hotel may have been built c. 1880, certainly by 1895.

1875: The entries between the Ship Inn and the west end of the Cross Keys property are:
(a) house & stable owned by Mrs Agnes Gilchrist, 33 East Claremont St., Edinburgh, and let to William Dickie, grain merchant,
(b) house, stable and store owned by Messrs Auld, Gray & Gemmell, and let to Thomas King, contractor, and (store:) to Robert Kerr, merchant, Kilwinning, and David Stevenson, farmer.
(c) the block of public house & store (r.v. £12), office, house & shop, office, and house are owned and occupied by George Mungles, spirit dealer. The tenants of the two offices are James Guthrie, shipping agent, and Messrs John McKnight & Son, Coal Master - neither the offices nor the tenants are listed in 1885.

1885: The entries between the Ship Inn and the west end of the Cross Keys property are:
(a) house & stables owned by Miss Marion Gilchrist, Edinburgh, and let to Mrs Matilda King, widow,
(b) house, stables and store owned by Messrs Auld, Gray & Gemmell, and respectively let to James Goddart, labourer, empty, and to Robert Kerr, commission agent
(c) Hotel, house, larger house (12 tenants) & shop, owned by the heirs of the late George Mungles. Apart from the owner, there are only five tenants, so their scale was not large. (We need to find out whether the hotel has been listed before its related houses, instead of after them, because of its status, or, more likely, these buildings precede the present Cross Keys building.)

1895: The property from the shop, then houses, then another shop, then hotel, is owned by William Dunlop, proprietor of the Cross Keys - at some date after 1895 this property became the property of Carl Gutschow.
Shop, #80 (#100 in 1896): occupied by Thomas McNeilly, grocer.
Houses, #82 (#102 in 1896), with eight tenants
Shop, #84 (#104 in 1896): occupied by Thomas McCallum, grocer

1905: (#100/102) similar to 1925 (Carl Gutschow and ten tenants, incl. an Ephraim Shaw, clerk, also a craneman and a pilot)
#104: the shop is let to Thomas McCallum, chandler
1915: similar to 1925, except that the shop (#104) is occupied by Mrs Cass Hazelhoff, widow, and Carl Gutschow is described as 'Hotelkeeper'
1920: houses unnumbered. Shop still occupied by Mrs C Hazelhoff
1925:
#136-142: owned by Carl Gutschow, innkeeper, with tenant/occupiers:
#136: Wm Thomas, labourer,
#138: Wm Millar, dealer, And. Speirs, labourer, Robert Mullan, labourer, Mrs W Campbell, widow, Thos. Bell, painter, Alex Elliot, labourer, Mrs J Boyd, widow, James Flack, labourer, and Wm Campbell, pilot.
'Shop' (#140): Mrs A Gutschow

From the 1911 census, under #106, we learn that Carl Gutschow (age 57) was of German birth, and his wife Annie (48) was from Bathgate. Their four children, Dorothea (24), Annie (21), Ernest (19) and Carl (11), were born in New Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire.

1935:
#136: Resident, 1935: William Thomas, labourer
#138: Thomas Bell, painter, John Blakely, labourer, Samuel Burns, Mrs W Campbell, widow, William Campbell, craneman, James Flack, labourer, William Millar, dealer, Robert Mullan, labourer, Andrew Spiers, labourer, James Walker, labourer
#140: Margaret ('Maggie') Lamb, confectioner, her shop being next to the Cross Keys

#142: Gro Coffee House (previously The Keys Inn, and previously the Cross Keys)

1819: on Wood's Town Plan, this may have been where Thomas Walker had property.

1865: not in existence at this time.

1875: The public house (r.v. £12) is owned and occupied by George Mungles, spirit dealer. He was Irish-born, and had married a local girl, Ann. In 1871, as a stevedore employing 12 labourers, he (aged 51) lived here with his wife (45), and four children, George (11), Henry (9), Ann (6) and Richard (3), and his neighbour's wife, Margaret Peebles, was a 39-y-o 'Ferry Boat Woman'.

1885: Hotel, owned by the heirs of the late George Mungles and let to Nicol Fletcher, innkeeper (r.v. £25). George Mungles died in 1878 (at 58), two years after his son George (in 1876, at 18).

1895: #86: owned and occupied by William Dunlop, Hotel Keeper (r.v. £25)
One house, with one tenant, completes the Cross Keys property

1905: #106-8 owned and occupied by Carl Gutschow (r.v. £19)
1915: #106-8 occupied by Annie W W Gutschow, spinster (r.v. £33)
1920/25: 'Inn & House': Annie Gutschow, innkeeper.

1930:
#136-142 are owned by Carl Gutschow, 142 Harbour St, and occupied by:
House #136: William Thomas, labourer.
House #138: William Millar, dealer, And. Speirs, labourer, Robert Mullen, labourer, Mrs W Campbell, widow, Thos Bell, painter, Alex McMurtrie, labourer, Wm Campbell, craneman, Mrs J Boyd, widow, Jas. Flack, labourer, and Sam. Hamilton, labourer.
Shop #140: Margt Lamb, confectioner
Inn & House #142: Annie H Gutschow, innkeeper
1935: Annie H Gutschow, innkeeper

#146-172: Another house once existed between the Keys and where the road is today.

Another building once existed on the further corner, with space before the Harbour Master's Office.

1819: on Wood's Town Plan, this seems to be the property belonging to, or at least used by, John Newbiggin, Thomas Tade and John Taylor.

1855: Slateyard owned by Earl of Eglinton & Winton, and let to John Brown.
House owned by John Wright's Heirs.
House owned by John Murray's Heirs, with eleven tenants.
Houses & stores, owned by Robert Bishop's Heirs, with several tenants (incl. Alex McKinlay).
Ground owned by F L Cunninghame, but not let.
?? Is the following Office and boatstore the current Office (see below) or a previous - the timber yard entry would suggest the latter, as all other Valuation Rolls end at the current Harbour Office.
Office, Boathouse, Store, owned & occupied by the Harbour Trustees.
Timber Yards owned by the Burgh of Irvine.

1865: Ground, owned by Earl of Eglinton & Winton, and let to James Brown, slater, Kilmarnock.
Ground, owned by the heirs of John Wright, tenanted by John Wright, timber merchant.
House, owned by the heirs of John Murray, with five tenants.
House & Stores, owned by Thomas Campbell Esq.of Annfield, with four tenants, incl. George Mungles, labourer.
Office, same owner, let to Bourtreehill Colliery per Capt. Kelso.
Office, same owner, let to the Harbour Trust per A C McKinlay (the Harbour Master).
Yard, same owner, let to John Johnston, slater.
Stores, same owner, let to Boyd Brothers, Kilmarnock, Andrew B Aitken, Dalry, and Brooks Brothers, Kilmarnock.
Office & Slate Yard, owned by Patrick B M Macreadie Esq. of Perceton and let to Craig Brothers.

1875:
Slate Yard, owned by Earl of Eglinton & Winton, and let to John [sic] Brown, slater, Kilmarnock.
Office & yard: owned and occupied by Archibald Finnie, Coal Master, Kilmarnock.
Ground (see 1885) not listed.
'Dwelling House (Public)', owned by Mrs Jessie Bannerman or Dick, Hill Street, Irvine, with eight tenants incl. John McGregor, spirit dealer
House(s) owned by G & S W Ry Coy, with thirteen tenants (inc. George Mungles, spirit dealer), then a store, a slate yard, and another house.
Yard, owned by Thomas M Mure of Perceton, and let to J & M Craig, Fire Clay Works, Kilmarnock.

1885:
Slate Yard, owned by Earl of Eglinton, and let to the Heirs of the late George Mungles.
Office & slate yard: owned by Trustees of the late Archibald Finnie per A Finnie, Kilmarnock, and let to R Yuille & Sons, slaters
Ground, owned by the Trustees of the late J B Lindsay, and unoccupied
House (#114 in 1896), owned by Mrs Jessie Bannerman or Dick, Hill Street, Irvine, with eight tenants
Public house, let to John McGregor, spirit dealer
Houses owned by G & S W Ry Coy, with ten tenants, and four empty, then a store, a slate yard, and another house.
Yard, owned by Trustees of the late Captain John McCredie Mure, and let to Messrs Craig, fire clay manufacturer, Kilmarnock.

1895: office & yard: owned by Trustees of the late Archibald Finnie per A Finnie, Kilmarnock, and let to R Yuille & Sons, slaters
Ground and a slate yard, owned by Margaret Wallace Bruce, and let respectively to Robert Duff & Sons, blacksmith, and Robert Miller, slate merchant
#90-92: two houses with nine tenants - #90-96 are owned by Nicol B Fletcher, publican.
#94: the public house, occupied by the owner
#96: house with four tenants, incl. James Fletcher, organist
The Yard owned by Miss M R Mure is let to J & M Craig, Hillhead, Kilmarnock
The Glasgow and South Western Railway Company own from #98 onwards, being an office let to the Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co., a store, houses #100-106 (#130-136 in 1896)

1896: At the office, somewhere in this vicinity (#112 in 1896) of Alex Paton & Son, George Paton is recorded as being the German Consular Agent.

1905: The first part is generally similar to 1915, except that the workshop is let to R L Duff & Sons, blacksmiths, and the stable to Thos. Williamson, carter.
The inn, however, is named the 'Anchor Inn' - did its name change afterwards to avoid confusion with the Anchor Tavern? - it was let to Jas. Dudgeon, spirit merchant.
The later part is generally similar to 1915, ownership being that of the Railway.
1915: The first house gets no mention. The office and yard was owned by A Finnie & Sons, Coal Masters, Kilmarnock and occupied by Longmuir Bros, shipbrokers, and A Yuille & Sons, slaters, the latter purchasing it after 1915. The workshop is let to Wolohan, as later, but the field and stable are let to Margaret Morrison, dealer, and Wm Bradley, dealer.
#114 (=#154), owned in 1915 by Alex Walker & Jas. Blair, has nine tenants.
The 'Harbour Inn' (later a shop) is let to Andrew Morrison, innkeeper and two others (r.v. £29).
The Mure yard is, as later, used by R Yuille & Sons, who in 1915 owned the shed (#160 below) as a Carbide Store.
The G & S W Ry Coy then owned all the houses #124-136, tenants being #124 Wm McMurtrie, tugmaster, #126 empty, #128 John Johnston, slater, #130 Mrs C Blair, laundress, #132 John Doney, yardsman & four others, and #136 Duncan Lamb, craneman, Neil McKinnon, pilot, and Duncan Sinclair.
The last entry is 'Gridiron - unlet'.
1925 (1920 similar, except older, and fewer, numbers):
'House': Alex McMurtrie.
'Office, Sheds' (#146): owned by R Yuille & Sons, Slaters, Kilmarnock, tenanted by Longmuir Bros., brokers
'Workshop, Stable': owned by A M Lindsay, tenanted to Michael Wolohan, rigger, Wm Miller, and Dan Bradley.
#154 ff: owned by Wm Rankin & Sons, with tenants/occupiers John F Lee, Jas. Gray, engineer, Wm Speirs, David Lamb, fisherman, Jas. Gray, engineer, Mrs M Stewart, widow, Michael Wolohan, rigger, Lily Dunlop, widow, and Wm Murray, labourer.
'Shop' occupied by Emma Brown, grocer
'House' (#156) occupied by Dan Bradley, labourer
'Shelter & Yard' owned by H J Mure and occupied by R Yuille & Sons, slaters
#160 'Shed': owned & occupied by Alex McMurtrie, 162 Harbour St
#162 (#124 in 1920): Wm McMurtrie, tugmaster
'Stores': the first empty, the second (#126 in 1920) occupied by Wm Kennedy, Crosshouse
'Yard': occupied by John Johnston, slater
#166 (#130 in 1920): Mrs C Blair, launderer
#168: Mrs J Barr, widow
#170: And. Cochrane, turner, Rob. Howie, labourer, Harry Muir, slater, Kenneth Beaton, craneman, John Wood, labourer, Duncan Lamb, craneman, and ?Margaret Sinclair.
#172: Neil McKinnon, pilot
<unnumbered>: Chas. Bamford, engineer

1930:
#144-146 owned by R Yuille & Sons, slaters, Kilmarnock, and occupied by:
Yard & Sheds #144: themselves
Office #146: Longmuir Bros, shipbrokers
#148 owned by A M Lindsay's Trustees, and occupied by:
Workshop: Michael Wolohan, rigger
Stable: Wm Miller, dealer
Stable: Dan Bradley
#150-154 House & Shop owned by John Parker, grocer, Bank Street, Irvine, and occupied by:
House #150/154: Mrs M Speirs, Mary Stewart, widow, David Lamb, fisherman, Jas. W Brawley, miner, Michael Wolohan, labourer, Jas. Gray, labourer, Lily Dunlop, widow, Dan Bradley, labourer, and Arch. Beaton, engineer.
Shop #152: Mrs Agnes Brown, grocer.
Yard & Shelter owned by Helen J Mure's Trustees and occupied by R Yuiille & Sons
Shed owned and occupied by Alexander McMurtrie, 138 Harbour St
#162-172 owned by London Midland & Scottish Railway Co., Glasgow, and occupied by:
House #162: Wm McMurtrie, tugmaster
Store #164: empty
Store: Wm Kennedy, Crosshouse
Yard: Angus S Carson, slater, Irvine
House #166: James Ferguson & Mrs Jane Brown
House #168: Jas Lamb, carter
House #170: Robert Howie, labourer, Cath Blair, cook, Kenneth Beaton, craneman, and John Wood, labourer
House #172: Duncan Lamb, craneman, Duncan Sinclair, Neil McKinnon, pilotman, and W McCubbin
1935:
#146: Longmuir Bros, shipbrokers (Tel. 20)
#150: Hugh Anderson, labourer, Archibald Beaton, engineer, Joseph Bleakley, chemical worker, James Gray, labourer, Mrs M Speirs, Archibald Stewart, slater, Neil Stewart, Michael Wolohan, labourer
#"152-154": James Williamson, chemical worker
#156: Daniel Bradley, labourer
#162: William McMurtrie, tug master
#166: James Ferguson
#168: James Lamb, carter
#170: Kenneth Beaton, craneman, Catherine Blair, cook, Robert Howie, labourer, John Wood, labourer
#172: Mrs Jeanie Lamb, Mrs Mary McKinnon, Duncan Sinclair

#172 (a 2-storey building), which adjoined the Harbour Master's Office, was the last house in Harbour St and home to members of the much-respected Sinclair family. Above the Sinclairs was the harbour pilot Neil McKinnon. Maggie Lamb who had a ship near the Cross Keys, and Mattie McCubbin completed the four households. Facebook has a photo of it being demolished. The photo appeared in the late Neil Stirrat's 'Irvine' (p.46; first published 1998; Pocket Images, Nonsuch Publishing, Stroud, 2006)

#174: The Harbour Master's Office - see separate page - a Grade C(S) listed building, including boundary walls and outbuildings; early 19th century. Its clock was made by Robert Crawford of Irvine - established in 1868, and with premises at 107 High St. this watchmaker and jeweller has adverts in the 1896 Irvine Directory, inviting "inspection of his new Stock of all the Latest Novelties for the Season".

1819: on Wood's Town Plan, this is 'Town's Property'.

1855: Office, Boathouse, Store, owned & occupied by the Harbour Trustees.
Timber Yards owned by the Burgh of Irvine.

1865: Irvine Harbour Trust (who were also renting another office just along the street).

1875: Harbour Trust & Office - the Custom House at the time was an office at the Anchor Tavern.

1885: Custom House and Harbour Office & Plant: owned by Irvine Harbour Trustees and occupied by themselves and H M Customs (officer Robert Smith)

1895 :#108 (#138 in 1896) is owned by the Irvine Harbour Trustees and occupied by themselves (Martin Boyd Harbour Master) and H M Customs (officer William Dougall)

1905/15/20/25: 'Office, Harbour Plant.'': owned and occupied by Irvine Harbour Co. per D Gillies, Secy.

1930 & 1935: #174: "Irvine Harbour Company", A McCubbin
then:
Ground, Lavatory, Shop, Bathing Station: owned by the Burgh of Irvine.

Note: Not on Harbour Street: The 'Irvine British Workman Public House', a temperance hotel with hot and cold baths, was, according to Strawhorn ('History of Irvine', pp.157&160) opened in Harbour Street in 1881. This building, later renamed The Osborne, was on Loudoun Street, on the town side of the station.

The following Valuation Roll details refer to . . .
1855: Three houses, two owned by Mrs McDougald, Liverpool, with tenant Andrew Stewart, and one owned by Andrew Stewart.
1865: Owned by Mrs John McDougall, Liverpool, with tenant Andrew M Stewart, founder
1875: As in 1865, owned by Mrs Mary Pollock or McDougall, with tenant Andrew M Stewart, founder
1885: Owned by heirs of Mrs Mary McDougall or Pollock, Waterside, Irvine, with tenant Wm Stewart & Sons, founders
1895: Owned by William G McDougall, Liverpool with tenant John Stewart & Son, ironfounders
1905: 'Steading', owned by William G McDougall, 43 Erskine St., Liverpool, and let to Hugh King, contractor.
1915: Now owned by Duncan McDougall, and let to Mrs Abigail D King.
1925: Owned by Mrs Jane Brown, with tenant Henry

Sources:

Our sources include the 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1920, 1925 and 1930 Valuation Rolls, available online from late 2014 on the website Scotland's People; in the 1905 Roll, the standard abbreviation for the forename John was Jno, but we have used John above.

The Ayrshire Directory 1851

Post Office General and Trades Directory for Irvine, 1896 (published by 'Irvine Herald') though the Irvine Burns Club President is wrongly named (reason not known).

North Ayrshire Directory 1935-37 (published by the Herald Press) pp.107-158.)

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The Quay of Irvine > The Shore > Harbour Street

"The Story of a Street"

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