FLOOD IN KILMARNOCK Page 155 ………it has been the fate of Kilmarnock to be visited at various periods by fearful calamities. But the most disastrous of these, at least in the destruction of property, was the inundation of the town on the morning of the 14th July, 1852. There exists, indeed, no record, so far as we are aware, of such an event having previously occurred in the locality.(1) The weather, for some time before the occurrence, was unusually warm and oppressive; and though the more observing of the inhabitants expected that such intense heat would probably be followed by a great thunder-storm, yet no one ever dreamed that a flood so mighty in its strength would rise so instantaneously, and lay waste in its course fields, bridges, mills, dams, houses, gardens, and orchards. Early on the morning of the calamity, thunder of unusual loudness was heard rolling over the town; and as it continued it increased in depth and solemnity till its peals became terrific. At short intervals the lightning flashed so vividly as to apall the stoutest of hearts. The rain, too, poured in copious floods, swelling the Kilmarnock Water to such an unprecedented height as to lead to the belief either that the reservoir at Lochgoin had burst its banks, or that a waterspout had fallen on the moors above Fenwick, where the rivulets that feed the river take their rise.2 Such, however, was not the case; for, on these places being visited on the following day, no trace of such occurrences could be discovered. But those residing in the moors had never witnesses so dreadful a morning, even in the bleakest and wildest season of the year. In the words of Milton, "The thickened sky Like a dark ceiling stood." (1) We have heard it stated that, at one time during the latter half of last century, the Kilmarnock Water rose to such a height that the road to Haw's Well (which many must still remember, and which took its name from Robert Haw or Hall, whose residence was near it) was rendered impassable. At a later period Glencairn Square and the adjoining streets were twice flooded by the rising of the Irvine and Kilmarnock Waters, and once by the overflowing of the Irvine alone. (2) The Kilmarnock Water is formed by the confluence of various rivulets, the principal of which have different local designations, but are generally known by the names of the Borland, the Craufurdland, and the Croilburn. The two former have their sources in Kingswell Moor, about eight or nine miles from Kilmarnock. The latter rises in the same tract of moorland, to the south-east of Lochgoin,and joins the Craufurdland about a mile below Waterside Mill. The Borland, or as it is sometimes called, the Fenwick Water, was not so remarkably swollen on the morning of the inundation as the other two. Page 156 The peals of thunder and the gleams of lighting were frequent and fearful; and the rain rushed down so impetuously that the very win dows of heaven appeared to be opened. Thus copiously supplied, the different branches of the Kilmarnock Water---particularly the Croilburn and the Craufurdland---were soon greatly increased in volume, and rolled on in awful strength, washing the soil from many fields, forcing in many cases new channels for themselves, and bearing upon their brown, turbulent bosoms large planks of timber, trees, and other evidences of their desolating power. To note minutely all the ravages committed by the inundation would be a difficult task; we shall, therefore, only endeavour to record the more prominent---following the course of the destruction, and basing our description on the testimony of witnesses, or on personal ob- servation. At the farm of Hairshaw Mill, situated on the Croilburn, a little above its junction with the Craufurdland, the power of the torrent was very remarkable. Part of a field, planted with potatoes, was so scooped out and filled with water as to appear like a loch; and at the back of the ruins of an old corn-mill, near the farm-house, a pool about eight feet deep was formed in the bed of the stream. A stone about six tons in weight, that had lain there from time immemorial, was borne away; and hundreds of ponderous boulders were scattered about. At several places along the edge of the stream the banks were so broken down, that the water-course was made three times broader than it was before the flood. A holm, belonging to the same farm, which had been known to yield fifty-five bolls of potatoes in one year, was so overspread with stones that we scarcely could believe that it had ever been arable. Hardly a green leaf could be seen on it to tell that vegetation had formerly been there. It resembled the rough bed of some dried-up river. Two stone bridges, we may add, that spanned the Croilburn, were completely demolished. The first great havoc committed on the Craufurdland Water was at Mr Alexander's carding and spinning mill, about two miles above Fenwick. The dam was swept away, and the water rushed into the mill, filling it to the depth of six feet six inches, and lifting from their places various pieces of machinery, one of which was about two tons in weight. The height of the water at the bridge beside the mill was sixteen feet. The strength of the current was here so great that a stone, which was lying near the same spot, and which was supposed to be ten tons in weight, was carried away. The torrent swept on in its resistless course, flooding some fine fields of grain, and washing down large portions of the banks. Dalraith Bridge, a strong structure, was borne away. At Raith Mill, part of a garden was destroyed; and several trees that had stood the "pelting of the pitiless storm" for many years, were torn from their roots as if they had been mere saplings. At Sandbed Spinning Mill, then occupied by Mr J. Raeburn, bonnet-maker, the destruction was immense. A boiler belonging to the work, about a ton and a half in weight, was lifted by the current and carried as far as Craufurdland Castle. A fine orchard was entirely laid waste. Here the flood rose even above the walls of some of the cottages, though, fortunately, Page 157 the inmates had been roused from their slumbers by the peals of thunder that preceded the inundation, otherwise loss of life may have occurced. In tumultuous fury the river hastened onward, lashing the woody banks behind Craufurdland Castle, and uprooting trees, or laying bare their old fantastic roots. The next great damage was at Assloss, the property of John Parker Esq. Here the flood broke into a fine holm, partly planted as an orchard, overspreading it with vast masses of stones, some of which were a ton in weight. Farther on, it laid waste another piece of land, planted with fruit trees and bushes. It then burst open a door leading into the principal garden, through which it rushed, breaking down a large portion of the garden-wall. Near Dean Castle, the Duke's Bridge, a neat wooden erection, was borne away entire; and here the water must have been risen to a great height, as we observed it had wreathed the upper branches of some large trees with many weeds. Gaining strength by the accession of the Borland Water, a little below this point, the flood now assumed a still more formidable aspect; rushing on, it drove away portions of the banks as if they had been wreaths of snow, and in its fury tore up massive stones, tossing them about like so many pebbles. The Kilmarnock Foundry dam was next demolished; and the scene which the foundry houses presented was awful in the extreme. At the back of the work the river winds somewhat abruptly; and this circumstance, together with the rising ground on the opposite side, tended in some measure to increase the rush of water towards the houses. Fortunately some of the occupants, like those in other places, had been kept awake by the rolling of the thunder; others had heard the sound of the approaching deluge, and gave the alarm. Considering the great and rapid rise of the water, which was about ten feet deep at the manager's residence, it is truly wonderful that many lives were not lost. As it was, the inmates were in great peril, many of them, among whom was a lady with an infant clinging to her breast, having to flee for safety in their night garments through the muddy waters, which were rushing in at every door.1 1. We may mention that, after the inundation, the shaft of an old coal-pit, cradled with stone and of a circular form, was discovered in the bed of the river, at the back of the foundry. Considerable surprise was created by its appearance in such a situation, where no work of the kind could be wrought with safety. There is an old tradition, however, which the discovery seems to confirm, that the water at one time ran in a different direction, namely, to the east of the foundry; and the probability is, that the pit would be sunk at that period. We may likewise state, that about a hundred years ago, according to another tradition, while eight or nine men were employed in a pit at Townholm, in the same locality, water burst suddenly upon them from an "old waste" and only one escaped with his life. This story also has apparently been confirmed; for several old skeletons and antique implements of labour, which were no doubt those of the drowned men were found in March, 1863, in an "old coal-pit. Page 158 The inhabitants of the Townholm, the street leading to the Foundry, were in a similar state of danger. Panic-struck by a visitation so little expected, many of them abandoned their houses and property, and hurried to the higher grounds in the vicinity, in a state of utter despair. One man and his wife, unable to get out of their house, were obliged to mount upon a table, and even there, were several feet in water. In the same room, a bed on which a child was sleeping, was lifted from its position and floated. The child cried, but soon fell into a sound slumber, and remained in that state, dry and unhurt, during the continuance of the flood. The woolen factory of the Messrs Laughland, Roxburgh, and Gilchrist, which is situated in this locality, received considerable injury. A large quanity of goods were destroyed; and the machinery likewise was greatly damaged; even the iron frames of the windows were shivered to pieces. Some idea of the strength of the current may be formed from the fact that, at this quarter, a huge boiler was lifted from its site in Mr Donald's hook-work, and borne down the public street, which was here flooded to the debth of five feet. Buoyant as some light canoe, it sailed along, adding to the intense sublimity of the scene, yet filling the spectators with horror, as they naturally conceived that it would be fearfully destructive to everything with which it might come in contact. The next scene of destruction was the property of Mr Thomas Cuthbertson, carpet-maker, Craighead. The garden-wall was laid prostrate; the garden itself was converted into a ruinous waste; and much valuable property, was destroyed or swallowed up in the wide vortex of waters. At this place, a scene of awful interest was exhibited, the incidents of which we will endeavour to relate as we heard them from the lips of one of the sufferers, Alexander Pettigrew. Pettigrew and two other individuals, named James Bruce and William Campbell, proceeded to Mr Cuthbertson's stable, in which the water was three or four feet deep, with the view of saving two horses. Campbell succeeded in getting one of them away. Bruce endeavoured to rescue the other; and Pettigrew, who was engaged keeping open the stable-door, began to think he was long in accomplishing his task, and hastened to assist him. While they were loosening the horse from its stall, the garden-wall, at a short distance, gave way; and an additional body of water, about seven feet deep, rolled down on them. Bruce at this moment had hold of the horse; but the rush of the tor- rent separated them. He then endeavoured to gain the wall of the next house, which he reached and clung to, unable to go farther. By this time Pettigrew had seized the horse, and was able to keep himself above the water by clinging to its neck. In this position he was driven about for the space of ten minutes. At last, seeing no likihood of saving himself by means of the horse, which seemed unwilling to leave the spot, he began to despair, when a long-bodied cart drifted towards him. Inspired with fresh hopes, he instantly raised himself from the animal, and, with one desperate effort, sprang upon the cart, thinking it would serve as a little bark to bear him out of danger. But his weight coming suddenly on it forced it against the door of the cart-shed, which made it bound back again

terrific drama! Brian Boyd Melbourne ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich" <richboyd@speednetllc.com> To: <CLANBOYD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 12:25 AM Subject: [Boyd] Flood in Kilmarnock (Part 1) > > > FLOOD IN KILMARNOCK > > Page 155 > > ………it has been the fate of Kilmarnock to be visited at various periods by > fearful calamities. But the most disastrous of these, at least in the > destruction of property, was the inundation of the town on the morning of > the 14th July, 1852. There exists, indeed, no record, so far as we are > aware, of such an event having previously occurred in the locality.(1) > > The weather, for some time before the occurrence, was unusually warm > > and oppressive; and though the more observing of the inhabitants expected > that such intense heat would probably be followed by a great > > thunder-storm, yet no one ever dreamed that a flood so mighty in its > > strength would rise so instantaneously, and lay waste in its course > > fields, bridges, mills, dams, houses, gardens, and orchards. > > Early on the morning of the calamity, thunder of unusual loudness was > > heard rolling over the town; and as it continued it increased in > > depth and solemnity till its peals became terrific. At short intervals the > lightning flashed so vividly as to apall the stoutest of > > hearts. The rain, too, poured in copious floods, swelling the Kilmarnock > Water to such an unprecedented height as to lead to the belief either that > the reservoir at Lochgoin had burst its banks, or > > that a waterspout had fallen on the moors above Fenwick, where the > > rivulets that feed the river take their rise.2 Such, however, was not > > the case; for, on these places being visited on the following day, no > > trace of such occurrences could be discovered. But those residing in > > the moors had never witnesses so dreadful a morning, even in the > > bleakest and wildest season of the year. In the words of Milton, > > "The thickened sky > > Like a dark ceiling stood." > > (1) We have heard it stated that, at one time during the latter half > > of last century, the Kilmarnock Water rose to such a height that the > > road to Haw's Well (which many must still remember, and which took > > its name from Robert Haw or Hall, whose residence was near it) was > > rendered impassable. At a later period Glencairn Square and the > > adjoining streets were twice flooded by the rising of the Irvine and > > Kilmarnock Waters, and once by the overflowing of the Irvine alone. > > (2) The Kilmarnock Water is formed by the confluence of various > > rivulets, the principal of which have different local designations, > > but are generally known by the names of the Borland, the Craufurdland, and > the Croilburn. The two former have their sources in Kingswell Moor, about > eight or nine miles from Kilmarnock. The latter rises in the same tract of > moorland, to the south-east of Lochgoin,and joins the Craufurdland about a > mile below Waterside Mill. The Borland, or as it is sometimes called, the > Fenwick Water, was not so remarkably swollen on the morning of the > inundation as the other two. > > Page 156 > > The peals of thunder and the gleams of lighting were frequent and > > fearful; and the rain rushed down so impetuously that the very win > > dows of heaven appeared to be opened. > > Thus copiously supplied, the different branches of the Kilmarnock > > Water---particularly the Croilburn and the Craufurdland---were soon > > greatly increased in volume, and rolled on in awful strength, washing > > the soil from many fields, forcing in many cases new channels for > > themselves, and bearing upon their brown, turbulent bosoms large > > planks of timber, trees, and other evidences of their desolating > > power. > > To note minutely all the ravages committed by the inundation would be > > a difficult task; we shall, therefore, only endeavour to record the > > more prominent---following the course of the destruction, and basing > > our description on the testimony of witnesses, or on personal ob- > > servation. > > At the farm of Hairshaw Mill, situated on the Croilburn, a little > > above its junction with the Craufurdland, the power of the torrent > > was very remarkable. Part of a field, planted with potatoes, was so > > scooped out and filled with water as to appear like a loch; and at > > the back of the ruins of an old corn-mill, near the farm-house, a > > pool about eight feet deep was formed in the bed of the stream. A > > stone about six tons in weight, that had lain there from time immemorial, > was borne away; and hundreds of ponderous boulders were > > scattered about. At several places along the edge of the stream the > > banks were so broken down, that the water-course was made three times > > broader than it was before the flood. A holm, belonging to the same > > farm, which had been known to yield fifty-five bolls of potatoes in > > one year, was so overspread with stones that we scarcely could believe > that it had ever been arable. Hardly a green leaf could be seen > > on it to tell that vegetation had formerly been there. It resembled > > the rough bed of some dried-up river. Two stone bridges, we may add, > > that spanned the Croilburn, were completely demolished. > > The first great havoc committed on the Craufurdland Water was at Mr > > Alexander's carding and spinning mill, about two miles above Fenwick. > > The dam was swept away, and the water rushed into the mill, filling > > it to the depth of six feet six inches, and lifting from their places > > various pieces of machinery, one of which was about two tons in > > weight. The height of the water at the bridge beside the mill was > > sixteen feet. The strength of the current was here so great that a > > stone, which was lying near the same spot, and which was supposed to > > be ten tons in weight, was carried away. > > The torrent swept on in its resistless course, flooding some fine > > fields of grain, and washing down large portions of the banks. Dalraith > Bridge, a strong structure, was borne away. At Raith Mill, part > > of a garden was destroyed; and several trees that had stood the > > "pelting of the pitiless storm" for many years, were torn from their > > roots as if they had been mere saplings. At Sandbed Spinning Mill, > > then occupied by Mr J. Raeburn, bonnet-maker, the destruction was > > immense. A boiler belonging to the work, about a ton and a half in > > weight, was lifted by the current and carried as far as Craufurdland > > Castle. A fine orchard was entirely laid waste. Here the flood rose > > even above the walls of some of the cottages, though, fortunately, > > Page 157 > > the inmates had been roused from their slumbers by the peals of > > thunder that preceded the inundation, otherwise loss of life may have > > occurced. > > In tumultuous fury the river hastened onward, lashing the woody banks > > behind Craufurdland Castle, and uprooting trees, or laying bare their > > old fantastic roots. > > The next great damage was at Assloss, the property of John Parker > > Esq. Here the flood broke into a fine holm, partly planted as an > > orchard, overspreading it with vast masses of stones, some of which > > were a ton in weight. Farther on, it laid waste another piece of > > land, planted with fruit trees and bushes. It then burst open a door > > leading into the principal garden, through which it rushed, breaking > > down a large portion of the garden-wall. > > Near Dean Castle, the Duke's Bridge, a neat wooden erection, was > > borne away entire; and here the water must have been risen to a great > > height, as we observed it had wreathed the upper branches of some > > large trees with many weeds. Gaining strength by the accession of the > > Borland Water, a little below this point, the flood now assumed a > > still more formidable aspect; rushing on, it drove away portions of > > the banks as if they had been wreaths of snow, and in its fury tore > > up massive stones, tossing them about like so many pebbles. > > The Kilmarnock Foundry dam was next demolished; and the scene which > > the foundry houses presented was awful in the extreme. At the back of > > the work the river winds somewhat abruptly; and this circumstance, > > together with the rising ground on the opposite side, tended in some > > measure to increase the rush of water towards the houses. Fortunately > > some of the occupants, like those in other places, had been kept > > awake by the rolling of the thunder; others had heard the sound of > > the approaching deluge, and gave the alarm. Considering the great and > > rapid rise of the water, which was about ten feet deep at the > > manager's residence, it is truly wonderful that many lives were not > > lost. As it was, the inmates were in great peril, many of them, among > > whom was a lady with an infant clinging to her breast, having to flee > > for safety in their night garments through the muddy waters, which > > were rushing in at every door.1 > > 1. We may mention that, after the inundation, the shaft of an old > > coal-pit, cradled with stone and of a circular form, was discovered > > in the bed of the river, at the back of the foundry. Considerable > > surprise was created by its appearance in such a situation, where no > > work of the kind could be wrought with safety. There is an old tradition, > however, which the discovery seems to confirm, that the water at one time > ran in a different direction, namely, to the east of the foundry; and the > probability is, that the pit would be sunk at that > > period. > > We may likewise state, that about a hundred years ago, according to > > another tradition, while eight or nine men were employed in a pit at > > Townholm, in the same locality, water burst suddenly upon them from > > an "old waste" and only one escaped with his life. This story also > > has apparently been confirmed; for several old skeletons and antique > > implements of labour, which were no doubt those of the drowned men > > were found in March, 1863, in an "old coal-pit. > > Page 158 > > The inhabitants of the Townholm, the street leading to the Foundry, > > were in a similar state of danger. Panic-struck by a visitation so > > little expected, many of them abandoned their houses and property, > > and hurried to the higher grounds in the vicinity, in a state of > > utter despair. One man and his wife, unable to get out of their > > house, were obliged to mount upon a table, and even there, were > > several feet in water. In the same room, a bed on which a child was > > sleeping, was lifted from its position and floated. The child cried, > > but soon fell into a sound slumber, and remained in that state, dry > > and unhurt, during the continuance of the flood. > > The woolen factory of the Messrs Laughland, Roxburgh, and Gilchrist, > > which is situated in this locality, received considerable injury. A > > large quanity of goods were destroyed; and the machinery likewise was > > greatly damaged; even the iron frames of the windows were shivered to > > pieces. > > Some idea of the strength of the current may be formed from the fact > > that, at this quarter, a huge boiler was lifted from its site in Mr > > Donald's hook-work, and borne down the public street, which was here > > flooded to the debth of five feet. Buoyant as some light canoe, it > > sailed along, adding to the intense sublimity of the scene, yet filling > the spectators with horror, as they naturally conceived that it > > would be fearfully destructive to everything with which it might come > > in contact. > > The next scene of destruction was the property of Mr Thomas Cuthbertson, > carpet-maker, Craighead. The garden-wall was laid prostrate; the garden > itself was converted into a ruinous waste; and much valuable property, was > destroyed or swallowed up in the wide vortex of waters. At this place, a > scene of awful interest was exhibited, the incidents of which we will > endeavour to relate as we heard them from the lips of one of the > sufferers, Alexander Pettigrew. > > Pettigrew and two other individuals, named James Bruce and William > > Campbell, proceeded to Mr Cuthbertson's stable, in which the water > > was three or four feet deep, with the view of saving two horses. > > Campbell succeeded in getting one of them away. Bruce endeavoured to > > rescue the other; and Pettigrew, who was engaged keeping open the > > stable-door, began to think he was long in accomplishing his task, > > and hastened to assist him. While they were loosening the horse from > > its stall, the garden-wall, at a short distance, gave way; and an > > additional body of water, about seven feet deep, rolled down on them. > > Bruce at this moment had hold of the horse; but the rush of the tor- > > rent separated them. He then endeavoured to gain the wall of the next > > house, which he reached and clung to, unable to go farther. > > By this time Pettigrew had seized the horse, and was able to keep > > himself above the water by clinging to its neck. In this position he > > was driven about for the space of ten minutes. At last, seeing no > > likihood of saving himself by means of the horse, which seemed unwilling > to leave the spot, he began to despair, when a long-bodied > > cart drifted towards him. Inspired with fresh hopes, he instantly > > raised himself from the animal, and, with one desperate effort, > > sprang upon the cart, thinking it would serve as a little bark to > > bear him out of danger. But his weight coming suddenly on it forced > > it against the door of the cart-shed, which made it bound back again > > > ==== CLANBOYD Mailing List ==== > RING OF BOYDS http://k.webring.com/wrman?ring=clanboydwebring&addsite > > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=boyd-trees > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.9.9/62 - Release Date: 2/08/2005 > >