Village Residents – Top of Main Street
The information is from 1865 to the 1950s. The sources were valuation rolls, census and the memories of people who lived in the village. Although the census and valuation rolls should be accurate, the memories of the Boxing Day Club (1930s and Davy Hardie (1950/60s) are open to correction.
The map is from the 1950s so some of the houses may not have existed in the earlier periods and some will have been demolished and rebuilt in later years.
Click on the house to view.
No 1 Main Street
1865-1881: Peter Douglas, carrier
1885, 1891: William Wright, shepherd and son James, surfaceman
1895-1905: James Wright, surfaceman
1911-1925: Charles Hardie, labourer
1935: Mary Hardie, widow
Late 1930s, 1950s Jimmy, Peter and Jess Hardie (brothers and sister)
No 3 Main Street
Sometimes two households
1871, 1875: James Tweedie, forester
1881; Robert Tweedie, railwayman
1885-1905: Gilbert McGowan, surfaceman
1911: Maggie McGuire and family, George Douglas
1915: William Wilson, surfaceman
1921: Janet Wilson
1923: Janet Wilson, James McGill retired stationmaster
1930s: Janet Crellin, James McGill
1950s/60s: Mr and Mrs Crellin, Alex Kelly, joiner and Mrs Kelly, dinner lady
No 5 Main Street – The Stair Arms
1861-1871: William McMillan
1875, 1881: Annie Collins
1885-1895: Robert McJannet
1901: Maggie Ann McJannet
1905, 1911: James Baird
1915-1937: Margaret Edmunds
1940, 1950s: Wullie and Mrs McGibney
1960s: Billy McGibney, Johnny McGibney and Mrs Agnes Kirkpatrick (brothers and sister)
The old property on this site was originally no.7 but now only forms part of new house no.7
1881-1901: Mary Gordon, washerwoman/farm worker/ steamstress
1905-1921: John McKie, labourer
1925: Alexander Boyd, labourer
!930s: Tom Stevenson
1950s: Johnny Wilson and Jean McMeiking
The old property on this site was originally no.9 but now forms part of new houses nos7 and 9
1871-1881: William Love, carter (later moved to no.28)
1885-1900: Jane Boyd, servant/farm worker
1901-1930s: Annie McLure (daughter of Jane Boyd)
1935: Thomas McMurtrie
1950s: Mrs Higgins
The old property on this site was originally no.11 but now forms part of new house no.9
1881: Rebecca Sproat (nee Nish)
1885-1905: James Sproat, pointsman
1911-1925: Alexander Irving, roadman
1935: Charles or Davy Phillips, labourer
1950s: Mr and Mrs McLean (holiday home)
No 13 Main Street
1881-1895: Mary McQuaker, widowed sewer
1901: empty
1905: Margaret Baird
1911-1930s: Jimmy Love, stonedyker
1950s: Mrs Sherry
No 15 Main Street “Knockiebay”
1865-1917: Fergus Baird, stonedyker, farmer, grocer, spirit dealer, publican
1920-1948: Jane McMeiking Baird ‘Meikie’
1950s: Jim Todd, West Freugh
No 17 Main Street
1881: Robert McKie, railway platelayer
1891, 1895, 1901: William McDowall, railway surfaceman, foreman platelayer
1905, 1911, 1915: Mary McDowall, widow, school janitoress
1920: Agnes McDowall, spinster
1924: Mary Kerr
1925: Agnes Blackwell, spinster
1930, 1935: Thomas McMeeking, signalman
1950s: Jim Todd’s summer holiday home
No 19 Main Street
1871-1875: William Park, labourer, and brother John, blacksmith
1881: Gilbert McGowan, labourer
1885-1911: often unoccupied
1915: Robert King, hawker
1920-1930s: Hugh Kelly, surfaceman
1950s: Charles Hardie
No 21 Main Street
Often unoccupied until 1911
1915-1920s: Robert King, hawker
1920-1935: Robert Lindsay
1930s-1950s: Lindsay family from Glasgow
No 23 Main Street
1851-1871: Samuel McGaw, joiner
1875-1921: William McGaw, joiner
1925-1935: Annie McGaw, widow, and son Samuel
1940: Thomas McMeeting, railwayman
1950s: Mr and Mrs McMeeking
No 25 Main Street – The Smiddy
1855-1881: Samuel Murray/McMurray, blacksmith
1885-1911: John Murray/McMurray, blacksmith
1915-1921: John and Samuel Murray, blacksmiths
1925: Thomas McKillops, blacksmith
1930-1940: Charles Campbell, blacksmith
1950s: Hughie and Mrs Kelly
Rear of no 25 and 27 Main Street – house and joiner’s shop
1871-1891: James McNish/Nish, joiner
1895-1905: John Nish, joiner
No household 1911-1930
1935-1940: Elizabeth Muir, widow (Andrew Fraser has the joiner’s shop)
No.27 Main Street Commercial Hotel until c.1910
1861-1875: Janet McKenzie nee Kenmuir, innkeeper
1881-1901: Charles Kenmuir, innkeeper
1901: James Baird, innkeeper
1911-1921: Peter Fenion, carrier
1925-1950s: Agnes Fenion, widow, and son Bob
No 2 Main Street
1881, 1895, 1901: Charles Hardie, agricultural labourer
1905, 1911, 1925 Thomas Rice, labourer
1921 Helen Rice, dressmaker
1930s: Peter and Sally Kevan, Special Policeman
1950s/60s: Charlie and Mrs Hardie, Signalman New Luce
No 4 Main Street
1881: Jane McGhie, labourer’s wife
1891: John McGhie, labourer
1895: Jane McLean
1901, 1905: Thomas McLean, dyker
1911, 1915, 1925: James Edgar, railway clerk
1921: Janet Edgar
1935: John Nish, joiner
1950s/60s: Mr and Mrs Speller, Hugh and Mrs Wilson
No 6 Main Street
1845-1871: Thomas Baird, stonedyker and farmer
1875, 1881: David Baird, stonedyker
1885: David Baird McLean, stonedyker
1891: Jane McLean and son Thomas Baird McLean
1895, 1901, 1905, 1911: David Baird McLean, stonedyker and platelayer
1911, 1915: Thomas Baird McLean, stonedyker
1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1938: Janet McLean, widow
1930s, 1940: James Baird McLean (Jimmy)
1950s/60s: Jimmy and Mrs McLean (Polly Hewitson), Hill drainer, Little Larg
No 8 Main Street
1881: Alexander McGowan, farm servant
1885: John Blackwell, farm servant
1885: Alexander McGowan, farm servant
1891: Ann McGuire, field worker
1891: James McGuire, labourer
1895: Mrs Ann McGuire,
1895: Miss Jane Boyd,
1901: Maggie McGuire, agricultural labourer
1901,1905,1911,1915, 1920: Miss Mary McGuire, agricultural labourer
1905: Miss Margaret McGuire,
1915 & 1920: Kate McGowan,
1925: Thomas McMeeking, signalman
1930: William Jess, drainer
1930: Mary Bodle, widow, milk resp
1935: John Wath, labourer
1938: William Rennie, cheesemaker
1940: William McGhie, labourer
1950s: Netty Agnew then Mr and Mrs Ramsey
1959-2011: Miss Pearl Ramsay, worked at Nestlé Dunragit
No 10 Main Street
1881 & 1885: James Wilson, coal agent
1891: Mary Kerr, former domestic servant
1895, 1901, 1905, 1911, 1915 & 1920: James Wilson, coal agent
1925 to 1960s: James McCaig (Jimmy Caig), forester/roadman, and wife Daisy
No 12 Main Street
1881, 1885: Daniel Fenion, agricultural labourer,
1885, 1891,1895, 1901: James Fenion, labourer, general dealer, cattle dealer
1911, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1938: Agnes Fenion (Curly Fenion), beekeeper
1940: unoccupied
1950-60s: Johnny and Elsie Kelly, pylon construction
No 14 Main Street
1871, 1874, 1881, 1885, 1901: James and Alexander McNeillie, masons
1891, 1895. 1905: Alexander McNeillie. mason
1911, 1915, 1921, 1925: William Murphy
1930s: Mrs Agnes McGrady, Farm worker Hardcroft
1950s/60s: Jimmy Muir (Mare). Worked on electricity pylons (foreman)
No 16 Main Street
1895, 1901, 1905, 1911, 1915, 1921, 1925: Michael Keatings, labourer, railwayman and grocer
1930s: Robert and Jenny McCreadie (Kelly), Railway man
1950s/60s: Bob McCreadie
No 18 Main Street
1885, 1895, 1901: John McGhie, labourer
1911, 1915: Charles Hardie, surfaceman
1921: Margaret McGuire
1920, 1925: Alexander McGuire, labourer
1930s: Meg and Bess McGuire, Farm workers
1950s/60s: Bess McGuire