Chronology of Local Events from 1760. Submitted to s1skelmorlie by Robert Cathcart.

1760 George 3rd becomes King

1763 Opening of the coach service from Glasgow to Greenock the trip took 9 hours

1767 First Turnpike Act for Ayrshire permits construction of various roads

1769 Alexander Montgomerie 10th Earl of Eglinton dies on 24th October

1769 Archibald becomes 11th Earl of Eglinton

1769 Death of James Bannatine, son of Archibold

1770 The disappearance of Fosterland from Balvonie region of the map

1773 Training wall built from Dumbarton upstream to encourage natural scouring and deepening of the channel

1775 Clyde navigable to vessels with a draft of over 6 feet

1775 till 1783 American Revolution causes larger vessels to be built on the river Clyde

1775 The old red castle of Knock is recorded as a ruin at this point in time

1780 back road to Largs completed Road came from Saltcoats via Largs

1785 a new road is constructed along the shore from Skelmorlie to Largs There is a toll at Kelly Bridge

1786 Robert Burns escorted Mary Campbell as far as Meigle Bridge

1790 There is now a small school on the hill at Meigle

1791 First statistical account of Scotland published by Sir John Sinclair, Bart., Dr. Webster compiled the report by 1755. Never published and work was carried on by Sir John.

1792 End of era of James Bannatyne's family owning Kelly Estate passed to John Wallace

1792 Kelly Estate now owned by John Wallace. John was a successful West Indian Trader and a descendant of Sir William Wallace

1796 Archibald Montgomerie, 11th Earl of Eglinton, dies on 30th October

1796 Col. Hugh Montgomerie becomes 12th Earl of Eglinton

1802 Largs old church demolished leaving the Skelmorlie Aisle annex standing alone

1803 Death of John Wallace of Kelly House Robert Wallace now inherited the estate

1806 Fierce Gale blows many ships ashore on Christmas day Elizabeth is blown ashore at Knock, Juno blown into Wemyss Bay.

1812 Four mansions built along the private beach. Area was known as new Glasgow at the time

1812 Archibald William Montgomerie, to become 13th Earl of Eglinton, is born on 29th September

1814 Michael Shaw Stewart gives Wemyss Bay to Wallace of Kelly in return for the lands of Finnock. Originally, Wemyss Bay formed part of the Ardgowan Estate.

1814 Wemyss Bay consists of a few cottages, four large houses and a hotel.

1814 Wemyss Bay passed from the Ardgowan Estate to the Wallaces of Kelly

1814 Robert Wallace of Kelly exchanged with Ardgowan the lands of Finnock for those of Wemyss Bay

1819 Col. Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton, dies on 14th December

1819 Archibald William becomes 13th Earl of Eglinton

1820 George 4th becomes king

1826 Birth of William Watson in Skelmorlie. (1st Sergeant 3rd Lousiana Infantry Pelican Rifles)

1828 Burial ground watch set up at Inverkip to watch for body snatchers

1830 William the 4th becomes King

1834 The Scots times publishes an article proposing the building of a marine village at Wemyss Bay.

1834 Second statistical account of Scotland published

1837 Archibald Kirk, gamekeeper, moves to Skelmorlie Castle

1837 Victoria becomes Queen

1841 First marraige of Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton on 17th February.

1841 Archibald William Montgomerie, to become 14th Earl of Eglinton, is born

1844 George Arbuthnot builds Beach House The first villa in Skelmorlie!

1845 Proposals are submitted for a railway line between Greenock, Gourock and Largs by the Renfrew and Ayr Counties Railway

1848 George Arnulph Montgomerie, to become 15th Earl of Eglinton, is born on 23rd February.

Skelmorlie village is developed in this decade

1852 Skelmorlie Castle let to John Graham

1856 Whiting Bay pier (in Wemyss Bay) is blown down

1856 Victorian Wing built onto Skelmorlie Castle

1856 South Church is established

1857 A pier is constructed at Skelmorlie and is used by captain Duncan McKellar till 1869

1858 Wemyss Bay railway line proposed

1858 The Established Church is enlarged

1858 Second marraige of Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton, on 4th November

1860 Skelmorlie is formed into a quoad sacra parish

1860 Wilsone Browne of Glasgow sold Castle Wemyss to John Burns

1860 John Burns buys Castle Wemyss

1860 George Bruce asks Caley to consider a railway line into Wemyss Bay

1860 Central portion added to Skelmorlie Castle

1860 Cardell Built

1860 Knock Castle sold to George Elder

1861 The Wemyss Bay line prospectus is published.

1861 The appointed secretary and engineer to the Greenock and Wemyss Bay railway company are James Keyden and James Forman. Caley supports the proposal to build the railway into Wemyss Bay.

1861 Navvy Young built the bottom reservoir

1861 Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton, dies on 4th October

1861 Archibald William becomes 14th Earl of Eglinton

1862 Kirk Baird, Skelmorlie Castle butler dies at the age of 32

1862 The Greenock and Wemyss Bay Railway Act, 1862 obtained

1862 Wemyss Bay steamboat Co. established

1862 Archibald William Montgomerie, 14th Earl of Eglinton, is married on 6th December.

1862 Silverwood and Woodside built on Skelmorlie Castle Road (near library)

1862 Morlands is built completed in 1867

1863 Greenock and Wemyss BayRailway extension Act is passed.

1863 James Keyden is made secretary of the Wemyss Bay Steamboat company

1863 The Paddle Steamer Victory which was later bought by the Wemyss Bay Steamboat Company, is built

1863 Wemyss Bay Steamboat Company (Ltd) Prospectus published

1863 "High Road" (Skelmorlie Castle Road) houses Woodside and Silverwood start to go up the house names suggest that the area around the new primary school is all woodland

1863 Skelmorlie Primary School is opened by Professor Thomson

1864 Wemyss Bay Steamboat Company Limited incorporated under the companies' Act 1862. Skelmorlie electorate numbers 20.

1865 Arrival of railway from Glasgow

1865 Pier at Whiting Bay destroyed by an Autumn gale

1865 Death of General Sir Thomas MacDougal Brisbane some time in 1860's, unsure of exact date

1866 George Grieg is born on March 22nd

1867 Dr. James "Paraffin" Young buys the third Kelly House

1867 Inverkip railway station is built

1868 Hydropathic Establishment is erected by Dr. Ronald Currie.

1871 Population of Skelmorlie is 407

1872 Dr. Phene of Chelsea excavates Serpent's mound at Meigle

1873 George Arnulph Montgomerie, 15th Earl of Eglinton, is married on 13th November.

1874 Landslide at Inverkip viaduct

1874 United Presbytarian (North) church is established

1875 Turkish and salt water baths added to hydropathic establishment

1875 Livingstons hut built at Kelly by his two loyal African servants. Susi and Chuma

1875 Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay Gas Company is formed

1876 Misses Srewart of Ashcraig built chapel of concrete at Meigle in November 1876 now a house

1876 Morlands is extended

1877 Wife of George Burns dies

1878 June North church reopens with a new organ

1878 Largs and Millport Weekly News is published

1878 Lodge Montgomerie - Kilwinning - Skelmorlie No. 624 received its charter from the Grand Lodge on 23rd August

1878 November: Well known local blind man Murdoch "Auld" Gallagher fell over cliffs at Hydropathic establishment sustaining serious injuries

1878 George Burns of Wemyss House built the episcopal church in Wemyss Bay

1879 Wemyss Bay Steamboat Co. advertising excursions page 85

1879 Book entitled, "The guide to Wemyss Bay, Skelmorlie & Largs" is published

1879 Skelmorlie Observer is first published

1880 Archibald Seton Montgomerie, to become 16th Earl of Eglinton, is born on 23rd June

1880 Kelly Gardens featured in Gardeners Chronicle

1881 gas installed and telegraph wire extended to Wemyss Bay station

1881 winter storm damages sea wall and pier

1881 Population of Skelmorlie is 757

1883 The fullrigged sailing ship "Skelmorlie" is launched at Skelmorlie Ship Co. in Port Glasgow

1885 The writer Dorita Fairlie Bruce is born

1889 Alexander Stephen the shipbuilder buys the Kelly estate

1889 Alexander Stephen, a shipbuilder, acquired the Kelly estate

1889 Mrs Hoyes of Craignahuille gives the workmans rest to the people of Skelmorlie at site of present library

1890 May: Gillies & Campbell paddle steamers stop operating from Wemyss Bay pier.

1890 W. A. Coats of Paisley now lives in Skelmorlie Castle The famous mill people

1890 John Graham ceases to let Skelmorlie Castle

1890 Pier extensively damaged by fire while being rebuilt

1891 population of Skelmorlie is 951

1891 Skelmorlie Golf Club is constituted, it has nine holes and the clubhouse is a hut

1891 Present South Church building is built

1891 Skelmorlie Bowling Club is constituted

1892 Archibald William Montgomerie, 14th Earl of Eglinton, dies on 30th of August.

1892 George Arnulph Montgomerie becomes 15th Earl of Eglinton

1893 Wemyss Bay Steamboat Co. is taken over by Caledonian Steam Packet Company.

1895 John Lammond wrote "The book of the Parish Church of Skelmorlie"

1897 Knock Castle becomes the home of Mr. F.G. McAndrew

1897 New Knock Castle sold to F. G. McAndrew



1901 Wemyss Bay pier extension is completed

1901 Roman Catholic Chapel of St. Joseph & St. Patrick opened

1901 St. Joseph's Chapel established

1901 Edward 7th is King

1903 Cases of Scarlet fever are found in Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay in September

1903 Gas street lamps in Skelmorlie are lit at last in October

1903 Opening of double railway and Wemyss Bay station and pier built by Caledonian Railway Company.

1904 February: Ex provost Watson of Largs writes to Clyde Port Sanitary organisation to complain about the practice of seamen throwing their hammocks overboard causing them to wash up on Skelmorlie beach

1905 Ladies first admitted as members of Skelmorlie Golf Club

1907 The Iron steamship "Kintyre" sinks off Skelmorlie in September

1908 Archibald Seton Montgomerie, 16th Earl of Eglinton, gets married on 1st June

1908 Croftmor is completed

1909 James Braid redesigns Skelmorlie Golf Course adding 4 more holes

1910 New clubhouse built at Skelmorlie Golf Club

1910 J.M. MacKinlay produced a work entitled "Ancient Church Dedications in Scotland" mentions St. Fillan's Chapel

1911 Hymn tune "Skelmorlie" composed by Rev D. Bruce Nicol at south church for Hymn 19 1911 - 1920

1913 Third Kelly House destroyed by fire

1914 Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie, to become 17th Earl of Eglinton, is born on 16th October

1914 Wemyss Bay pier extended and the great concourse added

1914 Britain declares war on Germany

1918 End of first world war

1919 George Arnulph Montgomerie, 15th Earl of Eglinton, dies on 10th August.

1919 Archibald Seton Montgomerie becomes 16th Earl of Eglinton and 4th Earl of Winton

1921 Athletic Association hall is formed at Annetyard

1923 Amalgamation of the Caledonian Railway and steam companies with L.M.S later to be part of British Rail and latterly Railtrack.

1924 Athletic Association hall at Annetyard is extended

1925 Skelmorlie lower resevoir overtops on Saturday, April 18th at 14:00 causing the deaths of 5 people

1925 public enquiry into reservoir disaster held at Kilmarnock on June 15th.

1925 Eglinton Castle is vacated and the furnishings auctioned for £7004. The family move to Skelmorlie Castle

1928 Skelmorlie Tennis Club founded Opened in June

1930 May 3rd: opening of Skelmorlie Bowling Green

1932 Skelmorlie Hydropathic first delivers electricity to Inverkip

1932 The Attic Players are founded in August

1935 Bakers shop at Meadow Place becomes a Post Office

1936 Emperor Haile Selasie of Abyssinia, the lion of Judah, visits lord Inverclyde at Castle Wemyss in June

1936 Edward the 8th is King

1936 Skelmorlie's first fire station is established At Lorne Garage, Golf Course Road.

1936 George 6th is King

1938 Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie, 17th Earl of Eglinton, gets married.

1939 Archibald George Montgomerie, to become 18th Earl of Eglinton, is born on 27th August

1939 Outbreak of World War 2

1939 Eglinton, Winton & Montgomerie Drives are completed

1939 Work begins on first 40 houses of Innes Park Road, theres a dead end between number 31 and number 50.

1939 During the war the Athletic Association hall becomes a NAAFI store and gets burned to the ground

1940 February: King & Queen stay overnight in Wemyss Bay

1941 May: German air raids over Greenock. Many families flee over the hill to Skelmorlie, trebling the population.

1941 Lift is installed at the Hydro to the Shore Road turning point.

1941 Innes Park Road becomes the first road in Skelmorlie to be officially named

1945 Archibald Seton Montgomerie, 16th Earl of Eglinton, dies on 22nd April

1945 Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie becomes 17th Earl of Eglinton

1945 End of second world war

1946 Population of Skelmorlie is 1540

1947 Great Naval Review sails past Skelmorlie

1947 2nd section of Innes Park Road started. Up to number 59

1950 Prime Minister Earl Attlee spends the night at Skelmorlie Hydro Hotel

1950 Dorita Fairlie Bruce writes "Triffeny" at the house of the same name in Seton Terrace.

1951 Prime minister spends another night in Skelmorlie Hydro Hotel

1951 Population of Skelmorlie is 1435

1951 Work commenced on the remainder of Innes Park Road

1951 third statistical account of Scotland published by Dr. John Strawhorn & Dr. William Boyd

1952 Elizabeth 2nd is queen

1953 "Maid of Skelmorlie" built at Yarrows

1954 Fire at Skelmorlie Castle

1954 Durants Grocer shop opened at the cross

1957 Untimely death of Alan, 4th Baron of Inverclyde

1957 Dunholm destroyed by fire

1958 Mr. & Mrs J. Hally Brown give the present library to people of village

1959 Robert Wilson food industries limited of Barrhead rebuilt Noth Wing of Skelmorlie Castle after the fire of five years ago

1961 Population of Skelmorlie is 1317

1963 Athletic Association disbanded

1964 Archibald George Montgomerie, 18th Earl of Eglinton, gets married on 7th February

1964 Archibald George Montgomerie becomes 18th Earl of Eglinton

1965 Birth of Robert Cathcart

1965 Baillie Painters is established

1966 Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie, 17th Earl of Eglinton dies

1967 Mr. J. Hally Brown dies

1968 The book "Skelmorlie" is published.

1970 Dorita Fairlie Bruce dies

1971 Population of Skelmorlie is 1691

1973 23rd March: Fire destroys 1st floor, attic & roof of Bellsfield

1973 The Community Centre is erected

1973 Skelmorlie's water supply is reduced to buckets from a natural spring behind the village as tap water becomes a filthy brown colour

1973 "Maid of Skelmorlie" is disposed

1973 The steamer company joined with David MacBrayne to form Caledonian MacBrayne Caledonian Steam Packet Company

1975 South Western Area Fire Brigade is broken up

1977 introduction of Glen Sannox to provide roll-on, roll-off facilities at pier

1977 Fire at Skelmorlie Hydro Hotel

1980 November: Fire Station moved from Lorne Garage to Innes Park Road. official opening on 4th Nov 1980

1981 Population of Skelmorlie is 1691

1981 Durant's grocer closes

1984 Skelmorlie Hydro Hotel closes (as a residential home for the elderly)

1988 Toward View was built

1988 Wemyss Bay pier rebuilt and clocktower restored

1991 Population of Skelmorlie is 1848

1994 restored Wemyss Bay station celebrations

1999 Skelmorlie Golf Club opens five new holes to complete the 18 hole course

2000 Population of Skelmorlie is 1988