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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Ayrshire => Topic started by: patval on Saturday 15 May 21 13:41 BST (UK)
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The Ligertwood family lived at Mount Hamilton House in St Quivox from 1865/66 to 1908, Alexander Ligertwood was factor for the Auchincruive Estate. I have discovered a Brief History of the house by C. McKellar. This House has now been demolished.
Two of the Ligertwood daughters, Louisa Petrie and Jessie Ann married two Valentine Brothers, Alexander and John, and as such I am researching the family.
I can find numerous photographs of the House in its sad state of disrepair but would like to see the house in its prime. I have tried to find a picture but to no avail, Can anyone find one for me please.
Patricia
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Although not containing any photographs, the following does contain a genealogical table and Census data which may assist in your research:
https://docplayer.net/89947750-Mount-hamilton-house-ayr.html
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Hi, yes that is the Brief History of the House by C McKellar, I found that and was intrigued to see the house as it was, we have a wedding group photo taken in 1890 which shows a very small area at the side, would love to see the house in its hey day,,,
Thanks for responding
Patricia
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Have you tried Ayrshire Archives?
When was the house demolished?
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I haven't tried the Ayrshire archives, will do that thank you.
The property was purchased by the Hannah Research Institute in 1948, following that is was converted into flats for staff and students. eventually closed in 2005. In 2007 it was offered for sale offers around £200.000.... I can't find much else about it.
There is a new build on the site named Mount Hamilton House, part of the old house seems to have been incorporated.
Once again many thanks
Patricia
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I haven't tried the Ayrshire archives, will do that thank you.
Also South Ayrshire Libraries Local Studies collection. Photograph collection and newspaper archives.
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Hi Patricia
Mount Hamilton House has not been demolished. It had a devastating fire a few years ago after it had been sold by the Hannah Research Institute, and was pretty much gutted. It was purchased by a developer and they stripped it back to the original walls, then developed it from there. I have a couple of old photographs of Mount Hamilton House which I will attempt to attach. I'd be really interested to see the wedding photograph that you have from the 1890's! If I can help with anything else, please let me know. Catriona McKellar
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Thought you'd also be interested to know that prior to the fire, on one of the windowsills on the upper floor, there was etched into the leading the name E J Ligertwood with a date. Sadly, that obviously disappeared with the fire but I have a photograph somewhere of it and will try to find it.
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How lovely to hear from you, thank you for the two aerial photographs, very interesting. I believe the wedding photograph was taken at the front of the house as the gravel drive is at the front of the picture... if you can understand that..
E.J. Ligertwood was Eliza Jane born Kilbarchan 02/11/1861 she died in 1941. Eliza was the second child of Alexander Ligertwood who was Factor for the Castle Semple Estate and occupant .of the house and Margaret Caldwell, they had 11 children, mostly female, they had three sons. Alexander Lewis 1869-1902, Thomas William 1871-1872 and one recorded as Infant son c1882. I have attempted to attach the photograph for you.
The two Valentine boys are groom Alexander Gordon Valentine 1855-1892. the young man next to the groom we believe may be Alexander Lewis Ligertwood and stood next to him is Alexander Gordons brother John Valentine. Alexander Gordon married Jessie Anne Ligertwood in 1890 at Mount Hamilton. he died in 1892 they had no children. John married Louisa Petrie Ligertwood in 1895 again at Mount Hamilton. Both were doctors, They had two other brothers James and George, George too was a doctor and he is my husbands great grandfather, George and his wife are in the photograph.
I would be interested to know how you have so much information particularly of the interior of the house, our cousin Rosie lives in Scotland and recently made a trip to see the house but was unable to get too close as renovations were in progress. we would love to know more of this property.
Thank you Patricia
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Hello Patricia
Thank you for the wonderful picture! What a special photograph to have.
My interest in Mount Hamilton came about because my husband became Chief Executive of the Hannah Dairy Research Institute in 2005. When he became Chief Executive, the Mount Hamilton was very run down; it had been divided into flats in the 1960's and had been empty for some time. The Hannah Dairy Research Institute had purchased Mount Hamilton House from the Welbeck Estates, who had purchased it from the Oswalds of Auchincruive. The Hannah had purchased it because they required accommodation for their staff, property being so hard to come by in the 1940's. Although run down in 2005, it could have been a beautiful house, and had a lot of potential. I was fascinated by the house and decided to write the history of it, and being a genealogist, I concentrated mainly on the people who had lived in the house, hence I looked at the Campbells and the Ligertwoods.
It is my belief that Mount Hamilton House was originally the Manse for St Quivox Church because the building that was latterly the Manse, was not built until about 1775 and St Quivox Church has been there since the 13th century. I have seen a letter which was written by Richard Oswald from Mount Hamilton whilst Robert Adam was working on Oswald House at Auchincruive, it appears that Richard Oswald stayed in Mount Hamilton during the works, there was also a suggestion that Robert Adam also stayed there.
I have found the interior photographs that I promised to hunt for (taken just prior to the sale), and I also found one which I hope you like. It is of Mount Hamilton House and stables, and is from the 1880's.
Kind regards
Catriona
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Mount Hamilton House
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Mount Hamilton House
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Mount Hamilton House
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Mount Hamilton
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Main Room
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View from the window
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Main Room
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Staircase
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Window where on the top left hand side, you can see the initials of E J Ligertwood
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Top bedroom
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Gravestone of Alexander Ligertwood in St Quivox Graveyard
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Gravestone of Alexander Lewis Ligertwood
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Gravestone of Alexander and Margaret Ligertwood
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1775 map showing Mount Hamilton
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I have found the interior photographs that I promised to hunt for (taken just prior to the sale), and I also found one which I hope you like. It is of Mount Hamilton House and stables, and is from the 1880's.
Is that stables in reply #11? Is it definitely 1880's?
Admire the staircase but wouldn't have liked to be a housemaid cleaning it.
Is each of those oblong features on the map a house/cottage? Where is the map from?
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Afraid I can't upload the photograph with the stables taken about 1880s, trying to get a more computer tech savvy person (my son) to see if he can reduce the picture size (mb) sufficiently for me to upload it. The map is Armstrong's map of 1775.
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We all need a computer tech son, I have one too. Would love to see the photo c1880 as at that time the Ligertwood family were living there. The other photographs show what a beautiful house it must have been at one time. Thanks also for the gravestone photos, It also confirms 'the infant son' sadly not given a name.
I think the exterior photo you posted shows the outside staircase leading to the upstairs accommodation following its conversion to flats, I believe this is where the wedding photograph was taken in 1890.
I note too that the house was owned by the Welbeck Estates.. such a coincidence as the Welbeck Estate and Abbey are about 20 minute drive from where we live, we visit the Farm Shop regularly. Also to add to coincidence my husband worked for the Worksop Manor Farms which are associated with the Welbeck Estate along with Clumber and Thorsby, these four are classed as the Dukeries, being four adjacent Ducal seats. https://www.welbeck.co.uk/about/the-estate.
Isn't family history full of surprises, I find it fascinating.
So pleased you found my posting.
Patricia
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Sorry Patricia, can't get the photograph attached as it is too big. Is there any other way of sending it to you? Really frustrated that I can't put it on the chat.....
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"E.J. Ligertwood was Eliza Jane born Kilbarchan 02/11/1861 she died in 1941. Eliza was the second child of Alexander Ligertwood who was Factor for the Castle Semple Estate and occupant .of the house and Margaret Caldwell, they had 11 children, mostly female, they had three sons. Alexander Lewis 1869-1902, Thomas William 1871-1872 and one recorded as Infant son c1882."
I have been having a look at my notes about the Ligertwood family Patricia. The infant son that you mentioned was born and died on the 8th of October 1871. He was 1 and a half hours old, and died from premature birth. Poor wee soul.
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So interested in this - especially the wedding photo in front of Mount Hamilton. The bride, Jessie Ann Ligertwood, was my grandmother. After Dr Valentine died, she remarried John Greaves McMyn. (1895). They had three children - the youngest named Alexander Ligertwood McMyn who was my father, and obviously called after Jessie's own father. Is it possible to get a better quality download of the wedding photo?
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Hello, I am a descendant of the Oswalds that owned Auchincruive until the early 1920s. My daughter and I have just started going through a lot of Auchincruive correspondence which is how I found this site. There are letters from Alex Ligertwood, the factor to Auchincruive, to Alexander Oswald concerning rent and plans for the estate etc. Some are written from Mount Hamilton House. I searched the internet for Mount Hamilton and found this site. It will be a long job to work through all the papers, especially to decipher some of the handwriting, but we aim to do it over the next few years. I will certainly post anything of interest that we discover.
Does anyone know why the Ligertwoods left Mount Hamilton in 1908 and, presumably, stopped being the factor at Auchincruive?
Also, the name intrigues me because Hamilton is one of the families the Oswalds married into. Does anyone know why the house was so called?