Kilmarnock Totally Explained

Everything about Kilmarnock totally explained

Kilmarnock (; locally known as Killie) is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,170. It is located roughly between Glasgow and Ayr, and is the largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'.

History

The name comes from the Gaelic cill (kirk), and the name of Saint Marnoch or Mernoc who is also remembered in the name of Portmarnock in Ireland, and Inchmarnock. It may come from the three Gaelic elements mo (my) Earn (name of the saint) and the diminutive ag, giving Church of My Little Earn. It is believed by some that the saint founded a church there in 322. There are 12 Church of Scotland congregations in the town, plus other denominations. In 2005, the Reverend David W. Lacy, minister of the town's Henderson Church, was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
The core of the early town appears to have lain around what is now the Laigh Kirk (Low Church), although the oldest parts of the current building are no earlier than the 17 century, extending north and northwest. A comparatively modest settlement until the industrial revolution, Kilmarnock extended considerably from around 1800 onwards. This resulted in formal, planned developments such as King Street, Portland Street, Saint Marnock Street, and latterly John Finnie Street; the latter often suggested as one of the finest Victorian planned streets in Scotland.

Johnie Walker

History of Johnnie Walker

Originally known as Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky, the brand is a legacy left by John ‘Johnnie’ Walker after he started to sell whisky in his grocer’s shop in Ayrshire, Scotland. The brand became popular, but after Walker's death in 1857 it was his son Alexander Walker and grandson Alexander Walker II who were largely responsible for establishing the whisky as a popular brand. Under John Walker, whisky sales represented eight percent of the firm’s income; by the time Alexander was ready to pass on the company to his own sons, that figure had increased to between 90 and 95 percent.
Prior to 1860 it was illegal to sell blended (malt and grain mixed together) whisky. During that time John Walker sold a number of whiskys — notably his own Walker’s Kilmarnock. In 1865 John’s son Alexander produced their first blend, Walker’s Old Highland.
   Alexander Walker first introduced the iconic square bottle in 1870. The other identifying characteristic of the bottle is the label, which is applied at an angle of 24 degrees.
   From 1906–1909 John’s grandsons George and Alexander II expanded the line and introduced the colour names. In 1908, when James Stevenson was the Managing Director, there was a re-branding of sorts. The whisky was renamed from Walker's Kilmarnock Whiskies to Johnnie Walker Whisky. In addition, the slogan, "Born 1820 – Still going Strong!" was created, along with the Striding Man, a figure used in their advertisements for around fifty years.
   They dropped Johnnie Walker White during World War I. In 1932, Alexander II added Johnnie Walker Swing to the line.
   Johnnie Walker continues to be blended in Kilmarnock, with a large plant just north of the town's railway station. The historic bonded warehouses and company offices (now local authority) can still be seen in Strand Street and John Finnie Street.

Dean Castle

The Castle takes its name from ‘The Dean’ or wooded valley, a common place name in Scotland. However, until about 1700 it was called Kilmarnock Castle. Owned originally by the Boyd family, it has strong historical connections with many people and events famous in Scottish history. Robert the Bruce who gave the Boyds these lands; James III of Scotland whose sister married a Boyd; the Covenanters, some of whom were imprisoned here; Bonnie Prince Charlie, whose rebellion was joined by the 4th Earl of Kilmarnock and Robert Burns who was encouraged to publish his poetry by the Earl of Glencairn who owned the Castle at that time.

Crosshouse (Kilmarnock) Hospital

Crosshouse Hospital is a general hospital serving Kilmarnock, built to replace the old Kilmarnock Infirmary. It is located 1 mile outside the town in the village of Crosshouse, hence the name. It was opened as the North Ayrshire District General Hospital, but professionals soon took to calling it "Nadge," hence the adoption of the local place name.
   In 2006, a new state-of-the-art Maternity Unit was opened in the grounds of the hospital. The "Ayrshire Maternity Unit" replaced a similar unit at Ayrshire Central Hospital, Irvine.
   The Hospital has an active Hospital Radio Station HBSA Hospital Radio which is popular amongst patients.
   It Covers the whole of North Ayrshire & East Ayrshire Areas, Including the isle of arran,

George Hotel

The George Hotel was built in the 19th century and is "B" Listed. It was situated on the land at the top of Portand Street. (This land was once the home of Kilmarnock Bowling Club.) It was one of the top hotels in the area. The George was Kilmarnock's 5-star hotel. The hotel closed in 1920. There were plans for the hotel to be demolished when the Town Council purchased the property, but the plans were changed. The same year as the George Hotel closed part of the building was adapted and used as the George Cinema. The three story building still remains today, the building still looks similar to the way it did in the days of the George Hotel. Nowadays the building is used by Mason Murphy as a furniture shop and the rest of the property is a disco. <

Kilmarnock Academy

Kilmarnock Academy is a comprehensive school, one of several in Kilmarnock, a town in western Scotland. The school can trace its history back to the local burgh school founded in the 1630s. The first school to bear the name was established in 1807. In 1898 the school was moved to its current location. In the early 1900s the school acquired the Kilmarnock Technical School for its use.
Kilmarnock Academy is one of only two schools in the world to have educated two Nobel laureates: Alexander Fleming and John Boyd Orr. The current rectrix of the school is Mrs Carole Ford.

Grange Academy

Grange Academy is a school in Kilmarnock in Ayrshire in Scotland.
In 2003, part of the current Grange Academy was repainted by some of the locals as they believed that the students learning abilities were being effected by the schools distracting red colour. Currently, plans are under way for a new school, to incorporate both Annanhill and Park Primary schools. The Building should be completed by August 2008, and the pupils should move in at that point. Pupils from all three schools will be contained at the same site.

Grange Academy Barclays New Futures Appeal

Grange Academy has always been a school that strives for inclusion. Within the school there's a Visually Impaired Unit, and also a Hearing Impaired Unit. All of these children were often excluded from school activities and so the school's quest for inclusion for all began.
The Hearing Impaired unit took some pupils to London to bid for a £22,500 grant from Barclays New Futures Appeal. The original proposal was written by Christine McLean, Depute Head Teacher at the time. The presentation involved a spoken section, translated into sign language, and a signed section, translated into English. The panel expressed concern at having to rely on an interpreter, which highlighted the trials and tribulations faced by the deaf community through every day life. The group explained that they'd use the cash to provide basic sign language for students so people will be more aware of the deaf community and will be more willing to help any deaf person they come across. This money has been used to run many Level 1 and Level 2 British Sign Language (BSL) classes. These classes were not only for the teachers and pupils of the school, but also for members of the wider community; police, fire-fighters, office workers, the local ned groups and many more
The project has been running since approx. 5 years now and the classes are going from strength to strength. Many of the signing students who sat the Level 1 exam have now gone on to sit the Level 2.

St Josephs Academy

St. Joseph's Academy is a Roman Catholic secondary school in New Farm Loch, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. St. Conval's High School was later annexed with St. Joseph's in October 1998 and became known as St. Joseph's Cumnock Campus. In 2004 however St. Joseph's Cumnock Campus was shut down due to falling attendance figures, and the town's Catholic children now attend the original St. Joseph's Academy in Kilmarnock, which now serves the entire Secondary Catholic population of East Ayrshire.
   The original school dates from 1955 and comprises two large buildings surrounded by an abundance of play areas and playing fields and it contains all the modern facilities required to give young people an education appropriate to their needs.
   There is currently major redevelopment going on within the school grounds with a new school being built in the playing fields. This new build will also incorporate a new primary school, taking the pupils from St. Columba's and St. Matthew's. It is due to open in time for the 2008 school year.
   Currently the school takes its pupils from the local Catholic primary schools, not just from Kilmarnock but the surrounding towns and villages. These schools are:

St. Columba's, St. Matthew's and Mount Carmel in Kilmarnock
St. Sophia's in Galston
St. Patrick's in Auchinleck
St. John's in Cumnock.

Four of the five members of successful rock band The Termites went to St Joseph's Academy during the 1980's.

James Hamilton

James Hamilton Academy is a non-denominational, co-educational, comprehensive school which means that it's open to all boys and girls who live in the area which the school serves. It is located in Sutherland Drive, Kilmarnock, (New Farm Loch), East Ayrshire.
The P.E. Department consists of a Sports Hall, a Gym Hall and changing facilities. There is a large Technical Department, Science Labs, an I.T. Department with new computers, a Library, Maths and English Departments, Music facilities, Home Economics facilities and a Social Subjects Department (Geography, History and Modern Studies).
James Hamilton Academy has a Primary School (New Farm Primary School), and a Nursery (New Farm Nursery).

Geography

Areas of Kilmarnock include:

Altonhill.

Annanhill.

Barnweill.

Beansburn.

Bellfield.

Bonnyton.

Caprington.

Gargieston.

Grange Estate.

Fisher Grange.

Hillhead.

Howard Grange.

Loanhead.

Longpark.

Kirkstyle.

New Farm Loch.

Onthank.

Riccarton.

Shortlees.

Southcraig.

Townholm.

Wardneuk.

Wellpark.

Economy

Kilmarnock's traditional industries were based around textiles and heavy engineering; carpets (manufactured by BMK) from the early 1900s, locomotives (Andrew Barclay and Sons) from 1837 through 1970, and valves (Glenfield and Kennedy) which are still in production.
   The carpets manufactured in Kilmarnock were internationally known for their quality and intricacy since the late 1800s. Many locations around the world chose to install BMK carpets. Famously, RMS Titanic was carpeted using carpets manufactured by Stoddard Carpets, the parent company and successor to BMK. Primarily due to a move by the UK market towards laminated and hard-wood flooring, but also partially due to a long decline in the industry in the area as well as cheaper, but noticeably less hard-wearing foreign competition, carpet-making finally ceased in Kilmarnock in early 2005.
   Archibald Finnie and his family lived at Springhill House (now a nursing home) near the Grange Academy. They owned many coal mines, pits and other companies in Springside and other places. John Finnie Street is named after one of the family. Shoes were also a major product for some time, with Saxone having a factory in the town on the site of where the Galleon leisure centre now stands.
   Kilmarnock had one of the earliest tram railways in the world, running to Troon over the (recently restored) Laigh Milton viaduct. The Glasgow and South Western Railway also set up their works here, producing nearly 400 locomotives by the time it was absorbed by the LMS in 1923. Some work continued, but heavy repairs were sent to Saint Rollox. Locomotive repairs finished in 1952, and the works closed in 1959. Nevertheless locomotives are still made by Hunslett-Barclay, as well as the maintenance of existing diesel and electric multiple units. From 1946 tractors were also built in Kilmarnock, with a large Massey-Harris factory present on the outskirts of the town. It later became Massey-Ferguson, before closing in 1978.
   Glenfield and Kennedy still survives albeit with a fraction of its former workforce, which at its height numbered in the thousands. Kilmarnock however is still home to the world famous Johnnie Walker's brand Scotch whisky. On the outskirts of the town is Scotland's first privately run prison, HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Regeneration

The textile and manufacturing sectors across Scotland suffered significant decline in the postwar period, and in particular from the 1960s, in the face of greater foreign competition. Kilmarnock was no exception, with the closure or significant reduction of many of its traditional large employers: Glenfield and Kennedy, Massey Ferguson, BMK, and Saxone. Although significant attempts have been made to halt this decline and attract new employers, Kilmarnock saw a continuing net loss of jobs in the five years to 2005.
   Although traditionally a main shopping area for most of the surrounding districts, patterns have changed over the last 20 years; traditional centres such as Ayr have been joined by new developments at Braehead and East Kilbride.
   This difficult economic climate is most visible in the town centre, the eastern part of which has been extensively redeveloped, with important historic buildings such as King Street Church and the Town Hall being demolished, and Duke Street (the link from Kilmarnock Cross to the Palace Theatre and out to the London Road) built over.
   More recently Portland Street, which formed the northerly part of the main shopping area, lay abandoned for many years due to a decline in retail trade and in the face of possible comprehensive redevelopment. The street has now been redeveloped, but hasn't yet regained its former degree of popularity, with a Gala Bingo and a J.D. Wetherspoons taking up much of one side of the street and the rest largely occupied by chain stores.
   In 2004, the Rough Guide to Scotland described the town as "shabby and depressed, saddled with some terrible shopping centres and a grim one-way system". The town, however, contains several parks such as Howard Park, Dean Park, and Kay Park, and residential areas including London Road, Dundonald Road, McLelland Drive, and Howard Park Drive. The town also boasts a collection of gift shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants within the very desirable Bank Street area, whilst offering retail options within its retail parks at Queen's Drive and Glencairn Square.
   According to the local press in November 2007, the new SNP council have drawn up a Top Ten Hit List on 'eyesore' buildings in the town, and their owners and have revealed plans to crack down hard on property owners who have left their buildings fall into disrepair. A plan of action is being carried out to get something done with each of these sites. Many of the buildings in disrepair are irreplaceable listed buildings such as the former ABC cinema (previously the King's Theatre) on Titchfield Street.
A four-star hotel recently opened next to Rugby Park, the home of Kilmarnock F.C., and new restaurants, such as Merchants and the award winning Jefferson Restaurant have opened in the town centre.
   Regeneration activities have been discussed for Kilmarnock town centre; in early 2006, an application to Historic Scotland's Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme was successful, and as of July 2006 an application under the Heritage Lottery Fund's Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme was pending. Work has pretty much finished on a quality housing development on the gapsite of the former Kilmarnock Infirmary north of the town centre.
In the past there have been major efforts to improve the quality of life for residents in the town's worst housing estates, especially in parts of Shortlees, Longpark and Onthank. Though the physical rehabilitation of housing in these areas has partly tackled the underlying problems of social exclusion, Onthank is arguably that most successful area of regeneration in question.
Much new quality housing has been constructed on the northern fringes of the town, in order to service the demand for commuter housing. With a journey time of 20 minutes from Kilmarnock to Glasgow (roughly half that of the existing train service), the M77 has transformed the link between Glasgow and Kilmarnock. The upgrading of the A77 route to Glasgow to the M77 motorway in 2005 has made Kilmarnock more accessible for commuters, and recent house price increases have reflected this.

Landmarks

Johnnie Walker; burial place at the kirk yard of Saint Andrew's Glencairn Church.

The Dick Institute.

Kilmarnock War Memorial; Elmbank Avenue (1926-1927), B-listed, architect James Miller.

Dean Castle; the original keep dates from around 1350, and the palace from around 1460.

Burns Monument; from 1879.

Dean Park.

Kay Park; the 30 acre park was purchased, laid out, and gifted to the town by Alexander Kay. It opened in 1879 and is the home of the Burns Monument.

Howard Park Kilmarnock; previously 'Barbadoes Green', to where the roots of Kilmarnock Football Club can be traced back. "Lady's Walk in Howard Park commemorates the grief-stricken walks taken by the young widow of The Earl of Kilmarnock who was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered in London in 1746, later commuted to beheading. His widow sadly died a year after his execution.

Kilmarnock railway viaduct; built between 1843 and 1850.

Kilmarnock railway station; from 1846.

The Laigh Kirk and Kirkyard.

Sandbed Street Bridge; circa 1762; the oldest surviving bridge in Kilmarnock.

Palace Theatre; the imposing Corn Exchange, whose red-sandstone Italianate tower, by James Ingram, dominates the cross at London Road and Green Street, was opened on 16 September 1863 as a multi-use concert hall.

Kings Hotel.

George Hotel.

Bank Street.

John Finnie Street; from 1864.

King Street; from 1804.

Clydesdale Bank; from 1975.

Kilmarnock Cross.

Transport

Kilmarnock and Troon Railway opened, mainly to carry coal from the area to the harbour at Troon, but also carrying passengers.
   In 1904, Kilmarnock had its own tramway system built. The name of the company was Kilmarnock Corporation Tramways. An electric power station was built in the south bank of the River Irvine at Riccarton. Overhead power lines and tram lines were laid. With continued upgrading and expansion, the tram network at its peak went from Ayr Road in Riccarton at its southerly point, to Knockinlaw Road in Beansburn in the North. At Kilmarnock Cross, the line had an easterly spur that stretched along London Road, through Crookedholm and finally terminating at Hurlford. There had been proposed extensions along Portland Road, up John Finnie Street, West Langlands Street and eventually towards Crosshouse, but by this time, increasing costs and the far more flexible motor bus had made inroads and the trams ceased operation in 1926 during the General Strike. The council decided not to restart the service and the infrastructure was soon dismantled. Today the town is served by Kilmarnock railway station.
   Kilmarnock has excellent road links to Glasgow, with the most recent via the M77. The latest upgrade was instigated in 2004, and involved extending the M77 a further 9 miles (15 km) south to the village of Fenwick, near Kilmarnock. This replaced the dangerous 4-lane unsegregated dual carriageway of the A77 that dropped to a two lane single carriageway for the bend just north of the Mearnskirk turn-off, and the A77/B764 (Eaglesham) junction (causing vehicles to queue dangerously on the outside lane on a bend to enter the B764 from the south) which were prone to fatal accidents. The scheme also included the Glasgow Southern Orbital (GSO) which bypasses the B764 Eaglesham Moor road to East Kilbride. It was completed in April 2005.
In 2006, Junction 2 was rebuilt in conjunction with the building of the adjacent Silverburn Shopping Centre. The northbound off-ramp and southbound on-ramp are now routed via the access roundabout to the shopping centre.
   Much of the original section of the A77 that carried the traffic now accommodated by the M77 has been converted into a two lane single carriageway and a parallel cyclepath.
   Kilmarnock lies on the main road between Edinburgh, Livingston, South Lanarkshire, and Ayrshire (Irvine).

Education

Kilmarnock has 17 schools; 13 primary and four secondary. There is also a college in the town, Kilmarnock College, formerly Kilmarnock Technical College. The secondary schools are:

Kilmarnock Academy.

Saint Joseph's R.C. Academy.

Grange Academy.

James Hamilton Academy. The primary schools are:

Saint Columba's R.C. Primary.

Saint Matthews R.C. Primary.

Mount Carmel R.C. Primary.

Loanhead Primary.

Hillhead Primary.

Kirkstyle Primary.

Bellfield Primary.

Shortlees Primary.

Silverwood Primary.

New Farm Primary.

Annanhill Primary.

Gargieston Primary.

Onthank Primary.

Sports

The town is host to a football club named Kilmarnock F.C., the oldest professional club in Scotland. Their home ground is the curiously named Rugby Park. The reason for the name of the ground is that when founded, the club played both football and rugby. The club has the largest supporter base of any team outwith Scotland's four major cities. Rugby Park was also one of the first football grounds in Scotland to have floodlights installed. In recent years the stadium has been modernised, firstly to bring it in line with the all-seating regulations, then rebuilt totally to make a new ground. It has also hosted international football matches as well as music concerts, the most recent one was when Elton John performed here in June 2005. Derek Olgavie is also a regular appearance in the Palace Theatre.
   The town also regularly plays host to professional wrestling shows, promoted by the British Championship Wrestling promotion.
   There are two golf courses in the town, Annanhill Golf Course and Caprington Golf Course, which has both an 18 hole course and a nine hole course. Both these courses are council owned and run by East Ayrshire Council.
   The local leisure complexes include the Galleon Centre: with a 25 metre swimming pool, baby pool, ice rink, squash courts, sauna, gym, games hall, bar area, bowling green and the New Northwest Centre (formerly the Hunter Centre) which contains an up-to-date community gym and various local medical facilities.
   A leisurely stroll around the town will reveal many fine buildings. Kilmarnock boasts a large number of listed buildings. The Dick Institute, opened in April 1901, was severely damaged by fire only eight years after it opened. Some of the museums collections were lost in the fire. It reopened two years after the fire in 1911. The Dick Institute was used as an Auxiliary Hospital in 1917 during World War One.It is now shared by the Arts and Museums Service, and the Libraries, Registration and Information Service. The two Art Galleries and three Museum Galleries house permanent and temporary displays of Fine Art, Contemporary Art and Craft, Local and Industrial History and Natural Sciences. The Lending Library, Audio Library, Junior Library, Reference Library, and Learning Centre are all housed on the ground floor.

Kilmarnock FC

Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" are the oldest professional club in Scotland. Home matches are played at Rugby Park. They are currently members of the Scottish Premier League and are managed by Jim Jefferies.

History

The club's foundation dates to the very earliest days of organised football in Scotland, when a group of local cricketers looking for a sporting pursuit to occupy them outwith the cricket season formed a football club in 1869. Originally they played rugby rules, but the difficulty in organising fixtures and the growing influence of Queen's Park F.C. soon persuaded them to adopt the association code instead. These origins are reflected to this day by the name of the club's home ground - Rugby Park.

Culture

The first collection of work by Scottish poet Robert Burns, Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect was published here in 1786. It was published at the current site of the Burn's Mall, dedicated to his work. This edition is known as the Kilmarnock Edition.
Two areas of Kilmarnock, Ellerslie and Riccarton, are associated with William Wallace and his father. Claims have been made that this is the true origin of his birthplace, and recently these have been largely substantiated. The claim that Wallace was born in Elderslie near Paisley no longer seems tenable.
John Bowring, renowned polyglot and fourth governor of Hong Kong, was Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock in 1835.
In the castle of Kilmarnock, Dean Castle, there's an exhibition of armour and weapons, and the Van Raalte collection of musical instruments

Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club

Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club is to be found on the outskirts of Troon, Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland and has been offering the golfer a magnificent links golf challenge for over an hundred years. Formed as Ossington Golf Club in 1887, the first course was at Holmes Farm in Kilmarnock. The Club quickly became Kilmarnock Golf Club. The club moved to Barassie in the 1890s.
   The town of Kilmarnock boasts a proud sporting heritage with some of the oldest football, rugby, cricket and bowling clubs in Scotland and the UK. It is therefore unsurprising that one of the country's most well known clubs originated there. (See Kilmarnock FC ; Kilmarnock RFC)
   The course itself is a Open Championship Final Qualifying venue with a well deserved reputation for some of the best maintained greens in Scotland. The club has undergone considerable changes over the past few years and not only has twenty seven holes with which to test the golfer but also has much improved facilities in the clubhouse and professional's shop.
   The additional nine holes are part of the championship course and have added a different dimension to Barassie with a Par of 72 and a Standard Scratch of 74. The course measures at just under 7000 yards and the new holes provide some wonderful challenges perhaps no more so than the par 3 fourth hole or the quirky double dog leg par 5 eighth.
   The course is tough, but is typically what Scottish Links golf is about - large undulating greens, deep bunkers and doglegs. The course has generated some excellent publicity in recent years having been host for the British Amateur Championships in June 2001 along with Prestwick Golf Club and played host to the European Youths Championships the previous year. The Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2004 saw Barassie play host to the Junior Open Championship Well known members include Alan Bruce, Jim Milligan and Gordon Sherry who played in successful Walker Cup teams and Alan Reid who was the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay Champion. Milligan was Scottish Amateur Champion in 1988 whilst Sherry was The Amateur Champion in 1995. Alasdair Watt was Scottish Amateur runner up in 1987, losing to one Colin Montgomerie of Royal Troon Golf Club. John Montgomerie won the Scottish Amateur in the 1950s. As well as being Scottish Club Champions, Barassie have also been European Club Champions in the 1990s.

Kilmarnock Conservative Club

Is a Conservative club based in Kilmarnock and Ayr scotland

Kilmarnock RFC

Kilmarnock Rugby Football Club was founded in 1868. They play in the BT National Leagues of Scottish Rugby. Their ground is at Bellsland, Queens Drive, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.
   One of the oldest Rugby Union clubs in Scotland, Kilmarnock Football Club owes its existence to KRFC as an internal dispute about which football rules to adopt resulted in a breakaway in early 1869 by those more willing to play Association Football.
   Interestingly, the town of Kilmarnock also boasts one of Scotland’s oldest cricket clubs, oldest golf clubs (based at Barassie in Troon) and the oldest bowling club in Scotland. Indeed, the rules of lawn bowls in play today are those first implemented in Kilmarnock. Truly a town with a proud sporting heritage.
   KRFC’s long history has been one of varied success and interesting stories.
   When the Scottish National Leagues were introduced in 1973, Killie were, much to their annoyance, placed in the 3rd Division by the Scottish Rugby Union. This was promptly won that season without loss. The following season saw Killie being runners up in Division 2, gaining promotion to the top league. They remained there until 1981 after which a period of promotion and relegation between the 1st and 2nd Divisions was the norm.
   In 1978, Killie achieved their highest league position by finishing 3rd in Division 1. In 1986, Killie were the only team to beat the mighty Hawick as they swept all aside to win yet another Championship.
   Since the change in league structure to embrace professionalism, Killie have struggled to hold onto their better players and now languish in Division 2 of the BT National Leagues, effectively the old Division 5. A sad place for a proud and successful club to be.
   An interesting tale surrounds the first recorded use of air travel by a club when some players chartered a plane to fly to Jedburgh to fulfil a fixture some 50 years ago. It is also likely that Killie took part in the first floodlit rugby match at Rugby Park, now the home of Kilmarnock FC.
   There is also a school of thought that South African team Transvaal, now the Lions, adopted the famous Kilmarnock strip of white top with red hoop as a Kilmarnock member, a Dr Frew, was a driving force behind their formation in 1889.
   Kilmarnock had a reputation in the 1960's & 70's of producing top class seven a side teams who won many tournamnets in the west of Scotland. This form was sadly never taken into the Border's Sevens Circuit in the 70's & 80's when Killie were a regular feature in all the most prestigious events.
   Players to have played for Scotland whilst at Kilmarnock are Andrew Ross and Bill Cuthbertson. Andrew toured with the British Lions in 1924 while Bill was part of the 1984 Grand Slam winning team. Bill also played for Barbarians FC while at Killie. Other players of note to have played for Killie include; Niven Rose, Hugh McHardy, Ian Blake, Derek Stark, John Robertson, Derek Martin, Brian Gilbert, John McHarg, Gavin Angus, Hugh Hamilton, Stewart Porter, Scott Grant, Hugh Parker, Dougie Smith, David Gray and Iain Coull.

Notable people

Ian Deans; notable Scottish-Canadian NDP politician representing Hamilton, Ontario.

William and John Sloane; founders of W. & J. Sloane in New York City.

Margaret McDowall; member of the Scottish swimming team and silver medal winner at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Hugh McIlvanney; sports journalist.

William McIlvanney; writer, born 1936.

Sir John Boyd Orr; biologist, politician and Nobel Peace Prize-winner.

Robert Dunsmuir; Hudson Bay Company coal miner and then coal baron, richest man in western Canada and builder of Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle; born at Hurlford, southeast of Kilmarnock.

Scottish Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie (of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" fame) spent the first several years of his life in Kilmarnock (born 1957, emigrated 1964).

Malcolm Wallace; father of Scotland's hero, William Wallace, was born in Riccarton.

James Robinson; played William Wallace as a boy in the motion picture Braveheart.

Malky McCormick; cartoonist.

Jamie Allan Kerr; master craftsman.

Lindsay McKenzie; actress.

Doctor William Findlay (pen name George Umber); author.

Twin towns

Alès, France.

Herstal, Belgium.

Kulmbach, Germany.

Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain.

Sukhumi, Georgia.Further Information

Get more info on 'Kilmarnock'.

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