On reading The Gourock, by George Blake it states that Adam Birkmyre never married. On looking at other documents including details taken from old news papers and grave stones it mentions his "wife" Isabella Aitken. She is detailed as this on the grave stone they share and although they might never have married in the death notice she is given the title of his wife. She did die at Shalott. It is possible that due to attitudes and standards of the day that the fact they never married was slightly "hidden". I have no reason to believe there was any children from this relationship.
1838-1900
William Birkmyre provided the town with much needed recreational ground in the form of Birkmyre Park in Port Glasgow. In 1895 he bought ground near Glenpark House and turned it into a park providing a bowling green and swings for the children. This park was like many things in the town, situated on a hill and offered open views across the water in what would have been a very rural setting at the time before houses started to be built up around it.The park was opened on 13th July 1895.
After spending some time in India he became the MP for the Burgh of Ayr . He took little to do with the company and concentrated more on his political career.
1848-1906
This brother was responsible it is believed for all the foreign travel and overseas development of the family business. He is not mentioned in the family 'books' for the company.
He was a generous benefactor to Kilmacolm and donated to them Birkmyre Park in the middle of the town. He also paid for reading rooms and the library in Kilmacolm.St Jame's Church which still stands on the way into the village was given money towards a bell. His initial gift was to be a set of bells but this was thought to have too much of a "Catholic" assosiation. It was communicated to Adam that they would rather have a single bell in keeping more with the Presbyterian tradition. "Very well" he was to shout "they will have the loudest bloody bell in Kilmacolm!" and by all accounts it is!
The Birkmyre Family
Shallott in Kilmacolm which is now part of St Columba's School. Adam died in Switzerland while on holiday on the 22nd May 1906
He died at the hotle de Louvre et de la Paix, Marseilles on 19th April 1900.
There is a large collection of letters that were sent to him (nearly 100) held at the McMasters Library in Canada. The album contains these letter and two photographs and have been pasted into a book.
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This page contains details of a few of the Birkmyre family who had the most influence on Port Glasgow.
1834-1909
John Birkmyre was one of the third generation to be involved with Port Glasgow and the Gourock Rope Works.
He was described as the quietest of the brothers and was responsible for the gift to the town of the Broadstone Jubilee Hospital. An initial contribution of £10.000 rose until the final figure of £40,000.
The hospital was formally opened by Lady Alice Shaw Stewart on October 24th 1907, and on the day a set of two gold master keys were presented to the to Mr Birkmyre and his wife as a mark of the towns appreciation and to celebrate their Golden Wedding.
He was also involved in the running of The Bouverie Street Sunday School, this was a job that was to take up 48 years of his life and he only stopped this, the year before his death. Every year he opened up the grounds of his home for the children of the school to have their annual summer picnic.
Not wanting to be left out Mrs J Birkmyre was also in the habit of donating money and time. She on one occasion donated £1.804 to the Hamilton church which they used to install a church organ in 1900.
Throughout the books I have read I have never once seen this lady referred to as anything other than Mrs John Birkmyre of Broadstone.
This would have been the grounds of Broadstone House which later became Broadstone Hospital and is now being redeveloped and turned into flats, with additional new homes being built on the surrounding land.
This page last modified on Tuesday, January 16, 2007
