Ralph Millar Kirby

1906 – 1992

Ralph Kirby after winning the OAP Cup at Prestwick St Cuthberts Golf Club early 1970’s. He was at one stage the oldest ever winner.

INTRODUCTION and EARLY LIFE

RALPH MILLER KIRBY was born on the19^th September 1906 in West Sanquar Road, Ayr. His father was John Kirby who was born on the 8th of  January 1861 in Burrows Terrace, Pembrey, Wales. John married Jane Miller on the 31^st of July 1903 at 26 Duke Street Ayr. This was not his first marriage however, though this was not properly known. It was thought they were in England and not even Jane seems to have known they were as close at hand, hard though it may seem to believe. His first marriage was to Elizabeth Taylor from Troon, of a highly respected Ayr family. 

Ralph’s father was a Seaman and is shown in the various Birth, Marriage and death certificates as either a Seaman or fisherman. What he is thought to have been is a Seaman and he would wait about on shore until a boat came in hiring sailors. He is supposed to have worked out of Ayr to Campbelltown. Quite what he would have been carrying but Coal and whisky were two such traffics. The family moved to Troon and lived in 2 Barrassie Street.

Ralph had two brothers John the eldest born on the 5^th of August 1904 in 2 Barassie Street Troon. Alfred was the youngest and was born on the 29^th of  July 1910 at 61 Green Street Ayr. He died aged two at  "Montclair" in Monkton Road,  Prestwick.

About 1910 his father John walked out the house and was never seen again. The reasons for his ‘disappearance’ are not known although a more detailed record of this is in John’s own history. Ralph never really remembered his father as I asked him and some of his children. It is not really surprising because he was only about 4 at the time. His father’s job at sea would have meant he was a way from home a lot. How much can you remember before you were 5? He was not aware of the research I was doing or have done since he died, but, he knew his father was not Scottish and was probably Cornish. I believe he new he had step sisters and relatives in England. He always seemed fairly interested. This itself sent me initially in the wrong direction searching in England, although John Kirby lived his early life in Wales and Cornwall.

Rea Kirby knew what happened to the family after his father’s disappearance. They moved to Prestwick. His mother, Jane Miller, was very resourceful  and went to work for a Doctor. With much help from Agnes Miller, his Aunt, they moved to 'Witchie Lyn' number 19 Midton Road and eventually to Monkton Road and then on to 'Aldersyde' in Monkton Road.

Rea on her Dads shoulders

MONKTON ROAD

Aldersyde, is the name of a large late Victorian Sandstone fronted semi detached Villa in Monkton Road, Prestwick. I stayed there many times. It had 3 bedrooms a spacious front room and a large family room used for dinner. A large stepped kitchen with separate larder and Coal Room went off the back. The front faced west and had large storm doors as well as inside door. The storm doors were huge and closed every night. During the day because of the large windows the house was quite light but at night it was pitch black, There was a long hallway leading from the front door which lead to a large wooden staircase. The staircase was partially carpeted held in place with Brass stair rods. The staircase was in two sections. The landing in the middle had a large grandfather clock with an eerie loud tick, which with the dark, the old ladies living there was very frightening to a young child at night. The clock guarded the entrance to the bathroom. At night I think the fear that ensued, along with the cold, was the cause of much incontinence! A large front garden and matching rear garden with wooden Greenhouse and painted wooden Garden shed. The bottom of the garden was full of raspberry bushes, strawberries. The Greenhouse was full of flowers often geraniums and also Tomatoes. What made the house worth staying in was the view from the front. I was always interested in transport. The house overlooked the Firth of Clyde, beyond the Golf Course, with beautiful views of Goat Fell on Arran and the Lady Isle, a small rocky outcrop with a bird sanctuary with lighthouse off Troon. (My Great Uncle Will Young looked after the light as well as being skipper of the Troon Lifeboat.). Ships could be seen going up and down the Firth. Better than that, The Ayr to Glasgow Road ran at the bottom of the garden. In the 1960s before Prestwick Airport extent ion was built, the road crossed the runway. When Planes came in to land the road was closed. During the summer long queues as far back as Ayr ensued as the number of flights increased and Glasgow holidaymakers headed for Prestwick and Ayr beaches. Planes could be seen landing and taking off from the airport although it was not very noisy as the house was out of the flight path.

A bit further away in full view was the Glasgow to Ayr Railway very busy but particularly busy with Holiday specials train in the summer from all over central Scotland and on race days at Ayr Racecourse. Many steam engines were to be observed up to 1967. A small branch line came off the main line and went to Glenburn Colliery two or three houses down. Great fun was to be had watching trains reversing off the main line and passing under the bridge on the road. This could be a Stanier 'Black 5' or a Hughes ‘Crab’ or a BR Standard with a rake of Coal trucks. The Ayrshire coalfield generated lots of freight traffic on the Railway. The passenger service Ayr - Glasgow ran every 30 minutes each direction with some trains extending to Stranraer. Additionally there was an hourly service to Kilmarnock via Troon and Brassie. The Paddy the Euston – Stranraer Boat train was often routed this way.

Ralph went to Prestwick High School (later Acandemy) which was regarded the best school in Prestwick. He is supposed to have done well particularly at maths. This probably was true, as his first job was in a Bank. At the end of the First World War he was only 12.

MARRIED LIFE

After leaving school he met and then married Isabella Higgins Carson on the 31^st of  December 1927 in Prestwick, Ayrshire,  daughter of John Carson and Annie Somerville. She came from Ladykirk a lovely hamlet in the country, at the back of Monkton, on the Tarbolton Road. Most people who new her referred to her as Belle.

His first job was in a bank, which he did not like because as the youngest member he had to make the tea and other menial tasks. He worked in Mithchells of Ayr (Butchers and ham curers in Ayr) in the Accounts department. he then went as an apprentice to a painting and decorating firm in Prestwick. he served several years in his apprentiship but the owner committed suicide and all records of his apprentiship were destroyed by the owner along with all other business of the firm. (possible finacial trouble). he coul;d not finish his apprentiship as there was no evidence of time served.

They moved to Glasgow where he had a job possibly painting. They lived initially in Govan near Ibrox off the Broomloan where Rea was born on the 14^th of May 1928 at  8 Osborne Place, Govan, Glasgow. When Rea was about sixteen  months they moved to a tenement in Allison Street on the South Side at Pollockshaws near Victoria Park. This was a respectable area in its time although it later went downhill. Today it is quite a sought after spot for the young up and coming in an area of continuing changing fortunes.

Their second child John Carson Miller Kirby was born on. the 23^rd of February 1930, at 5 Manson Avenue, Prestwick.

The third and fourth children, Ralph Miller Kirby, was born on the 30^th November 1931, 381 Allison Street, GLASGOW.

And Sybil Carson Kirby, born on the 8^th of December 1937.

My Grandfather spoke to me about life in Glasgow during the 1930’s. There are lots of books which can give a better picture of Glasgow life at that time. He was laid off work his work during this period of mass unemployment. He was always politically aware and always took great interest in current affairs. Until retirement he was a pro Labour man and was a staunch Trade Unionist taking an active part. During the 1930’s he went to seen all the great orators at Glasgow Green Including Keir Hardie and people like Hugh Macdiarmott.

When Rea was 5 she had an operation on her neck in Victoria Infirmary. She moved to live with her Gran Kirby in "Witchie Lyn" in Prestwick, because of health problems. She remained there for the rest of her unmarried life.

The rest of the Family moved back to Prestwick in 1939 and lived in rooms at Boydfield Avenue until they moved to Raith Avenue and later Marchburn Avenue Prestwick about 194.9 Rea never went back to stay with her parents as she was settled in her school. Marchburn was a new council scheme in Prestwick. Belle (Gran) did not like the first house they lived in so she got an exchange and they moved into 29 Marchburn Avenue a spacious 3 bedroom Semi.

Sheena Miller Kirby was born on the 3^rd of July 1939, at Seafield Hospital, AYR.

Arnold Kirby, the youngest, was born on the 17^th of  January 1942 at BUCKREDDAN, KILWINNING.

SECOND WORLD WAR

At the outbreak of the Second World War Ralph was only 33. He wanted to join the Navy however he failed the medical because of his  eyesight. It shows that the navy tradition still featured high in the family and this tradition followed in his son Arnold who joined the Fleer Air Arm. I too at one stage thought of being a PTI in the Navy. During the War he went to London and served as I am not sure yet. He was also in Portsmouth and worked in his off time on Rescue Work.                 

POST WAR YEARS

Ralph was a keen Golfer and had a handicap of about 2 when in 1950 he had a serious accident at Prestwick Airport. By this time he had a job as at Prestwick Airport in the 'Duty Crew' department.A KLM "Skymaster" plane hit him and another man while they were marshalling it in and preparing the steps for the descent of passengers. The Planes brakes failed and went out of control swinging round and hitting the two men . The other man was not as seriously injured but Ralph nearly lost his arm, which was sliced by a propeller the story made the national daily's. See Ayrshire Post 22/12/1950 Page 9.

He made a good recovery, but lost mobility and his arm was left badly scarred. This did not stop his Golf and he nearly reduced his handicap to the pre accident level. He was a member of St Cuthbert’s Club. And played into his 80’s. He played competitions and won a number most notably the over 65’s and was the oldest winner when he last won.

RETIREMENT

When he retired he did a bit of work as a painter and decorator. He also delivered the Post for quite a long time too. He was very good at this and took great pride in doing this in his own home right up until he died.

He and his wife lived with Sheena.. When Belle died on the 8^th of May 1985, of  an  Aortic Aneurysm, he learned to cope on his own with Sheena. This was hard as Belle looked after the major household chores, washing, cooking and ironing. When he was xx he went into hospital and had an operation on bowel cancer, which was very successful. He was a hard worker particularly in the garden. He was very fit right up to the end. He suffered a serious stroke in 1992, which he started to recover from slowly. He went into the Biggart Home to convalesce and signs of speech and memory were coming back but he died shortly afterwards of Pneumonia on the 4^th of July 1992 in Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland.

CHARACTER

He liked music and played the Piano. In the 1930’s he had his own band and I have seen a photograph of this. The Band was known as the Alabama Jazz Band and most of its members came from Prestwick. Ralph played Piano. During his younger life it is remembered that he was rather abrupt. Mr Rea a family friend told him “Ralph, you have an unfortunate manner”. That may be the case, it is also something else to tell somebody that! My recollections of him are that he had a low tolerance level of what he regarded as stupidity or foolish behaviour.

To summarise his character he was a man’s man. He liked sport particularly Golf and Cricket and to a lesser extent football. Although he liked children he preferred older children who were more serious. He liked particularly cheese and when the opportunity arose a drink, something that would have been frowned upon by his parents, well, his mother at least. On special occasions was known to take a bit more. He loved malt whisky particularly along with a beer. He was not religious and rebelled against the more staunch Brethren ideology he was brought up with. He liked gardening and always kept a neat garden. He was financially shrewd and bought and sold shares long before it was popular. After retiring he became a staunch Tory supporter especially of Margaret Thatcher. This was contrary to the politics of the area although Ayr was one of the last Tory strongholds in Scotland before a Scottish Parliament was formed. He was a big reader usually historical in nature and Biography. He enjoyed walking down into Prestwick for messages and a Newspaper. He always read a quality daily. He was totally opposed to Scottish Nationalism I would suggest this was because he was more ‘conservative’ even as a Labour supporter and therefore more unionist. Being brought up in the Brethren tradition he would have been Non Conformist in nature. Anyone reading this with an English slant may not understand the West of Scotland Protestant/Catholic- Rangers/Celtic influence not so removed from Ulster. He definitely was not an Orangeman but I am sure, that although not active, may have been in the Masonic Lodge at some time. He was generous and always had pocket money for children. Although he liked children he never really played with them and expected them to be more serious and responsible more like young adults.

FAMILY EVENTS AND MEMORIES

In earlier days one of his party pieces was "The Shooting of Dan McGraw" written by Robert W Service. He always gave a good rendition by request.

I remember well their Golden Wedding 50^th wedding, which the family gathered at the families’ favourite Hotel, "The Parkstone", in Prestwick. All the family attended except probably Jack.

Shortly before his final illness he went to Oxford for his daughter Rea’s Ruby wedding. The Evening was held at the Pressed Steel Club at Cowley in Oxford. He really enjoyed himself and danced most of the night. He made a remarkable speech, which was enjoyed by all and was most amusing and entertaining. He always enjoyed speaking when the opportunity arose although Belle was often embarrassed and he got a good telling off afterwards by her. He also enjoyed a good drink that night. Following this visit I drove him back to Scotland in a Hired Minibus along with a number of other family members. When he was taken ill I visited him on a couple of occasions at the Ailsa Hospital outside Ayr. As he was recovering we went on holiday to Mousehole in Cornwall. Whilst there, we were contacted of his death. After much deliberation we decided that knowing him he would rather we finished our holiday than cut it short. He was cremated at Ayr crematorium, as was his wife previously. Following his death the 'old scary grandfather clock' from Monkton Road, passed to Miller who I believe sold it. I was offered a small memento and chose his Johnny Walker Black Label Cuff Links. These have little value other than representing in my mind many of the things he valued in life.

He came to our Wedding in Oxford in 1980 with Gran. I do not remember very much about his part as so much happened that day. Again many of the Kirby’s gathered that day.

The family also gathered at Machermore Castle at the end of May 1981 near Newton Stewart for Aunt Agnes Miller's 100^th birthday and on many of the five subsequent ones. Ralph made many visits to Aunt Agnes who he was close too particularly after the death of his mother. He did most of the looking after of the house and garden at Monkton Road in before Aunt Agnes put herself in the Brethren Home.

I drove him to Scotland in Mini once. There is a funny story of a toilet stop at a public convenience in Birmingham but it is better kept for the pub and a few drinks!

While he was working at Prestwick Airport he regularly flew to London on business and came to stay with us in Oxford for short periods of time.