Frank Beattie - Böcker

Local Author Frank Beattie is known for his popular local history column, 'Memories; in the Kilmarnock Standard as well as having written several books on various aspects of the town's history. In his new book, Post-War Kilmarnock, Frank Beattie discusses the dramatic changes which have taken place in the decades since the Second World War and the developments that have transformed the town in a period which has seen the decline of traditional industries and the rise of multinational corporations. Also included are images of transport, industry and leisure as well as monuments, churches, houses and the varying street scenes of the author's home town. Illustrated with 250 intriguing pictures, including old postcards, advertisements and ephemera, this insightful and informative book is sure to appeal to anyone who grew up in Kilmarnock or has ties with this rapidly changing town.

Kilmarnock is the largest town in Ayrshire and a major centre for the west of Scotland. It expanded hugely during the Industrial Revolution and in recent decades has rebuilt itself extensively, streets and structures built by Victorian planners being replaced with new shopping areas and buildings. Many of the manufacturing industries which had characterised Kilmarnock have closed in this period, from locomotive engineering, carpet making and agricultural machinery with Massey Ferguson, to Saxone shoes and Johnnie Walker whisky. The town has had to generate a new economy in recent years with the centre and housing areas being redeveloped.Lost Kilmarnock presents a portrait of this town in Ayrshire over the last century to recent decades that has radically changed or disappeared today, showing not only industries and buildings that have gone but also people and street scenes, many popular places of entertainment and much more. This fascinating photographic history of lost Kilmarnock will appeal to all those who live in the area or know it well, as well as those who remember it from previous decades.

Kilmarnock is the largest town in Ayrshire. For much of its history it was a market town serving the surrounding area, but during the Industrial Revolution it became a manufacturing centre. Connected to the harbour at Troon and later Glasgow by the new railway network, coal, goods and passengers were transported to and from Kilmarnock. The town grew rapidly, swallowing neighbouring villages, and became known for businesses such as Johnnie Walker, Saxone Shoes, BMK Carpets and Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. locomotive builders. Although many of these businesses have now disappeared, Kilmarnock has diversified and regenerated, and in this book local journalist, historian and author Frank Beattie explores lesser-known aspects of the town’s past, highlighting its strong cultural and industrial heritage.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Kilmarnock will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Ayrshire.

Every town and city has great stories to tell. They all have local heroes and terrific tales about the people and industries of the area. In this book, Frank Beattie has tapped into the rich history of history of his native Kilmarnock and has brought together a wide selection of fantastic facts, which cover not just the nationally important events such as one of the world's first timetabled railway passenger services, but the quirky, like the fact that Kilmarnock celebrates Halloween on the last Friday of October rather than 31 October, like everyone else. In The Kilmarnock Fact Book you will learn about great industries such as Johnnie Walker, Saxone and BMK, which were all founded in Kilmarnock, and also about people like Sandy McCrone, a blind man who climbed up the scaffold around a church and stuck a potato on the beak of the weathercock just to win a bet.

Located in the heart of Ayrshire, Kilmarnock was once considered its industrial powerhouse. It was little more than a large village until the start of the nineteenth century. In 1812 Kilmarnock was linked to the new harbour at Troon by railway. This established Kilmarnock as an engineering centre, which led to new companies being formed from the old cottage industries. Locomotives were built in Kilmarnock by several companies, the most prominent being Andrew Barclay Sons & Co., and Glenfield & Kennedy grew to be one of the biggest suppliers of all manner of hydraulic engineering. Kilmarnock’s most famous product is no longer made in the town, but sales of Johnnie Walker whisky are worth more than £1 billion a year.Of course, it’s not all hard work and no play. Kilmarnock has pleasant parks and an outstanding country park. The area has produced people who have pushed the boundaries of science and have helped to build new nations. In this book local journalist, historian and author Frank Beattie explores the town’s past through a collection of vintage and modern postcards that help to tell the story of his home town.