Spotlight on Troon @ Ayrshire Family History Society

Troon @ Ayrshire Family History Society is an active and friendly society which welcomes family history researchers from around the world.

As is the case with many other Family History Societies, the Troon Society started with several like-minded people all with a desire to search their own family history. They had a variety of many different places of origin that they knew of, literally from every corner of Scotland, but also from England, Ireland and Wales as well as Australia. Now the membership reaches out to Canada, the USA, New Zealand and Spain.

A retired school teacher, Mr Walter Clearie, had decided to research the history of Troon’s families. He started looking at monumental inscriptions in various graveyards in and around Troon, Dundonald and Crosbie being just two of them. He was particularly interested in the period 1788 to 1830 and produced reports which have been invaluable to the Society.

The first journal was printed in January 1990 and the Society was known as the Troon and District Family History Society. By 1999 it had been decided that a new look should be given to the Journal’s front cover as well as a slightly altered name for the Society to give a modern 21st century appeal. The Society’s name changed to Troon @ Ayrshire Family History Society and the journal frontage rearranged to depict a sailing ship, a tree, two books and a computer.

MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS

One activity that the members have been busy doing is recording monumental inscriptions. Members have completed those at Troon, Auld Alloway, Ayr Auld Kirk, Coylton, Craigie, Crosbie Kirk, Dankeith, Dundonald, Girvan Old Graveyard, Monkton & Prestwick, Monkton Churchyard, Newton Green, Old Dailly & New Dailly, Secessionist, Shewalton, Six Kyle Graveyards, St Nicholas Prestwick, St Quivox, Symington, Wallacetown.

The group is now working on Ayr Holmston. This involves someone reading and recording the inscriptions, followed by a different member checking what had been recorded, followed by printing these inscriptions on paper and on CD. The group has books and CDs for sale with all this information and many are sent out to all corners of the globe.

Meetings are monthly from September to the following June and include speakers, visits to places of interest and joint meetings with the other Ayrshire Societies. The trips have taken members to the Ayr Carnegie Library, the Mitchell Library, the Burns Monument Centre in Kilmarnock, the Paisley Shawl Museum, Register House in Edinburgh and many more interesting venues.

Having a stall, as the group does, at many local history fairs throughout central Scotland is always beneficial, and it gives the members a chance to meet with other like-minded people, as well as gleaning information about different subjects relating to discovering their ancestors.

New members are always welcome. For more information, send an e-mail or visit the Troon @ Ayrshire Family History Society website.

Originally published May 2014. Reviewed August 2022.

(Gravestone image copyright Walter Baxter, Geograph Project)