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89-571: Born in Kilmarnock , Ayrshire , Scotland and raised in the nearby village of Dunlop , Gibson attended the University of St. Andrews and Yale University before moving to Canada in 1967. He worked briefly for McMaster University before being hired as a junior editor at Doubleday Canada , where his first job was editing a biography of Stephen Leacock . In 1974 he became editorial director of Macmillan of Canada , ascending to publisher of

178-471: A large burgh , which allowed the town to continue to run many local services itself. Kilmarnock Town Council was based at the Town Hall at 28 King Street, which was built in 1805 and demolished in the 1970s. The growth of Kilmarnock in population and geographical area swallowed up the old separate village communities of Beansburn, Bonnyton , and Riccarton. This led to such communities and villages around

267-486: A Different Muskoka , and Max Nemni and Monique Nemni 's award-winning series of biographies of Pierre Trudeau . Kilmarnock Kilmarnock ( / k ɪ l ˈ m ɑːr n ə k / kil- MAR -nək ; Scots : Kilmaurnock ; Scottish Gaelic : Cill Mheàrnaig , IPA: [kʲʰiːʎ ˈvaːɾnəkʲ] ) is a town and former burgh in East Ayrshire situated in southwest Scotland. The town has served as

356-583: A burgh of barony. The charter confirms that the Boyd family to be in possession of the land of Kilmarnock and assures any future line of succession. At the beginning of the 16th century, Kilmarnock was described as "a large village and of great repair" with nearby Kilmaurs notably larger than Kilmarnock. However, over the course of the next one hundred years, the expansion of Kilmarnock was evident. Its expansion led to Kilmarnock becoming larger than Kilmaurs and becoming Ayrshire 's largest inland centre and challenging

445-493: A full cabinet meeting of East Ayrshire Council that the station clock was to be removed and landscaped "with immediate affect" due to continuous technical difficulties preventing the clock and its LED lighting from working properly. Max Nemni Max Nemni (June 13, 1935 – August 29, 2024) was a Canadian political scientist and writer, best known for a series of biographies of former Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau which he cowrote with his wife Monique Nemni . He

534-402: A grocery shop in 1820, was transformed into a global whisky brand, and is the world's best selling brand of whisky. The Titchfield Street drill hall was completed in 1914. The Kilmarnock War Memorial was constructed in temple style and completed in 1927, becoming dedicated to local men who died "for king and country" during World War I . Following World War II , more plaques were added to

623-551: A large Massey-Harris factory on the outskirts of the town. It later became Massey Ferguson , and closed in 1980. Glenfield and Kennedy still survives, albeit with a fraction of its former workforce, which at its height numbered in the thousands. Kilmarnock is served by NHS Ayrshire and Arran , one of fourteen regions of NHS Scotland . NHS Ayrshire and Arran was formed in 2004, with Kilmarnock being served by NHS Ayrshire and Arran's largest hospital, University Hospital Crosshouse , situated less than one mile outwith Kilmarnock between

712-587: A large part of the Rowallan Business Park, which is also home to Food Partners, a nationwide sandwich franchise. Nowadays, the economy of Kilmarnock is largely based on public service and office work, with local property redevelopment and regeneration company, The KLIN Group occupies the former Andrew Barclay Sons & Co offices in West Langland Street, Brodie Engineering operate two production factories for locomotives in

801-632: A majority of 5,119. The member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Kilmarnock is Willie Coffey , having represented the area as the MSP of the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency since 2007. Following the 2017 East Ayrshire Council election , the SNP formed a minority government for East Ayrshire, following the result of a hung council. At present, the Scottish Labour party

890-554: A new railway line between Kilmarnock and Troon was constructed to allow trade to flow from the town much easier. The line opened in 1812, and was the first railway in Scotland to obtain an authorising Act of Parliament; it would soon also become the first railway in Scotland to use a steam locomotive; the first to carry passengers; and the River Irvine bridge, Laigh Milton Viaduct , is the earliest railway viaduct in Scotland. It

979-655: A number of carpet makers from Dalkeith to Kilmarnock. BMK Carpets was founded in Kilmarnock in 1908, quickly earning a reputation for the top carpet manufacturer of choice for major venues. It remained Kilmarnock's main employer until closure in 2005. Glenfield and Kennedy became the largest company of hydraulic engineers in the British Empire . All three companies – BMK Carpets, Saxone Shoes and Glenfield and Kennedy, became widely known and trusted in export markets internationally. Johnnie Walker whisky, established as

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1068-468: A nurses' training school were added in 1891. In 1923 it had a capacity of 130 beds. With hospital services transferred to Crosshouse Hospital, the infirmary building and the accident and emergency building were demolished in the late 1980s. The listed nurses' home was demolished under a Dangerous Building Notice in September 1997. Work on University Hospital Crosshouse, which was commissioned to replace

1157-612: A recorded population of 46,159 inhabitants. The census data highlighted that 45,379 were white (with 42,915 identifying as White Scottish ), 121 mixed or multiple ethnic groups, 548 Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British, 148 Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Indian, Indian Scottish or Indian British and 204 Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Chinese, Chinese Scottish or Chinese British. Other ethnic groups included Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Bangladeshi, Bangladeshi Scottish or Bangladeshi British and Caribbean or Black: Caribbean, Caribbean Scottish or Caribbean British. At

1246-671: A regular passenger service provided prior to the construction work being complete. In 1904, Kilmarnock built its own tramway system, the Kilmarnock Corporation Tramways . An electric power station was built on the south bank of the River Irvine at Riccarton and 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

1335-459: A result, both Kilmarnock whisky and shoe made products became widely popular in Brazil. The shoe production business continued to grow, and by 1900, Clark's shoe business, Saxone, had a total of 40 shop premises in Brazil. Additionally, Kilmarnock gained a reputation of being a location for quality carpet making, following Charlotte Maria Gardiner, half auntie of the 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, bringing

1424-493: A result, new quality housing has been constructed on the northern fringes of the town for commuters to Glasgow and the central belt of Scotland. Recent house price in and around Kilmarnock have reflected the towns location for commuters to the country's largest city. In 2015, Kilmarnock was named 'Scotland's Most Improved Town' at the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum awards. The panel recognised

1513-565: A time during the second world war to manufacture bomb shells for the war effort. Glenfild & Kennedy, also based in the town, made components for anti-tank guns among other war-related engineering projects, including valves for mulberry harbours. Local mansions around the town were requisitioned, such as Bellfield House, with many becoming operational bases for training Special Air Services personnel. Kilmarnock Swimming Baths were also used for this purpose. The town's prominent cooling towers were painted in camouflage to prevent them being visible to

1602-472: A two way street for traffic. Considerable growth of the town occurred in the second half of the 19th century, and following World War I , major efforts began to construct new homes to be "fit for heroes". New residential and commercial streets around the town were created, with large housing schemes being built in the years which followed the end of World War II . The first new housing estate in Kilmarnock following World War II would become Shortlees, followed by

1691-456: A variety of other healthcare services including dental treatment and pharmacies. Until the 18th century, means of transportation in and around Kilmarnock relied on rough tracks which were narrow, twisting and, at times, impassable, to link the town with neighbouring settlements. The Ayrshire Turnpike Act 1767 was passed which allowed for the rough tracks to be expanded in width and improved by turnpike trusts who additionally held responsibility for

1780-582: A working population of 34,104 (16–74) in Kilmarnock, with 4,915 recorded part–time employees, 13,504 full–time, 1,978 self–employed, 2,156 un–employed and 1,094 full–time students. The economy of Kilmarnock had historically been centred around heavy manufacturing and goods based services. However, in recent years, and in trend with other towns and cities across Scotland, Kilmarnock's economic dependence has shifted from manufacturing and instead become more reliant on skills-based knowledge. Companies such as Vodafone ( Webhelp Call Centre) and Teleperformance occupy

1869-510: Is Councillor Douglas Reid of the SNP , who has been leader since 2007. The chief executive is Eddie Fraser, who has been Chief Executive since 2020. Kilmarnock is both the largest town in East Ayrshire and its administrative centre, and the largest town in Ayrshire by population. The town had an estimated population of 46,970 residents in 2020, making it the 14th largest settlement in Scotland . At Scotland's 2011 census, Kilmarnock had

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1958-767: Is now made at a new Diageo bottling plant in the eastern coast of Scotland in Leven, Fife . Over the years, Kilmarnock has been the home to other well-known companies, Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. , and Saxone Shoes. Following the closure of the Hill Street plant, the building was demolished and the site is now home to both the Kilmarnock campus of Ayrshire College and The HALO Urban Regeneration . Kilmarnock's traditional industries were based around textiles and heavy engineering such as locomotives ( Andrew Barclay Sons & Co ) from 1837, and valves (Glenfield and Kennedy), which are still in production. Glenfield and Kennedy

2047-503: Is now trading as Glenfield Valves and still operates a base from Kilmarnock, and Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. is now trading as Brodie Engineering. Blackwood's (often known as Blackwood Brothers) produced woollen garments and yarns in Kilmarnock for a number of years, and in 1908, Robert Blackwood formed a partnership with Gavin Morton, establishing Blackwood and Morton of Kilmarnock, which better became known as BMK which specialised in

2136-532: Is regarded as "one of the finest Victorian planned streets in Scotland." The Sandbed Street Bridge is the oldest known surviving bridge in the area. During the 19th century, the traditional cottage crafts in the town which had been "around for generations", expanded and grew into major industries. A number of Kilmarnock industries established both national and international reputations, such as leather makers who were sought to make items such as belts, saddles and other leather goods. Boots and shoes began to dominate

2225-802: Is the opposition in the East Ayrshire parliament with their leader, Maureen McKay alongside the Scottish Conservative Party, independent councillors and one councillor elected from local campaign group party, The Rubbish Party . Kilmarnock is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council , with the council headquarters and debating chamber situated on the London Road. In local council elections, Kilmarnock comprises four wards: Kilmarnock North , Kilmarnock East and Hurlford , Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse , and Kilmarnock South . The current leader of East Ayrshire Council

2314-478: The Economy of Scotland . The window and door company, Scotia have their main headquarters in Kilmarnock, as well as a manufacturing and production plant. The internationally best–selling Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker was established in Kilmarnock in 1820 by John 'Johnnie' Walker . Originally known as Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky , the brand first started trading from the town in the mid-1800s. The whisky

2403-590: The Gaelic cill ( cell ), and the name of Saint Marnock 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', Ernán (name of the saint) and the diminutive ag , giving Church of My Little Ernán . According to tradition, the saint founded a church there in the 7th century. The name Kilmarnock literally means "Marnock's Church". There are 12 Church of Scotland congregations in

2492-563: The German Luftwaffe . The town suffered one air raid attack by the Luftwaffe, which killed four people on 6 May 1943. The Luftwaffe dropped a total of fourteen bombs in a line, from South Dean Farm to Kilmarnock cemetery. A 50 kg bomb landed on a block of four residential houses in the towns Culzean Crescent, killing four residents; Janet MacGeachie, Alice MacGeachie, John Bissett and Dorothy Armour. In 1945 an attempt by

2581-743: The Kilmarnock Infirmary , began on the site in August 1972 with completion expected in May 1977. The contractor, Melville Dundas & Whitson , encountered difficulties with the water supply and ventilation systems and the facility was only officially opened by George Younger , Secretary of State for Scotland , as Crosshouse Hospital in June 1984. Services provided at University Hospital Crosshouse include an Emergency Department covering both East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire , Maternity Unit (covering

2670-567: The Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency, had long been considered a "safe seat" for the Scottish Labour Party , having been represented by a Labour MP since the establishment of the constituency in 1983. However, at the 2015 general election, the seat changed hands from Labour to the Scottish National Party with the election of Alan Brown , at an election which resulted in a landslide victory for

2759-549: The Scottish Government , First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond and local MP and MSP Cathy Jamieson and Willie Coffey , the owner of Johnnie Walker, Diageo , decided to close the bottling plant, originally by the end of 2011, ending the link between the whisky brand and the town. In September 2009, Diageo confirmed the plant in Kilmarnock would close, despite local protests. Production of Johnnie Walker in Kilmarnock ceased during March 2012, after 192 years. It

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2848-622: The provost of East Ayrshire and Depute Provost of East Ayrshire 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". In early 2006, an application to Historic Scotland 's Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme was successful, and in July 2006 an application under the Heritage Lottery Fund 's Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme

2937-521: The 2011 census, 12,143 residents were aged over 16 and had no formal qualifications, while 8,983 residents had at least one qualification in Level 1, with 5,185, 4,044 and 7,339 having a qualification Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 (or above) respectively. There were a total of over 20,000 households in Kilmarnock at the time of the 2011 census, ranging from semi–detached, detached, bungalows, flats and maisonette properties. The 2011 census of Scotland recorded

3026-513: The 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century is widely regarded as a "boom period" for housing construction in Kilmarnock. Large numbers of farm land was purchased by housing developers, with an "unprecedented" number of houses being completed, notably at Southcraig, Dunsmuir Park and the Johnnie Walker estate. The largest house building projects in Kilmarnock were undertaken at Southcraig and Dunsmuir Park. Kilmarnock, as part of

3115-524: The Burgh Council of Kilmarnock to cope with increasing traffic was made by removing the statue of Sir James Shaw and re-developing the Cross into a roundabout. In 1976, a one-way traffic system was introduced around the town centre which is still in use today as of December 2023, however, that same month, it was confirmed that studies were being conducted which would see the town centre converted back to

3204-588: The Glasgow & South Western Railway Company at Bonnyton Square and at other areas in Bonnyton. These houses were later demolished in 1966 and 1967. A comparatively modest settlement until the Industrial Revolution , Kilmarnock extended considerably from around 1800 onwards, requiring the opening of King Street , Portland Street, and Wellington Street. Added later was John Finnie Street, which

3293-510: The Grange Estate, Bellfield and Onthank during the 1960s. During this period, the priority continued to be on the construction of council housing, however, there was still a demand for houses in the private market, and with that, the construction of the Grange Estate would push the boundary of Kilmarnock's built up area. Despite the new housing estates at Shortlees, Bellfield, Grange and Onthank, housing demand continued to be strong, and

3382-552: The Palace Theatre and out to the London Road) built over. In 1996 the two-tier system of regions and districts was abolished and Ayrshire was divided between the unitary council areas of East Ayrshire (covering the area of the former Kilmarnock & Loudoun District and Cumnock & Doon Valley District), North Ayrshire (covering the area of the former Cunninghame District Council) and South Ayrshire (covering

3471-468: The SNP at the expense of Scottish Labour. Brown defeated Labour candidate Cathy Jamieson with an overwhelming majority with Brown receiving 30,000 votes with Jamieson only receiving 16,363. At the 2024 election , Scottish Labour regained the seat from the SNP, the first time they have gained the seat from the SNP since 2015, when Scottish Labour candidate Lillian Jones won the election with 19,055 votes with

3560-465: The West of Scotland . Kirklandside Hospital , in neighbouring village Hurlford closed between 2018 and 2020. Kirklandside hospital provided consultant-led services for frail elderly patients. It had 25 long-stay beds for inpatient care and a day hospital which provided assessment and rehabilitation facilities. Kilmarnock is served by a number of general practice (GP) surgeries under NHS Scotland and

3649-402: The administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council since 1996 and is the region's main commercial and industrial centre. The town grew considerably during the 1870s and the town's growth subsumed the village of Bonnyton , and by the 1960s, new purpose built suburbs such as New Farm Loch were constructed to accommodate the increasing population of Kilmarnock. By mid–2020, the population of

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3738-412: The advance the company had already paid her for The Progress of Love , and had to enter several months of legal negotiations to get released from her contract, although The Progress of Love ultimately became the first title published by Douglas Gibson Books. The departures greatly damaged Macmillan, which published only a small and irregular selection of fiction titles after Gibson's departure. Gibson

3827-532: The area of the former Kyle and Carrick District). Following this, Kilmarnock now came under East Ayrshire Council which was formed in April 1995 to replace the Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Cumnock and Doon Valley District Councils, and the part of Strathclyde Regional Council which related to the area. The newly formed East Ayrshire Council were granted responsibility for areas such as education, social work, leisure and planning, among other services, for Kilmarnock and

3916-411: 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

4005-534: The company in 1979. During his time at Macmillan, Gibson sent first-time authors an instructional guide, "What Happens After My Book Is Published?", which was published by Saturday Night in 1979 and was nominated for a National Magazine Award for humor. With MacMillan, he was noted for successfully negotiating Mavis Gallant 's first Canadian publishing deal; Gallant, a Canadian writer who had spent much of her life and career living in Paris , France as an expatriate,

4094-464: The construction of additional housing estates continued through the late 1960s and early 1970s. Mass housing construction to create the New Farm Loch estate aimed to meet the increased demands of the towns population by providing additional space for homes as well as vehicles. More land was allocated than in previous house building projects to meet these demands. A 1923 Act of Parliament granted

4183-546: The construction of houses at Robertson Place by the Kilmarnock Building Company, being an exception. This expansion led to the town becoming a major centre in the west of Scotland. By 1856, Kilmarnock was widely regarded as a key railway location when the Glasgow and South Western Railway re-located their workshops from Cook Street in Glasgow to Bonnyton . Homes were constructed for the workers of

4272-460: The construction of new homes at Scott Roads Fulton's Lane, Townholm and Landmark. Additional acts of Parliament in 1924 and 1925 allowed the commencement of construction of additional homes at Annanhill, Ayr Road, Bonnyton, Craigie Road, Granger Road, London Road, Longpark, New Mill Road, New Street, Stoneyhill Avenue and Yorke Place. By 1973, an outer-town bypass was formed to take away the heavy through traffic that had been travelling in and throughout

4361-417: The development were never fully completed, resulting in many of the towns older streets and lanes within the new grid-based developments, including Bank Street, Croft Street and Nelson Street not being redeveloped. The refurbished streets were lined with commercial properties, and John Finnie Street is considered one of the most complete examples of Victorian architecture in Scotland. Although never granted

4450-631: The end of the decade. During World War II , a local battalion of the Home Guard was established in the town to protect the area during the war. The Kilmarnock Guard was known as the 4th North Kyle Home Guard, with men from Kilmarnock, Galston , Newmilns , Darvel , Hurlford , Fenwick and Craigie part of the battalion. The battalion was commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel D.M. Wilkie, with F. Richmond Paton as second in command, and Major Hugh B. Farrar as adjutant. Kilmarnock based carpet manufacturing company BMK ceased production of carpets for

4539-449: The establishment and operation of a number of nurseries within Kilmarnock, namely at Westmoor, Holmes, Burnside, New Park and New Pit, despite the towns heavy reliance on heavy industry for economic strength. Kilmarnock had one of the earliest tram railways in the world, running to Troon over the recently restored Laigh Milton viaduct . The Glasgow & South Western Railway set up their works here, producing nearly 400 locomotives by

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4628-492: The extremities of the original line have been lost. When elected county councils were created in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 , the burgh of Kilmarnock was deemed capable of running its own affairs and so was excluded from the jurisdiction of Ayrshire County Council. Further local government reform in 1930 brought the burgh within the area controlled by Ayrshire County Council, but classed as

4717-416: The fields surrounding the town. These tradespeople had no other way of making a living and had already been driven to the edge of poverty by having troops stationed with them as part of the anti-Covenanter measures. Parish churches throughout Scotland collected money for the relief of these homeless citizens. In 1592, King James VI of Scotland granted a charter to Thomas, Lord Boyd, erecting Kilmarnock into

4806-573: The improvements made to the town centre of Kilmarnock due to a £43 million investment, and local authority intervention to restore derelict buildings including the former Johnnie Walker bond building and the Opera House. In April 2018, East Ayrshire Council published a plan to protect and enhance the towns historic and listed buildings. Structures such as the former ABC cinema (previously the King's Theatre) on Titchfield Street has lay derelict since

4895-399: 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

4984-458: The leather making industry in the town, and by 1837, local shoemakers were making in excess of 2,400 pairs of shoes and boots. In 1840, George Clark's shoe making company, established and based in the town, began exporting shoes to Brazil, using the merchant venture system which was created to allow producers to make use of any spare space on cargo ships. It is widely believed that Clark used cargo ships mostly carrying Kilmarnock whisky exports, and as

5073-536: The maintenance of roads. Following the 1767 act, numerous new and improved roads were completed in the town, such as roads linking Kilmarnock with Ayr , Irvine , Kilmaurs , Stewarton , Kingswell and Flockbridge. An additional act, the Ayrshire Turnpike Act 1774, named a total of 39 new roads for Ayrshire, and included several roads in and around Kilmarnock to link the town with Symington , Riccarton, Dundonald and Hurlford . Improved roads around

5162-416: The manufacturing of carpets . Blackwood and Morton of Kilmarnock (BMK) ceased production and closed in 2005, following the closure of Stoddard Carpets and at this time, Stoddard Carpets was the oldest carpet manufacturing company still in operation at that time in Scotland. Carpets manufactured in Kilmarnock were internationally known for their quality and intricacy since the late 19th century. Shoe making

5251-588: The manufacturing of metal cutlery to make a living. A fire engulfed the town in 1668, following the hunting of Covenanters by government troops. The core of the early town appears to have lain around what is now the Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock (Low Church), although the oldest parts of the current building are no earlier than the 17th century, extending north and northwest. In 1668 the town was largely destroyed by an accidental fire. About 120 families lost most of their possessions and were forced to live destitute in

5340-421: The military, as had been expected during the war effort. A considerable effort began to construct "homes for heroes" in Kilmarnock following World War II, taking "years, even decades, to complete". New companies opened in Kilmarnock by the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as Glacier Metal Massey–Harris. The first post–war housing scheme in Kilmarnock, at Shortlees, was completed by the 1960s, followed by Bellfield by

5429-651: The north. Today the town is served by Kilmarnock railway station , which operates services from the town to all major locations in Scotland connecting with Stranraer for the ferries to the Port of Belfast as well as Larne Harbour in Northern Ireland and as far as Carlisle and Newcastle in England. Despite an expensive upgrade to the railway station clock in 2008, it was announced in December 2022 following

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5518-475: The opening of the Odeon cinema at Queens Drive. Buildings such as this are considered to be irreplaceable listed buildings. East Ayrshire Council has committed to regenerating the town, with buildings such as the former Opera House on John Finnie Street which was destroyed by fire in the late 1980s, being reconstructed with its original facade retained and is now office space for East Ayrshire Council. The end of

5607-417: The road network around the town as they considered the narrow streets that had been in place at the time to be a hindrance for potential trade and development. Plans for new grid-based streets were developed following the consideration of the town improvement committee which resulted in thoroughfares through King Street , Titchfield Street, John Finnie Street and surrounding roadways. The full planned course of

5696-570: The role of publisher emeritus with Douglas Gibson Books. Recent works published by Douglas Gibson Books have included short story collections by Alice Munro and Mavis Gallant, Terry Fallis ' novels The Best Laid Plans and The High Road , Paul Wells ' Right Side Up: The Fall of Paul Martin and the Rise of Stephen Harper's New Conservatism , Yves Beauchemin 's A Very Bold Leap and The Years of Fire , James Bartleman 's memoir Raisin Wine: A Boyhood in

5785-399: The supremacy of the royal burghs of Ayr and Irvine . During the 19th century, due to the growing rate of expansion due to the industrial expansion, Kilmarnock's population growth increased significantly from 6,000 in 1800, 21,000 in 1851 and 35,000 by 1901. In the early nineteenth century, Kilmarnock was developed considerably, with the town improvement committee creating plans to improve

5874-476: The time it was absorbed by the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1923. Some work continued, but heavy repairs were sent to St Rollox . Locomotive repairs finished in 1952, and the works closed in 1959. Nevertheless, locomotives are still made by Brodie Engineering, as well as the maintenance of existing diesel and electric multiple units. From 1949 self-propelled combine harvesters were built in Kilmarnock in

5963-492: The title of royal burgh , largely due to its geography as an inland settlement with no port to enhance trade at sea, Kilmarnock, as a parliamentary burgh was ranked as equal to other nearby royal burghs such as Ayr and Irvine. Its close proximity to Troon and its harbour helped Kilmarnock's trade and economy and its reputation of a strong and important burgh despite its inland position. Goods such as coal were frequently transported from Kilmarnock to Troon for export, and by 1812

6052-525: The town and neighbour village Crosshouse . The town was previously served by the Kilmarnock Infirmary which opened in 1868 in Portland Street, to meet the growing population of the town. The original building was designed by the prolific Kilmarnock architect, William Atkinson Railton. The foundation stone was laid in September 1867 and the building opened in October 1868. A children's block and

6141-523: The town centre and Utopia Computers also have their headquarters and main site situated in Kilmarnock in High Glencairn Street. Kilmarnock is also home to The HALO Urban Regeneration with a focus on digital learning, inspiration to innovative thinking and providing a conducive environment for spin-out, new-start, scale-ups, digital, manufacturing and cyber businesses. HALO is set to provide £205 million of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to

6230-421: The town had a positive effect on trade and business in Kilmarnock. By the start of the 19th century, William Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland , wanted "the best way" to transport coal between Kilmarnock and the seaside settlement of Troon for onward shipping. In 1812, the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway opened, the first railway in Scotland, mainly to carry coal from the area to the harbour at Troon, but also had

6319-449: The town losing their identities due to the process of rehousing people who were dispersed to the new housing schemes. These large new housing areas lacked adequate shopping and recreational facilities, and most of them were not within convenient walking distance of the old town centre. Despite the growth in population of Kilmarnock, the town did not grow in terms of proportion, and construction of new building took place mostly on "gap sites",

6408-415: The town was estimated to be 46,970, making Kilmarnock the 14th most populated settlement in Scotland as well as the largest town in Ayrshire by population. The first passenger conveying railway in Scotland originated in Kilmarnock in 1812 as a horse-drawn 4 ft-gauge plateway and became known as the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway . The first printed collection of works by Scottish poet Robert Burns

6497-524: The town was in the 14th century, with Clan Boyd coming to prominence in the area during that time, building the Keep of the Dean Castle . The Romans held a "tentative grip" on the area in and around Kilmarnock, with forts nearby at Loudoun Castle as well as possessing costal harbours around Ayrshire . Early references to the town are vague in regards to population numbers and the geographical size of

6586-480: The town, however, it is widely believed that at this time, the town was little more than a small cluster of dwellings situated around the Laigh Kirk church. By the end of the sixteenth century, Kilmarnock had become a burgh of barony, and had a weekly market stall and by the 1600s had grown into a small network of narrow streets, with the population relying on industries such as spinning wool, knitting bonnets and

6675-661: 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 town's precise origins are largely unclear, however, it is believed that a community was established between the fifth–seventh centuries at the Laigh Kirk Church by a Saint Marnock. The earliest known mention of

6764-474: The town. In 1974, the Foregate pedestrianised shopping area was opened, to be followed by a new bus station, a multistorey car park, a civic centre, and a re-shaped central precinct for the town. The textile and manufacturing sectors across Scotland suffered significant decline in the post-war period and in particular from the 1960s, in the face of greater foreign competition. Kilmarnock was no exception, with

6853-509: The war memorial to commemorate local men who died during World War II, and later, plaques to commemorate those who fought in the Korean War were added.The first post–war housing scheme in Kilmarnock, at Shortlees, was completed by the 1960s, followed by Bellfield by the end of the decade. Following the second World War, many of the towns factories and production sites had to be transformed into meeting civil needs, rather than those needs of

6942-521: The whole of the Ayrshire region), paediatric inpatient services, a Combined Assessment Unit and Ayrshire Doctors on Call (ADOC). A new maternity unit, which replaced a similar facility at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine was opened in the grounds of the hospital in 2006. In March 2012, the hospital officially became University Hospital Crosshouse as a result of a partnership with the University of

7031-497: The wider East Ayrshire geographical area. Kilmarnock became the administrative centre for the newly formed East Ayrshire Council, with the council purchasing the former James Hamilton Academy building on London Road for £1. The building was refurbished and has since been the meeting place for elected councillors, the cabinet of East Ayrshire Council and is the main seat for the Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council,

7120-842: The writers who established relationships with Gibson in this era. In the early 1980s, he also contributed film reviews to CBC Radio 's Sunday Morning . Throughout his career, he has also been a contributor to The Globe and Mail , the National Post , Books in Canada , Toronto Life and Maclean's . He moved to McClelland and Stewart in 1986, becoming publisher of the company in 1988 and president in 2000. With M&S, he also managed his own imprint, Douglas Gibson Books . Numerous authors, including Munro, Davies, Hodgins, Gallant, Hugh MacLennan , Donald Jack , Guy Vanderhaeghe and W.O. Mitchell , followed him from Macmillan to M&S in order to continue working with him. Munro returned

7209-425: Was a plateway , using L-shaped iron plates as rails, to carry wagons with flangeless wheels. In 1841, when more modern railways had developed throughout the West of Scotland, the line was converted from a plateway to a railway and realigned in places. The line became part of the Glasgow and South Western Railway system. Much of the original route is part of the present-day Kilmarnock to Barassie railway line, although

7298-501: Was a dominating industry during the height of Kilmarnock's industrial strength, with both Clarks and Saxone Shoes producing shoes from warehouses within the town. The Saxone Shoe factory in Kilmarnock was the largest shoe production factory in operation in Scotland with a staff base of 1,000 employees at the plants peak. Saxone Shoes was bought by the British Sears group and became defunct when Sears sold it to Stylo . Coal

7387-612: Was a professor of political science at Université Laval , and a coeditor of Cité Libre . The first volume of the Trudeau biography, Young Trudeau: Son of Quebec, Father of Canada, 1919-1944 , won the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing in 2006. The second volume, Trudeau Transformed: The Shaping of a Statesman, 1944-1965 , was a shortlisted nominee for the same award in 2011. A third volume, focusing on Trudeau's career in elected politics after 1965,

7476-635: Was awarded the Canadian Booksellers' Association President's Award in 1991. Following his retirement in 2008, Gibson published a memoir, Stories About Storytellers: Publishing Alice Munro, Robertson Davies, Alistair MacLeod, Pierre Trudeau, and Others , in 2011. Munro wrote the book's introduction. In recent years, he has also been known for frequent public appearances and statements on behalf of Munro, whose declining health prevented her from making many public engagements. Gibson has retired from his primary role with M&S, but continues to hold

7565-496: Was mined within the vicinity of Kilmarnock, with former mines being located within the areas of Grange, Bonnyton and Portland. Quarrying took place at areas such as Dean, Holm and elsewhere, with clay works for bricks and tiles being produced in Gargieston. Clay was also made into sanitary ware at Hillhead, Longpark and Bonnyton, with the produced products being exported extensively from Kilmarnock. Garden produce relied on

7654-583: Was not considered to be well known in the Canadian market and did not even have a Canadian publisher at all until Gibson approached her. He also spearheaded the creation and publication of Home Truths , a compilation of Gallant's Canadian-themed stories which was her only title ever to win the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction . Robertson Davies , Bruce Hutchison , Jack Hodgins , Alice Munro and Morley Callaghan were also among

7743-508: Was originally produced, blended and bottled at the Johnnie Walker Bond building, known as "The Bond", in the town centre. Operations continued from The Bond until September 1956 when a new, state of the art and sector leading production plant was opened at Hill Street in the town. At the time of opening in 1956, the Hill Street plant was the world's largest bottling plant. In 2009, to much public backlash as well as backlash from

7832-465: Was pending, allowing work to be finished on a quality housing development on the site of the former Kilmarnock Infirmary , north of the town centre, which was completed by local property development company The KLIN Group . With a journey time of 20 minutes from Kilmarnock to Glasgow , the M77 motorway received an extensive upgrade in 2005 to accommodate Kilmarnock's emerging status as a commuter town. As

7921-625: Was published in 1786 in Kilmarnock. Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect , was published by John Wilson, and became known as the Kilmarnock Edition . The internationally best–selling whisky Johnnie Walker was established in the town in the 19th century and was produced and bottled at the Hill Street plant until closure in 2012, following an announcement by owners Diageo in 2009 that the plant would close as part of company restructuring. The name Kilmarnock comes from

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