Ladywell & Ladywell Road formerly ‘Weaver Vennel’
Ladywell Road, former ‘Weaver Vennel’
Ladywell Road was once called Weaver Vennel. The weaving industry in Maybole was once its most significant trade, and cottages were located south-facing on the road, which would have provided the maximum light to weave from home. During the Industrial Revolution, the speed at which factories could produce woven material compared to the handloom weavers (known as cottage weavers) meant that they could no longer keep up. This was when Maybole’s boot and shoe industry took off. At its peak,10 factories produced1,000,000 pairs of boots and shoes annually. Shoe and bootmaking was big business until the mid-20th century, with people people working in the tanneries, shops and factories across the town. It brought much wealth to the town and allowed supporting industries to flourish, such as the town’s two lemonade factories. The boots known as Tackettie Boots are known for their strength and suitability for work.
It is interesting to consider the number of exports and talent from this street, whether it be fabric, boots or people, for example, the artist Robert McBryde. Robert McBride (later MacBryde, after art school), a well-known painter of the Modernist school of art, was born at 60 Weaver Vennel on the 5th of December 1913. This street name underlines McBryde’s Irish origins, as the influx of weavers included Irish immigrants. As an adult, MacBryde was renowned for his spontaneous way with stories and singing: often breaking into Burns’ with a lyrical musicality that harks back to his Irish roots (Bristow, 2010: 14).
Ladywell
You’re nearby the site of Ladywell, a well that provided a fair amount of water at its time. It was known as "My Lady's Well", from its location on land belonging to the “Auld College”, a college for priests opened when the nearby church obtained ‘collegiate’ status in 1381. The well gave its name to the factory built beside it.
Ladywell factory
By 1890 John Gray & Co. owned the Ladywell factory and 65 retail shops throughout the United Kingdom. With its 400 factory hands and an output of 5,000 pairs of boots and shoes weekly, it ranked amongst the foremost Scottish manufactories of any description. Towards the end of the 19th Century, production slumped and its number of employees decreased from 400 to 325. In 1907, following severe run-down, Ladywell Tannery and Boot Factory closed with the loss of all jobs. It was eventually sold to Millars, the Glasgow tanners, who closed the boot and shoe factory and turned all production to sole leathers. Millars continued to produce sole leathers at the tannery, latterly under the management of Provost Tom Murray, who kept it going until 1969.
Ladywell Stadium
Ladywell Stadium, just south of the factory, was dedicated to the veterans of the Second World War who could use the land as a recreational space. It is kept under the common good fund.
Ladywell Road was once called Weaver Vennel. The weaving industry in Maybole was once its most significant trade, and cottages were located south-facing on the road, which would have provided the maximum light to weave from home. During the Industrial Revolution, the speed at which factories could produce woven material compared to the handloom weavers (known as cottage weavers) meant that they could no longer keep up. This was when Maybole’s boot and shoe industry took off. At its peak,10 factories produced1,000,000 pairs of boots and shoes annually. Shoe and bootmaking was big business until the mid-20th century, with people people working in the tanneries, shops and factories across the town. It brought much wealth to the town and allowed supporting industries to flourish, such as the town’s two lemonade factories. The boots known as Tackettie Boots are known for their strength and suitability for work.
It is interesting to consider the number of exports and talent from this street, whether it be fabric, boots or people, for example, the artist Robert McBryde. Robert McBride (later MacBryde, after art school), a well-known painter of the Modernist school of art, was born at 60 Weaver Vennel on the 5th of December 1913. This street name underlines McBryde’s Irish origins, as the influx of weavers included Irish immigrants. As an adult, MacBryde was renowned for his spontaneous way with stories and singing: often breaking into Burns’ with a lyrical musicality that harks back to his Irish roots (Bristow, 2010: 14).
Ladywell
You’re nearby the site of Ladywell, a well that provided a fair amount of water at its time. It was known as "My Lady's Well", from its location on land belonging to the “Auld College”, a college for priests opened when the nearby church obtained ‘collegiate’ status in 1381. The well gave its name to the factory built beside it.
Ladywell factory
By 1890 John Gray & Co. owned the Ladywell factory and 65 retail shops throughout the United Kingdom. With its 400 factory hands and an output of 5,000 pairs of boots and shoes weekly, it ranked amongst the foremost Scottish manufactories of any description. Towards the end of the 19th Century, production slumped and its number of employees decreased from 400 to 325. In 1907, following severe run-down, Ladywell Tannery and Boot Factory closed with the loss of all jobs. It was eventually sold to Millars, the Glasgow tanners, who closed the boot and shoe factory and turned all production to sole leathers. Millars continued to produce sole leathers at the tannery, latterly under the management of Provost Tom Murray, who kept it going until 1969.
Ladywell Stadium
Ladywell Stadium, just south of the factory, was dedicated to the veterans of the Second World War who could use the land as a recreational space. It is kept under the common good fund.