Find out the lost history of Kilmarnock in a new book

Lost Kilmarnock by Frank Beattie presents a portrait of the Ayrshire town over the last century to recent decades showing areas which have radically changed or disappeared today.

The book, from Amberley Publishing, shows not only industries and buildings that have gone but also people and street scenes, many popular places of entertainment and much more.

King Street, 1959 (Image: Frank Beattie)

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 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.

Victoria Terrace by the River Irvine (Image: Frank Beattie)

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.

Miner's rows in Kelk Place (Image: Frank Beattie)

In his introduction, Frank writes: "No one can be sure just when Kilmarnock was founded.

"There was an important Roman fort at Loudoun Hill. They had settlements at what would become Ayr, Irvine and Glasgow. Roads linked them and a road from Ayr to Glasgow and one from Loudoun Hill to Irvine cross at just where Kilmarnock is now.

The book cover (Image: Frank Beattie)

"Did Kilmarnock start at an ancient crossroads? Maybe. But even in the fourth and fifth centuries there is still no evidence for anything approaching a significant community in Kilmarnock.

"Kilmarnock must have remained as little more than a cluster of huts, probably for a few more hundred years. However, by the start of the second millennium it had not just a church. It had a name as well..."

Here's a few more entries from this fascinating look back at the town's history.

Waterloo Street (Image: Frank Beattie)

Waterloo Street where John Wilson established printed the Kilmarnock Edition of the poems of Robert Burns. The street was demolished in 1973 to make way for Burns Mall.

Campbell Street (Image: Frank Beattie)

Campbell Street forms part of the main route through Riccarton from Kilmarnock to the Ayr  Road. It is named after the Campbell family of Loudoun. Everything has changed here. The town’s fire station is here and there is also a plaque marking the connection with the Wallace family of Riccarton who did so much to ensure Scottish independence.

Bank building (Image: Frank Beattie)

Another example of fine architecture lost in the 1970s is this bank building, which was on the corner of Regent Street and Duke Street at Kilmarnock Cross.

The book is filled with many, many more fascinating photos like these and the stories behind them. You can find it at all good bookstores or online later this month.