1901 Census

Over ten years, Andrew and Sarah Campbell’s family grows rapidly and are now living at 22, Auchenharvie Cottages, near Stevenston, Ayrshire. Their house had two rooms, not a lot of space for this growing family.

Agnes is 11,  John 9, Maggie 8, William 6, Andrew 4 and Jeannie is only a one year old. The four older children are all at school, leaving the two younger ones at home with Sarah while Andrew goes to work in the pit, where he is an underground fireman at the age of 36, the man in charge of the underground area where the miners worked. He was responsible for safety aspects such as ventilation and roof support.

Auchenharvie Row

Auchenharvie Row, Saltcoats 1922. Report by Mr James Brown (Annbank) and Mr Mckerrall (Miners Agent).
Auchenharvie Row was demolished in 1924.

Auchenharvie Row, Saltcoats contained twenty-two houses, twelve single apartment houses and ten 2-apartments. One room measured sixteen feet by nine feet and one twelve feet by six feet. One apartment measured sixteen feet by nine feet, the floors were brick tiles, broken and twisted. Each house was provided with a water closet and there was a wash house for every three tenants. All tenants had coal-houses, the roadway in front of the houses was unpaved and very dirty. The rent of the 2-apartment was 10/2 per month and the one apartment 7/11 per month. There were no ash-pits, but dust bins were provided. The syvers were usually very sluggish and were lying filled with stagnant water as often as not. There were several taps for gravitation water serving the row. These houses were demolished in 1924 and the Esplanade Cottages built on the site. Incidentally these were demolished quite recently, after a life of about forty years. https://www.threetowners.com/saltcoats-1837/auchenharvie-row/

The canal, built in the 18th century to transport minerals, ran along the side of Campbell Park, Blakely Road and then the Esplanade Cottages (Auchenharvie Row) and finished at the end of Canal Street, where the railway line took the coal along the front to Saltcoats Harbour.

Perhaps Andrew and Sarah Campbell took their young family to nearby Saltcoats (below) for a day out, a welcome break from the daily grind. I hope they did.