Footballer’sdashto wedding ceremony
Inverallan Mill , Bridge of Allan, was set for a new lease of life, the Observer of 1969 reported.
With the waterwheeI at the mill restored, it was to be the site of a new Scottish shop selling tweeds, knitwear , tartans, ceramics and Scottish jewellery and crafts.
It was opened by Inverallan Mill
Ltd and had the backing of Keir and Cawder Estates, Dunblane; Gleneagles Knitwear Company, Auchterarder, and Capt S Davidson, a former teacher of Hurst Grange School, Stirling, who was to manage the venture.
The mill, a few yards off the main Perth Road, was itself operational until the last miller, Duncan Stewart, retired in 1947.
It was thought the machinery had been constructed under the supervision and direction of Sir James Thomson, later Lord Kelvin, who was resident in Bridge of Allan. However, opinion at the time the article was that the work should be attributed to his brother who was professor of engineering at Glasgow University.
The Observer explained that in the 19th century, the main road was on the other side of the mill, between it and the Bridge Inn, having passed over two hump-backed bridges crossing the Allan and the lade.
According to the paper the bridges date from 1520 and were combined in 1842. Until about the middle of the 19th century, the mill was in Perthshire but when the county boundary was changed from the river to the railway line, it lay in Stirlingshire.
In 1806, the miller was William Baird who formed and was appointed clerk to one of the first friendly societies in Scotland known as the Union Box Society. The society’s aim was to provide assistance to widows and its original cash book and register, with 200 names, was in the keeping of town historian Mrs MacLean, Henderson Street, Bridge of Allan.
It was among a number of
Bridge of Allan relics and artefacts which were lying in store at a time as efforts were being made to establish a Bridge of Allan museum.
Discussions were underway with the aim securing permission for a room at the mill to be placed at the disposal of the museum committee of Bridge of Allan Town Council.
Fallin footballing favourite Jim Ryan married his sweetheart Miss Irene Paterson in June 1969.
However, according to the Observer, the ceremony suffered a slight hiccup as the Manchester United winger forgot to collect his marriage lines.
Jim from King Street, had to dash to Bannockburn Registrar’s office. Luckily, Mrs McAllister, the registrar, was there and able to provide the wedding paperwork, allowing the ceremony to go ahead but an hour later than scheduled.
The bridal party were snapped by the Observer at the Riverway Restaurant where the reception was held.
Jim started his playing career at Cowie Hearts but was offered a trial by Manchester United and joined the club in December 1962, as an apprentice.
He made his debut for United in 1966 and was part of the squad that won Division One in 1966–67 and the European Cup the following season.
However, his first team appearances for United were limited because of the star names, among them George Best, who were part of the United set-up at that time. Jim moved to Luton in 1970 and turned out 184 times for the Hatters before finishing his playing career in the United States and later managed Luton before spending 21 years on the coaching staff at Manchester United. Jim retired in June 2012.