From the archives of the Ayrshire Post

25 YEARS AGO

A retired Wing Commander died in a blaze at his Alloway home on Tuesday evening.

Mr Francis Earnshaw ( 76) was alone in the detached bungalow at 1 Cambusdoon Drive when the fire broke out.

Neighbours who tried to get back into the house were beaten back by the heat.

It is believed that an electrical fault started the fire in a bedroom.

Mr Earnshaw was well known in both Ayr and Prestwick and was Commanding Officer of the Royal Air Force at Prestwick in the late sixties and seventies.

50 YEARS AGO

A wedding reception in the Savoy Park Hotel, Ayr on Saturday ended in tragedy when the bridegroom’s father collapsed while dancing and died shortly afterwards in a bedroom of the hotel.

Nurses attending the reception as guests of the bride, who is herself a nurse, went to the assistance of Mr Thomas Wren, ( 46), Mount Oliphant Crescent, and a doctor was called.

Mr Wren, a welder employed by the Newton Welding Company was pre- deceased by his wife two years ago. He is survived by his only son George.

100 YEARS AGO

Lieutenant Geoffrey HughesOnslow DSC, RN, of Alton Albany, Barr, only son of the late Major Arthur Hughes- Onslow, 10th Royal Hussars, was married on Monday afternoon at St Saviour’s, Walton Street, London, to the Honourable Eileen M Crofton, only daughter of Lord and Lady Crofton, Mote Park, Roscommon.

A contingent of blue- jackets of bridegroom’s ship attended. Mr H Greg Jnr, of Shallochwell wished health, peace and happiness to the couple and ‘ long might they both rule the home and lands of Alton Albany.