Barrhead and Levern Valley
B.C - 1914 (part 2 to follow soon)
B.C. Brythonic Celts in Levern Valley
A.D. Damnonil at Fereneze; Maeatae on Mearns Moor. (Tacitus)
6th century Arthur Pyndragon in the Levern Valley (?)
St
Conval. St. Fernum. Settlement at Fereneze.
9th century Norsemen raid Strathgryffe as far as Paisley.
10th century Gaelic speech still current in Levern Valley.
1161 Name "Neilston" known.
1163 Walter Fitzalan from Shropshire appointed High Steward
of Scotland by David I. He was feudal overlord of
Strathgryffe, including Levern Valley.
Paisley Abbey founded.
1170 Sir Robert de Croc granted fief of Levern Valley.
Crookston Castle now
building.
Neilston Parish emerges
as an administrative unit.
1180 Lazar House founded by Sir Robert de Croc between
Crookston and Neilston, probably at Chappell.
1200 Marion de Croc married to Walter, grandson of the
High Steward.
1271 Maccusville granted Farm of Dubbs.
1294 Thomas, the Brewer in Salterland Farm.
1314 Bannockburn. Men of Levern present under the High
Steward.
1350 Black Death in the Levern Valley.
1414 Shire of Renfrew mentioned in the records.
1449 Alexander Stewart of Rais. Tower of Rais in existence.
1452 Arthurlie Estate in possession of Walter Stewart of
Darnley.
1477 Lands of Glanderston in possession of Sir John Maxwell
of Pollok.
1507 John Spreul graduates from Glasgow University.
1513 Flodden Field. Men of Levern present.
1565 Marriage of Henry, Lord Darnley to Mary Queen of Scots.
1572 Revd. Patrick Hamilton, first minister of the combined
parishes of Neilston, Mearns and Kilbarchan.
1574 Scripture Reader in Neilston Parish. Parish school,
under Scripture Reader.
1588 Plague and Famine in Neilston Parish.
1603 Union of the Crowns.
1650 Cromwell in Glasgow. Sermon by Revd. Zachary Boyd.
1666 Covenanters muster at Shitterflats near Beith, Rullion
Green. Local Covenanters rounded up and shipped to
America. Ship was wrecked on Orkney Islands.
1672 Conventicles at Mearns, Eaglesham and Lochgoyne.
1676 Conventicles at Communion Hill, Neilston.
1695-1703 Seven black years of famine in Levern Valley.
1712 Patronage Act. Principal heritor of Neilston Parish
is the sole patron.
1715 Jacobite Rising. Renfrewshire Militia hunts Rob Roy.
1729 Neilston Society of Dissenters links up with Mearns.
1738 Alexander Moncrieff preaches dissent in Neilston.
1740 Famine in Neilston Parish.
1745 Jacobite Rebellion. Renfrewshire Militia present at
Falkirk. Robert Maxwell of Dubbs present at this battle.
1747 Local seceders join up with Greyfriars Secession Church,
Shuttle Street, Glasgow.
1750 Branch parochial school in Lower Levern.
1750 Stewart Wilson builds a cottage on the Lowndes Estate.
Name "Barrhead" used for the first time.
1765 Bleaching introduced to Lower Levern
1770 Calico Printing introduced at Corsemill.
1773 Fereneze Printfield; later "Boyd's Field".
1780 Levern Mills opened.
1786 Charles Tenant used bleaching powder at Waulkmill.
1793 Local seceders transfer to Pollokshaws Secession Church.
1796 Barrhead Associate Secession Church opened. Irish
immigration begins after the Battle of the Diamond.
1808 Mansion House of Arthurlie built by Gavin Ralston.
1819 Demonstration at Meikleriggs Moor, Paisley. Barrhead
contingent present, headed by Barrhead Instrumental
Band.
1820 Turnpike Road from Glasgow via Barrhead to Irvine,
Kilmarnock and Ayr. Tollhouse at Dovecothall.
1825 Levern Mechanics Institution.
1830 Barrhead Fair in existence.
1831 Masonic Lodge, "Union and Crown" opened.
1833 Barrhead Gas Company
1841 Bourock Church opened. Revd. Alexander Salmon.
1841 South Arthurlie Printfield aquired by Zecariah Heys.
Bourock School under "Stumpy" Cochrane. St John's Roman
Catholic Church opened. Revd. James Purcell.
1842 Bursting of the Glanderston Dam. Seven people drowned.
1843 The Disruption. Barrhead Free Church founded.
1844 Morrisonian congregation meeting in Neilston.
1845 New system of Poor Relief. Poor house opened in Busby.
1845-1849 Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Railway. Opened
1849.
1851 Victoria Pit Disaster, Nitshill.
Bourock Clock and Bell
installed. John Shanks was contractor for sheet-metal and plumber work.
1853 Morrisonian Church opened in Arthurlie Street, Barrhead.
1856 John Shanks, Plumber in business in Main Street.
1857 Police Force in Barrhead.
1861 Barrhead Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association.
1865 Gorbals Water Works. Gravitational water supply to
Barrhead.
1868 Shanks and Company. Tubal Works, Main Street.
1869 Cardinal Manning visited St John's Roman Catholic
School in Water Road.
1871 Allan Rodger, Headmaster of Barrhead Public School
under the Parish of Neilston School Board. Barrhead
Young Man's Christian Association.
1875 Shanks and Company, Sanitary Engineers.
1876 Cross Arthurlie School. Headmaster, Alexander Jamieson.
1880 Arthurlie Football Club.
1887 Grahamston Public School, headmaster, James Maxton
Senior.
1889 Toll Bar at Dovecothall abolished.
1894 Burgh of Barrhead. Provest William Shanks.
1895 Neilston Parish Council
1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Celebrations for
school children at Fereneze Braes.
Arthurlie defeated
Celtic in first round of Scottish Cup.
1897 Last shallow well filled in.
1900 Boer War. Mafeking Night celebrations.
1902 Calico Printers' Association acquired Heys' Print
Works.
1904 Paisley Tramways reached Barrhead.
1904 Levern Mechanics Institution acquired by Barrhead
Co-operative Society.
Death in office of
Provost Zecariah John Heys.
1906 Barrhead Higher grade School opened as an extension
of Barrhead Public School. Allan Rodger, first headmaster.
1st Barrhead Company,
The Boys Brigade.
1908 1st Barrhead Troop, Boy Scouts.
1st Barrhead Company
Girl Scouts.
1914 5th August. Mobilization of "G" Company, 6th Argyll
and Sutherland highlanders.
Outbreak of First World
War.
Source: Mine Ain Grey Toon - A Story of Barrhead from Prehistoric Times to
1914, by James McWhirter
