Loveday McBlain nee Pollock's collection

My father and mother were Bobby and Elizabeth (Bessie) Pollock, and I was born in Catrine at the home of my maternal grandmother in 1944. My early childhood was spent in Henderson's Buildings, The Castle, New Cumnock. My dad was one of the miners trapped in the Knockshinnoch disaster in 1950, which is the reason I have so many Butlins photos. Billy Butlin treated the survivors to a September weekend at his camp in Ayr. We often spent holidays at Butlins, and my mother continued to holiday there until her 70s.

When I was about eight years old, we moved into a new house at 12 Milray Avenue. This was the time that many people were being re-housed from the older tenement and miners rows. I had two older brothers Bobby who is six years older than me and Steven who was five years older than me. Steven lived in Belfast for most of his adult life but sadly passed away in 2004.

I went to what was then New Cumnock Junior Secondary School (now Castle Primary) until 1959 before attending Cumnock Academy. I married Cumnockian, Jim McBlain and have lived in Cumnock since the early 1960s. We have four sons, six grandsons, and not a single female (except me) in the family.

I started learning to play piano when I was six, and eventually played organ in bands, returning to piano in later years. These days I'm still very much involved with music although I haven't played in bands for many years, apart from the occasional concert in recent years. I do however enjoy playing for the love of it, and can usually find some avenue that allows me to keep playing. I'm very glad I still have these old photos from my dad's banding days and I'm very proud of the musical legacy he left me.


Bob Turnbull on a camping trip, taken probably mid 1950s. Bob was a great pal of Bobby Rogerson	Loveday with Lorna Cornick at 12 Milray Avenue, taken around 1960	New Cumnock lady bowlers, taken probably late 1950s. Can anyone name them?	Rev. Bryan Tomlinson pictured with Loveday at dedication of the new organ in Crichton West Church	Back: Isobel Armstrong, Mary Trotter. 2nd: Nancy Inglis, Kathleen Hose, ? Wardrop, Lorna Cornick. Middle: Anna Gibson, Unknown, Jenny Houston, Mary Henderson, Irene Kerr. Front: May Rollie

Cumnock Academy teachers taken in Ostend, Belgium around 1959. Back: Tom Wilson, Ivie McCaig. 2nd row unknown, Mrs. M. Bell, unknown, unknown. Front middle - Maisie Bryan. Can anyone name the others?	Cumnock Academy 4th year class taken in 1959. New Cumnock faces are Anna Gibson and Lorna Cornick.	Think this may be a presentation of bowling club prizes. Bobby Pollock is 2nd from right in back. Someone must know these faces?	Peter White, John McGrady, Ned Rutherford, Sam McKnight, Rab Simpson, Bill Mackie, Alex Roy or Sanny Cherry, Sunny Scott, Bobby Pollock playing at Butlins	Silver band photo taken in 1950s. Bobby Pollock is in 2nd row third from right. Can anyone assist with names?

New Cumnock silver band in the 1950s at the Bowling Club. Can anyone provide names?	New Cumnock silver band in the 1950s. Names are in picture 14 as seen in Cumnock Chronicle	Peter White's broadcasting band, taken probably 1950s. Bobby Pollock, Sam McKnight, Bill Mackie, Rab Simpson, Ned Rutherford, Sunny Scott, Peter White	From the Chronicle and holds the names for picture 12	Jessie Park leaving 4 Milray Avenue to be crowned gala queen, 29.6.57

Mark 1, from the 1970s, Brian Jones, Graham Bell, Jim Henry, Loveday.	New Cumnock gala day from 29.6.57. Float called The Hillys and the Billys. Rena Currie, Nancy Inglis, Betty Whiteford and Irene Kerr	One from the 1970s. Brian Jones, Loveday, Tibby Hamilton	Girl in a Crowd, Mk 2 in Ayr recording studios, July 1979. Loveday, Ian (Koozer) McEwan, Campbell (Spud) McLellan, John Waugh	I think this is Johnny Telfer's Swingers band possibly from the 1940s. Sanny Pollock is at back. Can anyone supply names?

Jessie Park crowned queen at New Cumnock gala day 29.6.57. Location is a stage at the Castle Green	Bobby Pollock, probably a Night Hawks photo taken in the 1950s	Bobby Pollock's Night Hawks band. Bobby is far left and far right is Sunny Scott	Bobby Pollock's Night Hawks. Bobby is on left of the pianist next to his brother Sanny. Can anyone name the others?	Early 1950s New Cumnock gala day. Some familiar faces, and Bobby Pollock Jnr is the front right.

A 2006 charity concert in Cumnock Academy. Gary Patterson, Alan Macdougall, Loveday and David Hutton	David Hutton, Janice Andrews, John Wilson, Loveday McBlain, Gary Patterson and Wendy Anne Wilson. Taken at a charity concert at Cumnock Academy in 1997	Robert, Loveday and Steven Pollock	Loveday, taken at a studio around 1946	Loveday, taken at the back door of 12 Milray Avenue around 1959

Loveday's dad Bobby (right) taken at a mock ceremony with the Scouts in Swizerland, 1931. Any other names?	Loveday and her mum taken at Butlin's around 1954	Loveday and Steven Pollock taken around 1960	Loveday with father and mother taken at Butlin's, Ayr around 1955	Loveday with her mum and dad at the poolside, Butlin's taken around 1954. Any other names?

Bobby Pollock, Snr. (Loveday's dad) taken in the front garden of 12 Milray Avenue around 1959. Note there is no Blarene Drive, Cairnhill School, Greenbraes or on the opposite side of the road in Milray Avenue	John Pollock (Loveday's uncle) with his wife Nessie, taken at Errol, Perthshire around 1959	Loveday & Jim's silver wedding in Royal Hotel, Cumnock, 1987. Minnie Jamieson, Bessie Pollock, Marion Skilling and son Andrew. In the front are Bobby and Elsie Pollock	Bobby Pollock Snr, Mrs. Black, Bobby Jnr and Elsie Black, Bessie Pollock and Mr. Black. Taken at Loveday's brother's wedding 1964	Loveday and her dad taken at Butlin's around 1955. You can just see the New Cumnock school emblem

Bobby and Bessie Pollock taken somewhere on the Butlin's coast area around 1959	Bessie Pollock, Loveday Lusby, Bobby Pollock, taken at Bowling Lea, The Castle possibly around 1972	Back: Bobby Pollock, Jim and Anna Stevens, Ann Stevens, Bessie Pollock, Jim and Loveday McBlain. Front? Marion Skilling, Ron and Loveday Lusby, Jack Skilling.	Steven, Loveday, and Bobby Pollock, taken in Henderson's Buildings around 1950	Loveday's mother and father, Elizabeth (Bessie) and Bobby Pollock taken at Lendalfoot around 1959

Loveday's mother as a baby, taken with two brothers possibly Andrew and Jim around 1914	Loveday's mum and uncle Sanny Pollock (her dad's brother) possibly around 1961	Andrew Jamieson, Bessie Pollock, Minnie Jamieson (nee Pollock, Loveday's aunt).	Loveday with one of Uncle John's coos, taken at Errol around 1959	The wedding of Jean Anderson, Loveday's childhood friend, taken mid 1960s

Steven McBlain with youngest brother David taken at 11 Hearth Place taken in 1970	Loveday and Jim's silver wedding Jan 1987. On the left is Rev. Ian Tweedlie.	Loveday and Jim with sons David and Eric, taken at Sandhead probably around 1980	Loveday and Jim at Holyrood, Edinburgh for Queen's garden party	Jim McBlain's wedding Railway Hotel, Auchinleck December 2006. Eric, Jim, David, Steven

Jim McBlain, after winning the 'Arran Open', possibly 1999	Jim McBlain at Gullane Fire Training School taken around 1960. Jim is third row down, third from right.	Jim McBlain Jnr, Loveday and Jim, David and Steven at Loveday and Jim's silver wedding Royal Hotel,	Jim McBlain fishing the Clyde, Kirkfieldbank, late 1960s	Jim & Val (Trotter) McBlain's wedding, with Liz and Iain McCrindle, December 2005

Jim and Steven McBlain taken at 64 Hearth Place in 1964	Steven and Susan (nee Donald) McBlain at their wedding reception Auchinleck Masonic Lodge, July 1999	Jane (Ponton) McBlain and David McBlain at their wedding reception New Cumnock Town Hall May 1991	Granny Grace McBlain with Jim and Steven at 64 Hearth Place, taken summer 1963	Great Grannie Annie McBride nee Goudie (Grace's mother)

Grandpa Jim McBlain (Grace's husband) Seaforth Highlanders, some time before end of WW2	Eric with karting and basketball trophies, with army in Cyprus	Eric McBlain's wedding, April 2003, reception in Dumfries Arms Hotel. L-R David, Eric, Jim, Steve	Eric McBlain, A.C.C. passing out parade 7.6.85 before Duchess of Kent.	Eric McBlain at passing out (just visible behind officer) with Dad, Mum (hidden) and David

David's wedding, May 1991 at Parish Church, New Cumnock to Jane Ponton	David, Steven, Jim and Eric McBlain, taken around 1987	Ryan McBlain's christening (Steven's eldest son) taken about 1990	David McBlain, R.E.M.E. taken in mid-90s	David McBlain in R.E.M.E. Bordon, taken around 1991. David is in front row, second from left

David and Jane McBlain's wedding May 1991. Bridesmaids names needed	Arron McBlain with his dad Eric, taken at 11 Hearth Place February 2008	David McBlain. taken around 1985	One of my favourite photos. eldest son Jim McBlain, taken about 1977	Loveday's husband Jim McBlain as a boy, with Fly Gray, taken in Hearth Place, Cumnock around 1954

Loveday's eldest son Jim with younger brother Steven taken at 64 Hearth Place in 1964	Loveday with third son Eric, taken 1967	Loveday with sons Eric and David taken at 11 Hearth Place around 1975	Loveday and Jim's silver wedding, Royal Hotel, Jan 1987	Eric and Michelle McBlain's wedding 2003

Eric and Michelle McBlain's wedding day with young Arron	Bobby Pollock, Loveday Lusby (nee Stevens), Loveday Pollock and Roger Lusby	Bobby and Bessie Pollock, Ron and Loveday Lusby, Roger Lusby, Marion and Jack Skilling, Jim, Moira and Andrew Skilling. Hunters Avenue, Ayr 1963	The wedding of Adam Stevens, son of James and Anna Stevens of Auchinleck, circa 1983, with various members of the Stevens family and their spouses and children	Loveday's Great-Grandparents James and Janet (nee Wardrope) Stevens

The Aird sword possibly dating back to covenanting times around 1680 - 1740	The sword has been in the Aird/Stevens family for 250 years or so	Further investigation is underway to get and exact date and origin