We are looking for current residents and ex-residents of New Farm Loch to tell us their stories and share their memories about the estate. Pupils at James Hamilton Academy want to know the real history of the place, and we will be interviewing people connected to NFL as well as gathering written recollections on this site.
All contributions are welcome -
- If you are young, tell us about your memories of NFL in the 1990s or at the millenium.
- Did you grow up in NFL in the 1970s or 1980s?
- Did you move to NFL in the 1960s when it was just built?
- Do you remember the area before the houses were built? Did you skate on the loch?
To contribute via this site, just click on the 'Comments' link below and type your contribution in the box. Feel free to leave your name / email address.
If you prefer you can write to us at - James Hamilton Academy, c/o Librarian, Sutherland Drive, Kilmarnock KA3 7DF.
We will post your memories on the site for others to see and hopefully we will find some old pictures too.
UPDATE - See post below for some example of the contributions so far (or go to the 'Comments' link).
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38 comments:
This should be a very intresting site i really hope i can help the moderator in any way i can as to some of the things that happened in new farm but i'll leave them 'til a later date
hope this site works well best wishes form a spam valley boy
Someone has to be first I suppose!
I moved into the courts in the late 60's. The original farm house was still standing and a magnet for us kids back then, much to the dismay of our parents.
I can even remember them building the bypass and leaving a large "hill" of dirt at the top of Grassyards Road.
Long time ago now, but can anyone remember the "love tree"?
Moved to New Farm Jan 1969,aged 7 - lots of great memories as it was a fantastic place to grow up, with loads of kids around the same age.
Surprised there are not more entries so far, but it's early days yet.
I remember the "hairy hill" at the back of MacIntyre Place, where the Jimmy Hamilton is now - we used to play there all the time, and an awful lot of wellies were lost in the mud! There were still farmers fields then as well, and we played hide and seek and rounders in them.There seemed to be so many things for kids to do then (maybe I'm just showing my age!),but there were youth clubs and summer schemes to keep us from getting into trouble. Like the person posting the comment on 30th Jan,I can remember the bypass being built,I went down it on my bike with my pals,all the way to the Bellfield Interchange...that was after it was finished, but before it was opened. Lots more memories,but I will leave some space, hopefully for more people to leave for us all to share. Good luck with this.
I lived in the original NEW FARM fifty years ago when I was 10. My grandparents bought the farm around 1957/58. I attended Loanhead and then James Hamilton in London Road.
I remember the hundreds of curling stones that were strewn around the grounds and in particular remember a wonderful Art Exhibition in the Dick Institute of the Curlers on the Loch - fantastic oil paintings.
I have some photos somewhere of the Farm House.
I moved to the bottom end of NFL around 1967. There were not that many houses around and the bypass was not yet built, in fact my Dad ended up working there. I do remember the football parks where the Jimmy Hamilton now stands and the disco's at St Matthews and St Josephs that I used to fo to as a teenager...Seems a lifetime ago now..
I lived in the original farm. My grandparents bought the farm house and out buildings around 1957/58.
In those days the grounds were littered with curling stones. The loch was still very visible - drained but marshy - an oblong shape totally surrounded by trees with drainage apparatus at the end and a sawmill on the edge nearest to the farm.
I went to Loanhead school and then James Hamilton High School in London Road and have a vivid memory of a wonderful art exhibition in the Dick Institute with beautiful oil paintings of the curlers on New Farm Loch from possibly early 1900's.
I lived in the orignal NEW FARM. My grandparents bought the farmhouse and outbuildings around 1957/58. Don't think it had been lived in for some time.
I attended Loanhead school and then James Hamilton High School in London Road.
The surrounding fields were strewn with curling stones. I also have a wonderful memory of an art exhibition in the Dick Institute of the CURLERS on the New Farm Loch possibly early 1900's.
The Loch lay behind the Farm house about a field away - it was rectangular and had mature tall trees all the way round - there was draining apparatus at each end and a working sawmill on the edge nearest the farm.
Think I might have photos somewhere.
Thanks so much for your comments so far - they are exactly the kind of things we are looking for! If you would like to add more or expand on them please do so. I will copy some of the stories / memories onto the main page of the site people to see.
I should say there will be a delay in your comments being published on the site - this is simply because we need to have some security measures to avoid any unwanted comments appearing!
Thanks again!
I was one of the first children to grow up in New Farm Loch. It was a great place to grow up! Does anyone rember hanging about the Oakstaple at the Loch at the communiy centre? or the summer playschemes at the Joes? The Jimmy discos? Playing tennis at the garages when Wimbledon was on? Did you hang about the top shops or the bottom shops?!
The fetes at the loch were great too. Does anyone remember these?
This is an excellent idea for a site. Wonder what it is like to live there now growing up?
All the best to the site.
I have lived in the courts all my life which isn't really long seeming as I am only 12.Even though I'm only 12 New Farm Loch has changed alot in thoose years.
The swamp at the top of NFL is now a Block of houses called Dean view.
I was one of the people who helped plant the flowers up the grassyards road. And I can't wait to see them bloom in the spring.
Molly Gladman 1YB 1P7 from JHA now
Who remembers the film shows in the first New Farm Primary School assembly hall on Saturday mornings. Mums and Dads left their kids to go to town to shop - sometimes around 150 kids. The serials were a hoot and boy! did I make sure that I had two projectors and lots of spare bulbs and fuses for the Community Education Depts.equipment - I could have been lynched ??
I remember the late Cllr. John Hunter and his friends having to travel to Glasgow early to bring the films in time. Great fun and a great tuck shop.
can any-one remember the model boats that were at the kay park pond around this time i can remember them all standing around the edge of the pond trying to control thier boats and crashing them as the crowd was that big
I can remeber the boats at the Kay Park, bring them back! Number one come in! Why did they go? Think we should all be trusted agin to have a bit of fun!
Hope this site gets more comments.
my family moved to New Farm from Richardland Road(which isn't there anymore), and the council houses and clean open spaces were great to experience - as it was all newly built back then and we were one of the first families in our street(the houses across the road from us were still being built).
i attended a few of the summer youthclubs back then, but with all that fresh air, who wanted to be stuck inside?
now i'm living donw in england, i feel sorry for kids who didn't grow up with all that grass to run about on...
I used to live in Riccarton until i was about nearly 3 yrs old. me my mum, Dad and my Brother moved to New Farm in 1999. So i have only been here for about ten years. My best friend when i moved here was Chloe Grayham.
I remember we would get my slide durning the summer and put it in to the padeling pool. we had great times.
My gran and papa used to live in new farm when they had my Uncle Brian and my Mum. then they moved to the town centre.
I go to the Jimmy aka James Hamilton Academy but i went to silverwood primary School. I live in the top of the Courts.
I read that some one has a picture of the old new farm farm house and i wonderded if you could post a picture as i am very interested in seeing the old farm house.
Rebecca Gilroy 1YB at the JHA !!!
NFL has been my home for 5 years.
Since then the Burns Monument has been burned down and turned into a registry office for people to get married there, I'm sure I'll be in line for a booking in 2020! The Joes has been knocked down and replaced with a better school, St Andrews, which is swishy and swanky, as I like to say. I go to the new school for Taekwondo, because by day, its a school, but by night its a sports centre.
NFL has a lot more to come in terms of changing the community.
Maybe make the Jimmy nicer, outdo the Joes? I can dream, can't I?
I Dont stay in New Farm But i go to the James Hamilton Academy.New Farm is a good place to be, but i would not live there.NOT Making a bad impression on anything but I wouldn't stay there but it is a goodplace but iI preffer Southcraigs
At night i go out with all my friends and play hunty. We all get along and have such a good time.
I used to go to Jamstreet dancers at the New farm community Center. I went on Mondays Wendays and fridays but now i dance up in glasgow.
I also used to go to the Girls Brigade. I was not that fond of that. i like meting up with my friends at the weekends and having sleepover or going to play on the my trampoline with my brother Kyle who is in Primary 6 at Silverwood Primary.
Rebecca Gilroy 1YB
I have lived in new farm loch all my days.I like the Dean park because it is a good place for the summer.
I like the park where the loch used to be,i like it because i play golf there.My best shop is the spar and i like the swing park.
i live in the courts. have for 10 years! I went to silverwood primary just for P7. now am at the jimmy ( james hamilton]. Used to hing about the park and the shop and play chappy and all sorts of baby games like that. But now i dont , am not usually out anymore cause theres nothing realy to do! have good friends from here though , and still have ah laugh. But new farms not as good as it used to be even though its got things like youth clubs , deany [ dean castle ) , kay park , loch park & comunity centre.
I dont live in newfarm but go to school there,i alway go through the forest to the shops to get my lunch,also i see some squirrles playing in the trees and the path is always muddy so we usualy go round it.the schools really big bigger than my old one in onthank, everythings a lot diffrent because it is high school,by for now, kerry
I Have lived in new farm loch 7 years and it has been really good i have met loads of freinds and i have been in the community centre for a boxing match and some of my freinds were their to i have been twice for a boxing match it was a good night i have also been to the kaypark and it was really boring but they build a new park and it is good now and i used to go0 to new farm primary school i went there in primary 2 !
I have not lived in newfarm for long so i do not no much about newfarm i will tell you a little bit about JHA. JHA is a good school but not the best well i say all the teachers in JHA are good and some of them are the best the school has 3 floors it is big.
I have lived in New Farm Loch for six years now. I moved to Kerr Road in 2003 and i have had alot of memories in New Farm Loch. I met lots of friends that stayed in my street but most of them have moved away!. I remember going to the park at the back of the Kerr Road flats on the big field, it was very fun in the summer everyone went there we all played Hide and Seek. Nobody goes there now!!. The Kay Park is where we all go now because there has been lots of new things built there and it is alot of fun especially the basket swing ( I don't now the real name for it ). We go on it two at a time, we push each other very high you feel as if you are going to fall off it!!!.
I go to the Jimmy Hamilton it is Good!.
I go to Jam Street School Of Dance At the New Farm Loch Community Centre! I go with my friend we have lots of fun together. We also do shows at the Palace Theatre! It is great.
Oh and someone was talking about a " love treee " What is that?...
Terri Wallace IYB/1P7 .
I moved to new farm 10 years ago when I was 2 i didnt mind but it was because my mum and dad broke up so everything was quite hard to deal with at the time.The first house i moved to in new farm was the old flats that are the new houses just down from new farm primary.We stayed there for a couple of years then moved to MacDougal place.It didn't change who were my friends or what school i went to.I have made hundreds of friends in new farm and i have enjoyed all the fun things i did with my family.One of my first friends were Kyle clark and his big cousin Marc.My favourite place in new farm was The Kay park.I went to new farm primary school and i went to st. Mathews nursery.I enjoyed bieng in nursery and bieng in new farm primary.The most fun i ever had was when i went a walk about in places in new farm i had never been before.When i was going into S1 my mum and dad was asking me if i was scared about moving up into the big school as they called it.All my friends went to new farm primary school and have went to James Hamilton Accademy so i know everyone that came from new farm primary.
Thank you for reading
my blog.
by stephen dixon
My family moved to New Farm in 1969many parts of the scheme were still a building site, but were a great attraction particularly when the workies gave you their ginger bottles!! it was a luxury moving into a brand new house with central heating!! something that I have only recently come to appreciate.
I remember hairy hill too, and can remember the fields where the Jimmy Hamilton is when there were cows in the field. We used to make tents out of tartan shawls and camp there.
I remember the picture shows up at the school, and one evening in particular when a horror film (the werewolf, I think) was shown and there were crowds of screaming weans everywhere on the road home.
And many a night was spent at the tunnels at the bottom end shops, many a bruised and skint knee I had from trying to get on the big tunnel. I also remember when there was a 'ranger' who was a guy who patroled the parks and shops and gave you a rollicking for any misbehaviour no matter how minor.!!! I enjoyed the summer playschemes, where I developed my interest in gymnastics.
Does anyone remember the underpass across from the Charleston when it was an open walkway and a magnet for everyone to hang about in. I have many happy memories of long hot summers, playing for hours, with not a care in the world. I hope the children living in New Farm now have as many fond memories as me to look back on when they are older and have moved on.
Hi i moved to new farm when i was 1yr old...i stayed in Macnicol Gds tyll i got my own council maisonette in Mc Beth dr..mum styll says in Macnicol Gds... I loved when i was young..the whold street used to play together boys and girls out in street or on the grass in front of our house..We played rounders for hours in the light summer nights, we did one potato two potato to pick the teams...it was fun...We played kick the can, chappie, jump the hedge..We also played at the Tunnels down behind the shops..we played "tig up high" ... I recall before the JHA was there it was the field that connect top of NFL to the bottom end and we played kiss cuddle or torture in the long grass!! NAughty haha...ALso there was gangs we used to see SV BUNDY sprwled on walls..thys stood for SPAM VALLEY BOYS UNITED NEVA DIES YOUNG...i was too young to part of the gangs but i do recall them...Does anyone remember th Circle just over at Donaldson drive near flats ?it not there now of course...i recall whenthe cafe was run by Tony bordoni and Marie hys wife...ah the memories...
Did You Know?
It was impossible to consider building schools in the new farm loch area before 1970/71.
The James Hamilton Academy school would have sat on the grounds where houlhouse farm was in 1849.
I have lived in new farm loch all my life and have met lots of friends there are lots of things to do in new farm like Youth clubs , Dancing and other things.
There are also some Parks in new farm loch. I usually hang around the Kay park with my friends. I attend a school im new farm called the James Hamilton Accademy Which i learn alot From.
My name is Louise Welsh and i go to James Hamilton Academy. Im writing this blog from the new Burns Monument Center. Im Going to write about what i have been up to at school, as part of mmyself being in the Eco-Schools at The 'Jimmy' i entered a Climate Change Competition i had to come up with an idea to Cilmate Change and to recycle more.
Our idea was to has a notice board in the local communitie center(New Farm Loch) and if you wanted to swap something like for example if you wanted to give away some old baby clothes you woukd trade them in and you get something that you need
I have been put forward as a British Champion and i have been given a £1000 to bring my idea up and running!!!
Theank You For Reading !!
I have lived in new farm loch all my life and have met lots of friends there are lots of things to do in new farm like Youth clubs , Dancing and other things.
There are also some Parks in new farm . I usually hang around the Kay park with my best friend loch with my best friend rebecca and my other friend zoe. I attend a school im new farm called the James Hamilton Accademy Which i learn alot From.i live near alot of my friends so thats good because i can hang around with them.
We ( the time capsule group) recently visited The Burns Monument centre where we had a great time learning about the history and geography of New Farm Loch. We also listened to lots of interesting stories from a man who had lived in South Dean farm. He told us about the loch and his adventures as a boy when people curled on the loch. THANK YOU VERY MUCH- we learned a lot from you and are continuing our research. A huhe thank you to the Burns Monument centre in the Kay Park. It is a superb asset to have in the heart of our community. Thanks to all the staff and I would encourage everyone in New Farm Loch and beyond! to go.
Going around New Farm was very interesting as we seen a lot of things that I haven't seen before and I learned a lot more things than I had already knew about New Farm.
The new Burns Monument Center looks amazing inside I would recommend people to go and see it because it is well worth it.
hi my name is karri lamont
i am leaving a comment to say that new farm is a good place to live and play.There is lots to do but not very many places to eat out.I have to admitt that i do like the new burns monument better than the old one.
I dont live in new farm but i have heard that it is a good place to live in as there are lots of things for children to do and there is a primary and secondary school for children to go to, they both are only about a ten minute walk or five minutes by car. For the adults there is a pub called the charleston and it only takes about ten minutes to walk to the town. There is lots of house in new farm so you will have lots of nice neighbours. New farm is right beside the dean park so if you have a dog it is the brilliant place for you and your dog to go a nice lond peaceful stroll in the park.
http://eight8all.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-got-to-be-now.html
a short piece about life in new farm in the 70's...
Read all the comments with interest and brought back some great memories. We moved to McAllister Place in 1968 when I was 2and lived there for 7 years. It was a great place to grow up as a youngster. One of my memories was when they were building the Jimmy and one of the earth movers slid of the earth mound onto McNaughton Walk? All the kids from all around were there to watch the bulldozer push it back up a few days later. Now live in Glasgow but still have wee drive round NFL when back in Killie.
I have taken to researching 'Lost Lochs'. I actually lived in Balfour Court for a few years whilst teaching at Loudoun Academy. We still have friends there and found it a pleasant place.
Does anyone have any idea if the loch was natural. It looks as if it was formed out of an old quarry or such-like. It isn't clear from the maps where the water supply came from either. Any information about the loch would be most welcome.
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