Location on the OS first edition
The farm seems to have been let without the hill land until around 1861 when the farm size increased and a shepherd was employed.
Baptismal records from Ayrshire Roots
1728 6th October, John son to James KERR and Janet TELFORD, in Blackwood.
1749 5th March, Mary daughter to William DUN and Isabel OSBURN, in Blackwood.
1751 24th February, John son to William DUN and Isabel OSBURN, in Blackwood.
Horse Tax 1797-98 Andrew McTurk, Blackwood, 4 horses 3 taxed.
1841 census James Craig farmer 45 Jane (Wood) 6 of family, John 20, Barbra 15, Hugh 10, Daniel 9, James 5, and Margaret under 1. Servants are James Begg 35, John Samson 15, and Christian Wilson 15. 3
1851 James Craig 58 Farmers Of 380 Acres 1 Lab, wife Jean 42, children Barbara 25, Hugh 22, Daniel 19, Margaret 9, and Robert 5, Mary 2. No James, who would be 15. John 31,had married Ruth Scott and was farming at Guelt, Old Cumnock.(Jean is very young to have a son 31?)
1861 James Craig 69 Farmer 700 Acres. Jane 59, Daniel 28, Mararet 19, Robert 15, and Mary 12. Servants are John Ferguson 20, ploughman, David Gemmel 14, and Margaret Black 17.
1871 James Craig 78 Farmer Of 550 Acres Of (which 200 Acres Are Arable). Jane 68, Robert 25, (who is a farmer in his own right farming 3030 acres of which 60 arable), Mary 22, and two grandsons James Craig 15, and John 14, shepherd. Servants are William McKenzie 26, Mary Ross 22, and Robert Gray 13. James and John are sons of Hugh Craig, who was farming at Holms Farm, Dalrymple.
James Craig died in 1877
1881 Jane Craig, widow 78, farmer employing 2 men and 3 women. Grandson John Craig 24 is her foreman and shepherd. Servants are Janet Wilson 20, Elizabeth McStephney 20, Grace Wilson 14, and James Wilson 15.
1891 Jane W Craig widow 88 has only servants living with her. They are John Hyslop 57, John Hunter 59, Robert Pollock 15, Jane Smith 22, dairymaid, and Janet Tait 17, domestic.
1881 Jane Craig, widow 78, farmer employing 2 men and 3 women. Grandson John Craig 24 is her foreman and shepherd. Servants are Janet Wilson 20, Elizabeth McStephney 20, Grace Wilson 14, and James Wilson 15.
1891 Jane W Craig widow 88 has only servants living with her. They are John Hyslop 57, John Hunter 59, Robert Pollock 15, Jane Smith 22, dairymaid, and Janet Tait 17, domestic.
John Craig had moved to farm at Nether Westland, close by, with his sister Elizabeth.
1901 census shows William Brown 34 farmer wife Jane A (Sloan) 31, small children, Archibald 4, Jane 5, and William under 1, and a visitor Agnes Taylor a widow of 56, and 2 female servants, Agnes Dick 12, and Agnes Lorimer 26.
Valuation Roll
1855 tenant James Craig. Lands of Blackwood and Auchens, exclusive of Hill Pasture.
1865 proprietor Marquis of Bute.
1885 tenant Robert Craig.
1895 Proprietor the Marquis of Bute, tenant William Brown, of House and farm of Blackwood and Auchans Meadow and Harehill.
1905 tenant Archibald Brown.
1915 tenant William Nairn.
1920 proprietor William Nairn.
Nairn family from about 1912
John Taylor Nairn
There's a field called Auchins Meadow which lies apart from the rest of the farm on the other side of the river by the ford (Johnny Nairn)
Currently Mr Prentice
Amalgamated with Polshill
