The People of Irvine

Drawn by Irvine-born artist, Andrew Allan; this postcard was published by Millar and Lang Limited, Art Publishers of Glasgow.

Stained Glass Artist David Keir was born in Irvine in 1802 and died in Glasgow in 1864. He is one a very small of pioneers in this field; Scotland's churches had rejected the use of stained glass after the Reformation in 1560. It was only in the early decades of the 19th Century that the first modern era windows were approved and installed. Keir created a thriving practice in Glasgow and is principally remembered for his work in the installation of 26 windows at Glasgow Cathedral. The year following his death, his sons installed a commemorative window and plaque, which can now be viewed at the South Entrance to the Cathedral - this is a very rare honour to have been accorded to an artist/craftsman. You can find out more here: www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSE01067 His prodigious output included several windows in the Mure Church in Irvine ( the principal West Window of which is shown in the design of this poster, photographed by Donald Gibson). For more on this: www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-35412-west-road-mure-... He and his sons were partly responsible for training one of the mid to late Victorian Era's greatest stained glass and interior decoration artists, a Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood-inspired genius - Daniel Cottier en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Cottier

This lithographic artist was born in Irvine's Halfway (now called Montgomery Street), famously also the thoroughfare on which another famous son, poet, journalist and social reformer, James Montgomery, also saw the first light of day. Allan trained at The Glasgow School of Art from 1882 until 1896. He is mainly remembered for his landscape studies, which work is highly regarded, The painting in the poster is called 'Thistledown' and is part of the Glasgow Museums Collection.

This is an example of a lithographic process which reproduces the effect of crayon. Allan used this technique many times in the work which he produced for Millar & Lang, Art Publishers, Glasgow.

Born in Irvine on 2nd May 1779, John Galt wrote many notable books, including the satirical novels 'The Annals of the Parish' and 'The Provost' - the first on a religious theme, the second on a political one (the latter being based on the Town Council of Irvine). He had many business ventures and founded the City of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. For more information : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Galt_(novelist)

This poster promotes one of Irvine's most notable sons, James Montgomery. He became a poet (writing many lyrics for hymns), a journalist and newspaper proprietor and an active social reformer (twice jailed by the Government for promoting his views). He was so loved by the people of his adopted home of Sheffield that he was accorded the honour of a public funeral, a statue was erected of him , a fountain and a window in Sheffield Cathedral dedicated to his memory and several streets and public buildings in that city bear his name. He is best known for writing the words to the hymn, 'Angels from the Realms of Glory' (and beautiful words they are too): www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDWUY3Me1kA You can read more about his remarkable life here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Montgomery_(editor)