The town of Irvine is at least 1,000 years old, and has accumulated a whole load of history in that time, this section deals with some of it.

Aerial Photo of The Beach Park Area Pre-1950 - by Crawford Fulton
This photo is taken from George McMaster's Collection. Seen here is the former heart of industrial Irvine, the development of which began in 1871 (with the creation of a chemical works). George has highlighted: the Glassworks (which still operates today, although the site has been redeveloped and modernised); and the former Royal Ordnance Factory (established in 1911 and operational until after World War Two), one of the major munition manufacturing sites for the UK in the early to mid 20th Century. The southern part of the former ROF site was developed into the town's first industrial estate in 1958 (attracting major employers such as Hyster and Bonney Forge); the northern part of the site was transformed into the Beach Park, including a boating lake, and Magnum indoor leisure centre (for many years, the largest facility of its type in Europe).

04 Aerial Bridgegate Irvine - by Crawford Fulton
This photo was taken from George McMaster's Collection. This image of Central Irvine was taken in the inter-war years.

Irvine Archive Contributors - by Crawford Fulton
This graphic was designed to acknowledge the contributions of the six people who have added material from their own archives or photographs which they themselves have taken to The Irvine Archive. On behalf of my colleagues in Clyde Imagineering and myself, I wish to express sincere thanks to the individuals concerned.