School Competition to name new road

[gizmo]

Please excuse my ignorance, but who was the original McCallum. If he was worthy of note then is it right to dump him now?

[gizmo]

4th Gen. I cant believe you cant believe the powers that be can be that stupid.

[Isa]

This is taken from the "Campbeltown Book" published by the Kintyre Civic Society 2003

The Campbeltown Book




............ Though the Board grew more flexible and the Burgh more adept at deal further Housing Acts practically tripped over each other throughout the 70s and '30s in to address, each with different terms and conditions, different specific aspects of the genera so the Council were frequently debating the relative merits (i.e., the economic pros an say, classifying a scheme as slum clearance (which entailed demolition) or as overcrow (which didn't). Sometimes they confused the two, later they managed to combine them scheme, and, later still, they were classifying four schemes under four separate Acts. Anc soon at issue was, in today's parlance, the question of 'greenfield' versus 'brownfield' sit first this simply meant weighing the costs of infrastructure against those of demolil notwithstanding Kintyre Agricultural Society's objection to losing "the only suitable and o field""1 for the Cattle Show, it failed to deflect the completion of Castleacres because the C( retained a feu option on the rest of the housing land in mind.
However, by the time the Board of Health re-invited housing scheme applications in 19i a 1924 Act, H. E. Clifford had retired, so the Corporation muddled through Phases II and and 20 dwellings respectively, using standard-type blocks of four on layouts prepared by ti Surveyor - all modified (cheapened) as necessary to gain the Board's approval. For the fo final phase, of 32 flats again in two-storey blocks of four, the Corporation appointed James! & Sons of Airdrie as "Architects and Measurers""1 - which perhaps explains how it secured proportion of 2-apartment homes for small families than was officially allowed. The last of tt estate's 96 new homes were completed in 1931, its through road having been named Smi in 1927 "as a compliment to Provost [John] Smith who [in the capacity of Housing 0 throughout] had taken such a large and active interest in the Housing Scheme of the Cour
Three considerations then prompted an outright switch to 'brownfield' sites. First and foi the Lochend/Dalaruan/Dalintober area was by now clogged with an agglomeration of red distillery buildings, semi- if not wholly derelict: in 1926 the Corporation had already been Kintyre Distillery site for £100, and two years later Duncan McCallum, "naturally anxious development and amenity of the town", gifted Kinloch Distillery to it, complete with reusablf "of excellent quality,""1 yet entirely free. Secondly, the Council reckoned that tenements in bl< 12 would be more economical to build than 'flatted houses' in blocks of four; and this was imp not only to keep the rates down but also because, now that local authorities could not cor 'unfit' housing without providing for its occupants, such people could hardly be rehoused at they couldn't afford. But thirdly, by 1931, there resurfaced a sense, largely lost during thei distilleries, of the loch-head-type shape most appropriate for Campbeltown's good: instead housing scheme which would be an excrescence on the old town", the Council now "wanted t the town reconstructed around the shores of the loch, which was its natural base."cThis, in Id should lead out of depression into prosperity by attracting new residents as well as more via clearance and redevelopment must therefore be the order of the day, to make Campbeltown wi of its "wonderful site and situation."
In practice, of course, things didn't pan out quite like that. Although Kinloch Distillery wa obvious place to start, councillors were tempted to look their gift horse in the mouth when demol proved ineligible for unemployment relief grant, when redevelopment had to be fitted around "tumble-down shacks"0 in Longrow whose tenants lacked interim accommodation, when the reus stone had to be used on an unbudgeted-for plinth to raise the new tenement blocks above fl level, when McCallum Street had to be constructed as an unsubsidized charge on the rates, w the national economic crisis put tradesmen's prices in jeopardy, and when building delays therel cost the Corporation almost a year's receipt of rent. Nevertheless, two of the first three blocks w "practically finished"c by the summer of 1933, with the work proceeding straight into its sea phase of another three blocks and James Thomson's ground-breaking distillery scheme thus creat 53 new homes by the end of 1935. Though not a square, the complex was called Park Square simplify its numbering, and the final block was grafted in later, after clearance of the interveni Longrow properties.

[linda]

That is the name that i heard and that was in December. The pupil that named it was Darren Brown from Castlehill School

[Isa]

Not sure who decides these things but it seems a bit shortsighted to have pupils naming a road. The name might not even be their idea, more like an adult at home who suggests it and the pupil goes in with the name.

It makes the rest of the population feel disenfranchised. The general public should be included in a decision like this. (if there is to be a change of name at all) I always thought Aqualibrium was quite a mouthful for a primary school child to come up with in the first place. Was it really their idea?

Surely we are not to be lumbered with ths daft name for all future new builds in the vicinity with members of the public who haven't even finished their education and have no sense of the history deciding what something is to be called.

What's next Aqualibrium Park square, Aqualibrium creamery, Aqualibrium Marina or even Aqualibrium Royal Hotel.

[bill]

Isa,afraid your page seems to be a bit muddled.Got my copy out ,found the page,and do not see any connection between the Duncan McCallum mentioned, and the naming of McCallum Street.

Being a McCallum myself,the story I was told as a boy was that the Street is named after my Gt.Gt. Grandfather James Hamish McCallum.
He left the town as a youth looking for adventure.Joined the army,was posted to Africa,where he fought the Zulus at Rorke's Drift .After recovering from his injuries he deserted,travelled across the continent and made his fortune ,with a partner,in a diamond mine.He eventually sold his share to his partner then headed to America.There he found a wife,had two boys,and invested his money in steel.
He never forgot his home town,and sent funds ,through a solicitor,for the town council to set up a charitable trust for the poor of the town.
Through bad investments and gambling debts he lost the lot.He headed to the gold fields of California to try his luck.Unfortunately he and his wife died of a fever.
His oldest son James returned to Campbeltown and became a fisherman,while the youngest boy,John stayed in America.

That's the story of the naming of McCallum Street ,to the best of my memory,as I was told it.

[witchnettle]

i think that's a ridiculous name and i also thought an avenue had to be lined with trees.
the old name was fine, if its not broke don't fix it x

[gizmo]

Bill. I sincerly hope your version is right and not the musings of some older McCallum inventing a story to keep you quiet when you were wee. But I would rather live in McCallum street than tell people I live in Aqualibrium Avenue, no offence intended to young Darren.

[Kintyre Forum News]

Found it difficult to find the actual proposed plans on the Council site

http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ ... pplication

Application 10/02153/PP

Perhaps someone will have better luck but as mentioned before I don't actually think the proposals include getting rid of McCallum Street. I will have to remain in some shape or form for access to the rear of the new housing and the existing properties on McCallum Street.

[howlsatthemoon]

Isa,afraid your page seems to be a bit muddled.Got my copy out ,found the page,and do not see any connection between the Duncan McCallum mentioned, and the naming of McCallum Street.

Being a McCallum myself,the story I was told as a boy was that the Street is named after my Gt.Gt. Grandfather James Hamish McCallum.
He left the town as a youth looking for adventure.Joined the army,was posted to Africa,where he fought the Zulus at Rorke's Drift .After recovering from his injuries he deserted,travelled across the continent and made his fortune ,with a partner,in a diamond mine.He eventually sold his share to his partner then headed to America.There he found a wife,had two boys,and invested his money in steel.
He never forgot his home town,and sent funds ,through a solicitor,for the town council to set up a charitable trust for the poor of the town.
Through bad investments and gambling debts he lost the lot.He headed to the gold fields of California to try his luck.Unfortunately he and his wife died of a fever.
His oldest son James returned to Campbeltown and became a fisherman,while the youngest boy,John stayed in America.

That's the story of the naming of McCallum Street ,to the best of my memory,as I was told it.

Well Bill, I think you are wrong because my mum always told me it was named McCallum street in celebration of my birth.

[WC1]

I'm with gizmo on this one. Aqualibrium Avenue - no way!! (Sorry Darren.)

[booboos]

as being on the committee that was given the job of going through some of the names the schools put in to name the new development at park square thae one being mentioned was not even mentioned as i am being told now area committee and board of managerment agreed new park square as the name as long as the council got final say on the name obviously someone in the council had other ideas as with the naming of the other new development at broad street and parliament the name new parliament was ok so what is wrong with the name new park square as it was supposed to be called or is that not posh enough for our councilors and yes i think a petition is a great idea

[ultraviolet]

as being on the committee that was given the job of going through some of the names the schools put in to name the new development at park square thae one being mentioned was not even mentioned as i am being told now area committee and board of managerment agreed new park square as the name as long as the council got final say on the name obviously someone in the council had other ideas as with the naming of the other new development at broad street and parliament the name new parliament was ok so what is wrong with the name new park square as it was supposed to be called or is that not posh enough for our councilors and yes i think a petition is a great idea

Obviously being part of the committee that was involved in this was of no relevance at all? So the Council got final say but how did the name get put forward if it wasn't part of the original ones. I am disgusted at the choice of Aqualibrium Avenue and perhaps booboos, as one of the original committee, you can take this further and find out how this happened? I couldnt believe my eyes when I opened the Courier to read this. How can Councilor Rory Colvile be happy with this and I want to know who did he ask to think the people would be happy. To put a school kid in a position where people aren't happy either is pathetic by the Council too.

[Kintyre Forum News]

as i am being told now area committee and board of managerment agreed new park square

From the Council's website

The main blocks will be named Park Terrace with other properties addressed on two existing streets - McCallum Street and Longrow.

http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/news/2012 ... tive-chord

[WC1]

So let me get this right. Is the address of the "main blocks" Park Terrace, Campbeltown, or Park Terrace, Aqualibrium Avenue, Campbeltown?

Also fascinated to read this:

The Campbeltown CHORD board judged the competition looking at many original and thought provoking names before selecting Aqualibrium Avenue.

So they decided against choosing one of the original and thought-provoking ones, then.