Red granite fountain on Kilkerran Road

[rarmour]

Hello,
I wondered if the red granite fountain on Kilkerran Road, donated in 1881 by George Armour, still existed. George was born in Campbeltown and, sometime around 1830, left for Illonois where he made his fortune.

I have an account of the opening ceremony from the Campbeltown Courier if anyone wants to see it.

Ron Armour
Lancashire

[petewick]

Yes, it's still there,no longer functioning however.

[UP THE ROAD]

Yes, it's still there,no longer functioning however.

The fountain is lovely--pity it hasn't been working for years-was it due to health or safety or could the council not be bothered maintaining it--was great to get a nice cold drink from after a good walk on the promenade.

[rarmour]

Thank you for the information. Could some kind soul take a picture for me please.

Ron Armour

[bill]

There you go Ron only too happy to oblige.Are you a relative of the George Armour who donated the fountain?Or maybe a relative of the Armours who owned the plumbing business?

[rarmour]

Thank you very much for the photo. Pity it's not working but I guess it's partly a H&S issue.

I am not related to George Armour (directly). George appears to have been the son of Archibald Armour b 1782 and Ann Greenlees. I think the name George comes from her father who farmed Machribeg in 1792.

I am descended from another Archibald Armour b 1787 in killean and Kilchenzie who farmed at Little Glenramskill. His wife was Margaret Turner. Other names in my family after that are Langlands and Robertsons of Campbeltown. I do have a Charles Greenlees Armour 1858 - 1877 who was my great grandfather Richard Armour's brother, but I never figured out where the name Greenlees came from or if there ever was a Charles Greenlees.

I was interested in George because Barack Obama g g g grandfather was George Armour b 1850 in Ohio who lived in Illinois and I was trying to see if I could tie him back to campbeltown.

In finding the George Armour that donated the fountain, I have found a very interesting Campbeltown family including his grandson Norman Armour a career diplomat and Assistant US Secretary of State. Norman Armour married Russian princess Myra Koudacheff in 1919, after he helped her to flee her homeland. He died in 1982.

Yours
Ron Obama Armour!

[bill]

Must say that is very interesting Ron,you certainly must have put a lot of time into tracing the family tree.

Getting back to the water fountain,I wonder about where it was before it's present position?Where the fountain is situated is where the former railway line used to be, which shut in 1933.I grew up in the 50's and do not remember it being there then.I would say it was situated in it's present position very early 60's.

[petewick]

Was it not near the New Quay head, bill?

[Tosh]

Thank you very much for the photo. Pity it's not working but I guess it's partly a H&S issue.

I am not related to George Armour (directly). George appears to have been the son of Archibald Armour b 1782 and Ann Greenlees. I think the name George comes from her father who farmed Machribeg in 1792.

I am descended from another Archibald Armour b 1787 in killean and Kilchenzie who farmed at Little Glenramskill. His wife was Margaret Turner. Other names in my family after that are Langlands and Robertsons of Campbeltown. I do have a Charles Greenlees Armour 1858 - 1877 who was my great grandfather Richard Armour's brother, but I never figured out where the name Greenlees came from or if there ever was a Charles Greenlees.

I was interested in George because Barack Obama g g g grandfather was George Armour b 1850 in Ohio who lived in Illinois and I was trying to see if I could tie him back to campbeltown.

In finding the George Armour that donated the fountain, I have found a very interesting Campbeltown family including his grandson Norman Armour a career diplomat and Assistant US Secretary of State. Norman Armour married Russian princess Myra Koudacheff in 1919, after he helped her to flee her homeland. He died in 1982.

Yours
Ron Obama Armour!

I have a Janet Greenlees who Married William Porter in 1732, sorry but I don't have any other info about her.

[bill]

Was it not near the New Quay head, bill?

Possibly Petewick,but if you remember there was a fountain there which was the same type as the others.

[Kintyre Forum News]

I was interested in George because Barack Obama g g g grandfather was George Armour b 1850 in Ohio who lived in Illinois and I was trying to see if I could tie him back to campbeltown.

In finding the George Armour that donated the fountain, I have found a very interesting Campbeltown family including his grandson Norman Armour a career diplomat and Assistant US Secretary of State. Norman Armour married Russian princess Myra Koudacheff in 1919, after he helped her to flee her homeland. He died in 1982.

Yours
Ron Obama Armour!

Very interesting indeed Ron - thanks for posting both pieces of information. Would be interesting to see if the first one could be traced back to Kintyre.

Second one is very interesting indeed - when did the family move to the USA?

[petewick]

Was it not near the New Quay head, bill?

Possibly Petewick,but if you remember there was a fountain there which was the same type as the others.

No, I don't go that far back, I just remember someone talking about a fountain there that was in a lion design as well as the
other fountain being there.
Do you remember the wee fountain that was on Kilkerran Road, across from South Park, beside the shrub bed?
It was just a pedestal column with a small bowl? I think it was removed a few years ago.

[bill]

I can remember 6 in total Petewick....

1..paddling pool

2..Kilkerran Rd. ..the one you mentioned

3..top of the new quay

4..junction of the paths on Kinloch Green

5..Dalintober pier

6..along Low Askomil,just past Craigard.

[rarmour]

The only clue I have as to the original wherabouts of the fountain is from the Campbeltown Courier dated Jun 18 1881.

"He (Provost Greenlees) appealed to the fishermen who were often about the place to see that the fountain was not abused by anyone."

It looks like it needs a plinth to me.

Ron Armour

[rarmour]

Somebody asked when George Armour born in Campbeltown in 1812 moved to the USA.

I have information to suggest it was in 1833. In 1850 he was with hisbrother John and sister Ann in Ottawa, Illinois.

Ron Armour