SOURCE : Dick Institute & Library, Kilmarnock

My attention has been called by a respected friend to an article in the "Ayrshire Notes & Queries" of Saturday last with regard to William Murdoch, who is there called "The Cumnock Worthy", who was the first to use coal gas for light. 

William Murdoch was a native of this parish (Auchenleck), and his ancestors can be traced for about four or five hundred years residents in this parish. They were for that time in the farms of Commendyke and Raw (now called Blackstone), on the estate of Auchenleck. 

Many members of the families of Murdoch proved very ingenious both as engineers and otherwise; but to the Murdoch's of Bello Mill we are indebted for adding a halo of lustre around our native parish. Bello Mill is situated on the Lugar at the junction of the Lugar and Bello Mill waters, and quite contiguous to the Lugar Ironworks. 

How long they were in the mill we have no means of knowing. His father "Old Bello Mill," was a miller and mill-wright. It was here that William Murdoch was born, 21st August, 1754. 

In his younger days he had shown great powers of genius. He made a wooden horse, on which he could ride to Cumnock, a distance of more than two miles, in a very short time. 

He hewed out of a rock at the side of the water a cave about four yards square, with fireplace, and the vent for smoke was conveyed through the garden to the vent of the dwelling house where he lived. The cave is still to be seen on the side of the water in the back of Bello-Mill House. 

We may at some future time give your readers a description of his first leaving his native home and going to England in quest of work, with his wooden hat; of his conversation with Boulton, of Watt & Boulton, at Birmingham; of his progress and advancement there; of his duties in Cornwall, where he was sent to superintend their steam-engines; of his making of gas; and the illumination of the Soho Works with gas, when Birmingham turned out in thousands to see and admire it; of the first model-steam engine that he made, while he drew waggons round his room in Redruth; of it's trial on the public road, when it encountered and frightened the parson of the parish; and several other comments on the life and works of William Murdoch. 

Hoping you will find space for these few remarks, as we are not willing to let any other parish share the honour with ours of being the birthplace of William Murdoch 

I am, &c 

A Native of "Old Affleck" 
Auchenleck, 25th May, 1881 
 

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