Craigshields

Research:

• Craigshields, 2 Halketburn and its neighbour, 17 Seton Terrace, were built in the 1890s and are mirror images of each other. It is understood that the two semi-detached houses were built by a minister for his daughters, enabling them to live next door to each other but retain some privacy. It is also believed that this duplication/mirroring extended to the planting in the garden. Mr & Mrs Laing, current owners of Craigshields.
• There are no public records of who stayed in Craigshields between being built in the 1890s and 1920, when the Sweet family arrived in the village.
• “Alexander Sweet (1843-1921) and his wife, Barbara Dunn (Wright) had 8 children and originally lived in Glasgow. Alexander joined the Accountant’s department of the Union Bank of Scotland in 1864, where he was a cashier/senior cashier until he retired in 1920. At this time, he moved to Craigshields in Skelmorlie, Ayrshire”. Source: Thesweetfamily.co.uk
• Sadly, Alexander Sweet only survived one year of his retirement, before passing away. It is not clear whether his wife pre-deceased the move or whether she also lived at Craigshields, but we do know that at least one of the children, Mary, lived at Craigshields until her death in February 1959.
• “Mary Wilson Dunn Sweet (April 1871-1959) daughter of Alexander and Barbara Sweet (above), was born in Cathcart.” “P Sweet, recollects: As a young child I visited Craigshields with our family. At the bottom of the garden there was a thicket of bamboo in which we used to play. It was a big house. I can’t remember much about Mary other than she was very old.” Source: Thesweetfamily.co.uk
• The current owners, the Laing family moved to Craigshields in late 2006. Mr & Mrs Laing, current owners of Craigshields.