AYRSHIRE-L Archives

From: "Mike Boyd" <>
Subject: Peeble of Irvine pre 1615
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:05:52 +1000

During my trip I found the book "Three Hundred Years in Innishowen" by Amy Isabel Young, 1924, McCaw, Stevenson & Orr, Ltd, Belfast which gave an outline of the Boyds of Ballycastle.

On page 294 there was an chart outlining the family of Ballycastle - according to Young.

It starts with and John Boyd (late Provost of Irwin. Held lands of Carncogie, near Dervock. PRESUMED (my capitals) to be the father of Thomas Boyd of Carncogie. This John is shown as marrying Jane Peebles (or Peoples) who d 1615 (Inscription on the tombstone in Derrykeighan Churchyard [Derrykeighan is about 2 kms NW of Dervock]

So when I was in the Ayrshire Libraries, I kept an eye open for any thing on a Peebles's family.

From the book "The History of Irvine, Royal Burgh and New Town," by John Strawhorn on page 244 it list the "List of Provosts". There is an John Peebles of Broomlands, who was provost in 1570 and 1596.

Broomlands is now within the town of Irvine and about 1 km to the SE of the City centre.

There was an Thomas Boyd Provost in 1608-1610 but no John Boyd given on the list which goes from 1540 to 1975.

I have not been able to find any Peebles family in the time I had at Kilmarnock or Ardrossan. Therefore I can't conclude that Jane Peebles is or might be an daughter of John Peebles the Provost or even a sister or some other relative. So is there anyone on this list who is researching any of the Peebles families of Irvine.

My second thought is that Amy Young, may have got confused that it was Jane Peebles family/father that were the Provost and not John Boyd himself. I was told that some parts of this book, in particular, tried to put the best gloss on the family. So it may have been possible that if in fact it was her father that was the Provost, it changed over time to being John Boyd himself, rather than his father-in-law. That could be one THEORY.

The Third thought is that she has got confused with Jane Peebles father's name - who might have been John - and that of Thomas Boyd who was Provost in 1608-1610.

If you can help to shed some light onto this little problem, I would be most grateful. From the above and other information I have collected, it would seem that Irvine an important town for Boyd, although it does not seem to have had any Boyd cadet branches that came from there. Certainly, I did not find any from either Robertson or Paterson.

Thank you for your help

Mike Boyd
Chairman
Historical Committee, HBS

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• Peeble of Irvine pre 1615 by "Mike Boyd" <>