A spinning wheel special - stamped James Peebles, Wright at Kilburney Bridge 1833

Spinning Wheel IAMES * PEEBLES * WRIGHT * AT * KILBURNEY * BRIDGE  *** 1833 *

By way of variety, William suggested a spinning wheel. Chair turners were often also spinning wheel makers. So were wheelwrights. One maker who kindly dated his wheels was James Peebles, Wright at Kilburney Bridge. The modern spelling is Kilbirnie.

The Scotland census for 1841 reveals:

"Name: James Peebles Age: 75 Estimated birth year: abt 1766 Gender: Male Where born: Ayrshire, Scotland Civil Parish: Kilbirnie County: Ayrshire Address: Kilbirnie Bridge St Occupation: Wheelwright Parish Number: 596."

Also present in the household were Margaret Peebles age 74 and Eliza Peebles age 50, occupation Linen yarn reeler.

James Peebles, son of John Peebles and Margarat (sic) Allan was baptised 26 June 1765 at Kilbirnie, Ayr, Scotland. Elizabeth was baptised at Kilbirnie, Ayr, Scotland on 13 September 1789, daughter of John Peebles and Margarat (sic) Orr. The date of the marriage is uncertain. There were other children including at least a William, a James and a Margaret.

So James Peebles was about 68 years old when he made the spinning wheel above. He is listed as a wheelwright in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire in Pigot & Co.'s New Commercial Directory of Scotland, for 1825-6 

Another James Peebles, Wright spinning wheel was sold at Great Western Auctions in March 2020.

Postscript: 

From the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald - Saturday 21 September 1861

"KILBIRNIE-EXHIBITION, The Horticultural and Agricultural Society here, held their annual exhibition in the Parish School-room, on Saturday, 14th September. The The judges were Mr Tod, Annanhill, Kilmarnock; Wm. Orr, merchant, Beith ; Thomas Caldwell, Coldstream _Mill; James Peebles, Wright, Glenhead, Lochwinnoch ; Wm. Armour, Kilimaurs ; and John Leese, Beith."

There follows an entire column of prize winners, so the duty was onerous. It's 4.4 miles from Glenhead to Kilbirnie. This James Peebles, Wright, is quite possibly the son of our spinning wheel maker.

Julian Parker ©2020