It was reported 45 years ago in the Largs and Millport News that two young musicians were about to give their first show in their home town.

On 26 November 1971, Graham Lyle and Benny Gallagher, 'who have climbed to the top of the pop world', were preparing for the gig at Barrfields Theatre on 23 December.

The 'News' reported: "They are coming home for Christmas with their wives and young families to do a performance in Largs for a good cause.

"The show will be at Barrfields Pavilion and the proceeds will go to Barrholm and the Clark Home.

"The town council agreed on Monday to help by granting Barrfields free of charge.

"Graham (27) and Benny (26) left Largs eight years ago to try their luck in London as song-writers. They took 9am to 5pm jobs while they wrote songs and took them around publishers.

"They finally got contracts as song-writers and gave up their jobs."

"After a number of minor successes, they reached the top of the pops with McGuinness Flint, singing their own song 'When I'm Dead and Gone'. They have now left this group and are back on their own.

"They had a show to themselves recently on BBC2 in colour, and in October they gave an hour long performance to 5000 in the Royal Albert Hall and got a standing ovation.

"They will be leaving soon for Munich, where they will write the background music for a documentary on Tom Sawyer."

And the show itself was a smash hit with local audiences.

The 'News' reported: "Graham and Benny illustrated that songs could be written about commonplace things - past experiences, people they have known - they have even written a song about the Caledonian Steam Packet Company.

"Not only did they play guitars with skill, but also mandolins, accordian, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and piano.

"'When I'm Dead and Gone' their 'Top of the Pops' hit never seems to lose its appeal. 'Malt and Barley Blues', a more recent success, was also received enthusiastically."

* It was the end of an era on Largs seafront as the ferry ticket office was knocked down ... but nobody was complaining!

Editor John McCreadie, writing in his personal column, said: "The demolition of the pier office and waiting room at Largs can only be a matter of satisfaction.

"After 35 years, an expansive view of the sea and the land and beyond can be seen from most of the Main Street.

"The building was erected in 1936, a year before the first planning act, and we recall at a planning enquiry after the war, an expert offered the opinion that if the planning regulations had been in force in 1936, the now demolished pierhead building would never have been allowed. He described it as 'sacrilege' that Largs should have been robbed of a sea view from the main thoroughfare.

"With the disappearance of the building and the removal last year of the pierhead lavatory, the pierhead area is less cluttered up than it has been for years."

* Some of the congregation were pictured outside Millport East Church on Sunday 28 February 1971, the last Sunday of worship in the church prior to the union with West Church.

At the morning service, the lessons were read by Mr Walter Kerr, Balmoral Villa, and Mr Walter Kerr, The Moorings, and at night, by Mr Wm. Peacock.

This was also Rev. Ewan Cameron's last Sunday before retirement to Ayr. He and Mrs Cameron shook hands with the congregation at both services.

At present, the old East Church building on the island is up for sale.

* The Post Office in Aitken Street, Largs, re-opened on Thursday 11 March 1971, after a strike. Since Monday, staff were completing training in the decimalisation and catching up with the backlog of work.

Mail deliveries resumed on Tuesday, practically all of it mail which was in the pipeline elsewhere before the strike started. It was cleared in one day without trouble.

During the strike, Miss Mary Jones and Mrs Rita Boyd (Fairlie) of the counter staff attended on Tuesdays and Fridays to pay out pensions without receiving pay. In fact, Mrs Boyd paid her own bus fares and lunches. Their services were very much appreciated by the pensioners.