The weaving industry of Largs was made up of educated, rebellious freedom fighters who helped set up their own church in Largs, launched their own newspaper and were remarkably prosperous during the early 19th century.

With their passion for literature, they had access to a library within a weaver"s shop in Gateside Street, and they also led the way in celebrating the centenary of the birth of celebrated poet Robert Burns in 1859 in Largs with a massive parade.

At the height of the industrial revolution, Largs faced a major crossroads when a key weaving enterprise at Bankhouse was built which looked set to change the nature of Largs forever.

The mill and the mansion of Bankhouse were built by George Henderson around 1840 and its success could have resulted in a radical change to Largs industry. The mill, which was a strong, substantial stone building, with a smoke stack nearly 100 feet high, stood a little way to the north of where Bankhouse Avenue still stands.

The mill was fitted with the best and most modern machinery for the manufacturing of woollen and tweed goods, and a strong staff of experienced workers were brought from Tillicoultry to put things in working order and teach the Largs folks the business. When the mill closed after the church Disruption of 1843, the laird of Halkshill bought both mill and mansion for the braes of Gogoside to be preserved and the stones of the mill were used for the building of the Free Church.

Weaver Hugh Miller said: 'Had Mr Henderson"s enterprise been successful it is quite possible the whole destiny of Largs would have been changed.' From the old articles which were preserved detailing the weaving industry in Largs, it would appear that Largs was spared from becoming an industrial town itself by the failure of Mr Henderson"s enterprise.

The old weavers of Largs had several flourishing debating societies, and many of them took a lively interest in church matters. Thanks largely to the efforts of the Rev David Buchan Dowie, the first minister of the Free Church of Largs, a well equipped reading room was started in one of the weaver"s shops in Gateside Street.

The starting of the Relief Kirk was perhaps the most important thing that the weavers of Largs accomplished, for while they received invaluable help from a few of the joiners, builders, and other workmen of the town, they really formed the backbone of its first congregation. The building known as Columba Drill Hall was built as a place of worship not only for a body of dissenters but literally by them as well.

The masons and joiners gave of their labour, and the weavers and a few others provided the money for the materials.

After its demise, many of these old dissenters went back to the Established Church, while the remainder threw their lot in with the congregation of the Secession Church in Waterside Street.

To the weavers of this Secession congregation belongs the honour of starting the first Sunday School in Largs. The only other place of worship in the town then was the Parish Church, and the Rev. John Dow had only recently been appointed to it. Consequently, the more extreme men among the weavers started their own newspaper in which to air their views with humorous poems and essays. The revolutionary writings of Burns no doubt influenced the weavers in their dealings within the local community.

During the Victorian era, "draw boys" started weaving at age 7 or 8 and were encouraged at an early age to become students, by seeing the newspapers constantly read, and hearing their content discussed. It was a habit of many of the weavers to clip from the papers anything that specially took their fancy, and to paste it on the walls or doors of the shops. The hours of labour were long - 12-14 hours per day with scant pay.

The labours of the drawboy were brought to an end by the Jacquard machine allowing weavers to produce the Paisley shawl to perfection, costing between �3-6 each in the middle of the 19th century.

During the 1860s, there were over 200 of these Jacquard machines in Largs, but shortly after that period the Frano-German War had its effect of killing the plaid and the shawl trade.

Weavers then devoted themselves to the production of table covers and window curtains, but the increase in steam power to looms dealt a fatal blow to the trade in Largs.

Many of the Cashmere shawls produced in Largs were reversible, and such a garment could last a careful woman for a lifetime.

Weaver Hugh Miller recalled when there was no gas in the town and lamps were used during the winter gloom. He recalled that around 200 local boys and girls worked on the looms.

The two greatest events in the social economy of the weavers of Largs were the parts they played in the demonstration organised in honour of the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832 and the Burns Centenary celebrations of 1859.

In spite of the Burns procession carrying on through a wild storm, it was a great success and included 30 builders, 30 tailors, 30 coachmen and 20 gardeners plus 150 weavers.

The procession was formed on Noddle Green (in front of Barrfields/Aubery), and it proceeded along Gallowgate Street and Main Street to Broomfields and back to Main Street.

Many of the participants who took part went home and changed their clothes, then went to evening meetings in which the immortal memory was duly pledged before songs and speeches were made to commemorate Ayrshire"s finest poet.

Hugh Miller recalled: 'I was one of a small group that made a pilgrimage from Largs to see Mrs Begg, Burns"s youngest sister, in the little cottage that was built for her shortly after the centenary festival. Mrs Begg, who shook hands most kindly with us all, was a plain, homely-looking woman, and she seemed very proud of the fact that she was a sister of the lad that was born in Kyle.'