Web appeal reunites family with photos

He first found the pictures and family papers in the loft of a home he moved into several years ago and reckoned they must belong to a Laurieston family.

The papers referred to an “Arthur Doyle” of Grahamsdyke Street, but there was no longer anyone of that name living at that address.

After another unsuccessful attempt to find the owners, he let the matter rest – but with the growth of social media decided to give it one more try.

He wrote: “The case contains a family photo album with pictures of babies and toddlers on a beach as well as group shots of adults.

“Some of these are dated 1952 and I am certain they will be of sentimental value to surviving family members”.

Several readers got in touch to say they remembered Mr Doyle but then Troon woman, Maggie Crankshaw, emailed to say one of the pictures published showed her playing on the beach as a little girl.

Delighted to be reunited with this unique window into her family’s past, she said: “Arthur Doyle, my father, did indeed live at 237 Grahamsdyke Street in Laurieston until his death in 1984.

“He was head teacher at Comely Park School from 1955-1970 and previously was at Westquarter, Muiravonside and Limerigg Primaries.

“I have lived in Troon since 1976, and my mother moved to Bradan Road in Troon in 1985 until her death in 1995. The beach photographs were taken in the early 1950s on the beach at Lower Largo and I feature in them as a small child!

“It would be wonderful to be reunited with the photographs if that was possible”.

Mr McManus was overjoyed that his quest had ultimately paid off. He said: “At the back of my mind was that these photographs and papers would perhaps still mean a great deal to somebody.

“I thought that if there was any hope of finding such a person it would probably be through trying an online approach via the Falkirk Herald.”