Historic Houses of Largs
This is a series on the Historic Houses of Largs. The notes are taken from a talk given by our Secretary, Fiona Williamson in 2024.
Here she looks at the history of the houses/estates and the people who lived in them.
1. Brisbane House
2. Acre House, Broomfields
James Wilkie (1820-1879), a bank agent, was born at Knowhead, Uddingston in 1820. On 16th December 1851 he married Isabella Hinshaw (1831-1907), daughter of Robert Hinshaw (West Indian Merchant) and Isabella Buchanan. The wedding took place in Barony, Glasgow. James and Isabella had the following six children; Isabella Buchanan Wilkie (1852-1935), Agnes Wilkie (1854-1922), James Wilkie (1855-1927), Margaret Anne Wilkie (1856-1909), John Wilkie (1859-1920) and Robert Hinshaw Wilkie (1863-1933).
James Wilkie was an accountant in Glasgow and the family moved to Largs in 1858 when James became an agent for The Royal Bank in Largs. He purchased the Acre Estate and enlarged Acre House.
In the 1861 census the Wilkie family were at Acre House, Broomfields, Largs, where James (41), is described as an accountant with Isabella (29), Isabella (8), Agnes (7), James (5), Margaret (4) and John (2). Mrs Wilkie’s sister, Anne Pender Hinshaw (31) is also living at Acre House, along with a governess and five domestic servants.
In 1871 the Wilkies are still at Acre House where James Wilkie is described as a banker. There are also three additional children in the household; Robert Hinshaw (6), Henry Hinshaw (4) and Margaret Hinshaw (2). These are the orphaned children of Mrs Wilkie’s late brother John Hinshaw (1820-1870) and his wife Caroline Edith Hamilton/Hinshaw (1833-1871)
James Wilkie died on 9th March 1879 in Largs and his widow and family continued to live at Acre House. James Wilkie had taken an active part in local affairs and was Captain of The Rifle Volunteer Corps in Largs. He was one of the first two magistrates appointed when Largs became a burgh in 1876.
The Wilkie Family were supporters of Largs Parish Church (St Columba’s). When the church was rebuilt in 1892 Mrs Isabella Wilkie presented the church with an octagonal oak pulpit in memory of her husband. James and Isabella Wilkie’s three sons all became cotton merchants in Liverpool, working for the company Cunningham & Hinshaw. Mrs Isabella Hinshaw/Wilkie died at Acre House on 5th April 1907. Her daughters remained unmarried.
In 1921 Acre had twelve rooms and five residents including sisters Isabella (68) and Agnes (67) and three servants. When Miss Isabella Buchanan Wilkie, the eldest sibling died on the 1st March 1935 aged 82 it was the end of an era. The house had been the Wilkie family home for 76 years.
Acre House was sold on 13th July 1935 and was then divided into two houses. The house changed hands several times, at one time it was a guest house and later a retirement home, before it was finally converted into apartments.
A recently published book ‘The Cotton Kings – The Wilkie family and transatlantic trade’ by Kathleen Houston includes a chapter on The Wilkies of Largs.