The Joint Venture of the Muir Coal

In1785, as the Industrial Revolution got underway, the Incorporated Trades took up the lease of 'the Muir Coal', a coalmine on the east side of the Moor, in company with BailieJames Shaw, two merchants and the bookseller WilliamTempleton.

The Council claimed every twelfth load as rental for the mine.Atone point the venture employed 19 coal hewers and 5 cleeksmen.Two gin boys worked on the surface. For the first few yearsoutput was 500-700 loads per week. In July 1786 water seepinginto the workings halted production.

Asthere was insufficient capital to purchase a steam engine topump out the water, the mine became less and less productive.Eventually, the company, already in debt, was wound up in 1789.

Two years later the first Statistical Account of Irvine was published. The membership of the trades was listed as follows: Weavers 116, Tailors 27, Shoemakers 56, Smiths 24, Wrights 80, Coopers 7. The Skinners had been disbanded and so were no longer listed.