History in Structure

Reformer's Monument, Kay Park, Kilmarnock

A Category B Listed Building in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

1989 ceremony honouring the Kilmarnock Reformers

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Kilmarnock SNP councillor Danny Coffey - soon to be Lord Provost - is fourth from the left, SNP politician George Leslie is far right and local SNP activist Stuart Paterson is second from the left. Paterson arranged the commemoration including speeches and the piping in of flower wreaths to honour Alexander McLaren, whose descendant, Bob McCann, is third from the left. In 1820, McLaren organised a crowd of 5,000 to gather in the Kay Park to protest against not having the vote. Only 1 person from 18,000 in the town had the vote, Major Parker of Assloss. McLaren was arrested and imprisoned for 6 months in Glasgow Tolbooth. Due to the awful conditions he suffered in jail, his health was badly affected and he died within a couple of years of release. Such protests throughout the UK (the most famous being at Peterloo in Manchester) eventually led to the First Reform Act of 1832.

Uploaded by Stuart Paterson on 10 October 2019

https://disqus.com/by/disqus_2KFu3c2Eih/

Photo ID: 227154
Building ID: 200380615
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