Archibald Torrance (1869-1952) Archibald Torrance was born on 7 Jun 1869 in 22 Brown St, Newmilns. Archibald Torrance was the fifth of six children, including another called Archibald who died aged 2 years. Archibald’s father William Croel Torrance died before Archibald had reached his third birthday on 21 Jan 1872, leaving his mother Anne Torrance to bring up five children and an additional 'adopted' one - William Shields. Archibald was living with his mother in Brown St at the time of the 1871 and 1881 censuses and worked as a painter when he finished schooling. On 31 Jan1890 he married Lizzie Houston in Howie’s Row, Galston Road, Hurlford. From a Report on Miners’ Housing 1918 : Hurlford is a large village about 2 miles from Kilmarnock. With the greater part of the village we will not deal, our purpose being to report on houses owned by colliery owners, as well as on a few in which miners live. Howie's Square. - Coming still back towards Hurlford Cross, behind the front street is what is known as Howie's Square, owned by Messrs J. & R., Howie, Limited. There seems to have been eleven dwellings originally, but only four single apartments were occupied when we visited the square on 6th December 1913. Whatever these houses may have been, they are dingy enough looking now. The inside appearance confirms the impression given outside. The square is situated on the margin of the river Irvine, and in high floods the houses are inundated. There are three dry-closets, one washing-house, and an open ash-pit. This was full of all kinds of decaying vegetable matter, and was littered in front fully 12 feet. We were informed that twenty tenants, besides two shops, use this ash-pit. The rent of the single house is 1s. 3d. a week.