History of The Big Beach House
Whilst researching the History of The Big Beach House we put an ad in the local paper the Arran Banner and received a call from the grand daughter of the person who built the house. She is now 80 years old. Her grandparents were married in the house, she was christened in it and her daughter was also married there!
The house was built in 1904 by Alexander Reid and the name Ter-a-gram (Pronounced like Telegram) is carved on the front. The front part of the house was once used as a Post Office and it’s height above sea-level is marked on some old maps.
He built a row of large boarding houses along the shore front and some higher up the hill in Whiting Bay. He called most of his houses unusual names. Ter-a-gram is actually the name of his wife Margaret spelled backwards. Another house further down the row was called Nia roo which was “Oor ain” (our own) backwards!
The house became the Cameronia when it was purchased by Mr Cameron. It was run as a public house and a boarding house. In more recent times there was also a Chinese restaurant upstairs.