Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Kelly, Edward" to "Kite" by Various
4440. The chief buildings include the public library, the Masonic hall
722 words | Chapter 28
and the district hospital. The centre of interest, however, is the
ruined abbey, originally one of the richest in Scotland. Founded about
1140 by Hugh de Morville, lord of Cunninghame, for Tyronensian monks of
the Benedictine order, it was dedicated to St Winnin, who lived on the
spot in the 8th century and has given his name to the town. This
beautiful specimen of Early English architecture was partly destroyed in
1561, and its lands were granted to the earl of Eglinton and others.
Kilwinning is the traditional birthplace of Scottish freemasonry, the
lodge, believed to have been founded by the foreign architects and
masons who came to build the abbey, being regarded as the mother lodge
in Scotland. The royal company of archers of Kilwinning--dating, it is
said, as far back as 1488--meet every July to shoot at the popinjay. The
industry in weaving shawls and lighter fabrics has died out; and the
large iron, coal and fire-clay works at Eglinton, and worsted spinning,
employ most of the inhabitants. About a mile from Kilwinning is Eglinton
Castle, the seat of the earls of Eglinton, built in 1798 in the English
castellated style.
KIMBERLEY, JOHN WODEHOUSE, 1ST EARL OF (1826-1902), English statesman,
was born on the 7th of January 1826, being the eldest son of the Hon.
Henry Wodehouse and grandson of the 2nd Baron Wodehouse (the barony
dating from 1797), whom he succeeded in 1846. He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford, where he took a first-class degree in
classics in 1847; in the same year married Lady Florence Fitzgibbon (d.
1895), daughter of the last earl of Clare. He was by inheritance a
Liberal in politics, and in 1852-1856 and 1859-1861 he was under
secretary of state for foreign affairs in Lord Aberdeen's and Lord
Palmerston's ministries. In the interval (1856-1858) he had been
envoy-extraordinary to Russia; and in 1863 he was sent on a special
mission to Copenhagen on the forlorn hope of finding a peaceful solution
of the Schleswig-Holstein question. The mission was a failure, but
probably nothing else was possible. In 1864 he became under secretary
for India, but towards the end of the year was made Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland. In that capacity he had to grapple with the first
manifestations of Fenianism, and in recognition of his vigour and
success he was created (1866) earl of Kimberley. In July 1866 he vacated
his office with the fall of Lord Russell's ministry, but in 1868 he
became Lord Privy Seal in Mr Gladstone's cabinet, and in July 1870 was
transferred from that post to be secretary of state for the colonies. It
was the moment of the great diamond discoveries in South Africa, and the
new town of Kimberley was named after the colonial secretary of the day.
After an interval of opposition from 1874 to 1880, Lord Kimberley
returned to the Colonial Office in Mr Gladstone's next ministry; but at
the end of 1882 he exchanged this office first for that of chancellor of
the duchy of Lancaster and then for the secretaryship of state for
India, a post he retained during the remainder of Mr Gladstone's tenure
of power (1882-1886, 1892-1894), though in 1892-1894 he combined with it
that of the lord presidency of the council. In Lord Rosebery's cabinet
(1894-1895) he was foreign secretary. Lord Kimberley was an admirable
departmental chief, but it is difficult to associate his own personality
with any ministerial act during his occupation of all these posts. He
was at the colonial office when responsible government was granted to
Cape Colony, when British Columbia was added to the Dominion of Canada,
and during the Boer War of 1880-81, with its conclusion at Majuba; and
he was foreign secretary when the misunderstanding arose with Germany
over the proposed lease of territory from the Congo Free State for the
Cape to Cairo route. He was essentially a loyal Gladstonian party man.
His moderation, common sense, and patriotism had their influence,
nevertheless, on his colleagues. As leader of the Liberal party in the
House of Lords he acted with undeviating dignity; and in opposition he
was a courteous antagonist and a critic of weight and experience. He
took considerable interest in education, and after being for many years
a member of the senate of London University, he became its chancellor in
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