Kays of Scotland is the only remaining UK manufacturer and supplier of curling stones. Founded in 1851, it retains exclusive rights to harvest granite from

Ailsa Craig Ailsa Craig (; sco, Ailsae Craig; gd, Creag Ealasaid) is an island of in the outer Firth of Clyde, west of mainland Scotland, upon which microgranite has long been quarried to make curling stones. The now-uninhabited island comprises the r ...

, granted by the

Marquess of Ailsa Marquess of Ailsa, of the Isle of Ailsa in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 10 September 1831 for Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassilis. The title Earl of Cassilis (pronounced "Cassels") ...

. Kays of Scotland produces the only stones used in competition by the

World Curling Federation The World Curling Federation (WCF) is the world governing body for curling accreditation, with offices in Perth, Scotland. It was formed out of the International Curling Federation (ICF), when the push for Olympic Winter Sport status was made. ...

and is the sole supplier of curling stones to the

Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were he ...

History

Prior to the foundation of Kays of Scotland, there was little regulation to the sport of

curling Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding ...

and stones of any shape or size were used. Through a process of elimination, stones from Ailsa Craig were found to be highly resistant to splintering, making them desirable for this purpose. In 1851, William Kay and sons Andrew and Thomas created Kays of

Mauchline Mauchline (; gd, Maghlinn) is a town and civil parish in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 2001 census Mauchline had a recorded population of 4,105. It is home to the National Burns Memorial. Location The town lies by the Glasgow and South Wes ...

, a workshop in

Haugh, East Ayrshire Haugh or The Haugh is a small village or hamlet in East Ayrshire, Parish of Mauchline, Scotland. The habitation is situated about two and a half miles downstream from Catrine, on the north bank of the River Ayr. The River Ayr Way runs through ...

, Scotland and later received permission from the family who owned the island of Ailsa Craig to harvest granite for the manufacture of curling stones. The company eventually found itself under the stewardship of Thomas Kay's wife's brother-in-law, James Wyllie, and has remained a business wholly owned by the Wyllie family. Descendant James "Jimmy" Wyllie currently owns the company. Kays_of_Scotland_curling_stone_works

In 1911, Kays of Scotland moved their operation north from their original water-powered mill at the bank of the

River Ayr The River Ayr (pronounced like ''air'', ''Uisge Àir'' in Gaelic) is a river in Ayrshire, Scotland. At it is the longest river in the county. The river was held as sacred by pre-Christian cultures. The remains of several prehistoric sacrificial ...

. A shipment of 278 Kays Excelsior Ailsa curling stones destined for three curling clubs in Canada was among the cargo of the

SS Athenia Several ships have shared the name SS ''Athenia'', including: * , launched in 1903 and sunk in 1917 * , launched in 1922 and sunk in 1939 See also

*Athenea (given name) {{DEFAULTSORT:Athenia Ship names ...

passenger liner when a

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...

from a German submarine sank her in the

Western Approaches The Western Approaches is an approximately rectangular area of the Atlantic Ocean lying immediately to the west of Ireland and parts of Great Britain. Its north and south boundaries are defined by the corresponding extremities of Britain. The c ...

on 3 September 1939. This was the first British ship to be sunk by Germany during World War II. Kays of Scotland have supplied curling stones to every

since Chamonix in 1924, with the exception of the 2002 event in Salt Lake City.

Manufacture of curling stones

For the main body of each curling stone Kays uses Ailsa Craig Common Green granite. Kays inserts Ailsa Craig Blue Hone granite "Ailserts" as the running surface of the stone. Due to its status as a wildlife reserve by the

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment throug ...

, blasting and quarrying at Ailsa Craig is restricted. In 2002, Kays of Scotland was permitted to collect 1,500 tons of granite already displaced on the island. Its next collection of granite from the island was in 2013, harvesting 2,000 tons, expected to yield 10,000 curling stones. The Kays workshop employs six craftsmen and produces five stones a day.

References

External links

* {{coord, 55.514312, -4.381062, display=title History of East Ayrshire Organisations based in East Ayrshire Curling 1851 establishments in Scotland Manufacturing companies established in 1851 Mauchline