The Baron of Kilmarnock

THE LORDSHIP & BARONY OF KILMARNOCK

EDUCATION and CAREER

Eur Ing David Ayre, Baron of Kilmarnock, is an Ulster-Scot and a retired Chartered Electrical Engineer.

He is a former pupil of Annadale Grammar School, and served his apprenticeship in transistor radio & TV engineering with Perdio Limited in London and Sunderland. His career later changed to electronics, instrumentation and onshore project engineering in Scotland's North Sea oil & gas industry.

David has four University degrees, including BA, BSc, and BSc (Hons), in Engineering Design, Computing, and Electronics from the Open University. His fourth degree is the Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering Project Management, gained at Lancaster University in 1996/7.
He was awarded the post-graduate Diploma in Management Studies (DMS) by the University of Northumbria at Newcastle.

After completing an additional IEE electronics project at BSc (Hons) level he became a Chartered Electrical Engineer and a registered CEng.
The pre-nominal Eur Ing (Européen Ingénieur) designation conferred from Brussels by FEANI confirms his status as a Chartered Engineer recognised throughout the European Economic Community.

In 2006 he commenced research into 'Web-based Information System Definition, Operation and Maintenance' for his PhD thesis with the University of Ulster, but on vacation in January 2007 a retinal tear occurred in his right eye requiring three operations, and in December a similar problem occurred unexpectedly with his left eye which required one operation in January 2008. Sadly, the PhD research has been postponed indefinitely.

HERALDRY AND THE BARONAGE

Heraldry serves to identify. The charges often indicate one's pedigree and one's career choice, and perhaps the values and beliefs that define the bearer. It puts down roots for all those who follow, and provides a factual reference to a 'virtuous and well deserving' individual, for virtue, not pedigree, is the mark of nobility.

When Eur Ing David Ayre acquired the lands, Lordship & Barony of Kilmarnock, formerly owned by Lords de Walden, the Lord Lyon agreed to include a reference to the Lordship & Barony of Kilmarnock on his Coat of Arms. On his death, the superiority, the dignity of Baron, and heraldic additaments will descend to his son and heir apparent.

'Baron of Kilmarnock' is a feudal title and is a territorial dignity whereas 'Baron Kilmarnock' is a peerage title and a personal dignity. Furth of Scotland the difference is often misunderstood or confused.

INTERESTS

David's main interests are his family and friends, music, computing, fly-fishing, the Baronage of Scotland, and promoting the history of the Lordship & Barony of Kilmarnock in Scotland.

He is a Member of The Convention of the Baronage of Scotland and is a Board Member of The Society of Scottish Armigers. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of The Collegium Heraldicum Russiae (CHR) in recognition of his services to the College in 2004.

He has the honour of representing Clan Cunningham on the Council of Scottish Armigerous Clans & Families in Scotland, and is a regular contributor to the Clan Cunningham Communiqué quarterly newsletter.