A 'Remembered' Diary
The
Lannons
My
father came to
The
left picture shows grandfather John Lannon with one of the grandchildren and the
picture on the right is my father, Matthew, with his sisters Annie (left) and
Mary in 1940 just before he left for
The picture on the left is of the home of my father’s Uncle Matt and is
in
Grandfather
George Melville was a ploughman at Culmaily Farm and the family lived in part of
the small cottage at the turn on the A9 between Drumuie and Culmaily just
opposite Gilander’s smiddy and the spring below the house on the right hand
side going south. The low single , story building is now one property but
in the 1920s and 1930s it housed three families. The Melvilles were in the end
to the south. They had a livingroom/kitchen and the ‘master’ bedroom
downstairs and in what was effectively the attic area there was a family
bedroom. It stretch over the downstairs area and over at least part of the
middle of the property making the house a little larger than the middle one
though maybe about the same size as the other end abode of the third family.
All the Melville children had to sleep in this upper area and though there were
nine of them never that many had to find space. Some of my mother’s
older siblings were away to work before she was born there being about 24 years
between the oldest one and herself.
Grandfather
George Melville in his WW 1 Military Police uniform.
Top
left; The Melville family house at Culmaily. The end shown is the
end the Melvilles inhabited.
Above;
Annie Melville around her early teenage years.
My mother
often spoke about life at Culmaily and it did seem as though she had fun and
enjoyed it there. There were many visitors to the farm cottage in early years of the war many soldiers were fed at the house and some even
stayed there. Of course, the family, except my mother, were all away at
war or fighting were working elsewhere. Many of those soldiers, and those
who were billeted in the 'new' house on Main Street', and their
families continued to visit in the post war years and I recall much contact with
the Methven family from Bo’ness, I think, and the Milne family from Banchory.
Until my mother’s death members of this family continued to keep in touch.
There were others but their names elude me and maybe I should have written the
details down.
The
Melville Family
The early
information I have about my Uncles and Aunts, other than the later family
research I carried out involving dates and events, is mostly from my mother.
It is recorded part of a this remembered diary because I think I should
record it even though it is very scant and open to error. Hopefully small
error of a general nature but I am always happy to be corrected. Much of
the information I collected later is in other areas of my family history record
and not for repeating here.
Grandfather
George’s earlier years are not well documented but it is fairly certain that
he took employment on the land. He certainly worked at Inverbrora Farm and
was resident and working there when he married Annie Ross on 21st July 1898 in
Though
this first child was legitimised by a hurried marriage he did, in fact, already
have a son to an Annie Murray at Ladiesloch . This son was called George,
presumably after the father, was born on 23rd July 1897 and died unmarried in
George
and Annie had their first born at the Doll and probably in the house in which he
was born. Indeed the first three children Alexandrina, David George and
Christina Fraser, were all born in the Doll. The next five children, Janettus,
John Fraser, William Fraser, Cecil Alexander and Cathel Sutherland, were born in
Murray Buildings, Golspie. This residence was just off
Sometime
after his marriage and possibly at about the time of his move to Golspie George
started work for Morrison’s the bakers. He delivered bread and other
goods for the business by horse and cart. This business survived in
Golspie until its demise in 1995. George’s employment, however, was not
to last nearly as long with the intervention of the First World War he
volunteered for duty in the local regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders, and served
out his time in the Military Police in England.
Upon
his return to Sutherland after the War in 1918 George again took up employment
on the land. He worked at Culmailly Farm firstly as a farm servant and then as a
ploughman. It would appear to be at this time that the family moved from
Murray Buildings to the farm cottage at Culmailly. This cottage was, in
fact, one of a block of three situated at the turn in the A9 trunk road just to
the south of Drummuie Farm. The building is still there but now instead of
housing three large families it is a single summer home for a visiting family.
George
Melville was ploughman at Culmailly for 21 years but in 1939 he had to give up
work there. He suffered a burst ulcer while at work in the fields.
He was taken to the
George’s
wife, Annie, died at Golspie on 14th January 1944. She was ill for a time
and their daughter, my mother, Annie Isabella, returned from the WRENS in
Two
of George and Annie’s daughters, Alexandrina and Christina, trained as
nurses in
My
first journey south of Inverness, in the early 1950s was to
The
oldest son, David George commonly known as George and often by the bye-name
Wordie, served his time as a mason with Moore the builder in Golspie. In
the mid to late 1930s he joined the company of Wordies, from whence he got his
nickname, and drove their delivery horse and cart taking goods to shops in the
Golspie area. He later joined the railway and worked at Golspie and Brora
stations. One job he had was to go by bike, possible moped or scooter, to
the
George
married Jessie Sutherland and had a family of six. They occupied
Son
Don worked with the Sutherland and Highland Councils and resided in
Janettus,
fourth child and second son, generally known to all as Neddy, worked at Dunrobin
Farm having first tried his hand at mental nursing. He went south with his
sisters who thought that such a career would suit him. However, he was not
happy and the strain of working with disturbed patients of about his own age
upset him. He returned to Golspie to take up work as a mason firstly with
Though
Neddy was well known and respected in the construction world it is through his
work with the voluntary fire service that he is best known. He was
firemaster in Golspie for many years and very much involved in the community
work carried out by the local fire service. The parties for young and old
started in the early fifties at his time with the service still provide an
excellent Christmas outing for young children and senior citizens. Though
they may not be as socially necessary now as they were in the early days, when
such occasions were few and far between, they are nevertheless appreciated by
the community.
Neddy
was sent for by neighbours when their chimneys went on fire. He was on hand to
give advice and decide whether or not the whole brigade should be called.
My mother was always worried about a chimney fire and I can only recall it
happening once. The fire burnt fiercely and I had to run for Neddy.
The chimney breast cracked and the noise upstairs was very loud. However, Neddy
was of the opinion that in time the flames would die down without further
action. They did but not before a period of great anxiety.
Neddy
married Mary Sutherland but had no family. He resided at
John
Fraser Melville, the fifth child, married Lucy Alexander in
Visits
to the Mound, by bus and occasionally by train, were a highlight. The
wooded area was excellent for all sorts of games and there was complete freedom
to play from the shores of the Fleet to the lower slopes of the Mound Rock.
Trains were few and far between and road traffic very light.
There
were two butchers in the family, William Fraser Melville and Cathel Sutherland
Melville. William worked as a butcher for Cameron of Kirkton, Grants of
Dornoch and Ardgay Butchers. He lived in Dornoch with his wife, Nellie, and
brought up four children. Cathel the, second youngest, also worked for
Cameron, Kirkton. He married Joey Angus from Castletown,
Cecil
Alexander was the last of the family to marry and leave the family home.
He wed Jessie Alexander in 1949 and lived in Golspie at various addresses. The
Neuk, behind houses on
Cecil
with Willie Murray and Patty Thomson in
Cathel
Sutherland Melville
Strange
though it may seem, Cathel Sutherland Melville deserves a special place in my
memories. He was the one sibling of my mother’s I never met he having
been killed in WW2 before I was born but I feel I know him quite well. I
was, of course, named after him through my middle name and he was the closest in
age to my mother so I think that this, along with his sad loss in
Back Row
left to right;
Jim
Fraser, Jim Lyon, John Mackay, John Urquhart, ? , John Trussler,
Hector Macdonald, Berty Harper, Billy Ewen.
2nd
Back Row left to right;
Ninie
Dunnett, Ella Mackay, Jessie Miller, Annie Forsyth, Barbara Duff, Annie
Melville, Margaret Macdonald, Daisy Mackenzie.
3rd
Back Row left to right;
Donald
Mackay, Charles Fraser, Isobel Mackay, Esther Smityh, Betty Sutherland, Dolly
Wilson (?), Mona Mackay, Dorothy Bannerman, Kenny Campbell, Sandy Mackay.
Front Row
left to right;
Patty
Thomson, Ernie Robertson, Robert Sutherland, Sandy Ross, John Sutherland,
Kenneth Sutherland.
The
Newfies
In
The Golspie site, a camp of prefabricated type, is now hidden by trees
which have been planted on the slopes of Ben Bhraggie. It was formerly
used by Honduran forestry workers for over a year in 1941-42 but they do not
appear to have been very industrious and left the camp in a very poor condition
when they left. Apart from the normal wear and tear and neglect it is said
that they also indulged in some wonton vandalism. After they moved on
elsewhere the Newfoundlanders moved into the camp in 1942 and brought a
completely different work ethic. They were very hard working worked a five
and a half day week at a rate of two dollars per day. It roughly
calculated that this would have been about 8/6d as the Canadian dollar exchange
at the time was probably about 4/3d.
The
The main mode of travel at this time, in the 1920s and 1930s, from
The
Ettrick was a less than imposing ship. She was an old tramp steamer which
journeyed in early July 1940 from Liverpool to
The SS Ettrick Convey HX 62, comprising initially 37 ships but increased
to 67 when joined by Sydney and Bermuda convoys, sailed from Halifax on 31st
July 1940 and arrived in Liverpool on 15th August though she most
probably then proceeded to Glasgow as the convey record records Glasgow as her
final port of call and additionally my father said that he landed in Glasgow.
The Ettrick sailed in the middle of the convoy and it is reported that
Commodore R B Ramsey, as Vice-Commodore of the convoy and aboard the Ettrick,
said she was a great help in this position in keeping the convoy together.
The
Commodore's recorded comments are as follows:
"The convoy behaved excellently, and all did well. The master
of S.S. Lindenhall, Captain F. H. Wainford, (the Commodore's ship) and his
officers did everything possible to assist me."
And he says there was "dense fog 3 hours after leaving
Apart from fog and usual difficulties of keeping such a large convoy
together this voyage was without special incident while under my command. I
would like to say that Commodore R.B. Ramsey as Vice Commodore in S.S. Ettrick
was of the very greatest help and his position in the middle of the convoy did a
very great deal to keep the convoy together.
With reference to the junction of
the Halifax, Sydney and Bermuda sections I suggest that the air escort and local
escort from Halifax of the Halifax portion should on their return to Halifax
harbour report how late (if late at all) the H.X. portion is likely to be at the
junction with the other two portions and that Halifax radio should broadcast
this to the Halifax, Sydney and Bermuda portions, no answer being required.
Also, I think that the distance of 20 miles between the parallel routes is too
great, and should be reduced to 12 miles."
The
SS Ettricks end came on 15th November 1942 when she was torpedoed by German U155
whilst part of a convoy in the
Aboard
the ‘Ettrick’ again we were part of a 9-ship convoy leaving
The
wedding of my father, Matthew Joseph Lannon, and mother, Annie Isabella Fraser
Melville at Dingwall in September 1945.
Left to
Right; Joey Melville (nee Angus, Cathel Melville’s widow), Matthew Lannon,
Annie Melville, Barbara Melville, George Melville (Wordie), Mary Melville (nee
Sutherland, Neddie Melville’s wife) and Grandfather, George Melville. In
the front; David Melville (Cathel and Joey Melville’s son) and Don Melville
(George and Jessie Melville’s son).
THE
‘OLD’ HOUSE AND ITS SURROUNDS
The
‘old’ house, as it was called, was the place of my birth on
A picture
of
This
house, owned by the Sutherland Estate, was my home until the family was
allocated a new house in
Unlike
the new house the home on
The
living-room was not just poorly lit in the evening but also had poor light
during the day. The one window was small and faced out onto Main Street. Traffic noise might have been a problem had the roads in those days not
been almost devoid of private vehicles. The range was impressive and well
used and was the centre of activity. Bath
night took place there when the old tin bath was taken from its storage cupboard
and filled with water boiled on the range. Turns were taken in the bath
and the water not fully emptied but topped up with hot from a very large pot on
the fire as required. Another interesting feature of this room was the
storage facility of past days in the form of hooks in the ceiling. Those
would have been used to hang hams and other cured foods in bygone times.
The
garden was to my eyes very large and probably by today’s standards it was
probably fairly generous in size. It covered the area from the house down
to the beach and stretched behind the fish shop. It was well provided with
fruit bushes – black, red and white currents and gooseberries. There
were also fruit trees and a plentiful supply of rhubarb . A pear tree grew
up the outside of the back wall of the house there was an apple tree nearby and
further out in the garden a plum tree. When we moved to our new house the
plum tree was dug out and transported to
Also in
the garden there was a hen house on the side nearest to the garden of the
adjoining house, ‘Strathnaver’. I do not recall how many hens we had
but I know there was sufficient to provide us with a steady supply of eggs and
our Christmas dinner. This Chicken was our Christmas meal treat and served
to provide stock for the broth for the first course having been boiled before it
was stuffed with bread and onion stuffing before being roasted with roast
potatoes to complete the cooking of the bird.
The
dessert for Christmas dinner was usually a Clootie Dumpling made in traditional
fashion in a piece of muslin cloth or indeed any white material that was
available. It seemed to steam away in a large pan for hours but it was
well worth the wait. Served hot with custard it could be a meal on its own and
served cold it provided a lovely snack to have one its own or with tea.
And it was not just a Christmas food but also frequently on the Sunday lunch
menu due to the relative cheapness of the ingredients and the ‘belly
filling’ nature of the pudding.
Access to
the garden from
Further
to the east and across the next entry from
Two other
places of interest nearby were the Dairy and the Police Station. Both were
on the opposite side of
Outside
the Dairy where the Clydesdale Bank moved to and the next Dairy further west on
Fortunately,
I only visited the Police Station cell on one occasion and that was when the
local bobby though I might like to see what it looked like. After the
Police Station moved to new premised at the top of
Police
Station on
At
first there was no sea wall there but during our time in the house the present
barrier to the sea was built. Though there was no wall there was evidence
of some wooden structures which had been used to break the waves so that less
damage was inflicted upon the shoreline. Access to the foreshore was
through a wooden gate in a rough wooden staked fence leading onto a stony beach.
Beyond those large stones and shingle was a sandy sheltered area within a rock
barrier about 100 or so yards off shore. On either side of the sandy
bottom and beyond there were areas of seaweed covered rocks and small pools.
Those areas were excellent for collecting whelks and for fun while searching for
tiny crabs and rock pool fish.
The
contents of the garden were many and varied. Up the house wall a large
climbing pear tree grew with vigour and in the garden there was a plum tree and
an apple tree. I seem to remember that my Uncle Cecil removed the plum
tree to his garden in
I
remember a rather overfull shed to the right hand side of the garden and a hen
house down on the left side.
We had
two pet dogs and pet rabbit in my memory. Coolie a small black and white
mongrel was a quiet family pet sadly lost when run over by a passing lorry on a
snowy winter’s morning. I have a vivid recollection of the dog lying by
the side of the front door, of my mother sobbing and the lorry driver
apologizing and explaining that the dog just ran in front of his lorry.
Coolie was replaced by a rather large black dog of particular breed. He
got his name from a white patch across one eye. He did not least terribly
long with us as he became more interested in eating the curtains, rugs, etc.
The fine straw was when he ate washing drying by the fire (including father’s
underwear!) when the house was empty. A visit to the vet confirmed some
illness or other and he was put down.
My rabbit
lived in a run constructed by my father. The run was moved around but
generally was placed near to the foot of the garden in a small lawn where my
home made swing also resided. The rabbit disappeared for some days and it
came to the attention of my parents that it had been taken by a boy from
The
seawall under construction about 100 yards to the east of our garden.
While
living in
Bikes
were much desired then, as now, but we all had to be satisfied with old ones
made up from a number of old machines. I do not know where my first bike
came from nor indeed where any of the family bikes originated. Very unlike
presented bicycles, they were black with large, narrow spoked wheels and handle
bars that curled to the side – not down like the traditional racing bike.
Apart from the small childs bikes which us youngsters got there appeared to be
three distinct types. My father had a normal sized bike with wheels and
frame not unlike in size the present bicycle, grandfather has a higher and more
old fashioned machine with a bigger frame and wheels. He would set me up
on it well off the ground and push me around the garden and along the sand on
the beach. My mother’s bike was a very traditional lady’s one.
Possibly marginally smaller than the one for the male of the species and with
the traditional cut away cross bar that swept down from below the handlebars.
The
crossbar on my father’s bike was a very effective carrier for me as young
child. He would set me sidesaddle on the bar and off we would go.
I talk
about my parents’ bikes as though they had only one each but in truth they had
a number but consecutively. As one became unusable anther second hand one
was found to use as it was or to make a single bike for the bits of those two
maybe some others literally hanging about in the shed.
MEAM’S
YARD
My father
work for almost all of his working life after the Second World War with the
building firm of James Sutherland and Son. The family firm were nicknamed
‘Meam’s’ derived, I assume, from a common corruption of the name James.
The yard taken from an upper window in the Sutherland's house on Main Street.
The
builder’s yard was only a short distance along the
Concrete
blocks for house building were produced in great numbers but a laborious manual
method. An oblong wooden plate or palate large enough to accommodate one
block was inserted into a machine with four sides that flapped out open.
One inserted a lever was pushed and the centre area depressed and the sides of
the box came up to form a mould in which a block was to be formed. Cement
was shoveled into the box and a heavy top plate on a high handle was used to
hammer down the mixture. Once this process was completed the lever on the
machine was pulled to raise the centre and drop the sides revealing a perfectly
formed block sitting on the palate of wood. Each block was produced this
way and set out for drying and curing. Cement for the process was mixed in
a petrol driven concrete mixture which was filled by one or two men using just
hand held shovels.
Other
building materials produced at the yard included, lintels and sills for houses,
kerbing stones and milestones. Those milestones can still be seen on the
verges of the Sutherland roads though they are disappearing with the advent of
modern signage.
My visits
to the yard were regular and sometimes extended as no one seemed to worry about
youngsters playing amongst the materials. I also from time to time in the
school holidays got the chance to travel in one of the lorries when pickups or
deliveries were taking place. I remember on one occasion going to Dornoch
with Willie Urquhart (Hence) driving when the lorry started to boil on the steep
brae past Cambusavie. Willie found and old tin can in the lorry and went
into the wood in search of water. The engine cooled, some water was
obtained and we continued on our journey. Another journey I recall was to
the Invergordon area for sand and other building materials. I think that
the driver on that occasion was Bertie Mackay (Tit). The lorries to me
seemed very large and very impressive but by today’s standards they were very
basic and relatively small.
On one
visit to Meam’s yard I remember Uncle Cecil getting quite badly burnt.
It was towards the end of the day and I was there to meet my Father to walk home
with him. As was the practice, Cecil decided to wash the grime of concrete
making from his hands with petrol. He carried out this as usual but shook
his hands in the direction of a fire burning in an old drum specially air hold
for the purpose to provide heat on the cold winter days. The petrol
ignited and traveled up the spots of liquid from the fire to his arms and the
petrol remaining on his hand and lower arms burst into flame. Cecil
instantly flung himself in the pile of sand nearby to extinguish the flames but
not before he had severely burnt his arms. He was taken to hospital where
he was treated for his injuries.
Another
intriguing activity at the builders yard was watching Harry MacKenzie, the
firm’s mechanic, working on the company vehicles. Harry worked in what
to my eyes appeared to be a large garage on the left hand side of the premises
and just passed the small office and behind the Sutherland family house.
Vehicles in those days were very basic mechanically and tools were few with a
big hammer appearing to be the most important. However, it was very
impressive for us youngsters to see the technicalities of taking apart engines
and gear boxes and to observe the changing of messy oil and the repair of burst
tyres.
Meam’s
business was a thriving one and there was quite a large workforce due to the
need for new housing after the war. The picture above shows some of the
workforce and its appears mainly those involved on the actual house building as
opposed to those in the yard. My uncle Neddie Melville, the site foreman,
is seated fourth from the right and cousin Freddie Melville is standing second
left.
Mem’s
yard is no longer there, of course. The business hit financial problems
and was taken over by Alexander Sutherland’s and this business was in turn
taken over by Morrison’s of Tain. My father reluctantly moved from his
place of long time endevours less than half a mile along the
SCHOOL
DAYS
I
remember my first day at school well or at least my getting there and going
home. I waited with great excitement
for a number of weeks before going and was determined that I would go on my own.
In the event my cousins from the Mound, including Neil who was just a
year older than me, arrived at about
Ian
and myself pictured by the big tree in the fields behind
The
view from the primary school, across the field where the High School was to be
built, towards mean’s Yard and
Primary
School
I was
well acquaint with the Primary School before I got there as it was a favourite
place for a family wander on sunny Sunday afternoon. The buildings on the
outside were not a lot different from the way they look now.
There was, however, a large grass area running in front of the main building
separated from a shrubbery by a roadway running the length of the building.
Jean
Seaton
P1 teacher
Irene
Ross
P2 teacher
Sarah
Ross
P3 teacher
Alix
Beaton
P6 teacher
Connie
Horne
P7 teacher - the qualifying or control class
The P4
and P5 teachers I cannot remember so they could not have made a great impression
on me. Though since there was tendency at that time, in a school of
the size of Golspie, for large composite classes to be formed. I well
recall on occasions finding my cousin Neil Melville in the same room and at
other times cousin Cecil Melville sharing a classroom. Since one was
slightly older and the other a little younger this situation was brought about
by more than one age group in a room. The pictures of the classes taught
by Miss Seaton and Miss Ross would seem to indicate pupils of more than one age.
Mr MacRae
the Head Teacher when I started I remember well - not least because I pushed a
snowman he had helped to build with us down as the break bell went. Mr
Rutherford, 'Willie A.', came after Mr MacRae and he was a man I much respected.
He was my Head Teacher also in Secondary School and impressed me because he
always asked after me even long after I had left school.
The
Primary School/Senior Secondary School Janitor was George Sutherland who went by
the name of ‘Geordie Monkey’. Geordie really did rule the school –
if one was not behaving inside on a wet break his extending three foot rule
cracked across the knees to enforce a seat on the radiators or heating pipes
running around the cloakrooms.
Senior
Secondary and High School
I
probably became a teacher because I did not want to leave school.
I always found school enjoyable and though I did not work very hard and
probably did little homework I had little problem getting through the
experience. That does not mean I was
very successful – it just indicates that I got as much out of it as I required
at the time and just as much or as little as I deserved.
I think that if I had worked as hard as some students do now I could have
been very successful. However, it
was just not the way things were for the majority of teenage pupils in my day.
Some that
come to mind and there subjects when I can recall those;
Miss
MacLeod
Mathematics
Mrs
Gibson
Mathematics
Mr
Thompson
English
Mr Walter
Henderson
English and History
Miss
Betty Paul
Geography
Mrs
MacKenzie
French and English
Mr
MacLeod
English
Mr Syme
French
Mr Fyfe
French
Mrs
Davidson
Science
Mr John
Lowe
Science
Mr
MacLeod
Classical Studies/Latin
Mr
Mr Foot
Music
Mrs
Kinghorn
Music
Mr Tom
Paterson
Technical
Mr J
Mowat
Technical
Mr Laird
P.E.
Mr
Dalrymple
P.E.
Mr Norrie
Brown
P.E.
Mrs Juna
Sutherland (Ross) P.E.
I may
have some subjects wrong, some may have taught two or more subjects and
certainly not all worked in the school at the same time.
Janitor
Downie MacDonald was well liked school caretaker quite different in his methods
of discipline from the previous incumbent. He was, nevertheless, liked and
respected and was also an asset to the local Golspie Football Club and the
village as a whole. He was one of the ‘leading lights’ in the football
setup and also prominent in the early Gala Week arrangements. My brother
Ian followed him as principal Janitor at the school.
In school
I participated in a variety of sporting activities having an eye for a ball and
being half decent at many different events was advantage at gym lessons.
Though a ‘jack of all trades’ and ‘master of none’ the participation was
enjoyable and the standard reached acceptable enough on a local and sometimes
even a county level.
Some of
the activities are mentioned elsewhere but worth noting here is my interest in
cross county running during PE classes. Our route generally took us out
through the
Sports
Day
School
Sports Days were looked forward to with great excitement. Up until the
opening of the new school and the completion of the grounds the Sports were held
in the King George V playing field. The whole school would be marched
along the
I
particularly liked and had some success in the middle distance races and the
field events. High Jump being my best and shot putt being to an acceptable
level. Long Jump was never a favourite and lack of sprinting speed was
probably one of the reasons for lack of success.
On one
occasion the winning of the half-mile took me to the
At the
end of the sports either the Head Teacher or some other local dignitary
presented the House Shield to winning house. I was in Silver Rock, the
other houses being Ben Bhraggie and Dunrobin.
Mrs
Macrae, wife of the former Head Teacher of Golspie Senior Secondary,
presents the prizes at the sports about 1960. Some of the faces I
recognize. The Minister to the rear of Mrs Macrae is the Rev. Alston of
the Church of Scotland.
The
Dornoch Games
I never
go to the Dornoch games nowadays, even too watch. Maybe I will make a
return visit sometime to see if it really is exciting as I thought in the late
1950s and early 1960s. Going to watch was a fairly regular occurrence as
we were able to combine a visit to the games with a call on Uncle Willie and
Aunt Nellie in
Aunt
Nellie was a very big, imposing woman with a somewhat loud voice but thoroughly
kind with it as far as we were concerned. Uncle Willie was pleasant and
generally as quite as Nellie was loud. A butcher to trade with Grants of
Dornoch in their Dornoch or Golspie shops at that time though later to work in
Ardgay and maybe elsewhere.
I recall
one occasion when I participated in the games as a ‘professional’ runner –
I also have a vague recollection that I had earlier taken part as a very junior
participant in the children’s local events. My professional debut lasted
the one occasion as Donnie Findlay, Co-op Shop Manager, and Norrie Brown, School
PE Teacher, for different reasons warned us off taking further part.
Mitchell
Mackay, now living in
The
Ragman
Strange
though it may seem the Ragman brought some excitement when his bell or horn was
heard. In my memory he did not arrive by horse and cart though I don’t
think his ancient mode of transport had not been long abandoned. The usual
Ragman’s vehicle was an old van with side windows quite like that of modern
ice-cream vans but of a much older vintage and in very poor mechanical shape.
Whenever
the call was heard, and often the message came by word of mouth before the call
was heard, the search was on for old rags. Cupboards were turned
over and clothes that might have been serviceable and hour earlier suddenly
became unwanted. Arguments raged regarding what could and could not be
given away. Wool was really what was wanted but a few other fabrics were
acceptable and even the poorest garment might elicit a balloon from the trader.
Usually
we all danced around the van excited by what was being dispensed and only mildly
unhappy when a bundle of hard won clothes only brought a meager prize.
Like the sideshows at the fair, the most sought after exchanges seemed to stay
on the shelf there just to tempt the customer to search even further for the
desired material.
Comics
and other writing matter
My
principal reading in my young day from about the time I could read on my own are
best described as Comics. The ones I remember are the Beano, Dandy,
Topper, Beezer, Hotspur, Wizard, Adventure and the Rover. There was
also the Eagle which I rarely got myself as it was more expensive and somewhat
‘up market’ but I did get a copy from my friend in primary school, John
Stewart. John went with his Father, Mother and brother James to live in
The first
two, the Beano and the Dandy, were bought when I was in
When a
little older in
The
Sideshows or Circus
The
Sideshows that came were often commonly called circuses though of, of course,
they were in no way like or related to the circus. Indeed, occasionally
circuses did come and we still just called them that. The terminology did
not seem to matter but what did matter was that this was yet another excitement,
something different.
The shows
set up in a few different places over the years but again in my memory they were
in the field beside the present football pitch. Sometimes to the village
end and sometimes to the golf course side. I believe that not long before
I remember them coming that they were in a field behind the main street in the
area of what is now
Generally
there were a few stalls with darts, shooting, rolling balls, hoopla,
roll-a-penny, etc. and what would today be called ‘rides’ However,
fiercesome though they might have appeared at the time they bore no relationship
to the present. There were swing boats which if you were very brave you
could pull with two hands and so not have to hold onto the side bars, there were
roundabouts of a sort like present day waltzers but slower and, of course, the
dodgems.
Those
rides required patient queuing, particularly on a Saturday night after the pubs
had closed or the pictures came out, and if you were very lucky a friend might
keep a car for you when he had expended his cash or satisfied his need for a
dangerous thrill.
No one
ever seemed to win the big prize at the darts, the shooting or the hoopla and if
you did then you were accused of cheating. Of course it was possible they
would say but you couldn’t have done it.
Hercher’s
were regular visitors and Wallace’s too with a later arrival on the scene as I
remember, Spencer’s. They brought the showground bingo and the crowds
flocked in. I think there was a father, mother and two sons, one of whom
was in my class in school, and they enlisted the help of locals to man the
stalls. Quite often those who took jobs were from families who were less
well off or who had a ‘hawker’ background but had now settled to life in one
place.
On a few
occasion I remember a large show arriving with many stalls and most impressive
of all the wall of death. Motorcyclists speeding round a vertical,
cylindrical walls at high speed and occasionally taking on a brave volunteer.
I am told my uncle George (Wordie) once accepted the challenge. On one
occasion when such a show was present there was also a boxing booth with
all-comers asked to challenge the resident fighter. Those that took up the
challenged appeared well beaten and yet the resident champ did not appear
terribly fearsome from a dozen rows back in the audience.
The
Circus
Though
Circuses did come occasionally my memory of them is rather vague.
I really do not
remember much about the shows and recall more at least one visit to
Cunningham’s
Christmas Tree
Every
Christmas Cunningham's shops in Golspie and Brora had two Christmas trees with
presents for boys and girls. The trees were situated outside the shops.
In Golspie the girls' tree was generally to the right of the front door as you
faced the shop and the boys one to the left. The shop itself was situated
on
In the
weeks running up to Christmas tickets were issued free by the shop for all
children in the village and it was a matter of much concern if the ticket was
not picked up by one or other of the parents in good time.
The draw
for prizes took place on Christmas Eve unless this was a Saturday and in such a
situation the draw would then be on the 23rd of December. Santa
drew the tickets from the pails clearly indicated as ‘boys’ and girls.
This chief guest at the proceedings arrive in some surprise fashion each year.
Alec Cunningham, himself, gave a talk to the crowd and when attention was drawn
by him Santa appeared somehow in a ‘flash of light’. On one occasion
our eyes were diverted to the sky to see his helicopter and when we again looked
towards the shop door there was the man in red.
There
appeared to be about 15 to 20 prizes on each tree and as names were drawn
from the pails the winners went up to choose a prize and, of course, be greeted
by Santa.
At the
end of the draw all children lined up to receive a bag of ‘goodies’ from the
shop assistants. the bag always contained some fruit and a small toy or
game.
We could
never understand at that time why the first name out of the boys pail always
seemed to be Hector Sutherland. He was not young but later we realised
that Hector was disabled and always received an early gift.
Cunningham’s
shop was up there on the left. I do not have a picture of it but no
doubt there is one around somewhere.
I do not
remember a lot about Bowling Green Fetes as we called them. The annual fun
day and fundraising event run by the Bowling and Tennis Club. It certainly
was a day to look forward to at a time when such events were few and far
between. I recall stalls and games in the grounds of the Bowling Club and
teas in the clubrooms. The whole area inside the walled area of the
Bowling and tennis Club was a place where children could have fun laying in the
rows of thick bushes and small trees. All this foliage surrounding
the bowling green itself is now all gone – in the interest to reducing the
midge and other flying insect attack on the bowlers I am told!
When
somewhat older than the time when the fetes were held I became more active at
the Bowling and Tennis Club. While from time to time I had a go at bowling
using the clubs bowls I was more involved at the Tennis Club section. I
played a lot of tennis and in my school teenage years was on the Tennis
Committee for a time. Cheap tennis rackets were the order of the day and
they did not last very long with the strings or even the frames frequently
breaking. They were often bought from McPherson’s toy shop across the
road from my house first house in
The
Harbour
The
harbour, or rather the pier in Golspie was a popular place to visit. There
was an old wooden structure which was very unsound and attached a ‘new’
concrete pier. The harbour was at the west end of the village just off
In my
memory the harbour had only some small boats and four or five fairly seine net
fishing boats one of which I seem to recall was naked Silver Rock. Jumping
from boat to boat and fishing for sellags or cuddings of those boasts or the
harbour was a favourite pastime. Sometimes we would fish from the top of
the harbour and on other occasions from underneath the structure which was
somewhat hollow with a concrete base and pillars supporting the upper structure.
A good catch would be 50 or so very small fish and a couple of good sized
cuddings. The cuddings could be eaten but the flesh was very dark and
indeed almost black. The picture below shows the old Golspie Pier,
somewhat before my time, while my activities were around both the old wooden
structure and the attached new concrete pier.
And, of course,
there were our own circus acts and side shows under the harbour led by
‘Ringmaster’ Tony Rettie. Talking
of Tony, another favourite pastime was the football shooting competitions in the
specially set up nets in his back garden at
The
Golf Course
The
Golspie Golf Course was, and still is, a fine 18 hole one. To the west of
the village and accessible by
The first
golf club house remembered was a little way onto the course past the Golf Links
Hotel. It is no longer possible to find any sign of it the structure
having long since disappeared under the sea and now a substantial distance off
shore. It was by this club house that the Coronation bonfire of 1953 was
lit and there that the cup and prizes for the first Ben Bhraggie Hill Race were
presented. The winner was Teddie Munro. The race started in the
nearby football pitch and after a route along the back road, past Rhives farm
and up the face of the Ben the race finished at the same spot.
The
Junior Golf Group captured on camera by Mrs Baxter.
Left to
Right Back Row: Christopher Yuill, Allan Lannon, John MacKay, Walter Yuill,
Unknown, ‘Boy’ Baxter.
Left to
Right Front Row: The first two I am not sure of, David Melville (Hank), Donnie
Christian, Sandy Campbell.
What
was in my young days the first green with
Up
the Ben
Ben
Bhraggie dominates Golspie with the 1200 feet high hill standing directly behind
the village and casting its shadow over the area below. Atop the hill is
the high and impressive monument to the First Duke of Sutherland, George
Granville, the man principally responsible for the worst of the Highland
Clearances in Sutherland. Over there years there have, in fact, been
regular calls for the removal of the statue and its replacement with something
more appropriate such as a Celtic cross. Local opinion, however, has
always been that the statue should stay despite the connection with a
disreputable past.
The
‘Ben’ was the sight of a variety of leisure activities. It has served
as a place for walks, climbs in winter, cross country runs, play areas for
youngsters and even the launching pad for hang gliders.
The
larger part slopes over the years have been treed to various levels. Those
areas being exciting environments for children’s games and building of gang
huts. The most popular area for such activities was in the section known
as the hospital wood but other areas were also frequented by the youth of the
village.
David
Melville (Hank), Allan Lannon and Ian Lannon at the Duke’s monument on the top
of Ben Bhraggie. The date would probably be about 1955.
Walks
With no
TV prior to 1959 the main Sunday activities were church in the morning and a
family walking in the afternoon if the weather was suitable. In inclement
weather it was not uncommon for my father to go to bed for a couple of hours or
so and Ian or myself might often join him or go to our own beds. Usually
those walks involved all four family members. The favourites are listed
below. Sometimes the walk was to just one of those place but on other
occasions a longer round trip might be the order of the day.
The
The Park
is the area of a hundred or two yards width running between the wood and the
sea. An area used for grazing cattle and sheep from time to time and also
on occasions a horse or two. A grassy pathway leads from the gate to the
The Park
was also a favourite spot for Boys Brigade camps in the fifties and sixties.
Many groups from
Walks in
the
Big
Burn and Skating Pond
I suppose
the best known Golspie walk must be the Big Burn. The paths and series of
bridges through the lower part of Dunrobin Glen and following the course of the
Big Burn have always a place of recreation for local and tourist alike.
It was a
very popular walk with our family when we were young. Sometimes the family
only went as far as the open ground beyond the railway bridge on other occasions
the Falls would be the target of our jaunt. At the time the bridge to the
south side of the burn approached past the Sutherland Arms garage did not exist.
The only route was through the Golspie Mill property and by the Mill Pond.
Over the
years the area became one for playing with friend and for fishing. The
paths, though not as numerous as now, provide access to the skating pond and the
falls and lead to many secret haunts in the hazelnut laden trees. Though
at times we did progress beyond the falls this was more unusual as the path
beyond the falls was not as well developed as now. Fishing pools in the
stretch between the falls and the next Big Burn road bridge was generally the
main reason for hiking beyond the Falls.
The
Mill
A walk
around the mill and mill pond was generally a detour from the main Big Burn walk
though on occasions a walk to the Mill alone did take place. As with Big
Burn excursions, I would go in my early years as part of the family and later I
was accompanied by my peers. The mill pond seemed very large and when the
gate was open to release water there appeared to be a substantial flow. The mill
wheel often seemed to turn in those days.
There
were ducks on the pond geese around the edges and many hens spread throughout
the nearby trees and bushes. Indeed, many laid not in the sheds but on the
grassy slopes as far across as the mill brae down which the main A9 road passed.
In
addition to poultry there were various other animals around the mill but most
intriguing to us were the pigs. We watched them feeding, rolling in the
mud and feeding their young. The largest ones seemed so big and so filthy
dirty.
Fishing
at the Big Burn
The Big
Burn seems to have much more water in it in those does. Possibly due to
trick of the memory it appeared to flow with greater force and the trout looks
much bigger than the few one sees now. It is, in fact, likely that the
burn did have a greater flow as since that time a new and higher dam at Loch
Horn has been built and the amount of water entering the burn from various
sources appears to have diminished.
There was
a number of favourite places to fish. The ‘wide’ stretch at Tower
Lodge by the
The
Culmaily Burn
The
Culmaily Burn was a small narrow burn but it did have some reasonable trout in
it and the occasional sea-trout coming up from the Fleet. The burn
originates in Loch Lundie but most of my fishing was in the stretch from just
below the Ferry Wood bridge to where the burn entered the Fleet. There was
always fish to be had and the worm was the best bait. Half pound trout lay
in the pools below the banks. On one occasion when I went fishing there
with my father the burn was in flood. However, the water level dropped
quite quickly and after an hour or two of unproductive fishing we started to
catch trout. We ran out of worms during the day and I cycled back to the
garden to get some. Eleven trout in all were caught.
Journeys
to the burn were generally made by bike as were most travels on any distance
outwith the village. Not a sporty type machine but a put together,
second-hand machine much different from today's technological wizards.
Worms
were generally dug in the large corrugated iron compost heap behind the garden
shed. The garden produced wonderful vegetables - potatoes, cabbage,
lettuce and carrots - and the remains and other compostible materials made a
perfect breading ground for large worms.
The
Glen
Walks up
beyond Backies and area of the Big Burn close to the Newfie Camp were not all
that frequent but on occasions we went as a family up to the branch back along
above Dunrobin Farm. I also recall in early teenage years going on
‘expeditions’ around the back of Ben Bhraggie and down the rear slopes into
the Glen. Sometimes those expeditions would go as far as Loch Horn and, of
course, we did from time to time go to Loch Horn with for the express purpose of
fishing for brown trout.
I
remember going on one snowy day up the face on ‘The Ben’ and then on to the
loch at rear. It was frozen solid and we played on the ice with little
fear or understanding of the dangers of being on the frozen loch. We saw
many deer on the hill as we moved through the snowy heather beyond ‘The Mannie’
and down to the upper reaches of the Big Burn where it crossed the Glen road
after its exit from Loch Horn.
The
Ferry
The
Little Ferry is accessed via the road that marks the upper boundary of the Golf
Course. Walks to the Ferry itself were less common when I was very young
as the distance there and back was a little much for the afternoon outing.
However, we did on occasions make the excursion with Ian pushed along in the
pram. Later I went by bicycle and certainly it was an great spot for
fishing for sea trout down by the point at the mouth of the Fleet.
Sometimes
with friends I walked the shore line to the sea side of the rifle range and by
way of
By road
one had look out for a renowned resident of the Ferry known to us as Flash
Gordon. I no longer recall the type of sports car he drove at high speed
around the area but it was best to step aside when he approach on the Ferry
Road.
The
Golf Course and Beach
There was
no Sunday golf at that time and so walk along the golf course to the Lochie was
a safe excursion. At the Lochie, which was a very small water hazard at
the then ninth hole, we would look for lost golf balls. After a
competition it was not uncommon to find balls though the number of searchers was
always greater then. The Lochie water hazard was split into two by a
narrow pathway cutting through it to the green. By this path and around
the edges reeds hid many golf balls but with a little raking with hands or
sticks some would appear. Balls in the middle were accessible only by
wading. The water was not very deep but it was cold even in summer.
Balls were felt with the feet and then carefully removed.
At many
holes we would walk the rough again keeping a careful eye for the result of
wayward shots. The beach was also a favoured spot and on the open sand or
amongst the shingle we would spot the odd golf ball. The fairway was, I
think, easier to hit in those days, however, as the coastal erosion had not
reduced their width to their present dimensions.
Often in
the warmth of those summer days which always seemed better than now we only
walked along as far as the first grassy hollows. There we would lie and
rest for an hour or two. If a 120 film had been put in the box camera we
might be lucky enough to get our photographs taken. Some of those hollows
no longer exist as, like the fairways, they have been affected by the continuing
coastal erosion.
The
Hospital Wood
One of
the favourite play places around Golspie was the Hospital Wood. Not quite
as it is now. Then the wood came right down to the main A9 between the
hospital grounds and the large property inhabited by 'Gordy' Sutherland - his
daughter Sandra was in my class in school. I had not seen her for many
years until she appeared around the year 2000 at a New Year function in Dunnet
Hall, along with her cousin from Corsback, Angela Lewis,
Entry to
the wood was generally up a narrow, rough path from the main road. We did
sometimes enter from the 'Tech' end or across the railway line behind the Back
Road Wood.
Half way
up the path between the house and the hospital property was a small stream.
A couple of other streams cut through the wood. A lower section of the
wood was fairly open with high older tree which were well spaced. The
terrain was rough and though uphill was also rolling so giving lots of hiding
places for games. There were a couple of areas which appeared to be old
quarries where sand or gravel had been removed.
Further
up the wood the trees became more dense and to the south or
The
evergreen trees went quite a long way up the face of Ben Bhraggie with the main
ascent in this area being up a wide cutting or fire break to the deer fence.
The deer fence was scaled by a high style and on the upper side there was a road
which circled round the hill. Rather than use this road the route from the
hospital wood to the hill top was by a rugged path. The same path that was
joined if the ascent of the ‘Ben’ was to be made by way of Rhives Farm.
During my
time in school new house were built beyond the larger private properties and
closer to the
The
Railway
Nowadays
it both unsafe and an offence to walk on the railway line but no one seemed to
be bothered about that when I was young. On a Sunday there were no trains
and it was not uncommon for families to walk along the line. The favourite
route for us was from the station or the Back Road Wood to Dunrobin.
Sometimes the walk would end at the high railway bridge at the Mill while on
other occasions we would walk to Dunrobin Station. Return might be by the
same route or by the road.
Walking
the railway was easy and steady due to the positioning of the wooden sleepers
and need to step from sleeper to sleeper at a steady and regulated pace.
The
railway was also a popular place for picking raspberries and brambles.
Both grew in abundance on the slopes to either side of the line. My father
was a regular harvester of both fruits and made large quantities of jam.
Trains frequently blew at him to get off the line!
A
picture of Golspie Station and some staff members but taken a bit before my
time!
The
On
walking down
The wood
had a number of walks leading up by the burn, directly though the wood to the
The
Mound
Uncle
Johnnie Melville and his wife Lucy lived at the Mound in one of the station
houses. Johnnie had worked at various places over the years with British
Rail the principal ones Boat of Garten, Rogart and the Mound. They had 10
children and so a visit to the Mound was always a very social affair.
Usually
it was just my mother, Ian and myself who went visiting. We went and
returned by bus but occasionally we might use the train for one leg of the
journey. On one occasion I had to return on the train on my own.
I’m not sure how old I was but not much more than nine or ten probably.
I had gone up the Mound Rock with some of my cousins to see the work on the
placing of electricity pylons and we waited too long. My mother decided to
return home and made arrangements for me to be put on the train. With the
family connections and the fact that then trains were quiet and there were few
dangers from strangers in those days it did not seem a foolhardy thing to do.
My
journey was uneventful except that I almost missed my stop at Golspie Station.
It was dark and I was not really aware of the train slowing. I did know
that there were people in the next compartment and I decide to have a peep at
them. When I looked in they were gone and the train suddenly appeared to
be stopped. I rushed along the corridor to the door and they were getting
off. It was a new Church of Scotland Minister, Rev. Alston, and some
members of his family. I recognised his son who was in my class in School.
I was assisted out of the train by them and I made my way across the
footbridge to the Station Office side where my mother waited.
Mound
Station where Uncle Johnnie lived and worked. Out of shot to the left was
a colourful house inhabited by an Indian named Ram (Sp. ?)
Hallowe’en
Hallowe’en
was a favourite time. Guising was not only great fun but a sure way of
getting a great bag of goodies that we did not see much of during the year.
Apples, monkey Nuts and home made toffee were sought after. The dressing up was
simple and masks were few and far between and were either made of cardboard or
of a very brittle material like plastic that cracked easily. Sometimes we
were lucky and came upon one of those ‘gruesome’ rubber masks that fitted
tightly to the face and made the wearer unrecognisable.
Houses
visited were not only those of friends but, as at New Year, anywhere where entry
was encouraged by a light. Indeed, in general, every house in the street
and the streets around received groups of visitors from about
On at
least two consecutive Hallowe’ens remember being taken by my mother to the
Matheson household at
Hallowe’en
became quite a different experience when we began to receive visitor ourselves.
In Thurso and then Wick in 1971 to 1975 neighbours pupils from the school
visited. A particularly large number visited in Wick as our house in
This
practice of pupils coming to the teacher’s door continued in Thurso after 1980
and again large numbers visited
The
Pictures
The
cinema was held in the YMCA Hall on
Most
times we sat in the front row with our necks twisted up at an uncomfortable
angle to the screen but occasionally we managed the second row and often sneaked
into the rows further back if the show was poorly attended. The platform
was out of bounds and anyone sneaking in there was very quickly removed by the
volunteer helpers running the show.
It was
not unusual for the show to stop abruptly due to some fault or other. Often the
breaking of the film or the loss of projector power. This was an occasion
for loud booing only matched by the noise when we realised that the evening’s
film was to be a love story and not the western or comedy we all craved for.
Before
entering the pictures we would purchase our sweets from one of the small shops.
Jack’s along opposite the Fish Shop or Jimmy Miller’s were favourites but we
did buy elsewhere also. After the show first stop was the chip shop. If
you could get out quickly before the National Anthem at the end you had a chance
of being first in the line at the Cairnview. For a time the chip shop was
down the lane between Grants the butchers and the Co-op drapery shop. It
was here that I remember Golspie’s first Juke Box, a small unit on the wall of
the shop and very popular it was too.
This chip
shop was run by Mr Christine, known as Abdul Ben Tattie, and then for a time by
Jim McIntosh, an engineer who was probably between jobs. Employed there
was a young man who later worked in hotels around the village in various service
capacities. Murdo was a bit of a character and saw himself as a comedian
also. When there was queue in the shop and he was asked how long the chips
would be his favourite retort would be ‘two or three inches’.
There
were many regular favourites shown at the pictures. Most of the big films
of the day eventually reached the screen there but there was much cheering for
and western or war film and Woody Woodpecker and the Three Stoogies made a great
start for a show. We didn’t mind the news as it usually had some sport
on and when it showed
Usually
the same film was shown at all performances though from time to time when the
evening film was not suitable for children then there would be no matinee or an
alternative programme would be shown.
A
Double Decker is Coming
The
Uncle
George (Wordie) Melville worked at Golspie station for Wordies (hence his
nickname) and he delivered goods to shops and business from the station by horse
and cart. Later one of his jobs from the station was to open the gates at
the
When
George got the message that a double decker bus or similar sized vehicle was on
its way he would speed on his small green motor bike with protracting leg
guards, which was rather more like a moped than a Harley Davidson, to the bridge
to open the gates. It was not unknown for him to speed along
Car
Numbers
Who would
have thought that a day could be passed by boys sitting on the wall on station
road taking car registrations? Cars went by so infrequently that numbers
were easily collected and there was great excitement when more than one car came
at the same time. Everyone desperately tried to note down the numbers and
if part was missed we were able to assist one another with the proper letters
and numbers.
Every now
and then we had to count up the total to see how many numbers we had and find
out who was spending the most time by the main A9 noting the vehicles that
passed. keeping a check on the total seemed a laborious task except for
Eric Ploughman who had come across one of those little devices for putting on
bicycle wheels to check the distance travelled. Every time a car passed he
wound it one place to keep a running total of his registrations.
The
collections had no real purpose but then I don’t suppose train numbers kept by
some, or even stamps, have any more purpose. If a serious crime were to be
committed we could possibly be very useful witness in tracking down the
culprits!
Sledging
My only
sledge was made by my father. It was made with solid wood and had iron
strips from an old bed for runners. It was a rural green colour and took
quite a lot of pulling unlike today’s light plastic, moulded types.
We sledge
on
An
alternative to
Trips
to
A holiday
in the late forties and fifties, and probably before that, usually meant a trip
to
We were
up very early getting ready for the walk to the station. The train
probably came about
Sometimes
we waited outside and occasionally we got into the station office. An
interesting place with small levers and bells on peculiar looking instruments.
Every now and then a bell would ring or a primitive telephone would call out.
Usually the message on the line was that the train had just left Brora but it
could just be that call that said that the train was late. There was a
waiting room but it was only used if the person on duty was not known to the
family and would not allow entry to the office.
I was
always intrigued by the exchange of circular metal rings with an attached pouch
as the train came into the station. The driver held out his hand and
delivered, received or exchanged this object with the station master or porter.
It was apparently a token which was required before the line could be declared
clear and safe for trains to proceed up or down the line.
The train
puffed down the line letting off billowing steam and not a small amount of
smoke. On curves we would hang our heads out the windows, but not too far
lest they get knock off, to look forward at the curving carriages and engine or
back to the guard’s van. The journey seemed slow and the stops so very
frequent. The Mound and Rogart seems to come quite quickly but the wait at
Lairg for the mail from the west was always a drag and often we had to pass the
northbound train there.
Ardgay
always seemed another long stop and then it was onwards to Tain with maybe a
stop at Edderton before we got there. Fearn Station, not really at Fearn
was next and then we would pull into Nigg before one of the big stops at
Invergordon. We knew we were there when we saw the big oil tanks and my
father told me about them being wartime targets and about the Royal Navy
presence there during the war. Evanton was next on the list and the stop
at Dingwall was always a highlight. Had we time to get off and buy a
newspaper, and of course sweets, at the stand on the station or would we be left
standing when the train pulled away? The stop there was usually longer as
there might be a train to catch or a connection with the Kyle line might
have to be made. The final stretch to
The final
stage into the station was in reverse. The train always appeared to pass
the station and then reverse in to the platform. I could never work it out
in those days but having explored the area fully I now realise that every train
had to do this.
‘Up
on the Pools’
Today the
football polls still exist but most people dream of making their fortune through
the National Lottery. In the fifties and sixties it was Littlewoods and to
a lesser degree Vernons who were seen as the saviour from the drudgery of work
and poverty.
Each week
families throughout the land tried to forecast the results of football matches
in the English and Scottish Leagues. Various games could be played on the
‘coupon’ but most popular and potentially lucrative was the ‘Treble
Chance’. He punters tried to identify eight of the matches which would be
drawn on a Saturday afternoon. Single lines and various perms, as they
were called, were used but to the vast majority success evaded even the most
optimistic.
The
Lannon household was not unlike any other at 4.45 on a Saturday afternoon.
As the results were read out there had to be total silence lest my father should
miss a score. A matches list on the back page of the Saturday paper was
filled in carefully with each number coming over the crackly wireless and then
the task of check forecasts began. It never did take very long and it was
clear when the coupon was rolled up a flung in the back of the fire that another
dream had disappeared with the unpredictable efforts of teams of eleven chasing
around a bag of wind.
Then one
Saturday the coupon stayed on the tray on Fathers lap. He checked again
and, yes, he had eight draws. A fortune awaited and on any other Saturday
it might have been. However, it was the last week of the season and there
was less than forty matches, as opposed to over 50, on the coupon. This
number of games consequently reduced the odds on winning and so many more people
shared the jackpot. We received less than £400 and though this was a
generous sum for a working class family in 1962 it was not the expected relief
from the toils of everyday life.
The
disappointment was put behind us, however, and a car was purchased. The
second hand Austin A30 was our pride and joy despite being almost nine years
old. It did provide us with much pleasure though not a little heartache
also – nine year old cars in those days were wont to break down and needed
much care and attention.
Learning
To Drive
As soon
as I was seventeen I took out my provisional driving licence and started to work
towards passing my test. There might have been driving instructors in
those days but I certainly never heard of one let alone met one. My
driving instructors were my father and neighbour and Co-op manager Donnie
Findlay. Donnie lived across the road and he taught a number of people
around the village. His tutorship was calm and measured while my father
only had the task of sitting by me while I drove around practicing otherwise his
excitable nature would get us into a conformation situation.
Passing
my test seemed relatively easy and at the first attempt. It was not
without incident however. On the evening before the test I had to drive up
to the garage for petrol with my father in the co-driver’s seat. He was
more tense about the whole affair than I was and he was in such a hurry to get
out of the car before I had fully stopped at the pump he jumped out and promptly
broke of the direction indicator with rear end. For those of you who do
not appreciate the nature of the indicators in those days they were simply
little arms that shot out from the side of the car body. In Most cases at
head height but on our ‘baby’
Generally
in the test half the exercise was undertaken giving hand signals and half with
those mechanical indicators. For the purpose of my test I had to apologies
to the tester and carry out the whole test with hand signals!
Off
Camping by Car
Our first
holiday, and in my case only camping holiday with my parents, by car was to
The
weather was hardly kind in
The
SOME
SPECIAL TIMES AND EVENTS
Christmas
Christmas
was very much looked forward to in my youngest days. Parties and presents
were few and far between. Birthdays and Christmas were the only times up
until my teenage years that I recall the sort of social events and excitement
generated by those two occasions.
The
Firemen’s Parties
The
Golspie Fire Service Christmas Parties were great fun. Games, food, Santa
and a gift were all appreciated. I was lucky enough to attend the first
and following parties. For the first party the firemen were permitted to
invite a small number of children each, six I think. Bertie MacDonald, who
lived just along the road on
The
School Christmas Party and Concert
The party
was a wonderful occasion held in the school gym. The games were great fun
and, of course, we got dressed up for the event. But most of all I
remember the cakes - delivered from Morrison's and large and delicious. I
still see them in large baking trays being carried round the gym by the teachers
and we had the choice of the wonderful eats.
The
concert was a more staid affair. At the time when the Primary and
Secondary departments were all one the secondary classes largely dominated the
concert. I don not remember much about the items but do recall a play or
sketch in which an attempt was made to prove that Shakespeare's plays had, if
fact, been written by Francis Bacon. I have no idea why this play should
stick in my mind.
I only
recall one occasion when I took part in the concert. This was in a choral
speaking item. The whole class of over forty recited 'King Midas' to great
applause from what appeared to be a large and appreciative audience.
Whether it was so is open to some doubt as a visit to the gym years later left
me with the distinct feeling that it had shrunk greatly from its truly mammoth
proportions when I was in school.
Hogmanay
and The New Year
The pubs closed on Hogmanay – about 10pm I guess. They did not open on New
Years day. I think it was probably against the law to do so at that time.
My father would go to the Caberfeidh most Saturdays and at Hogmanay. He
would usually play dominoes and drink a pint or two or more and a whisky too.
He did not come home drunk very often but certainly merry on lots of occasions.
Obviously Hogmanay was no different and so he was already in ‘good form’
before the New Year got underway.
Things began to change at Hogmanay and New Year firstly with the arrival of TV.
We would watch the New Year in with the White Heather Club (Andy Stewart and
others) and then the visiting would start in earnest though there was still some
midnight `First Footing' even though the box in the corner was taking over. When
Grampian TV arrived in the area there was then the difficult choice of The White
Heather Club or Callum Kennedy!
Later again the bringing in of the New Year in groups – local halls, local
square, bonfires or street parties changed the pattern of events. Of course
transport availability also played a part. It became possible to travel to
village halls where there might be a party. In recent years (1995 – 2005
or so) I have taken in the New Year at Dunnet Hall in
The Sutherland villages were very sociable places at New Year. The bigger
villages of Dornoch, Golspie and Brora and, of course, Helmsdale, Bonar, Lairg
and all the north and west settlements had great celebrations to see in the New
Year. They were not dull place with nothing happening on dark winter nights –
all were vibrant communities with a great variety of New Year activities.
The topic of Hogmanay and the New Year would need a book to cover all the
aspects and many people will have many different experiences of those events.
There will be as many ways of welcoming in the New Year in Sutherland as there
are families.
The wholesale movement of `First footers' has certainly disappeared but the
Street Party or Hall event is a good alternative allowing large numbers of
friends and new acquaintances to welcome in other year.
The pub backdoor was a well used entry after closing time. And indeed
before as regulars took their place in the back room. Not just at the New Year,
indeed more often not at New Year, was the back door the entry later in the
evening. A great warmer for even the Police nightshift allegedly!!
The
First TV Show in Golspie and TV at Cunningham’s
I am not
sure when TV first arrived in Golspie but I remember being quite young and taken
by my father to an demonstration of TV in Lindsay Ironmonger’s Shop. The
TV was shown in the back shop in the storage area and I recall passing through
more than one room containing animal feed stuff before reaching and upper loft
where the set was installed. I have no recollection of the programme shown
nor of who else was present though I do remember that the audience was
reasonably large and we were all impressed by the quality of the fuzzy, grey
picture on the small screen.
Later,
before TV was generally available, the youngsters of the village used to go to
Cunningham's shop and watch children’s programmes on a Saturday afternoon.
Those programmes were shown upstairs in the store above the ironmongery and toy
shop to a large audience of children. We all sat on crude benches
constructed out of whatever material was available and watched such exciting
shows as ‘ The Lone Ranger’ and the ‘Cisco Kid’. I think there
were other series as well but those being our favourites the others have been
long forgotten.
The cost
of the show was one old penny but this did not go to the shop or Mr Cunningham
but to charity. We all had to put our penny in the charity stocking for
the children’s home at Rhu in Dumbartonshire.
As TVs
became a little more common people without a set began to find neighbours who
would let them in for a viewing session. I went with my mother to watch at
the Mathesons in
Special
Football Matches at the King George Park
There
were lots of well attended football matches at King George V park in the 1950s
and 1960s. Many special events with inter-county matches and the
occasional visits by Highland League clubs. In those days the
Special
Guests
Remember
going to watch a match between Golspie and some other long forgotten opposition
to find two special spectators. Scottish top players with Hearts, and
maybe internationalists, John Cummings and Freddie Glidden were in attendance.
I got their autographs but, as was often the case, the scrap of paper used has
not stood the test of time.
Inter-County
and ‘Big’ Matches
Inter-county
matches between Sutherland and
The
recall Inverness Clach playing against Golspie Sutherland after cousin Cathel
Melville, one of the best players in the county, signed for Clach. Maybe
the match was a ‘Thank You’ for Cathel’s signing for the Highland League
outfit.
Miller
Cup
Another
great occasion was the Miller Cup played for between the champions of Sutherland
and
Sutherland
v
Football
supporters always look for an excuse and a reason for a defeat. When a
large crowd turned out to see Sutherland Under 15s, including cousin Davie
Melville, play against Glasgow Boys once again my father found it difficult to
give credit to the skills of the southern invaders. He passed the comment
that it look suspiciously likely that some of those under 15 year olds were
‘already shaving’.
I
don’t have photograph of any of the county teams and not even one taken when I
played for the Sutherland Schools against Ross-shire – twice in Golspie and
twice at
The
Butlin’s Walk
The Billy
Butlin's John O' Groat's to Lands End walk was real highlight for villages.
We wait for and clapped so many wlkers as they made their journey south.
There was a big money prize and so a large number felt they might make 'their
fortune'. Most walked but the early competitors through Golspie were very
definitely running. I remember standing at Harold Sinclair's shop and
watching the first runner speed by.
The
slower walkers seem to be going through for days. On the Sunday one of the
walkers already tired arrived at Mass and my father taking pity on the walker
took him home to Sunday lunch. Not always a banquet but still an occasion
quite different from the meals on others days - they could be quite frugal
especially towards the end of the week before 'pay-day'.
Barbara
Moore was a well-known walker stopping in the village though in the walk as I
remember. I recall the great publicity for this woman and her arrival at
the Stag's Head Hotel. No doubt the date of her walking exploits will have
been recorded in the Northern Times - the 'Raggy'.
The Monte
Carlo Rally in January always interested everyone in Golspie maybe more than in
most places. The owner of the main local building business called
Alexander Sutherland and Sons was a regular competitor. Bertie Plumb, as
we knew him because his business started as plumbing concern, was closely
followed in his exploits and on occasions was very successful. One year he
was well up with the leaders when an accident with, I think, a cyclist in
We always
wondered why he was allowed to drive so fast in the
The
race to
The
Ben Race for the Coronation and the Bonfire
I have
vague memories of the celebrations for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth the
First of Scotland and Second of England in 1952. There was large Bonfire
set on the Golf Links close to the first golf clubhouse that I remember.
It might even have been the first clubhouse that existed. This Clubhouse
was down towards the see and fairly close to the entrance to the course from
I don't
recall who lit the fire but I remember it being quite impressive and the winner
of the Ben Bhraggie Race got his prize there. He might have received it
first in the King George Playing fields but of this I am also not certain.
I had
particular interest in the race as my cousin Cathel Melville was running.
He was well known in football circles having 'made it' to the
The race
had many other runners. The winner, Teddy Munro, I knew and Willie
Sutherland, better known as Horsey, was also someone I recognized. The
runners proceeded along the
Through
young eyes the whole affair must have been very exciting and the quality of the
competitors superb. However, maybe in this sport, and in football,
nostalgia tends to make the performers of yester year son much better than those
of today.
SOCIAL
AND RECREATIONAL EVENTS
The
BBs and The BB Social
I very
much enjoyed both the Life Boys and the Boys Brigade meetings in the school
gymnasium. The peaked Life Boy cap in a dark navy with a band and the
badge and name on it was about the only uniform I had. In any event I am
not sure that at that time there was any more to the uniform.
The Boys
Brigade uniform was not a lot more sophisticated. The small cap, arm band
for badges a black leather belt with BB Badge and white cross over should to
opposite waist fabric strap and pouch. They uniform was inspected at each
meeting and points award.
Activities
were many and varied at both groups but mostly games and bible study in the
younger group. On the old section bible study, various handcrafts, games
and competitions played a big part. But most prominent were the marching
routines and the physical education activities.
The
marching had to be highly organized and proficient and was quite competitive,
especially between companies from different towns and villages. The P. T.
routines were equally rigorous and practised until as near perfect as possible.
The Box and wooden Horse were major elements with vaulting, forward rolls and
handspings playing a prominent part in any exhibition.
Competition
with in the Golspie Company led to inter-company. A main venue for such
competition was the B. B. Hall in Wick where Wick competed against Golspie
and Thurso Companies. There may have been other Sutherland, and possibly
Caithness Companies, present at those events but their identies now escape me.
Football
in the King George V Playing Fields
Football
in Golspie in the park at the
Just one
of the versions of that famous song ‘Football in Golspie’.
When the canvas goes out
on the
And Alec goes raking
about for a ball,
And Wullie throws open
the old Welcome Hall,
It’s a sign that
there’s football in Golspie.
Then come to the gate
with your bags and the like,
You can come on a bus, a
car or a bike,
But you canna see over
the
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
When coming by car as
you pass through the crowd,
Just blow on your hooter
and blow it out loud,
But you’ll see it is
clear that no parkin’s allowed,
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
Now here come the team
with their jerseys of blue
They are losing by now
their original hue,
But they are better than
red if the Rangers are due,
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
There’s Mackie,
there’s Danny, there’s Hamish and Bert
There’s Hughie and
Alec and Robbies a cert,
And a wee touch of Bobba
will up your heart
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
There’s lusty
supporters with throats made of brass,
And someone is shouting
‘ Hey Bobba a pass,
But Bobba trips over a
wee tuft of grass,
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
They’ll come in their
Bentleys, they’ll come in their Fords,
They’ll travel from
Dornoch and over the Ord, (Alternative Line - They’ll
come from the
But they’ll meet with
a shock when the Blues get aboard,
Crask and come from the Ord)
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
You can come by a boat,
a bus, a car or a bike,
You can come any way
that you blooming well like,
But you canna see over
the
On the day that
there’s football in Golspie.
From a
very early age my father took me to see the football in Golspie. The
crowds seemed large and excitement almost uncontrollable. Most working men
had a five and a half day week and their main entertainment on a Saturday
afternoon might be taking in the local match.
My
father’s top Scottish team was
School
Football
My
greatest source of pleasure was probably playing football for the school and
village football teams.
I played
for the under 14, 15, 16 and senior school teams with some success at all age
groups. Trophies were won by all teams with the highlights being captain
of the under 16s, playing four times for the Sutherland county team and scoring
a ‘hat-trick’ for the High School senior eleven to win the North of Scotland
Cup in 1964.
My first
game of football for a school team was in Brora on a pitch that was in the field
opposite where the present Brora Rangers pitch is now and probably covered by
the new Hunter's Mill car park - new
The match
was against the
Back L-R:
Norman Brown, Ian Grant, Neil Melville, Ken Mackay, Allan Lannon, Matthew Mackay
Walter Henderson.
Front
L-R: Cecil Melville, John Mackay, Ian Campbell, David Paterson, George
Morrison, Sandy Morrison, Tony Rettie.
My first
under 16s county trial was played at the Golspie Sutherland Football Park and I
was not really aware of the significance of the match until PE teacher Norrie
Brown called me over to say that I had been selected to play for Sutherland
against Ross-shire at Golspie and later in Dingwall. I was selected again
the following year after a trial at
In the
upper Secondary School I played both in Goal and at Centre forward for the
Senior team. The highlight and crowning glory was the winning of the North
of Scotland Cup in 1964. We were successful in defeating
The final
was grand occasion in Nairn against Peterhead. They were favourites to
take the trophy and were the holders. However, a 3-2 win in front of a
large traveling support brought the trophy north of
L-R;
Bobby MacLeod, Arthur Fraser, Cecil Melville, Allan Lannon, Ian Taggart, John
Mackay, David Cowie (on shoulders), Christopher Yuill, Alan Syme, John
Robertson, Adam MacPherson
Back
L-R: Norrie Brown, Adam MacPherson, Allan Lannon, John Dalgarno, David Cowie
Font
L-R: Cecil Melville, Ian Taggart, John Mackay, Bobby MacLeod, Arthur Fraser,
Christopher Yuill, John Robertson
Missing
from the picture; Alan Syme and Walter Yuill
This
page from the school magazine tells about the senior team’s success in 1963-64
season. I am pictured in gals but only played in that position in the
first game against Thurso. In all the other matches I played at center
forward.
Senior
Football
From time
to time I was lucky enough to get a game for Golspie Sutherland. I either
got to substitute for Billy Murray, a fine goalkeeper who held down first spot
when I was a teenager, or at centre forward. I had some regular matches at
centre after my success in the senior school team. However, Saturday work
in the Co-op Shop and then the move to Thurso curtailed my chance of a long term
place in Golspie’s senior team. This, however, did not finish my footballing
career as I went on to play for Dounreay Athletic, Wick Groats, Wick Thistle,
Wick Rovers and Keiss. In addition, I played for, and gained my colours in
football, while a student in
WORLD
OF WORK
The
Co-op
Just
some of the staff I remember and there were others and apologies to them for
omitting them from the list. There was also a staff working above the
grocery shop in the area office for/with Mr Sutherland who lived above the co-op
drapery department. He had two sons whom I later met at Dounreay.
Both died at a relatively young age.
I started
working in the Co-op Shop in Golspie on a snowy first week in January in 1959.
I am not sure that I was looking for a job though it must be said that to get a
post as a message boy was desirable bringing with it the 30/- a week payment.
I was
asked, or at least my father and/or mother were asked, by Ian Ross, Relief
Manager, if I would like the job the incumbent having left. For some weeks
I regretted the acceptance of the work. Pedalling and pushing the heavy
bike through several inches of snow was not an easy task for a twelve year old.
Ian Ross has been a friend ever since surprise to say! He was working at
Dounreay when I came to Thurso to work and I met with him in Thurso only many
occasions.
Monday
and Tuesday were relatively quiet days for orders for delivery. Wednesday
was half day so I had some respite until and hard work on Thursday,Friday and
Saturday. Some business must have paid their employees on Thursday as the
volume of orders for delivery on that day were so much greater than at the start
of the week. However, Friday brought the real rush. I would come in
from school to find a veritable sea of boxes of all sizes stacked with
groceries. All had to be delivered on the bike with the basket on front.
A big brute of a bike with a very large, deep cane/wicker type container.
It was my
duty to chose my routes, load and the bike and be off. Trying desperately
to ensure that I did not have to visit any one street more often than was
necessary.
I only
once had help loading up the bike and it must have been during the first week of
my duties. I had to hold the bike upright and with weight on the seat keep
it steady while Duncan Halfpenny and Ivor Sutherland, two older teenage
employees loaded my vehicle so high that I would not be able to see over the
top. This problem was purely academic. As soon as they had finished
and asked me to push the bike off the stand it upended with the resulted that
all of the grocery boxes landed on the back shop floor with the bike on top.
A fearful mess of mixed shopping and not just a few broken bottles.
Especially the Soda Siphons with gaseous liquid pouring forth.
It was a
clear setup and not allowed to happen again.
There
were lots of customers in
Church
Street, and Sutherland Road running parallel behind it, were also busy roads for
me.
My Co-op
duties included some welcome overtime in the form of domestic activities on the
Wednesday afternoon and early each morning. On the early closing day I
went to the shop after school and washed the floor with mop, bucket and
detergent for an extra 5/- and I gained a further 5/- for delivering morning
rolls to the girls’ hostel, MacLeod House, each morning.
The
competition for the contract to supply the hostel with food and other items was
quite intense and in addition to the Co-op the other shops in the village
offered for the business. Morrison’s and Fraser’s were prominent in
their efforts to obtain a slice of the trade. The Co-op being the biggest
store would generally be successful but having gained the contract they were
required to supply all items. This proved difficult as the store’s
bakery was 18 miles away in Helmsdale. Clearly the other shops, and
particularly Morrison’s Bakers, were not all that keen to help out the
competitor by supply morning rolls. I was my duty to queue up with the
other customers and purchase the rolls over the counter at the Bakers before
cycling with them to the Hostel. I did not always get a favourable
reception from Osla Morrison and frequently had to wait on the doorstep for
quite sometime or be ignored in the queue. It was the same frosty
reception at the Girls’ Hostel where I had to hand the rolls in the dining
rooms window below the Monkey Puzzle tree.
The
Golspie Co-op Shop seemed very large to me at that time. It probably was
when compared to other local shops but when I look at it now with the
‘large’ back store included in the shop floor area I realise that it was
more likely the view we have of places remembered as being bigger than they
really were.
The front
shop had counters all round with the customer area in the centre.
Virtually all shopping was done by way of service by a shop assistant. The
public queued up to be served and at busy times in the shop or quiet time on
deliveries I had to help with this duty. Each item was collected from the
shelves and surfaces behind the counter by the assistant and piled on the
counter in front of the counter. The cost of the items was added up at the
end and payment made or in some cases each item was entered in the credit book
and the total calculated. My counting was at its best in those days!
The customer received the top copy from the invoice book and the bottom copy was
eventually used in the shop office to add to the appropriate customer’s
account for later payment.
Payment
by cash was dealt with in a different way. The amount tendered was entered
in the cash drawer below the counter and the amount entered on a small ticket
the size of a raffle ticket but on a large sheet of such tickets. Also entered
on this receipt was the individuals co-op number. My mother’s number was
143 and my own number, allocated later when I was making enough purchases of my
own, was 89. The top copy of this small receipt was given to the customer and
the carbon copies went to the office at the end of the day so that each customer
could receive credit for his or her payment on their Co-op Dividend record.
The
exceptions to the service over the counter were the items in the few display
stands that backed up to the shop counter on one side of the floor space.
The two I recall were the Swiss Knorr Packet Soup stand and the biscuit box
stand. The biscuit box stand had the boxes facing outwards at an angle of
about 45 degrees and with the lids removed but with a glass cover protecting the
contents. The biscuits were all, of course, loose and many got broken.
Those were sold at a cheaper rate and often to children heading for school as
‘play pieces’.
Merchandise
behind and below the counters was set out on shelves and in suitable sections
according to type and brand. Those shelves had to be filled up at quiet
times and often boxes were brought from the ‘back shop’ during busy period
and left on the floor close to where they eventually be stacked. Some
items which were dangerous or more valuable were kept in drawers below the shop
serving counter. There was a designated area for bacon, hams, meats and
cheeses in the back left hand corner of the front shop. On the counter
opposite this marble topped surface was a large bacon and meat slicer which was
worked by hand using a large wheel and handle. A dangerous piece of
equipment which I had to clean and sharpen from time to time. Cleaning was
done with cloths held against the blade and sharpening with a set of abrasive
rollers that pulled down onto the top of the very large circular blade.
The long
rolls of bacon were set out on the marble top and put onto the slicing surface
of the machine as required as was the other cold meats. Cheese was cut on
the marble surface using a large cheese cutter with a rather sharp wire and it
was advisable not to get your thumb or fingers between wire and cheese.
Most cheese cut was of the hard cheddar variety though some others such as
The back
shop, which appeared to me at that time, to be quite large was like an
Aladdin’s Cave but stocked with every foodstuff, toiletry and saleable item
imaginable. The contents were mostly delivered by lorry from
Some
materials, particularly cereals and on rare occasions flour, were delivered in
large hessian sacks. Most about one hundred weight but varying in size
depending on content. Recall very large backs of maize taken if for animal
feeding in incredibly large cloth bags that were very floppy and difficult to
carry. We also got corn for feeding hens and this too had to be weighed
out into stone weight bags.
Most of
those goods had to be weighted in the shop for selling when customers requested
or weighed in advance. Also weighed in advance when time permitted were
potatoes. They came in bulk and were stored in a large wooden hopper with
an access shoot at the bottom from which the potatoes were shovelled into half
stone and stone brown paper bags and weighed on a balance type scales.
Fruit on
sale was a very limited selection. Mostly bananas, apples, pears and
oranges though there were sometimes melons. Bananas came into the shop in
long wooden boxes like small coffins with a hinged lid. They were Fyffes
bananas and a pretty good chew as I cycled round the village. We usually
got bags of blackening bananas home on a Saturday evening as they would not sell
by Monday due to their condition. McIntosh Red apples were also a favourite
coming into the shop in large cardboard boxes in layers and sitting in egg box
like hollows in the trays.
Bacon and
some cooked meats were stored in a wooden cupboard with a gauze on the doors.
The was supposed to keep the meat cold and keep out insects though I from time
to time had the job of picking the white maggots out of the rolled bacon.
Lemonade
was delivered by Hendry’s of Wick who certainly had a contract with the co-op
and may have been actually part of the co-operative establishment.
Initially a fairly limited range of flavours was available but the company
gradually introduced new recipes with one popular one with the staff being
raspberry. Fizzy raspberry not being a drink I would now favour!
This lemonade was stacked just inside the side store of the back shop with the
crates on their side for easy access to whatever flavour was required.
This resulted in some bottles leaking and encouraged some of us staff members to
find extra bottles of our chosen drink developing rather large leaks.
‘Leakers’ as they were simply known were returned to Hendry’s at the next
delivery for credit.
Coal and
Paraffin was stored in a shed behind the shop and more or less in Sutherland’s
Builders yard. The long shed also accommodated two garages. The Coal
came in 28 lb paper sacks and proved very popular with older people living along
and quite a lot had to be delivered.
The
paraffin was held in a very large tank on supports about three feet of the
floor. The liquid was taken off via a tap set in the base of the storage
tank. The paraffin should have been taken firstly into one of the half or
full gallon measuring cans before being funneled into the customer’s fuel can.
We, meaning younger and part-time staff, often tried to speed up the process by
filling the fuel can directly from the tap. We were careful not to give
short measure as this would bring the customer back and sometimes the fuel can
would slip, especially if it was a five gallon one, and we would be covered in
nasty smelling fuel. From time to time the shop manager caught us out as
he would intercept a filled fuel can and weigh it to determine how much paraffin
we had put in it.
Skinning
the Cheese
When
preparing a very large cheddar type cheese for sale it was necessary to remove
the outer gauze covering and the wax protection from the cheese. The
Cheese was large and had to be manhandled into a Hessian sack which had
previously been soaked in water. Any sack would do and they were mostly
once which potatoes had been delivered ion and so were not particularly clean.
The cheese was left to soak overnight until the gauze and the wax was thoroughly
sodden and soft. It took some effort to remove the gauze covering but with
much tugging it eventually came away with the wax. Some tidying up had to
do around the cheese and then it was cut into more manageable size pieces for
storage or placing on the marble top in the front shop.
Stock
Taking
At Stock
Taking time there was lot of work to do and overtime during the weekend or
during that week. Preparation for Stock Taking involved ensuring that
shelves were not stacked fully and that as many boxes of goods in the back shop
were left full and easily accessible. Stock was boosted by cutting apart
‘multipack’ items. In those days ‘multipack’ simply meant
something like bars of soap bundled in three with a paper wrapper. One job
the part time staff had to do at this time was cut off the band wrapper and free
the three bars of soap which were then unidentifiable as anything other than
three bars of normal soap. Since this increased the soap stock by one
third, one bar being free in the special offer, the value of the shop stock was
consequently increased against the delivered stock. This happened with
enough items to keep the shop stock in a comfort zone as far as the area
management were concerned. Another way stock was adjusted was by the
writing off of perishable items. Such items would be fruit and bakery
produce and the actual amount dumped would be inflated by just enough to be seen
as reasonable and again ensuring stock level was more than maintained.
Work
meant money and my first personal savings were with the Post Office.
Yours
truly at the end of the lane joining the end of
Mrs
Joiner was the owner of the Ben Bhraggie Hotel when I had to deliver the hotel
order to the back door in the cobbled courtyard. There was a quite large
water well in one wall of the courtyard.
Looking
for a Job
In the
early 1960s youngsters did not have as much worry about future employment as
they have now. Getting a job was not all that difficult though the first
choice might not always be obtained. I knew that I could enter the Co-op
Shop and work there with the prospect of promotion. Managers tended to
male and relatively young. Provided one was willing to move around and go
to small shops in out of the way places then here was an occupation that was
secure and free from the rigours of the weather.
Boys
going into apprenticeships seemed to get a five year training in some trade or
other. Some jobs, such joinery, were more sought after than others but the
building industry was still labour intensive and so lots of mason, plumbers,
painters, etc. were always required.
While the
shop work had served a very useful purpose I did not really want a job that tied
me to a Saturday indoors. My sporting instincts lead me in the direction
of a week end off job. If I had to work a Saturday, or even a Sunday, I
expected overtime and for it to be my choice. My father had, of course,
had to work a five and a half day week but at least he had Saturday afternoon
off.
On
preparing to leave school the top priority was to find a ‘good’ job.
In 1963 there was a great interest in finding mineral resources around the
country and Sutherland was particularly targeted by the Robertson Research
Company. They advertised the fact that they wanted to recruit a local
person to be trained in their Welsh laboratory for return to Sutherland as part
of this work. I applied for this training and was interviewed in Dornoch.
I seem to recall that David Mackay and one of the Sadler brothers were also
interviewed. Studying Geography, while the other two had been studying
History, seemed to give me an advantage and I was offered the post.
Rolls
Royce and then to Dounreay
When
leaving school the first priority is to get a job and I was interviewed by A1
Welders in Inverness, the Robertson Research Company for training in
It was
necessary for me to find accommodation in the area and by telephone I obtained
an address and telephone number to contact from Rolls Royce. In those days
you often had to go through operators and we had to make calls from the public
telephone kiosk. Either the box at the Post Office or the one on
The name
of the town was Strathaven but as everyone knows the pronunciation is Straven.
I searched through the telephone directory for Straven but could not find it. It
took me quite time to find my way to a telephone code for Strathaven but when I
eventually did I got through to Mrs Rollo at
The room
let to me was shared with a chap called John from somewhere south of the border
and he too worked with Rolls Royce. When I realized he was employed by the
same company and he had a car I though I was set for a lift the ten or so miles
to
John and
I had a look around the local area and on a couple of occasions we went to
football matches. On one trip to Motherwell he forgot where he parked the car
and it took us some time to find our transport back. There was also a
visit to
I
travelled to Strathaven with my mother, father, Ian and James in a very small
Baby Austin and this included carrying, on a roof rack, my luggage and tent
which they used for a few days after I was placed in my B & B. They
actually camped in a field close to Kirkland Park Avenue and I think it was
probably fixed up with the farmer by the Rollo family.
Our
journey to Glasgow was uneventful other than getting caught up in a protestant
order march in the city center and really knowing nothing about the parade and
puzzled as to why so many people were marching with peculiar costumes and
aprons, playing small pipes and rums and being either cheered or booed from
different parts of the watching crowd.
At Rolls
Royce I was to train as a Technical Apprentice with a view to going into the
drawing office or design department. The initial training was to be in the
Training Centre with the Trades Apprentices. They were a very city wise
and tough group ready to take advantage of every opportunity for profit.
They took it in turns to leave the center to buy jam rolls and tea in billycans
for the Technical Apprentices and they always had a good markup.
I
remember the first question I received for the other lads when I entered the
center related to my place of education. This was a clear attempt to
elicit my religious leaning but my answer of Golspie perplexed them more than a
little. When I said that Golspie was in Sutherland I recall one chap
asking me if Sutherland was a big ‘toon’. Once religious affiliations
were sorted out then the side of the workshop on which ones bench was located
became a matter of allocation according to those affiliations.
I did not
really like the place very much. The austerity of the factory, the rush to
clock in and out and the queuing for a bus back to Strathaven were all alien to
me as was the oppressive and sectarian atmosphere in the building.
The work
in the center was monotonous in the extreme. I recall the first exercise
was to remove two large dents from a very flat piece of metal using a file and a
scrapper. The instructor appeared to thump my piece of metal with great
glee with his hammer before telling me to file the marks out. The final
flat piece of metal had to be correct to a very high tolerance level and this
was checked by rubbing the flat face on a very flat metal table to which a
purple dye had been applied. The high parts on the surface showed up
purple and it was back to the bench to scrape off the high marks. This
succeeded in leaving different high marks! The first task must have taken
close to three weeks. Later tasks included two sets of steps that must fit
together perfectly, a dovetail joint in metal and a male and female locking
joint. All were very difficult to achieve though none as time consuming as
the first exercise.
Part of
the three months I was with Rolls Royce was spent at
One of my
first wage packets came to me at
In all
working in the West of Scotland was a distinct experience and though not always
pleasurable there were good times and every type of experience prepares one
better for the next stage of life.
While in
Strathaven I awaited a call from the UKAEA at Dounreay. Eventually the
offer of a job arrived and a security representative from
And then
four years on there was