July 1962

The End of a Harbour Era?

Dundee DocksThe filling in of the tidal basin to make way for the Tay Road Bridge approaches may spell the end of Dundee’s oldest sand company.

It is the Tay Sand Company, founded in 1837, and now run by Mr Joseph Barlow and his son. When the dock is filled in, Mr Barlow is faced with moving to an alternative site supplied by the Harbour Trust or closing down.At the trust meeting this week, Mr Barlow asked that his dissent be recorded to the proposal that the trust had no objection to the filling of the tidal basin.

The company was started in 1873, when Mr Barlow’s father operated a sloop, the Catherine McDonald, to carry the sand for the building of the Victoria Dock. His grandfather ran a pilot boat from Newburgh to Port Allen. When Mr Barlow took over the firm 40 years ago they had two converted coasters, the Inchmarie and the Oberon. Today they have the Little Orme and the Edith, both popular figures on the river.

A member of the Harbour Trust for 23½ years, Mr Barlow said this week that he will stay put and leave the first move to the trust.

Theatre Shock

£9360 Loss at the Rep

During the year ended March last Dundee Rep lost £9360. That’s £559 more than the theatre’s loss for the previous year.

Shareholders will be told these figures next Friday at the 23rd annual general meeting of Dundee Repertory Theatre, Ltd. They will learn that the theatre’s costs jumped by £258 to £29,467. And that the total income for the year was £20,107 – a drop of £301.

That included profits of £3269 from cocktail and coffee bars, programmes and appearances on television. The actual box office takings fell, in fact by £600 – to £16,838.

The Rep was saved from going out of business altogether by a number of grants. Towards the cost of running the theatre the Art Council gave £5000. The Town Council gave £3000. There was a further donation of £200 from the Arts Council to cover loss on the world premiere in June 1962 of “The Durable Element” by Glasgow journalist Cliff Hanely.

To encourage the production of “approved plays” the Arts Council made out another cheque – for £100. And there was a £60 – gift from the Scottish Repertory Theatre Trust.

Despite all such subsidy the Rep was still £1000 out of pocket on the year’s running. To this had to be added £6125 – the extent to which the company’s profit and loss appropriation account was in debit at April 1, 1961.

To clear its feet as much as possible the board of directors is to dig into the theatre’s reserves. The general reserve fund is being would up and its £4609 put towards clearing the debt.

The provision-for-capital- expenditure fund is to be discontinued – which will release another £1063. And the deferred repairs reserve is being milked of its £1000.

Says the report of Secretary Mr C.R. Kelly, “The board acknowledges the fact that it is not possible for the theatre to carry out the intentions expressed when these reserves were created”.

The theatre’s present directorate consists of Mr George Geddes, chairman and only original member, Dr W. Fyffe Dorward, Mr John Anderson, Mr Graham Hope Pilcher and Mr R. Rollo Steven.

Under the articles of association Mr Geddes and Dr Dorward fall due to retire and are eligible for reappointment.

There’s No Holiday for Dennis

In the crowds of holidaymakers setting off from Tay Bridge last night was an intent looking young man. He was also heading south – but his mission is far from a holiday.

Twenty-one year old Dennis Sullivan, King Street, Broughty Ferry, was on his way to the South Coast where he hopes to join the ranks of those who have swum the English Channel.

He has been preparing for a year and three weeks ago he began the toughening-up process which he hopes will have given him enough stamina to endure whatever lies in store.

Success next week will mean a long-cherished ambition. Sponsored by Mr J.M. Wallace, he will be accompanied on his marathon by his trainer, Danny Heron, St Mary’s.

Don’t Be Down At The Heel!

McGregor’s
“Minit” Heel Bar
Shoe repairs upto 6 p.m. Saturday.
Have a seat in our waiting room while your
Shoes are repaired in minutes.

47, Wellgate
Dundee.

Odeon Dundee

Tel. 85721 Dundee
John Mills, Janet Munro,
“Swiss Family Robinson” (u)
5.15, 8.30.

Happy Holidays

Begin at Makay Bros.
Book your
Holiday rail tickets
In advance at station fares
Full details of all special train arrangements, seat and sleeper reservations now available.
MacKay Bros. & Co
9 Whitehall Crescent, Dundee.
Phone 25064.

Pola-Cola

Oh so…
C-O-O-L
And
Refreshing

Available in large bottles.
Robertson Fruit Products Ltd.
Dundee – Aberdeen – Glasgow.

The Palais

South Tay Street
Very special attraction
This Tuesday – July 10
“The Viscounts”
Radio, TV and STV Stars
8.30 to 12  - 4/-.
No teenagers.
Usual arrangements at 12.
Andy Lothian and His Band.

Wilson’s On the Move

Restaurant Wilson, 33, Union Street, will soon be one of the largest in Dundee. They are taking over the first-floor premises at present occupied by Robert Taylor & Sons, Ltd., coal merchants and steamship owners.

Taylors are moving their office to Reform Street.

Wilson’s new premises, stretching south to the bottom of Union Street, will have an extension of the present first-floor restaurant, and will over look the West Station.

Bright Tips 1962

Kneeling Pad – An old rubber hot-water bottle makes an excellent kneeling pad for weeding. Mrs Anderson, Buckie.

Mint Fragrant – A sprig of mint in a jar of water placed in each room will keep your house fresh and fragrant while it is shut up during your holiday. Mrs Stewart, Dunfermline.

Fresh Clothes – When packing slip an unwrapped bar of soap in your luggage to keep clothes fresh. Mrs Hawthorne, Essex.