November 1937

Leerie for 48 Years

Dundee Family of Lamplighters
Yet another member of Dundee’s well known family of leeries has retired after 48 years’ service with the lighting department.

He is Mr James McCabe, 37, Rosebank Street, who for over 20 years has been foreman lamplighter in Dundee, and has seved 48 years – all his working life – as a leerie.Mr McCabe is the last of six brothers to leave the lighting department. Mr Patrick McCabe, their father, was also a leerie, and two of Mr McCabe’s sons are lamplighters.

Mr James McCabe is a native of Dundee, although he claims a connection with Ireland. In 1889, at the age of 18, he began work as a lamplighter at 11s 8d per week, In these days people in all sorts of trades occupied this position, and Mr McCabe did odd jobs to augment his meagre salary.

He is the last of Dundee’s older generation of lamplighters and was a member of the now defunct Leeries’ Club.

Two sons, James and Patrick, have been leeries for 24 and 20 years respectively. Mr David Vallely, a son-in-law of Mr McCabe, is also a lamplighter. Three other sons and one other daughter are resident in the city.

Mr McCabe’s colleagues in the lighting department presented him with a chiming clock as a retiral gift, while Mrs McCabe was made the recipient of a wrist watch.

Broughty Man Discover New Use for Jute

A novel treatment of jute which may prove to have immense possibilities has been discovered by a Broughty Ferry man. He is Mr John Coyne, painter, 128 King Street, and his experiment has attracted the attention of many interested persons, including Miss Florence Horsburgh, M.P.

The idea behind Mr Coyne’s discovery is the replacing of plaster walls reinforced by laths by specially treated jute, on top of which plaster has been applied.

Mr Coyne, who served his apprenticeship as a painter, and has been all his life in the trade, has first-hand knowledge of house decoration, and foresees in his discovery great possibilities in the adaptation of jute to ceilings and walls.

By using jute treated with in a special manner Mr Coyne contends that the old-fashioned lathe and plaster walls and roofs could be entirely done away with by his new process. He states that it is possible to coat the jute with plaster. This has hitherto been the stumbling-block when experiments have been made with various materials.

The resulting surfaced can either be smooth, so as to permit of painting or papering, or rough, to resemble heavy-grained wallpaper.

Roofs, which are usually made of plaster or wood pulp boards, could also be constructed of jute. “There would be absolutely no danger of the ceiling falling, as so often happens with plaster roofs” said Mr Coyle. “The scope of these jute and plaster ‘boards’ need not be confined to walls and ceilings, for bath fronts, chair backs, partitions of every kind, and other articles could be successfully made with them”.

Miss Horsburgh, to whom Mr Coyle has fully explained his experiments and discovery, is keenly interested.

In a letter to Mr Coyle for the House of Commons she promises to do all she can to help him, and has offered to approach various people whom she thinks might be interested.

Mr Coyle has made several samples in varying thickness’, ranging from four-ply ‘boards’ to single ones, which though pliable are claimed to be absolutely durable and not liable to crack.

A big Scottish firm is understood to be interested in Mr Coyle’s discovery.

Dundee Stages Air Raid Rehearsal

Dundee City Square last night and on Thursday night turned into an impromptu air base, when military units gave an air-raid rehearsal.
The exhibition was given in connection with the British Empire Union campaign to air recruiting. Mr A. Mackinnon and Mr T. Ayscough addressed large audience. There were frequent interruptions by hecklers, but both speakers were able to obtain good hearings.

A powerful beam swung too and fro in the sky over the city from a searchlight of Dundee’s Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Company R.E., while members of the 173rd Medium Battery, R.A., who had a six inch howitzer and gun-carriage drawn up outside the Caird Hall gave demonstrations of lightning adjustments of gas masks.

The Pipe Band of the 4/5th Black Watch gave selections.

Radio and Electrical Repairs

Batteries Changed
Electric Lighting Installed
McDonald
159, High Street, Lochee
Also at
4, Polepark Road.
“Miss Lochee” will pay us a return visit today.
Look out for her. You may be lucky.

United Recall

Dundee United are recalling Watson, the centre-half who figured with his brother in the case of alleged non-trying in the game with Albion Rovers. The player, it will be remembered, won the case. The goalkeeper was given a free transfer, but the centre-half was kept on United’s list. Watson plays his first game today. He has been chosen for right-half, but if it is found necessary he will switch positions with Skelligan.

Dundee Man’s New Enterprise

Mr Albert Thain, the well-know Dundee joiner and builder, has started a new enterprise in Dalmeny.

A new brick works has been erected there and Mr Thain stated yesterday that a private company is later to be formed. The output at the start will be about 60,000
bricks per week. The enterprise has already started.

A proportion of the output will be brought to Dundee and the remainder will be used for housing purposes in other parts of the country. The bricks are to be made by a new process. Their component parts will be clay, cement, hydrated lime, &c.

Yesterday Mr Thin gave evidence before Mr Henry Riches, the road licensing authority, sitting at Dundee, in an application by Mr James M. Gray, haulage contractor, Dundee. Mr Gray applied for an additional vehicle for his fleet. Mr Thain said he entered into a contract with the applicant for the haulage of bricks from a new bricks works. The application was adjourned until a later date to allow further figures to be brought forward.

Entertainments

Broadway
All Next Week
The One and Only
Dave Willis
And full supporting cast.
Book now and save disappointment.
Phone 3292.
Free car park.

Palace and Plaza
All the week
Madeleine Carroll, Freddie Bartholomew,
And Tyrone Power in
“ Lloyds of London” (A).

Playhouse
Nethergate Dundee
Daily from 1 o’clock. Doors open 12.45.
Monday 15th Nov – and all this week.
Griffith Jones in
“Wife of General Ling” (A).

Second Hand Furniture

Cash or easy payments.
Please write, stating your requirements.
G.B Forbes,
8, King Street, Dundee.

Meatroll

The making of this meat roll was demonstrated at Carbee W.R.I.
You require for it ½ lb cooked meet, ¼ lb cooked ham, 1 teacupful breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, ½ teacupful stock or milk, seasoning and 1 teaspoon anchovy paste.

Hard boil one egg. Mince the meat and ham and mix well together with the breadcrumbs; add anchovy paste and seasoning of salt and pepper to taste. Mix to a paste which will handle easily, using the other egg (unbeaten) and the stock. Remove the shell from the hard boiled egg and place in the centre of the mixture. Shape into a roll. Wrap in greaseproof paper, tying firmly at each end. Have ready a pan with boiling water. Place the roll in and keep at boiling point for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and roll in brown breadcrumbs. Serve either hot or cold.

Good News for Jute Workers

Good news for Dundee jute workers follows the recent decision to reopen one of the city’s jute mills after the installation of machinery of the latest type.

The mill in question is Heathfield Works, Hawkhill, owned by Jute Industries Ltd.

Several months ago it was decided to close down Heathfield following spells of enforced idleness and some 200 spinners and weavers were thrown out of work.

The new machinery is now being installed, and it is hoped to have the mill open early in the New Year. It has also been decided to discontinue the weaving side of the business, but work will be provided for about 150 spinners.