Blackness

I was born in 1946 brought up in City Road (the roadie) as we called it. I went to Blackness Primary school the Logie Secondary, I was in the netball and swimming teams in both schools. I remember the old baths when there were 3 pools.

Childhood memory of my mum taking my brother and myself down the Old Overgate to the pea buster stall then over to Greenhill for our Saspirilla (Black Sass). Read more......

I've just read about Nighebhoy on his way to school. The shop opposite Rosefield Street was called the Gift Shop and was Arthur Spinks mum's shop, the well known Dundee accordion player, he was boyhood pal of mine and I can still hear  his mum shouting 'Arthur, time to practice'.

The parrot that sat on the milk crates outside Keillors shop at the bottom of the Blackie, the sledging down the brae from the Blackie to the burn, so many kids there we had to line up to get your turn. Great days, but we were all kids then, we didn't know about life then.The woman that sold puff candy across from St Joseph's school, that's just a wee bit of great memories.

I have read that Blackness Library is celebrating its centenary this year and that members and former members are being invited to offer special memories associated with the library. I have one incident with which I was directly linked and which caused something of a surprise at the library in the 1940s. Whether anyone else still linked to the area remembers it I am not sure, but I believe it was the talk of the Sinderins at the time. Read more......

In 1955, having just left school and starting a college course, I was employed as a temporary tram conductor during the summer of that year. It was one of the happiest summers I ever experience and I have many happy memories. Read more......

Seeing all these stories about Dundee trams, etc. Around 1946/47 (when I was about 8) I was knocked down by a tram close to the Blackness School. I was unconscious to start but awoke to find a naval officer carrying me into the school. Mother was called and took me home and put me to bed, but shortly after, the polis arrived and carted me off to the D.R.I. (hospital) in a Wolseley police car. I had a large bump on my head where I had hit the cobbles. Read more......

In 1940 I was transported by tram car from Maryfield to Blackness School. As the war started in 1939 and we moved to Linlathen in 1940 and there were no schools there so a free tram car went from Maryfield to St John's in Tay Street and St Joseph's in Blackness Road and also to Blackness School, Logie and Mitchell Street. I was only 9 years old and left home at 8am walked to Maryfield and spent the day away.

Going to school (Morgan Academy) from the Blackness terminus - a penny (old money) transfer all the way - punched by the second conductor. When I got back to the terminus I used to push the seats back so that they were the correct way round for the next journey.

I started off as a tram Conductor for two years, most of us always started here and then learned tram driving. An Inspector trained me. I began as a spare driver and was then given a steady line on the Blackie to Downfield line. I started in 1947, after leaving the army and worked until 1956 when the trams were taken out of service, any driver under the age of 50 could train as a bus driver.