Hawkhill

I was born and brought up in Bellefield Avenue and to me and my generation both here and on Magdalen Green this was to be our playground. Read more......

So many memories of Dundee in the sixties ... being a teenager at that time was brilliant ... going to the Marryat on a Saturday night was the highlight of the week. Dancing to the likes of the Beatles, The Searchers, Swinging Blue Jeans and many more - then leaving there to stand and blether to your pals before getting the last bus home along the Perth Road because if I wasn't home on the last bus then woe betide me because my father would be waiting for me and I would get a lecture that would last for 15 minutes or more. Even before that I remember my grandma taking me to nearly every picture house in the town. The first one being the Wizard of Oz at the La Scala then going home on the tram. Oh how I loved the journey along past the Seabraes where I could look across the water - great days that stick in your mind forever. Read more......

I lived in a close in Bernard Street in 1958 to 1960. I went to Hawkhill School and my mum worked in a wood shed over the backs. I worked for them on a Saturday selling bunches of kindling. I was only ten at the time. We also had an air raid shelter in the close which we all used to play in and make fires in. Health and safety eat your heart out. I remember we had a street party in 1959 or 60 but can't remember what it was for. We then moved to Menzieshill farm which was taken over for the hospital and housing estate. I have a lot of very happy memories of living in Dundee.

I was born in the hackie in 1947, the Princess, the State, the Regal, Grays, and that was the picture houses. It was great. I went to the washie in Millar's Wynd with Ma. Went to the scrubers and had a bath. We had nothing but we were happy.

I have a memory of being marched from Hawkhill school down to East Station, to be evacuated to Montrose 1939. At 8 years of age I also remember along the roadside of Dudhope Castle, there were monkeys and parrots in enclosures. I still carry the scar at the age of 76, having been nipped by one of the monkeys.

I worked in a fruit shop in the Hawkhill, and it was the first time we had bananas in - this was 1946 or 47. Word got round and there were queues all day. To try and get the shop closed was almost impossible. The door which had to be bolted on from the inside, and was kept round at the back of the shop in Lyon's Close, to get the crowds away the boss had to run round for the door, then we had to be ready to throw some bananas into the crowd and them that were left in the shop had to be locked in and let out the back door into the 'Lyon's Close'. Next day, all over again. The worst bit was the bananas were green and hard. Read more......