My mum moved from the Overgate to the new prefabs in Kirkton in 1948. I was born in 1956 and went to West March Primary school before going to Australia. We didn't stay long. Woul love some picture of the prefabs. My favourite memory is the arcade on a Saturday and the smell of roasting chicken still takes me back.
Standinn' in a lang queue
Tae see the double-bill
Ootside the Plaza
On the middle o' the Hull
Some frae Norrie's Pend
Ann Street - Coldside
Winchin' couples haudin' hands
Waitin' tae get inside Read more......
It was also round about this time, 1935 that George V and Queen Mary celebrated their Silver Jubilee and of course there were celebrations of all sorts throughout the country. I remember being given a tin of caramels at school along with every other pupil as a celebratory gesture from the government. There were also decorations in the shops etc to a degree. One thing which comes to mind is a lapel-badge featuring George and Mary that I was obviously given, probably along with the sweets. I remember looking at it and discussing it with my sister May as we walked down the Hilltown one day. However with the beginning of 1939, January 20th to be exact, (don't ask me shy I remember that date) the mood of the nation turned sombre, with the death of George V. I believe he had not enjoyed the best of health in his latter years. One of the souvenirs I have of his reign is a cigarette card album containing a full set of Will's Woodbine cigarette cards depicting 'The Reign of George V'. I remember being given it in a sort of throw-away gesture by Mr Gegan who had a tobacconist shop on the Hilltown, when I was in the shop for some reason. Read more......
I happened across this site featuring the Hilltown by pure chance and just had to contribute. My parents lived at 62 Carnegie Street when I was born in 1943 at the DRI. Very shortly thereafter my parents separated and my sister Violet and I moved in with my Grandmother who lived opposite the blacksmith in Kirk Entry - just off the Wellgate. I must have been six or so when we moved to our first house (an attic) on the Hilltown, it was on the west side between Ann and Alexander Street. Time spans are hard to remember but I'd say a year or two later we moved a little farther up, it was a long narrow close next to (possibly) Wullie Cook's bar? It led to the back land of a complex where we once again had an attic. It was there on Xmas eve 1951 that I have my first memory of my family - we had one sister and three brothers much older than us. The reason for the reunion was because our father had just died. The next boy older than me was 16 or so and the image of him crying will stay with me forever (I couldn't understand what could make a boy cry). Read more......
I was born in 1932 in Dundee Royal Infirmary. My first school was Ancrum Road School but I cannot remember much about it. As my parents were both English we had to live in lodgings until the start of the Second World War. We eventually got an upstairs three roomed house at Pitkerro Drive. There were four houses in the block. I learned to cycle through the leggy as we called [it] on my father's bike. Read more......
I don't know if you are the same Jean Tully. If you are you will remember Rita and George. I think we stayed with you before we moved to Cheltenham in 1959. Read more......