Bygone News - Holidays/Day Trips

Dundee is my heaven on earth

fiona.christison — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:16:11 +0000

I was born in Maryfield Hospital in 1947. My mum Ruby Fisken was a long time nurse there. My dad Jim played the piano in a local band that played at the dancehalls. I used to go and sit by his side. By the time the night was over, you couldn't see anyone's heads for the secondhand smoke.

In summer, I loved going for a day at Broughty Beach. When the bus would start and stop, all the shells of the wilks would run back and forward. Read more......

The Days Oâ The Nine-ees

lynne.davidson — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 15:45:26 +0000

Gie me the days oâ the Nine-ees
Frae Lochee at brakâ oâ day
Stridinâ the length oâ Riverside
Takinâ sicht oâ Gowrie Bay
Steppinâ oot in Sunday best
Reachinâ oor destination
Doon the steps oâ the railway brig
Withoot hint oâ hesitation

Bile-up cans, pots anâ pans
Rattlinâ on oor backs
Sets oâ auld claes â tichtly packed
In canvas haversacks
Chasinâ a crannie tae change in
In the rocks alang the shore
Syne, gaitherinâ driftwood for kindlinâ
For a biley-up at four Read more......

School Holidays

fiona.christison — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:11:39 +0000

Spent a lot of my school holidays at my grans in Catherine Street, Dundee and with my auntie and uncle in Monifieth. Always remember 'Land O Cakes' scones and getting eggs and four from there. Also the chippie and mealie puds. Mum was a Dundonian and dad served in the fire service for a while. Good times!

Holiday Memories

lynne.davidson — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:32:48 +0000

My grandfather's unmarried sister, Georgina Scott lived in Eden Street for many years and her parents before her. She died in approximately 1960. Our family stayed with her for a holiday a few years before she died. My sister can remember a bed in the living room. I remember the man in the corner shop could smoke his cigarette backwards i.e. with the lit end in his mouth.

Monkeys Parade

lynne.davidson — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:23:09 +0000

Before leaving Dundee, we lived in Annfield Street, above Mrs Ledger's shop, where she sold horehound toffee. I remember my mother used to give her most of her sweet coupons for her sugar and we would get cakes etc.

I was 10 when we left and I remember when the siren went, we had to go to a shelter underneath the tenement building; later I thought what a stupid place to go - if a bomb fell, we wouldn't have had a chance. Read more......

Belmont Camp

lynne.davidson — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:46:24 +0000

At holiday times we would go on day trips with our parents on a train to Arbroath or Edinburgh. Sometimes we would go on the Fifies to visit our cousins in Tayport. We would spend all day there and come back on the last Fifie at night. Read more......

Memories of Dundee

lynne.davidson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:16:30 +0000

My memories of Dundee are many happy ones, I am trying to write a book of them at the moment. The book will be called memories of Dundee. I fondly remember my childhood there on holidays from Edinburgh, my mother was from Dundee. I remember going on the bus to Broughty Ferry, the fare was one penny from Douglas, down to Swannie Pond we went with our fishing nets, excitedly running to see who could catch the first fish. My brother tripped over and went head first in net and all.

Auld Lochee

lynne.davidson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:06:11 +0000

Though many years have gone by, and I now live in Canada, there is still a soft place in my heart for auld Lochee. I was born at 16 Elder's Lane in November, 1929. One of six children. Read more......

Buster Stand

lynne.davidson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:58:05 +0000

Holidays spent in Dundee 1939 to 1945. In the Overgate at a buster stand (chips and peas) in a large tarpaulin with an open fire. Sarsparilla from a chemist on Sunday mornings.

Broughty Ferry Beach

lynne.davidson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:21:00 +0000

I did not go to school in Perth until I was five and a half years old. I started at Northern District School. Of course I was rarin' to go so I thoroughly enjoyed the daily routine - A for Apple, B for Bottle, counting etc. We used a slate and chalk for writing practice. We had to carry a pad for cleaning our slates. Mine was royal blue velvet. I was very proud of it. Read more......