1940's
Tenement Life
Immediately after the Second World War my Aunt lived in a tenement exactly like the model on display at the Central Library, Dundee. It had been an abandoned building, a “backland” in Nelson Street, but such was the need for more housing after the war that this and other buildings like it were hastily done up for homeless people. Read more......
Memories of Dundee - Part Eight
Street vendors were commonplace in my childhood - there were so many different ones. One of the first who comes to mind is the milk man who had a small two-wheeled cart pulled by a pony. On the cart was a huge metal churn with a tap from which the milk was drawn to fill the customer's pitchers and jugs. Being two-wheeled the cart sloped and I could never understand why the churn didn't fall off and spill the milk. Then there was the banana salesman who came round carrying a basket of bananas shouting "ripe bananas sixpence a dozen" he left his basket on the street one day to go round the doors with a few bunches and when he returned to where he left his basket, someone had pinched a lot of the bananas from it. I felt sorry for him. Read more......
Buster on the Benches
I was born in 1948 in Maryfield Hospital in Dundee. We lived in William Street for the first couple of years of my life, then moved to Kirkton where I grew up. As a toddler, until the age of about 6 or 7, Saturday mornings were my time with dad. We would go into the town, where Dad would buy his seeds and bulbs for his garden in a shop near the bottom of Whitehall Street. Read more......
Happy daze!
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......
The Palladium Cinema
I was born in Perth but moved to Dundee when I was still very young. I lived in Dallfield Walk and went to 'The Rosie' (Rosebank Public School) in Tulloch Crescent.
My Dad was a wood turner. Once he made a 'piler' (cart) for my brother. It didn't last long though because he took it out and went flying down Dallfield Walk right under the legs of a horse! When dad found out about it he broke up the 'piler' right away! Read more......
Maureen's Life
I was born in 1946 in Lochee. Unfortunately my father died at 21 and my mother became a widow at 18. We then moved in with my grandparents in the new housing scheme called "Beechwood". This was a lovely friendly place to grow up in. Read more......
Kirriemuir Evacuee
I went to Butterburn School, now demolished and then to Rockwell for 1941 - 1944. I left when I was 15 years old. I have lots of happy memories from both schools, and often wonder where all my classmates are now? I was evacuated to Kirriemuir in 1939 when the war broke out, and I went to schools there also. I am now a war widow, but I often look back and remember my happy school days.
Countryside at Fintry
I was born in 1947, I lived with my mother, father and 3 other siblings in what they called a single end at 164 Overgate, my mother's family the Martins and Neys lived at 150, 155. All the women worked in the Mills and some of the men in the docks. My father came from Glasgow, some of his family came to live in Dundee they were steel-fixers by trade. The male line of the Ney's worked in Dundee as lamp lighters from the 1800's. They lost 3 good sons in the wars. My first school was Tay Street. Read more......
Picture Houses
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.
Dundee and Dundonians
I have many, many wonderful and happy memories of Dundee and Dundonians. My late mother Rita Elder (nee Gillan) was born in Dundee but left in the forties to come up to Peterhead with my father Edward Elder who was born in Carnoustie. My mother was brought up in Brook Street and did in fact work in the jute mills, maybe even the coffin mill. Mother never forgot Dundee and was a frequent visitor coming back at every opportunity. I wish in fact that Mum and Dad had returned to live in Dundee as we seem to spend quite a lot of time going back for weekends and shopping. God bless you Dundee for you have given me and many other happy memories. Read more......
