1940's
Favourite Tram Ride
I lived at 18, Victoria Street until September 1947. Trams ran up and down Princes Street to the City Square. I did miss that special ride when we moved to South Australia.
Coffin Mill Scare
We lived at 93, Brook Street during 1941-48 in a converted shop. I remember the Coffin Mill scare when children from the Burn swore to seeing a ghost, reputedly that of a young mill girl, the crowd swelled with Mum's looking for bairns. The local bobby trying to get people to go home. Read more......
Train Spotting
The white-painted gates at the level crossing bisecting Gray Street, Broughty Ferry clattered shut, trembled for a moment then settled down to await the arrival of the next express from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. So did I. It was 1946 and I was eight years old. Easily remembered since eight is my favourite number. I was a compulsive watcher of trains. Read more......
The Hurley
I don't remember too much but as a youngster but I do have a very good memory of "the Hurley". When our mother died in the late 40's we went to live with our Grannie in Wallace Street, they never had any room for us so my uncle Bob got an old drawer, put some kind of rollers on it and my older brother and me slept in it for a long time, and we got hurled under Grannie and Granda's bed at night and hurled out again in the morning.
Lyon's Close and the Bananas
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......
Before The Last Tram
Travellin' on a tramcar
Frae toun tae terminus
Was an experience
Enjoyed by many o' us Read more......
My Younger Days
Born in 1939 I attended Mitchell Street and Logie Schools. During my younger days I lived in the tenement at the top of Smellies Lane and Lochee Road. The building stood on Lochee Road facing the Dudhope Park where I played footie day in and day out during our holidays from school. We called the area where we played Hampden. This was situated and is still there in front of the tennis and bowling courses. Read more......
Fond Memories
I was born in Glentrium Terrace in 1949, but although I don't remember it, mum and dad couldn't afford the house, so we moved in with grandma and grandad. They had a huge house in Commercial Street and I remember grandma used to take in policemen as lodgers! Dad had the fruit shop at the top of the Hilltown. I wonder if anyone remembers it? Read more......
