Childhood

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 remember moving from Charles Street in the town to Balunie Avenue in Douglas at the age of five. My first day at Balerno Primary I about turned and ran out of the school. I was lost and running around Douglas as I didn't know how to get home. I always remember Miss McKinlay and her numerous big rings on her fingers. If you said something she didn't like she would clout you round the back of the head and I still remember trying to avoid eye contact with her. She would also lock the classroom door when she left the room. Ahhh, those were the days!

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 was brought up by my grannie Alice and No 41 in the 50s happy days at St Mary's Forebank. Stannergate with a bucket for wilks, plundering apples and pears, the wee pool at the sweeming, hired trunks, fishing for floonders at the docks, sky larks singing on the law, chicky nelly, doos eggs at the hoose o doos, climbing the three waas, Blaikies and the forest for birds eggs, the green hills sliding in the winter. The Plaza, Vic, Rex, minors of the ABC, kissy catchie, Jonny and the gun, kick the can.

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......

In the Overgate there were two sassperilla shops - Greenhill's and Donnachie's. Donnachie's was oppostie the top of Long Wynd and Greenhill's was towards the bottom of the Overgate, between Tally Street and High Street. Greenhill's had a larger selection and was more popular. A 'sass' was reputed to be a cure for a hangover. You could buy it in one of two sizes - a pint or a half pint. Read more......

It was September 1944, I was a student nurse in Apeldoorn and I had been at home on sick leave as I had TB. The cure was bedrest and good food. We lived in occupied Holland, Groningen, not far from the German border. My father worked there on the railway and he was told by the Underground that we had to leave our house and go underground. We put what belongings we could in an empty room belonging to a neighbour. The rest we just had to leave in our house. Father and Nico, my brother, dressed as workmen and cycled to Makkum, the village where my parents were born, and where we had a lot of relations. Nobody wanted me as I was ill and did not have a ration card. Read more......

I remember walking from our house in Kirkton to the Auld Steeple to go to Sunday School. I loved the hot cocoa after.

Born 1928. Living at 47 James Street, a family of 8 in two rooms. Opposite was Paddy's Market open on Saturdays lots of fun. We played "Hucky Duck", "Reely fo", "Kick the Can" and "Skiffies" at Mr. Geekie's sweet shop in Alexander Street and only a wee walk to the "Peek". Dundee will forever by in my heart...xxx.