Family

I was born at 40 Constitution Street in May 1933 where I stayed with my parents and two brothers until we moved to a new house in Kendal Avenue in 1946. I went to Rosebank School then to Rockwell High. When I started work it was in J.K. Mearns at the bottom of Victoria Road, it was a very happy place to work as we had a very good employer (William Mearns). I married George Millar in 1953, we have 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

I was born in 1954 in my Granny's house in Kirkton. We lived in William Street but went to Granny's all the time to play in her garden and get a bath. My mum was one of five sisters, three of whom were nurses in Maryfield Hospital and it was one of my aunties, Annie Dodds, a midwife, who delivered me and most of my cousins, at home. I remember walking down Victoria Road with Mum to the butcher who always gave us a slice of roast beef straight from the machine and salt to put on it.

Amelia Zanre (nee Soave) was born in 1921 in Italy. Her family moved to Dundee in 1949. Amelia Zanre (nee Soave) is the wife of Guiseppe (Joe) Zanre.

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......

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.

16 Dronley Avenue, Beechie was the home of the Hunties. Beechie was the best of places with lots of very large families (Wilkies at 10 as were the Glancies). I know we are very selective with our memories but the 'return to school' street parties, the mums and dads playing in the street wi' the bairns. The McPhails at the bottom of the close with Bella running the tattie squads. All great memories. The 'People's Journal' once had a headline 'How can a place look so beautiful and harbour so many criminals'. Read more......

I was born in the DRI on 13th June 1925. I had four brothers. When I was four and a half years old I went to the Cowgate School. I lived in Constable Street. All my aunts and cousins lived beside each other. My Grandad lived in Wallace Street. I used to go my Gran's messages to Jackie's the butcher for beef, Massey's for messages, the Buttercup for butter, Martin Simpsons for pies and bread and the Mealstore for eggs. When I was about twelve I used to go to the washing house to do my Gran's washing. Read more......

My mother, brothers and I used to get Downfield tram which stopped outside our closie in Dens Road to go to the berries at Downfield or go to the Sidlaws on a Sunday for a picnic. We had to walk from the terminus but we used to enjoy all this when we were young. I lived in Clement Park and went to Harris Academy on our special tram. Read more......