FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK? Ardrossan

[Penny Tray]

Meg,

Peter Methven shouted me back to the Central Bar to see his 'THIS IS YOUR LIFE' book - bid yer time!

[Meg]

Meg,

Peter Methven shouted me back to the Central Bar to see his 'THIS IS YOUR LIFE' book - bid yer time!

Typical - hope your dinner's in the dug!

Meg

[mckay47]

Are we getting ready to move on PT - ah'm gettin fed up hinging aboot

The polis will get ye for loiterin

[Meg]

Are we getting ready to move on PT - ah'm gettin fed up hinging aboot

The polis will get ye for loiterin

Think you've got to be in a tent to get lifted (never could figure out why Betty)

Meg

[Penny Tray]

The next wee cluster of shops, the last in Glasgow Street unless someone corrects me, comprised Miss Gracie's General Store on the first corner with Barr Street; Mary Morrison's Bakery on the opposite corner; followed almost immediately with May Haining's Fruit and Vegetable shop.

I don't know why we always referred to these shops in a feminine context but we did.

The Auld Yin, even after we moved away from Barr Place, continued to do a weekly shopping at Miss Gracie's, always after school on a Thursday. In later life I, of course, was sent with a shopping list which was simply handed to the diminutive owner who knew all the particular brands to supply. This was the one, the one and only time in the week too, when I was allowed sweeties, still a luxury in the 60's. I think the measure was a quarter ounce? Would this be right? This was big decision time - was it to be chocolate buttons, smarties, soor plooms, black and white striped balls?

What other sweeties were sold loose?

My memories of Mary Morrison's came from being decanted from Winton Primary to a classroom in Castlecraigs for a year. We were always over street with the plaintive cry - "ANY STALE BUNS MRS?" And our success rate was better than average, probably stuff that would otherwise have gone in the bucket. Was it something called rice cakes they would usually give us - a circular base, light brown, almost yellow, with a sugar topping?

I don't think I was ever in May Hainings but remember the shop frontage.

[Meg]

This was the one, the one and only time in the week too, when I was allowed sweeties, still a luxury in the 60's. I think the measure was a quarter ounce? Would this be right? This was big decision time - was it to be chocolate buttons, smarties, soor plooms, black and white striped balls? What other sweeties were sold loose?

I think it would have been 4oz PT - or put in another way, 1/4 pound. I LOVED devon toffees - but only ever got these when I went into Mrs Irvine or Mrs Wilson looking for a single shilling for the meter. I remember the first time I had enough money, I bought a half pound (8 oz) and the first one pulled out a filling:-(

I must have a terrible memory, I cant remember any of those shops - I only remember the cafe on the corner - opposite the Central Bar.

Meg

[Penny Tray]

Meg,

A quarter of a pound of sweeties in the early 60's doesn't ring a bell with me. Sounds very affluent. You have to remember that we still had identity cards, rationing wasn't long gone, and we were still picking up our State orange juice, dried milk and cod liver oil from the Castlecraigs. I still think it was 2 ounces - in a wee white poke - and every sweetie was a treasure.

[Meg]

Meg,

A quarter of a pound of sweeties in the early 60's doesn't ring a bell with me. Sounds very affluent. You have to remember that we still had identity cards, rationing wasn't long gone, and we were still picking up our State orange juice, dried milk and cod liver oil from the Castlecraigs. I still think it was 2 ounces - in a wee white poke - and every sweetie was a treasure.

Two ounces sounds about right too PT - depends on how much money you had to spend. Dont think you would ever have bought half oz though - that would have been two bits of rhubarb rock, or 5 midget gems, or two devon toffees etc.

btw - sugar (or sweetie) rationing finished in February 1953 - just in time for the coronotation cake

Meg

[Penny Tray]

Meg,

I think 2 ounces was thruppence worth - 4 ounces would be a tanner - which was away above budget, certainly in big families.

[morag]

cinnamon balls, bull's eyes, chocolate sateens, sherbet straws....soor plooms were always a favourite though

[mckay47]

What other sweeties were sold loose?

Everton mints, and chocolate limes, mmmm still are favourites today

[georgersweir]

What other sweeties were sold loose?

This picture recalls the problem of choosing your favourite from the great variety available in the sweetie shop.