The Lees Lemonade Factory in Dalry Road, Ardrossan

[Mitchy]

Following on from the photograph of the The Lees Lemonade Factory in this weeks A & S Herald, I was wondering if anyone can provide more information on this place. Was it a full manufacturing and bottling plant, or just a bottling plant and distribution centre? Also, how many people worked there and when were the doors closed for the final time?

Thanks in advance,

Mitchy

[meekan]

Mitchy,
I worked there for one whole week when I left school, my job was smelling bottles for disinfectant, paraffin etc at the end of the day we got to smash any bottles which offended. I suppose I just had a nose for it, albeit at the end of the day a black and sticky one. I didn't stick around for long as a real job was offered during that week.
Although I was only there for a short time, I can remember the bottling machinery, I'm pretty sure they would have manufactured the fizzy juice, with water, syrups and gas, since I can remember an old man Mr Lee (no relation to the owners I'm told) and his hands were always brightly coloured.
There was a number of trucks who would come to be loaded up with crates of Big bottles and little bottles. Some would be for delivery to shops and some would be hawked around the doors as far away as Paisley.

[Penny Tray]

Within the topic HOW WE MADE MONEY, Aileen Shaw revealed that her dad worked in Lees and that she had a Saturday morning job there. Maybe she'll be able to add some detail.

[bigwull]

I worked in Lees for about five years (16-21) .....(1967-1972) I worked 5 days for the Company then the other 2 days I worked, self employed, working in Kilmarnock,Paisley and Dalry...selling door to door (for private customers) the bottling plant was at the right hand side of the photo. They 'upgraded' to a Turner & Ewning bottling 'line' (second hand) (does any one remember Turner & Ewing ) I think .. Kilmarnock...............Victor Lee ( owner) lived in the first house going in to Seamill (RHS)......he was superseded by his cousin (think) from Canada used to go down the beach to deliver to the (huts) on Saltcoats shore amongst others ......................then after about a year it went defunct

[Aileen Shaw]

Hi
Yes thats right Lee's Lemonade was delivered to Paisley, they had a store room in Tannahill, in 1967 the lemonade boys who travelled to Paisley were Alister Kelly, Linden Ingram and young Bill McMillan, the driver who tooks the boys to Tannahill was Bill McMillan (from Stevenston) my dad and in the school holidays I went with them I loved it.When my dad left Lee's Tom Slimman started taking over the run and Tom retired a few years ago from Curry's. The van boys would work in all weathers and some working 7 days a week, travelling to Greenock, Gourock and the three towns. Other van drivers were Davy Scott I think he drove the artic and Alec Hamilton. They were the good years with the Dandelion and Burdoch, Cream Soda and Grapefruit Cup, then the wee bottles were popular for school sports, birthday party's and many functions for children with Strawberry and appleade. Oh that was the good old days.
Aileen

[Lynda]

davey scott stayed across the road from us in fleming cres.I remember when he brought our bottles couldnt His son guy worked with him after school.

[Hughie]

When I was doing my apprenticeship in Iron Moulding in Yuille's Winton Foundry in the late 1950s, Lee's Lemonade Factory was just across the Ardrossan to Largs Railway line from us. There we were us young lads building our muscles up cranking the pig iron up on the two man crane for the furnace. One day we saw a few bottles come flying over the wall from the lemonade factory and land softly on the lush railway banking. We really had a thirst up that day so those bottles were not there on the banking for long.

[bigwull]

Davey Scott's brother (Tom) from Dalry also drove the artic to Paisely

[gnyaff]

Hi Big Wull,

Good to see you posting again. I'm interested in Victor Lee, when did he take over, and when did his cousin take over from him? I went to school with him at Ardrossan Academy. I would also be interested to know what has happened to him since then.

Wee Boney

[bigwull]

Hi Wee Boney, I hope you are well. Victor was 'running' the Factory when I started in 1967, I think he lost his position in 1970-71 and it was only about 18 months or so thereafter it closed. Victor was a bit of a spend thrift (as you may know) he loved buying racehorses and fast car. I think I remember being told he moved away from the area at that time but don't know where to.
Bigwull

[gnyaff]

Hi Big Wull,

Thanks for the info on Victor. I never ever saw or heard of him from the day I left school. Interesting about his horses and fast cars. No doubt a great contirbution to the company going broke. By the time he had taken over my travel bug had kicked in and I was well and truly gone from Scotland at that time.

Say hello to Wee meg for me.

Wee Boney.

[bigwull]

Hi Wee Boney, I never got a shot on one of his horses but he did let me drive his E-Type (Red) a couple of times, wee meg says Hi.............Bigwull