Some things I remember !

Discuss all aspects of the three towns in the Threetowners' Lounge.
glenshena
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by glenshena »

Contd.


Going for holidays to Rothesay and watching Punch and Judy. Magic!

Yearly sunday school trips to a field in Dundonald full of cow dung!
Vinegarjoe
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by Vinegarjoe »

Stevenston.
Remember as a kid (lived in Misk Knowes) the freedom the "shore" gave us. Every day soon the shore in and out of the bomb craters(at least that's what we think they were). In the summer the beach was mobbed with families enjoying the sun. All along the dirt track roads were parked cars having picnics etc. Then there were wooden walkways down to the sand (long gone!!). At that time there was the old engine shed and the mineshaft of previous workings, and the "three sided building", not sure what that was.Then there was the "slip" where we used to fish all night. And the workings of something ICI were doing (basically a load of rocks!!) towards Irvine end which allowed us far more room out to sea for more fishing.
We could slide down the sea wall, make dams with some of the outfall of ICI. (Not sure I would recommend this now, but we were hardier then, I think!!
When the golf course was still there, we played "Best man's fall" in the sand dunes, we fished for sticklebacks and minnows and frogs and newts in the ponds.
I particularly remember one time I was dressed in my brand new royal blue shorts and we went exploring down the shore. Somehow I managed to get them contaminated with a bit of tar. So my mate and I who lived a few doors away decided we could clean this. His house was empty so we tried a few things to get the tar off to no avail. However we came across this suff called DOMESTOS, which we didn't really understand what it was.So we stuffed the shorts in some DOMESTOS, and the obvious happened.......my brand new shorts were now patchy blue white tie dye shorts.I cried all the way home and went in the back door(don't know what difference that was going to make!!)however I did to face the music....luckily Mum and Gran saw the funny side......
We had an annual fight with the Villas (again long gone!!) We were called "Top of the Road" and the "fight" took place well into ICI territory, including up on top of railway wagons in the sidings.
We used to play "Floodlight football" in the ICI car park in dead of night. I remember we were caught by a mob called the "Movements Section" in a mini van who took all our names and addresses. We were 14, 'cos I was due to go on the school cruise, and was cr**ing myself in case I was reported to my parents and I was banned from the cruise. However, they must have been having a right laugh, terrorising us like that.
When you think of all the time we spent outdoors doing "something" be it football, down the shore, even just general playing.
Doesn't seem to be any of that these days.

Were we better off...........who will ever know!!!
Newenglander
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by Newenglander »

Cold crisp mornings at the top of Sannox Drive with loads of schoolchildren waiting for either a bus to St Mary's or Kyleshill blowing air out to make clouds while hiding your hands inside your duffle coat to try and keep them warm.

Cavani's little coloured ribbed plastic cups with sugar inside them.

Going to Harris's to watch the colour televisions when most of us were still in black and white.

Fishing in the burn at the Plantation with plastic sandals on and trying not to fall in.

Trips to the fair to go on the rotor that you stuck to the side of followed by a ridiculously sized pink candy floss that was like eating fibreglass.

Running across the rocks at the harbour as fast as you could without falling and breaking something on the green ones.

Colliding with the clothes pole which served as a goalpost while scoring that memorable goal and getting a row from mum for running into her washing to celebrate.

Manders Ice Cream van which came from somewhere exotic called Lochwinnoch which felt like it was a million miles away.

Neil Gibson's fruit van which was a wee 1950s Austin with slding doors.

The Olympic Cafe which you'd try to get your bar of chocolate before the Springvale bus came and the day they painted it mauve!

Walking along the train tracks after they closed the Caley line and trying to find a way through the weeds to get back to a road.

Jimmy Erskine's for a haircut sitting on a box in the chair to get high enough for him to cut your hair.

The old library with the fearsome Miss Scotland guarding every book.

Waiting for dad to come back from the queue at Hermans the bakers on a Saturday morning with my favourite ham and egg pie.

The wonderfully named Bodily Spencer who stayed in a pink cottage next to the studio.

Millar's travel agency in Manse Street which was a lovely old shop with adverts for travelling to London and faraway places.

Putting at the glebe.

Playing in the quarry up from Sorbie Road and nearly falling in to the lagoon below.

The "forest" between Sannox Drive and Wheatley road, probably about twelve trees in all. There was a burn too but that disappeared when they built the shops.

These are a few of the things I remember vividly.
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bonzo
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by bonzo »

Things I remember fae Stevenston in the 70s raiding the bins at the Thistle club for ring pulls tae ping at each other. Playin roon the quary even though we were no allowed tae. Camping doon the shore or up the country and eventually being allowed to go camping to Arran all before I was a teenager changed days.
Those wimin were in the nip.
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bonzo
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by bonzo »

Also gaun tae the wonderloaf at night for hot rolls
Those wimin were in the nip.
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Hughie
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by Hughie »

Newenglander wrote: The wonderfully named Bodily Spencer who stayed in a pink cottage next to the studio.
A warm welcome to you, Newenglander. Interesting name that!

Added - Meant Bodily Spencer was an interesting name. :roll: Newenglander should be self explanatory for those who know Saltcoats.
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Hughie
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by Hughie »

No one has mentioned Chewing tar, what was that all about? Poor boys Chewing gum? Remember giving it a go when I was a child when streets were being re-done.
This was brought to mind when I again came across that great wee story by Bob Auld about the Tar Biller Affair in Stevenston here on threetowners.
Jim McCreadie
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by Jim McCreadie »

Newenglander wrote:
..... Millar's travel agency in Manse Street which was a lovely old shop with adverts for travelling to London and faraway places. .....

In the early 50's, my Aunt Jess worked in Millar's Furniture Showroom which was almost directly opposite the Glebe gates. My paternal grandparents live next door at number 22 Manse Street; the next structure heading towards the War Memorial. Between the two was a narrow lane used by lorries to access the funiture store behind the showroom. VERY WELL do I recall these details - I burned down the store. The Showroom staff were my Aunt Jess, Mr Sandy Millar and a Miss Gardner (Gardiner?).

Perhaps my ARSON around //funny //funny prompted a new business model hm?
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Sarah
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by Sarah »

I remember chewing tar Hughie it was very shiny tar can't remember what it tasted like ..
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MANBEAR
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by MANBEAR »

Also chewed tar when young but if I knew then what Was used to make it all the petroleum products it would be a no no
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bonzo
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by bonzo »

Never heard of chewing tar :smt102 but talking of petroleum products an old school pal of mine used to eat vics vaporub.
Those wimin were in the nip.
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Re: Some things I remember !

Post by 5siamese7 »

Going to watch the football at the Ardeer Rec from the grandstand with my grandpa who would cut and chew his tobacco. He was not alone loads of men doing the same and spitting it out too. Although offered some I declined. Going to the Deluxe picture house where the usherette was Nelly Broon. We would go in shouting Nelly Broon Nelly Broon wae her nickers hingin doon. She use to go nuts and threaten all sort and we would apologise not wanting to miss the picture. Not proud of that but you have to laugh.
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