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We spoke about Sammy Ballantynes burgundy mobile shop in an earlier post. Does anyone else remember as the years went by the end of the van where you got on and off seem to get closer to the road. The suspension at that end of the van was obviously going and if you hung on and he moved off and the weans would jump on the back at the open end you could almost see the sparks flying off the back because the back end was near scraping the road.
What now makes me laugh is that we can't even make the excuse that there wasn't MOTs at the time because there was so how the hell did he manage to keep it on the road

I'm helping my mum write her life story, and one mystery has always been, where, just outside of Kilwinning, did we live on a campsite next to a row of houses that the mobile shop used to visit?
Mum said, when they heard his hooter, the ladies on the campsite would run as fast as they could not to miss him!
This must be the same family. The Kilwinning branch.
If they missed the van, it was a long walk. Apparently there was a bus for the school children if you were organised enough

I also remember Boyd the scrap man and man in the Reliant van selling paraffin on a Saturday.
The old bus converted to fish and chip think it was Scotts .
Round at least once an night Bill Agnew's ice cream van.

Mystery solved. The campsite with the cottages that the shop van used to visit was at Torranyard

I remember my mother had eggs delivered by a Mr. Reilly. And also coal and briquettes in the days of coal fires, but I can't remember the name of the man who delivered them.

Glenshena,

Michael Reilly operated his 'egg' business out of premises in Green Street, Saltcoats, and the man who delivered your mother's coal briquettes was probably James Fiddes, whose life took an unfortunate turn.

GLASGOW HERALD
5 NOVEMBER 1966

CULPABLE HOMICIDE

Lord Hunter passed sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment upon JAMES FIDDES, who pled not guilty to murder but guilty to culpable homicide by shooting his two sisters in his home at 1 Hirst Place, Saltcoats, on July 16, 1966.

I have enjoyed reading all the posts on this subject again, and remembering the people being discussed, and also the people discussing them that are no longer with us.
My contribution would be Davie Agnew who sold fruit and Vegetables round the streets. Wullie Howie who sold "herring fresh herring" and occasionally coal brickets from a horse and cart. The Co-op bakery had a horse and cart which was cover wagon style but hard covering not canvas. The ice-cream van was George of Seabank ice creamery(Biagi and Biagioni), proper ice cream.

Meekan,

You'll maybe not believe this but the other day for the first time in over forty years of marriage, I said to my wife that I had a hankering for Willie Howie type herring. Not being an Ardrossanite or from anywhere near it, she knew not who Willie (or Mary) was, or what I was talking about, and has come back with something called "North Sea Rollmop Herrings - (herring fillets cured in a sweet piquant marinade with pickled gherkins and onions)." Disnae sound like Willie Howie to me . I fear a major disappointment is in the offing. I'll maybe try it for lunch tomorrow and let you know .

Incidentally, I think Biagi and Biagioni's ice cream was the best in the world, and, having bought ice cream in various places throughout the world, including Milan, Parma, and Livorno in Italy haven't found its equal.

You haven't tried NZ ice cream