Local Matriarchs

[Hughie]

Definition: A woman who rules a family, clan, or tribe.

Thought of this the other day in relation to my big sister in Stevenston who has her family/clan almost next door and even across the road from her. I was very impressed by her grandkids who came in for breakfast before heading for school with their bus fare thrust into their hands each morning.

So who were the local matriarchs that you recall in the three towns?

[BobP]

Don`t recall the matriarchs but remember a few of the mammy`s

No intention of naming names, sufficient to say "don`t know what they do the enemy but by God, they scare me"

[morag]

The only one outside of family I can think of was Veronica, who seemed to know everybody and had quite the wee empire.

[BobP]

Away ye go Morag, that`s like saying Fagin was a childminder

[frank quinn]

Did Veronica have a shop either in Saltcoats or Stinson. ? Saltcoats I think, & she would know everyone.!!

[morag]

She had both Frank,

[howiesboy]

Saltcoats - top end of Countess St opposite the bus shelter and public toilets (both long gone),
Stevenston - near the cross, over the road from the Wonderloaf Bakery.

[Hughie]

Saltcoats - top end of Countess St opposite the bus shelter and public toilets (both long gone),
Stevenston - near the cross, over the road from the Wonderloaf Bakery.

She also had one on the left in Canal Street Saltcoats. As you came from Stevenston it was at the bend before you climbed to Kyleshill.

[morag]

Away ye go Morag, that`s like saying Fagin was a childminder

look up the definition Bob.

[Penny Tray]

Veronica, for the record, had shops at 45 Countess Street; 3 Canal Street, the one at Stevenston Cross and latterly one in Glasgow Street, Ardrossan.

I never thought of her as either a 'matriarch' or a 'childminder' but she provided newspaper runs for countless boys and girls who had no access otherwise to pocket money; street corner sales pitches to adult males and the mentally disadvantaged, and gave glowing references to many of us to find jobs that took us on to greater things!

Count me amongst her greatest admirers!