FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK? Ardrossan

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Penny Tray
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FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK? Ardrossan

Post by Penny Tray »

Over the next few weeks or so I'm going to take a retrospective stroll (circa 1957) down the left hand side of Glasgow Street, Ardrossan, and then back up the other side, reminiscing along the way. You're free to join me or maybe stop in the passing to have a wee blether.

At the moment I'm standing outside Lee's Garage but I'm having difficulty focusing on what kind of garage it was. Did they repair motors or sell them or both? I can also visualise petrols pumps on the forecourt but can't recall whether or not these were simply for their own vehicles or public sale? I think the family also ran a haulage business from this location? I can visualise green coloured lorries regularly going to and fro?

The stange thing about this uncertainty is that I can see 'old' Mr. Lee as if it was yesterday. He always wore a checked jacket and had a flat cap or sconnie bunnet as my father might have said. I think there were two sons involved in the business too?

Finally, was there any family connection with Lee's Lemonade?
Last edited by Hughie on Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Added "Ardrossan" to the topic heading
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Sarah
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Sarah »

Hi Penny, yes the Lee's were related to the lemonade factory,{ brothers I think.}
The Lees who had the Garage, their were 3 sons, and yes they did have a carrier service.
The youngest one Haldane and his wife Ruby were friends of mine, forgot the elder brothers names
dont know what has happened to the business now, Haldane died a few years ago but his wife and I
still keep in touch now and again...
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Penny Tray »

Sarah,

You jogged my memory with the word "CARRIER". I finished up using "HAULAGE" but I knew it wasn't the word that was on their lorries. It was "LEE's CARRIERS". Well done. HALDANE, not a common name, rang a loud bell too. Was one of the sons "TONY", mabye not? I don't know where that's coming from.
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by leprikon59 »

Im sure ive seen an advert in recent years for a company called HALDANES TRANSPORT
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Penny Tray »

Leprikon59,

That would be an interesting link. Does anybody know if Haldane Transport is linked to Ardrossan?
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by bigwull »

Victor Lee ran the Lees lemonade factory in Ardrossan Dalry Rd for a while
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Hughie »

From what I recall the garage was for petrol and car repairs, though I also o recall they did a bit of welding too. There was an area behind the garage reached by a ramp alongside the Plaza from Glasgow Street. I can't recall there being a car sales section being there prior to 1964 when we migrated.

The green lorries were Austins with Perkins diesel engines. They would transport the pump casings we cast at Winton Foundry to Drysdale Pumps in Yoker twice a week along with numerous other marine castings for Barclay Curle. Can't recall the brothers names but they were likable tall slim men.
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Aileen Shaw »

Hi
I remember 1967 the "big lorries" at the top of Glasgow St and yes they were haulage, and in Lee's Lemonade the boss was Victor he stayed just as you went into Seamill and in 1968/1969 his house went in fire, I can remember that.
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Penny Tray »

Hughie,

Your memory is phenomenal! Is there any part of Ardrossan that hasn't touched your life. The "ramp" beside the Cafe Palazzo or "passageway" was the next the next spot I was going to stop beside on my walk. I was never brave enough to venture up there. I think I had worked out that it was a cul-de-sac of vehicle lock-ups with no escape route if somebody was to arrive and find me there. However, I recall the lorries you describe going up and down that ramp.

The other thing that is in my mind is that Peter Milne's coal lorry was garaged there? Can anybody confirm this? It was red in colour. In know it loaded up at the coal ree but in my mind's eye I can see it leaving that ramp loaded to begin its round or returning empty at other times. It was a red coloured flat back lorry. Can anybody remember Mr. Milne delivering to their family home? My parents would get at least one bag of coal a week, maybe two and I think they were also able to buy a bag of dross to back up the good coal and make it last longer.

Who were the other coalmen that operated in the three towns?
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by morag »

I think the Stevenston top end was Frew. Most of the time the coal was ok but occasionally we got a bag of what my dad scathingly referred to as a load of slate, hard to burn and no heat in it, you were better of with the dross. Back then if we were going out, we'd pack the fire up with dross and close the damper. When we got home and broke through that dross shell, heaven! Can't think of doing that now :shock:
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by maggie »

Bobby Greer the coleman Saltcoats
Thom the coaleman Ardrossan. The garage you
are talking about years ago it was owned by
Teddy Hoperton my father was the mechanic
there
and it also housed one of the Taxies in the area
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Re: FANCY GAUN FOR A WALK?

Post by Sarah »

[quote="Penny Tray"]Sarah,


Yes Penny Tony was one of the boys,racking my brains to think of the other brother.
The last time I saw them was early nineties, and Haldane was working moving them big containers,
from the docks , not sure if it was a family concern then, he was a really lovely man, always jolly...
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