A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats

[Penny Tray]

Susan,

I didn't see a passageway but that's not to say it isn't there. Maybe someone still living locally could clarify. Failing this I'll have another look soon. However, what I did see on Ardrossan Road were the World War II tank traps mentioned elsewhere recently. They are on the footpath between the footbridge and the Registrar's Office. The Church and House No. 66 are directly opposite. You must have walked over the traps a thousand time.

[Penny Tray]

Susan,

I couldn't get this photo to post first time round.

[georgersweir]

PT, what does the sign say on the left of the picture?

[Penny Tray]

George,

http://www.andreaslarka.net/system/AchtungPanzer.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but let's not hijack Susan's stroll or we'll be getting another reprimand - Morag's on line tae.

[morag]

Milda, hen, next time we're both over, put P.T. on your list as well as L.P.!

Would the opposite side of the lane be what was referred to as 'Penny Lane'?

[Milda]

Don't you worry Morag,they are both on it.We'll definately sort those two out.

[knxyl]

There was a chicane between the iron bridge and the register office supposed to slow up the tanks. It certainly slowed up the buses.
Those pillars you snapped, Hugh, were on the corner house which belonged to Fullerton, ironmongers, in my time. All the kids played in the back lane or down the shore for rounders. I was born at 38 Ardossan Road, 1931 and left 1959.The lane was a dead end but we used to cut thru the church grounds. Most of the big houses facing the sea had broken glass embedded in the back garden walls but it didn't stop some of their apples "disappearing".
Margaret

[Penny Tray]

Susan,

Have you come across this advert. Just look at the telephone number.

http://www.grahametaylor.com/genealogy/ ... Hearld.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[down south]

I can see I might just have well started my stroll at my end of Ardrossan Road; we seem to have ended up there anyway....Now in my day PT, beside your picture there would have been , set back from the road, an electricity substation ( well fenced off ) and in the other half of the same building a big cave of a bus-shelter. It was very smelly in there ! ; but it was great for keeping out of the rain, so that had to be put up with.

PS I've now discovered from an old post of Margaret's (knxyl ) that this bus shelter building was originally built as an air-raid shelter; no wonder it was so substantial. See third and fourth post down
http://www.threetowners.net/forum/viewt ... 88#p125688

Ardrossan Road was obviously a haunt for dentists as well as doctors; I believe a Mr Goodall who lived over the road from there in my day was one, though probably not from home .Wonder whose phone locally was No1? Looking through the old adverts quite a number of local shops and businesses still boasted numbers below 100 even in the fifties , and our number then was below 500.

Nice to meet another Threetowner born in Ardrossan Road, Margaret. The broken glass and barbed wire at the tops of the walls on the Crescent side were still a feature in my day, often with ivy creeping over.

Going off at a slight tangent, that beach pavilion in Hughie's picture of Kerrs Lane looks a little flimsy and airy for Saltcoats... Not like the solid foursquare old ones rightly praised by the Saltcoats visitor quoted by PT in his " Saltcoats Holiday " topic for allowing you to keep out of the wind whatever the direction of it.

Susan

[wellparkno9]

Hi Susan, You were wondering who's phone was no.1 Willie Drummond the Taxi man had that number.Couldnt have had a better number for a Taxi, Eh? Sam.

[down south]

Think it's about time we got the stroll back on track before someone decides to go off over the Iron Bridge or something...

So,back to Winton Street, around where the lane comes in. In the sixties there were no shops on this side. But in 1974 a new shop was built by Hanlon Bros, furniture and removals. They'd had their shop and yard in Manse St up till then, but presumably that site was wanted to create a car-park for the recently-built supermarket. It's a little later than our target date of the 1960s , but since I've got this cutting we'll pay it a visit anyhow. Provost Harry Barnett is doing the honours here at the grand opening.

I'd left town by then, so I don't know exactly where the new building was put up. On the near side of the lane, in the garden of the Clyde Coast house; or past the lane in the seaward direction, where there were some houses ? I've seen at least one recent photo somewhere, and it looks more like the latter, but I can't quite be sure, and there may even be more than one new building. Current local residents no doubt will have all the answers.

Susan

[morag]

Hi Susan,
I'm assuming that's the right hand side of the street as you walk to the shore? There was some kind of dairy bakery there in the early 60's. In Lent we'd go to mass at St. Mary's and 'round the corner to get a hot chocolate and a roll. I seem to remember it as a window that you were served from. Maybe Denis Magee(sp?) will remember.