A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats

[George Ardrossan]

According to Fifty Years Ago in an Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald of 2010, the Pavilion Bowl was formally opened on 18 November 1960 by Rangers and Scotland footballer, Eric Caldow.

George

[John Donnelly]

I practically lived in the Pavillion bowling alley when it opened.

Just as a matter of interest, there was a big nine-pin alley near Hampden Park.

JD.

[down south]

You've obviously been reading the same articles as I have, PT. Apparently there was also a coffee-and-hamburger bar with Arran views, to add to that American feel.

As any fan of the Flintstones knows, going bowling was reaching a peak of popularity in the USA back in the sixties, and it's gratifying to find Saltcoats in the vanguard of attempts to spread the craze to this side of the Atlantic. Wonder if Norman McClain had any local family connections , or whether it was mainly the reputation of Saltcoats as a resort that led to its being chosen.

Plus, of course ,the ready availability of the venue. One or two other news archive articles from around the same time suggest that the council had been struggling for the past couple of years to let the Pavilion for the summer season, with seemingly nobody wanting to bring shows there any more; so the bowling alley offer must have been very welcome.

Susan

[gnyaff]

Now the previous few posts have got the old grey matter working again. I am sure that some where earlier I posted that Eric caldow rolled the Golden Ball on the Friday night to declare the Pavilion Bowl open. It was open to the public on the Saturday morning. I played my first game on the Sunday and was given instruction by Peggy Kent who was an employee of AMF in America the other employee from there was a Paul Lane. They both wore white shirts with the AMF logo on the back and their surname above. I watched Paul lane one afternoon with a few others when he bowled a 299. Eleven strikes in a row and a 9 with the last ball, it would have been his first. I am also pretty sure that the Pavilion Bowl was the third one in Britain, the first being at Stamford Hill in London and the second the Brighton and Hove bowl in Brighton on the south coast of England. As for the disco, it was in the annexe next door and was called The Jive Dive. Norman Mclean paid us kids to decorate it on the cheap. It was opened around September 1961. Norman McLean was married to the widow of a local dentist who died when he was quite young, I am not sure on this one but I think she may have been a dentist too.

Wee Boney

[Penny Tray]

Gnyaff,

It was in the back of my mind all day yesterday to suggest that Norman McLain settled in Saltcoats because he married a local dentist but I wasn't sure enough of my facts to post. You've reassured me. I'm happy to suggest now that the lady was a Miss or Mrs Dodds from the dental practice in Hamilton Street, just beyond the West End Cafe towards the Regal.

[gnyaff]

Yes Penny,

Now you have jogged my mind also. Her name was Olive Dodds and I"m sure her late husband was Bill Dodds. I can see her face now, she had dark hair and wore glasses.

Wee Boney

[Penny Tray]

Gnyaff,

You're right again. The A&S Herald database shows that William Drysdale Dodds, 31 years of age, 62 Hamilton Street, Saltcoats, husband of Olive C Paterson died circa 31 January 1958.

And your description of Olive matches my recollection, although I have to admit, as good a dentist as she was, I remember the dreadful noise of her (now) old fashioned drill better than her. Dentistry has fairly moved on.

[calleytwo]

Just as an aside it is possible that a number of dentists died young. A friend of mine is a dentist of some international fame and he stated at one stage that dentists have the highest rate of suicide of any profession. It is something to do with the fact that they are surrounded by so much pain - imagined or at least exagerated as well as real and that few enjoy their visit to the surgery. Wee Ali

[down south]

Thanks for all those fascinating extra details about the bowling alley and Norman McClain, John. Sounds like the place was really buzzing with entertainments of all kinds in the sixties.

And at the start of the seventies, another element entered the mix:

I think I may have seen it said that these amusements even replaced the bowling for a time ? But that nevertheless it resumed later and continued as the main activity at the Pavilion for the rest of its career.

Which lasted until 1999; when the old Pavilion was finally demolished, and replaced with a new building housing entertainment facilities including a small multi-screen cinema called the Apollo. Here it is viewed from across the harbour; not quite as attractive maybe as the old Pavilion ( seen below in its 1960s prime ), but giving a not dissimilar impression as it sits out there at the end of the rocks:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/75995708@N07/6982363633/

The Apollo itself hasn't been doing too well, and recently closed; but as Bruce has been telling ushere, new owners have just taken over and are planning to revive it; nobody has quite given up on the old pool-and-pavilion site as an entertainment venue yet.

Susan

[oilers]

JD...The bowling lanes at Hampden was 10 pin and called Hampden Bowl. Was actually on 2 floors and was an
extremely busy place. I bowled there every Friday night in a very competetive league with even an American
team from the US airbase at Prestwick. Our team was all 3ts apart from one. George Johnstone, Hugh Davidson,John Alexander, Willie Park and Jim Wilkie from Largs. Lots of great stories.....George

[Richard]

Susan:
What a lovely picture of Saltcoats harbour.
Just the way I like to remember it, full of boats, glorious sunshine and people using it.
We used to moor our boat, during the season, at the very same spot as the boat to the left of the picture.
The boat with the one tyre fender, half-way along it's port side.
You've just brought back a wealth of great memories for me.
Thank's Susan.

[meekan]

Susan,
I am quite sure that there was a young entertainer that attempted to break the marathon record for playing piano non stop. He played no stop for over a week if I remember correctly, but was in a sad state at the end of it. I can't remember his name but I'm sure some one will.

Regarding the dentist my recollection of her was not pleasant, I remember the drill as Penny mentioned, but also that she did not give an anesthetic when drilling for fillings, I can still feel the pain and taste the burning, and the sound of a dentist drill while I'm in the waiting room still gives me the shivers to this day. I'm ok when I'm in the chair being treated though.