Page 117 of 122
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 4:41 pm
by down south
I can't think it was as far back as 1957, Hughie, because I was only a baby then, but I remember the fire happening very well; I would put it at more like 1961 or 1962, when I was about five or so.
Susan
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 5:24 pm
by Penny Tray
The fire was reported in the Evening Times on Monday 2 July 1962. John Lee died.
Three other families - Allison, King and Noble were evacuated
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:57 pm
by Hughie
Penny Tray wrote:The fire was reported in the Evening Times on Monday 2 July 1962.
Goodness me! What was I doing down the Monkey Walk then when I was winching oor Betty - must have been during one of our few fall outs.
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:06 am
by margb
Penny Tray wrote:The fire was reported in the Evening Times on Monday 2 July 1962.
Thank you so much Penny Tray.
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 4:36 pm
by down south
Thank you from me too PT, I've long wondered when exactly it was. The facts accord very well with what I remember, that the blaze was still being damped down as we passed on the bus the morning after; and it being in July explains why I wasn't at school. I see it was not long after Ness Gardens opened , which was in March of that year, so it's no wonder we all seemed to mentally link the two events together.
Susan
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 1:57 pm
by Jim Richmond
down south wrote:Beyond the aforementioned cottages, another row of new shops has been built since my day; perhaps someone has an idea of how long ago that happened ?
But on that site in the sixties, and for some time before that, stood Saltcoats Motor Garage; a building with, I think, white walls and light blue doors , set back behind a forecourt ( did they sell petrol ? I can't say I remember it. )
The attachment Saltcoats Motors.jpg is no longer available
Also part of the business, according to the phone book, was the Saltcoats School of Motoring, which had its office in the first shop past the garage.
As the advert shows, the proprietor was a John Fleming. Makes a change to have a Fleming involved in a business other than greengrocery; was he a relative of that same family of Flemings ?
Susan
John Fleming was my great grandfather on my mother's side. That's him wearing the soft hat.
Regards
Jim
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:30 pm
by glenshena
Hector lee was my uncle, so was the man who died in the fire,. arthur lee. Uncle hector had three children, two boys and a girl.
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:49 pm
by glenshena
hector lee was my uncle, so was the man who died in the fire, arthur lee. Uncle hector had three children, two boys and a girl. Ailsa lee was not related to arthur lee. His brother john married ailsa's mother.
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:24 pm
by glenshena
Ailsa was a very nice girl, she was very happy with Matt. Her mother was married to John Lee who died in the fire, Arthur was Johns brother.
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 4:35 pm
by down south
Thanks for that, Jean.
And thanks very much, Jim, for that great picture of Saltcoats Motor Garage. Since that earlier post of mine I've discovered more exact information about when the garage closed; it was in early 1973, and here's an advertisement for what might be described as the closing-down sale of garage equipment etc:
Susan
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 8:23 pm
by glenshena
The third brother was called steven, now a qualifird gas engineer.
Re: A Stroll round 1960s Saltcoats
Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 9:42 pm
by glenshena
pussycat wrote:does any one remember the westfield hotel on the sea front its flats now what a pity. and sheddens the joiners in windmill street.
I remember fondly the Westfield hotel, we had a few good nights in the bar. It was a landmark and it was a pity it was demolished. However the public bar on Melbourne road side attracted a bad clientel so it was better when that part closed down.