The Kintyre Forum

I was born in Duke Street hospital on 10th November 1952. We lived in a room and kitchen up a back close in Martyr Street, Townhead Glasgow. When we moved in the kitchen had a grate oven, no hot water and a outside toilet shared by Three families halfway down the stairs. A big nail was used to lock the door, and I don't remember any glass in the window frames.
The tenement at 5B Martyr Street was roughly 100 years old, built to house mill workers, and it was by any standards a slum. In the summer months the drains would block sending raw sewerage up the close, one of the neighbours would lay old building bricks with planks of wood across, so people could walk without having to wade through the mess. I remember my two younger brothers and sister sharing a bed - a horse hair mattress covered in old coats. I would lie awake at night watching hordes of mice come from the fireplace ( we where two stories up ). I went to St Mungo's Infant School in Stanhope St until aged 7 - then went to St Mungo's boy's school in Glebe St. I remember getting free dinner tickets - the tickets where different prices, depending on individual circumstances - the teacher always shouted out the free dinners - after everyone else. My Ma would send me to the wee local shop ( the derry ) with a note please give bearer - usually something for the dinner - and ma Da's piece, when he was in work. Toonheid in the Fifties was a hive of people and activity - coal men, rag and bone men - I remember a train engine going down the street on a low loader, as Martyr St served as a route to Parliamentary Road, ( Parly Road )
All the weans up the close caught diseases at the same time, we all had lice, nits, fleas, scabies and coughs with some of us having poor chests. They authorities ( the Corporation ) would send us up to a clinic at Roystonhill for Sun-ray treatment. My Ma would go to the pawn on a Monday morning, either with her wedding ring ,or if ma Da, had an auld suit. The item would be lifted on a Friday or Saturday - depending on how drunk ma Da was on the Friday efter work.
The man up the sters would sometimes ask me to go to the chemist for him - to get rubber gloves - you would get sixpence for going - a lot of money. He was a housebreaker, his wife hung out a big welcome home banner - out the window one time when he was released from Barlinnie Prison. We had trolley buses going up and down Castle Street, all the buses had the Glasgow coat of arms on them. Things that never grew - swam or flew - and a bell that never rang. Only when we had to move, due to the complete demolition of Toonheid - and the displacement of the community to the four corners of Glasgow - we ended up in the wastelands of Cranhill - the East End - only then did the bell ring for me.

Aye, the good old days!

I never intended painting too bleak a picture, it came out a bit Dickensian I suppose. Suffice to say I grew to love this place - my home after all. I thought it may prove interesting, if we could share life's experiences on speakers corner. I'm convinced that growing up in Kintyre was different in many respects - what like was it - to be brought up in a middle class environment anyone? Or on the other hand - what was the difference between, rural and urban poverty?
I'm so nosey.

Born in Castle Street, Townhead, Feb 62. Similar conditions so i'm told -Ionns. Moved to the East End when i was one year old-Garthamlock and went to St Thenogs and St Gregory's Schools. From a hard working family. Father and mother both worked in Collins book publishers in Cathedral Street.

Had a great time growing up with an older brother and sister. Had loads of cousins, aunts and uncles. Lived near a Piggery and a Quarry which were great for adventures. Lots of friends, football and fun. Got chased by gangs and chased the girls!! Poor (sort of) but happy. I think we were first in the close to get a colour TV in 72 and a car in 67 so we could'nt have been that poor! Going to Blackpool, Rothesay and Anstruther fur the fair fortnight.

Memories of going to Celtic Park a lot and getting 'a lift oor'. (basically an adult/parent lifting you over the turnstyle hence not paying to get in). Riding bikes, playing hide and seek. Getting dragged roon the Barras and never being oot the chapel.

I would'nt change a thing.

This thread reminds me of this

These were great stories, thanks for generously sharing them. They kind of put a window on who you are. Our childhood memories shape what we do in our adult life and memories are what make us human really.

As were ionnsaige and Bobh i was born in the Townhead ,at the Rottenrow maternity in 1949 .I lived in Stirling road at the corner of Glebe street and went to the Martyr school which is one of the most famous in Glasgow as it was designed by Charle Rennie Macintosh ,when it closed i went to St Davids and then the Townhead primary .We stayed in a two room and kitchen with an inside toilet (toffs) .There was my ma an da four boys and three girls and one girl who sadly passed away at the age of four .I have much the same memories as ionnsaige and bobh but dont remember ever having nits ,scabies and all the other things mentioned by ionnsaige ,not saying that they were not about ,just that we never had them .Meningitis was what killed my sister and my mother and father always maintained that it was caused by the dirty drains that constantly blocked up and caused massive puddles in the back courts .They were great times as we lived two stairs up in a tenement .

As were ionnsaige and Bobh i was born in the Townhead ,at the Rottenrow maternity in 1949 .I lived in Stirling road at the corner of Glebe street and went to the Martyr school which is one of the most famous in Glasgow as it was designed by Charle Rennie Macintosh ,when it closed i went to St Davids and then the Townhead primary .We stayed in a two room and kitchen with an inside toilet (toffs) .There was my ma an da four boys and three girls and one girl who sadly passed away at the age of four .I have much the same memories as ionnsaige and bobh but dont remember ever having nits ,scabies and all the other things mentioned by ionnsaige ,not saying that they were not about ,just that we never had them .Meningitis was what killed my sister and my mother and father always maintained that it was caused by the dirty drains that constantly blocked up and caused massive puddles in the back courts .They were great times as we lived two stairs up in a tenement building with a total of twelve houses .My granny stayed on the first floor and it was great to just go down the stair to visit her .There was a friendship among the neighbours and most time someone would make a big pot of soup and then pass it all around the neighbours ,the same with cloutie dumplings they were massive .My mother delivered most children up the close whos first cot was the bottom drawer from the big wardrobe .As ionnsaige my mother went to the pawn on a monday and redeemed on a friday ,that is just they way it was .My father had a good job in A&P Stevens the lift engeneers in St James road but the pawn was always handy for wee bits and bobs .There was also the Provy cheques and the coop in parly road where you could pay things up. We would get yesterdays buns and bread from Dalziels (sp) in stirling road ,you would get a big bag for one penny old money .In 1958 we went to Ruchazie to live and i went to Garthamlock secondary school .Although it was better housing and living conditions we lost the old friendship and neighbours we had in the TOONHEED .Great times great memories .

Govangirl wrote:These were great stories, thanks for generously sharing them. They kind of put a window on who you are. Our childhood memories shape what we do in our adult life and memories are what make us human really.

Thought the same GG . Great stories and thanks for sharing them . And sounds like even though times were hard you were happy and thats the important part. Got lots of happy childhood memories growing up in Machrihanish , these were the good old days. Post later when I get more time

This could be a very interesting thread, giving an insight into our early experiences and the environment where we lived. I don't have enough time to post anything much here at the moment, but look forward to reading the input of others and comparing our various experiences.

I’m reluctant to post yet another childhood in Glasgow as I’m keen to hear of Kintyre childhoods but here goes. I was born in Ross Hospital in Paisley but lived as a baby in the Gorbals. We then got a tenement flat in Linthouse, a suburb of Govan. Six of us lived in two rooms with an outside toilet that we shared – the four weans in one room and the living room/kitchen/bed recess in the other. There was a real sense of community. One of my favourite memories was going to the steamie with my mum and the sense of camaraderie between all the women there – it’s tinged with sadness though as it was the only time I ever heard my mother laugh. She had a hard life, my mum. I recall the trips to the pawn and pretending we weren't in when Mr Dobie the Provy man knocked on the door and going to Curleys for the messages and following the gas man around the streets and playing kick the can and my sister and I getting a balloon from the Rag and Bone Man for my mother’s only coat. I recall the creamed onion tripe and the battered spam and the ham houghs. I recall the Queen coming to Linthouse and getting sixpence if I washed the stairs and watching the QE2 launch and the coal lorry crashing and tipping over in our street and all the wee wifies and kids running out to collect as much of the black stuff we could carry. I recall being filmed in Elderpark by Glen Michael for one of his shows, seeing Roger Moore crown the Govan Fair Queen and winning a national Cadbury's writing competition.
I went to Elderpark Primary School which sadly is due to be demolished this year and then on to Govan High School. I was into everything: at school I played in the clarinet in the orchestra, was in the drama club, I got my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, sang in the choir, played in the netball team, etc. etc and outside of school I was a First Aid Cadet, a Girl Guide and attended Elocution lessons until I got my ALCM in Speech and Drama. Needless to say, I loved school! I met my first boyfriend in Year 3 when I was 15 and ended up marrying him! He lived in Govan and his most vivid memory was when he was six and the barber cut off the top of his ear. Amidst the blood everywhere, his ma gave him into trouble for moving and she still had to pay for it! He's disfigured to this day but can you imagine the compensation he'd get now?
Because my father worked for British Rail, he got free travel tickets and the furthest he reckoned we could go was Islay so twice a year we would get a bus, a train and a ferry to Islay to live in a wee caravan on the shores of Kilnaughton Bay and then return for a few days in Campbeltown.
Och, these were the days! I could write a book with all the stories.

As i said already i was born in Glasgow ,but my father was born in Campbeltown and from a very early age we would go down to the wee toon at the Glasgow fair for our holidays .Being born in a big city we never knew what the seaside looked like or indeed grass as all our back courts were just dirt and mud and it was great to go down to stay with my granny in Park Square .I had and still do have plenty family there and it was like a different world for us .My cousin and i were about the same age and as soon as i arrived we would be off to places like Westport ,the trench point ,Machrihanish ,Ben Gullien(sp) Davaar all over the place .We used to go up the high road and steal apples from the orchards up there .We would steal turnips and eat them raw ,make a fire and roast potatoes we would also nick from the fields .When at home in Glasgow we would have to be home early as Glasgow in them days was a dangerous place ,what with gang fights ,heavy traffic and things like that ,but when in Campbeltown my father and mother relaxed the rules.We would go away for the day with my parents pick cockles ,whelks and have them boiling on a big fire while we were fishing off the rocks or playing things like rounders .Things we never got to do in Glasgow .I have lots of good memories as a boy in Glasgow ,but just as many of Campbeltown.

I will also post at a later date, and get Iain to add to your Glasgow tales! Changed days isn't it.....you didn't really need anything other than family and friends to be happy!! Mum and Dad still go on about their first marital home which was a room and kitchen with (i am sure) a shared toilet in Queen Street. They had to take a brolly to the loo on a wet day, and could watch the steamer coming up the loch through a hole in the toilet wall - only 45 years ago but it's so hard to believe!!

Ionnsaigh - my daughter was reading over my shoulder last night and asked how to say your name......tonight out of the blue she asked if you are related to Beyonce made me chuckle!!!!

Ags wrote:Ionnsaigh - my daughter was reading over my shoulder last night and asked how to say your name......tonight out of the blue she asked if you are related to Beyonce made me chuckle!!!!

blueboyno1 wrote:I have lots of good memories as a boy in Glasgow ,but just as many of Campbeltown.

Lovely wee stories

These are wonderful stories, thank you all for sharing them with us.