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Bridge Of Allan
Bridge Of Allan photos
Displaying the first of 7 old photos of Bridge Of Allan. View all Bridge Of Allan photos
Bridge Of Allan maps
Historic maps of Bridge Of Allan and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bridge Of Allan maps
Bridge Of Allan area books
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Memories of Bridge Of Allan
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The
The bridge from which this photograph was taken was a "humpitty-backed" stone bridge where a pair of arches spanned the river and a smaller arch crossed the "lade". The bridge was in service from about 1840 until the new bridge was constructed in about 1954. The strange outlook is caused by the semi-damming of the Allan Water to take off water for the "Kork'n'Seal" factory which used the water to drive its machinery. The water which did not roll over the edge was carried and concentrated along the "lade" (which I think means "lead") and finally into a canal which dropped into the factory. I learned to swim in the lade. Not only was it cold (brrrr!) but it flowed swiftly and was controlled by a pair of sluice gates which regulated the flow to the machinery of the factory some 500 yards away. The "lade-mans" cottage was immediately adjacent to the sluice gates and of course we were not allowed to swim there given how dangerous it was. Of... Read more
A Magnificent View - A Chosen One.
Sixty-four years after the photograph was taken, little had changed when my father Donald Macdonald a resident of Bridge of Allan was buried at the Logie Kirk graveyard just the Ochil's side of the Craig. My Dad was a bus driver for Alexander's and on the day of his burial the roads to Logie Kirk were jammed with single and double-decker buses from Alexanders as almost the entire staff of the Stirling depot attended to pay their respects. I was there in support of my mother and little brother Ian. I was in uniform as I was stationed at RAF Wattisham in Suffolk and had just spent the night in a train to get back to see him before he died. I failed. I saluted over his grave as he had been in the RAF during the war.
This view of Bridge of Allan is a poignant reminder to me of my father. My little brother Ian was born in sight of the Craig at Airthrey Castle on 20th... Read more
The Old Hydro Hotel.
In 1952 this beautiful hotel was owned by the Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society (SCWS) and represented a weekend retreat for people who could afford it. I'm not very sure what that meant but that's how it was told to me by someone who knew. I remember it for another reason - during the winter of 54-55, I got the job of delivering the weekend morning milk for the local Coop. This involved rising at around 5 am on a usually freezing or snowing morning and travelling around hanging off the back of a "TROJAN" delivery van with up to a dozen bottles of milk in your hands and jumping off backwards when the van slowed at the appropriate corner. Even in those days I realised what a dangerous exercise this was yet, as far as I can recall, no one was ever injured! Two hours later and about 3 tons of milk lighter, we made our last delivery of the day - at the Hydro! We shunted loads of milk... Read more
Stirlingshire memories
My First And Lasting Impression of Stirling University
It was in the summer of 1975 when I first travelled up to Stirling from Oxford, to spend a gloriously happy and memorable Open University summer school week at Stirling University - studying mathematics. I was expecting a series of colleges, like Oxford and Cambridge, but was thrilled to see that the beautiful, albeit modern, campus was on one site, superbly landscaped, and overlooked by the Wallace Monument. Once off the road, one never had to leave this peaceful site for entertainment, food, drink or accomodation, and although the University had its full complement of 'summer-school' students, it was never difficult to find a quiet spot to sit and reflect if one so wanted. The accomodation was wonderful, each room was light and airy and had it's own bed, desk, and furniture. The refrectory was enormous and efficiently run, the food, freshly cooked and as good as any home cooking. Of course there were several snack bars and areas inside where people could sit in comfort with their fellow students. All in... Read more
Lead Etching
I have in my possession a lead etching of Drip Bridge near Stirling exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1924 by John G math__g (or s)on. The handrighting is difficult. Could you do some research or advise me where to go to get more information? My father acquired it when he was in England during the war. any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Heather
School Holidays
In the long summer holiday my friend and I would pack up our picnics and bike all the way to Stirling from Sauchie, then we would climb up the many, many steps to the top of the tower and enjoy the wonderful view over Stirling and all around the area. It was wonderful. There was such a wonderful feeling of freedom standing up there. I must visit it again when I come home for a visit from Norfolk.
Horse Riding on The Estate
I used to go to school with Jeanie Dundas whos family lived at Ochtertyre. Her father was one of 3 survivers of the Hood. Jeanie and I would ride her horse Pedro all around the estate and return to bed him down and feed him. You had to walk past all the mink to get the hay (her dad had the biggest mink farm in Europe), at 14 it was a bit scary as they made so much noise. Happy days and happy memories. Hazel Lockhart, nee Philip Bridge of Allan now in Melbourne Australia
