Carstairs

Wilson of Braidwood

My brother and I were packed off to Scotland from London each summer to visit our ancestral homeland, whence we would visit our Aunt Daisy and Uncle Adam at their place next to the old Braidwood school near the bottom of the village. This was always a real treat. The wonderful garden that sloped steeply down to the stream at the back of the house. The grape vine and its delicious tasting grapes from the greenhouse. The curling stones sat, redundant. Aunt Daisy's delicious teas. The walks she would take us on, to the Tower of Halbar, the old coal mine etc. Daisy was the only sister of my grandfather Robert, who was one of four brothers and who originally lived in a house opposite, in lower Braidwood overlooking the Clyde valley and Tinto Hill in the distance. Wonderfull memories!
Keith Wilson, 2008.

MY OLD HOME, STONEBYRES SMALLHOLDINGS

Hi there to everyone who reads this, it might jog your memory some, only I don't really think there are many of the old gang left now from Stonebyres estate. To jog your memory I will mention a few names from there, ok, here are some of my old friends, hope you see this and put a reply in to veryfy my letter. OK here goes: Billy, Adam, and Jean Whiteman, James and Alex Paisly, Billy and Murdo Stewart, Jack Kirk, Isaac Gray, Helen, Agnes, and Alice Miller, Tom and Anne Paisly, to mention a few of the young ones from those days. My own family was Tom, Netty, Jim, May, Gorge and myself, known as Alistair but my real name is alexander Hannah, as was my dad's name. We lived at 12 Stonebyres, also known as Deer Park as it was the deer park in the glory days of Stonebyres House which was still standing as a ruin when we went there in I think 1936 or 37,... Read more

A Farm Worker's Daughter in Dunsyre

Dunsyre was my first school, there were only 7 children in the whole school, myself and my two brothers all went there. I loved my teacher, she showed me great kindness, her name was Miss Low, I will never forget her. We lived at Westhall Cottages about a mile or so away. My dad worked at Westhall Farm, Mr Green was his name. We were very, very poor. I remember we had no electricity in the house. Mum used Tillie lamps, well that's what she called them, and candles, but my memories are so happy as a child. My son-in-law took me back there a few months ago and the cottage looked lovely, it has been made into one house and the school looked just the same. I wanted to see the old church that still stands there but could not get in. I would love to know its history. I will go back one day. Anyway I just thought I would write this, if anyone remembers us I would... Read more

Cafe

There was a wee shop on the High Street of Lesmahagow that my mother always took me to as a boy. Down the left side were tables where you could sit and have juice and stuff, (not sure what I had, but I bet it was gooey and good!
They sold other stuff too like toys and some other household things if my memory serves me right. I doo remember getting a little car bought for me on occasion. The thing that sticks in my mind is the transparent yellow blinds they used to stop everything in the windows being bleached by the sun. I never have seen these in use anywhere I have been since.

Stuart Beasley-Forrest
Clan Douglas

Titled."Summers in Kirkmuirhill".....My Granny Brown lived there and as a wee boy I was sent from my home in Glasgow to stay with my Granny for the summer. I loved the time there and enjoyed the fequent walks with my Uncle Dan down by the river Nethan, where he would guddle for trout. There was a pub on the main road and a little shop was nest to it. On a Friday my uncle always said he was going to see a "man about a dog". Naturally he was going to the pub. I would walk along with him and waited on the wall beside the pub with a "jotter" and pencil in my hand which he gave me to copy down the registration of any cars and buses passing. Of course in those days hardly anyone had a car and the bus passed every hour. Needless to say I never logged too many numbers. I still have fond memories of those days and think of it often in Canada... Read more

I Was Born in Ashgill

I was born above the old post office in Ashgill and my family moved to Cornsilloch when I was around 6 months old.
My whole family from my grannie and grandad Nellie Waddell and John Smith and their parents Hugh Smith all lived in Ashgill Prospect Drive and Douglas drive.
My uncle Sandy had tomato houses out at Ayr road, I spent many a school holiday working in them.
Many a great time I spent in my formative years visiting the area.
Now here I am living in the great state of Wisconsin USA.
Happy happy memories,

John Smith.
tshanter@hotmail.com

Fond Memories of Ashgill

My Dad was from Ashgill and my Mum was from Stonehouse. Emigrated to Canada in 1957 where I was born. First visit to Scotland in 1967 and met my grandparents in Ashgill - 15 Bogside Rd - Peter and Jeanie Hamilton. My Dad was Willie Hamilton, or Bill. Am very familiar with the school in Dalserf - Dempsters garage - the Fingerpost - the old Post Office. The old miners houses at the bottom of the hill called Tint-a-view? (one of Dad's cousins lived there. There was no bathtub or shower and it was only one bedroom) and the Meeting Hall at the bottom of the hill - the farms up top (the Marlege?) Moved to Scotland in the early 1970s and attended Larkhall Academy while living in Stonehouse. My few years in Lanarkshire allowed me to see the whole village with my Dad's Uncle Geordie on our Sunday walks. Moved back to Canada in the mid 1970s but have been over... Read more