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Garelochhead
Garelochhead photos
Displaying the first of 3 old photos of Garelochhead. View all Garelochhead photos
Garelochhead maps
Historic maps of Garelochhead and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Garelochhead maps
Garelochhead area books
Displaying 1 of 2 books about Garelochhead and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Garelochhead
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Garelochhead.
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Carefree Days
I remember Joyce Malloch. I too lived in Queens Crescent - 2 doors down but was then known as Elaine Donaldson. Yes, and the teachers you remember were the Robertsons - I don't think many of us will forget them!! The Gibson Hall was another part of the school and Miss Glen used to teach in there. We had the freedom of playing in the woods and you could spend the whole day away from your home in complete safety. Freedom kids nowadays will just never know.
The Whale
When I was about 10 / 11 years old our entire class, along with many other classes left Garelochhead Primary School, wound our way through Bendarroch Park, all crossed the road as uniformly as Mr Richmond (teacher) was able to manage; there was always a number of straggling wee boys, myself included. We strode past the Gibson Hall, past the houses on the shore, and onto the shore wall, and there it was. The biggest creature I had seen in my life, a whale - a beached whale. The whale was so big that it was level with the height of the wall and you could easily step onto its back. The whale could not return to the loch and was going to die. The over-riding memory of that day was the smell, it was horrendous. Although at the time, teachers probably thought this would be a great experience for the children but can you honestly think our children today would be taken on a field trip to watch a... Read more
Carefree Days
I was born in Maitland Buildings in Helensburgh in 1950 moved to Shandon and then moved to Queens Crescent. I went to primary school at Shore Road, I remember teachers were two sisters, I think they were called the Miss Robinsons. We used to go to mcylles burn to swim, we went to the dairy for milk and we used to play in the woods next to the coup. We got into trouble from our mothers. It was nice in the summers, we used to play up in the hills. I remember the poke of chips from the bottom cafe, the old couple, I also remeber when all the power in the village went off and all the mothers used to cook on the fires, it tasted good. Also when it snowed it was very deep and we didn't go to school, we used to take our mothers' trays and slide down Feorlin Way. I remember the midges used to eat us alive in the summer. If you were brought... Read more
Dunbartonshire memories
Shandon/Rhu School
I came across this by chance - I was at school with you, Fraser. I remember coming to an amazing birthday party at your house where your mum had put on an incredible spread, including a plate of Kit Kats which seemed like such a huge treat! Your mum did an amazing show in the kitchen with an emu puppet which helped make a cake appear by magic out the oven. I am returning to Shandon this summer after stints abroad for the last ten years, with my family and my two girls are going to Rhu Primary School! My parents still live in Station Road, Shandon. Ahh, the circle of life!
Boat,S Bats And Millions of Rhododendrons
Carrick Castle WAS my childhood. we lived in Glasgow and most weekends my dad would either drive us up - I was usually car sick on the windy twisty bumpy roads - or we'd sail up in the boat from Bowling. That was the best way cos then my sister and brothers could take the speedboat over to "our" island -no wonder I was obsessed with the Famous Five and Kirrin Island!
One evening we were "attacked" (according to my mother) by bats - there were about 3 teeny wee pipistrelles if memory serves - tho my mum was convinced they were vampires and freaked us all out by screaming like a banshee! We used to stay at Hazel Cottage and it was a long walk to the village sweet shop for our cola cubes!
The whole way was lined with millions of beautiful cerise rhododendrons, but unfortunately these attracted squillions of bees and wasps which were less than friendly to the natives and visitors alike!!!!
Happy Days
I came to live in Ardpeaton Lodge at the age of 2 when my father was transferred from Wales to Coulport. At that time the Lodge was owned by the MOD along with Ardpeaton House which was further up the drive. Two years later the House was converted into 5 flats and we were moved out of the Lodge and moved into one of the ground floor flats. I lived there for several years and went to the local school in Kilcreggan and then on to the Hermitage in Helensburgh when I was 12. They were the happiest years of my life. All the neighbours were like relatives
MAEE Rhu 1939-45
My late father Bob Bird served with Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment Rhu
during World War 11. MAEE was a secret wing of the RAF that that tested flying boats and seaplanes. It lost several crew but their sacrifice is not widely known.
I hope to place a Poppy Cross on Rhu war memorial in their memory.
Does anyone have stories of the MAEE for me as I am writing a book on the subject. I can be contacted on 0151 639 6851
