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Kingussie
Kingussie maps
Historic maps of Kingussie and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Kingussie maps
Kingussie area books
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Memories of Kingussie
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memories of Kingussie.
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Kingussie Holidays
Kingussie always was one of my favourite places as a young boy. My aunt and uncle lived in King Street, near the sawmill and I can still remember the smell of the wood shavings burning.
I loved going down to the station and watching the steam trains, especially the mail expresses as they roared through the station. They dropped off and collected the mail pouches using special equipment on the side of the Royal Mail coach. It was always exciting seeing the postman (sometimes my uncle Donald) arrive and watching the mail being hung from the hook. I knew to expect a fast train and it was sometimes hard to decide whether to stand on the footbridge over the lines or climb on the level crossing gates or just wait on the platform. After all, I was only about 7 or 8 years of age and what better way to spend a couple of hours?
However, Kingussie offered other attractions for... Read more
Inverness-Shire memories
1950s
I have many memories of a day out for us lads, we were stationed at Elgin with the Royal Scots and did many trips to command workshops REME at Grantown, they were some fine trips as we went back via Rothes just to make the day last. I expect it has changed a lot since then. Thanks for the photos rejogging some old memories. Howard ex REME
INVERNESS
Thoughts of Inverness come flooding back when I remember my time off work at the Glen Affirc Hydro Electric Project in 1949-1950. My two friends from work Bill Collins and Andy Anderson and I would climb into my Morris 8 roadster and head for the 'big city' for a night out. We'd enjoy a lovely venison dinner and a few drinks at a good hotel. Then later on we'd go to the Caledonian Ballroom to their saturday night dances. The young ladies were lovely and we never ran short of dance partners.
This was a wonderful ballroom. It had a sprung floor, making it easier to dance on and less tiring for the dancers as the night wore on. There were two orchestras, one played Old Time Scottish Music the other Modern Dance Music. Each would play a set for about fifteen minutes and then the other would take over. We always had a great time here and then we'd head back to camp at Cannich in my little... Read more
Grandmother Lived at Balnain House
My grandmother was widowed in 1920, her husband having stayed in the Army to tend the graves in France where he succumbed to influenza. Grandmother was left to bring up 6 children on her own with little money. She was given a brand new council house (Dunain Road I think) but could not afford the rent and had to move into a 2 room flat in Balnain House. How on earth she managed I will never know - there was one toilet for 4 families.
It was great to see the old house being renovated but an absolute disgrace that it is no longer a music venue but offices for SNH - most of the rooms are unoccupied meaning it will once again fall into disrepair.
Caledonian Hotel Ballroom
This wondeful hotel was a show-topper in 1948. I could never have afforded to stay here. However my friends and I often came here Saturday evenings to enjoy the party atmosphere and dance the night away.
The highlight of this hotel's ballroom was the 'sprung floor' Plus the advantage of having two stages, one at each end of the ballroom, This meant that on one stage held a 'Modern' dance band, and a Highland Dance Band on opposite stage. Each would play a fifteen minute set and then the other band would play a set. This allowed for continual dancing and everyone had a fantastic time.
The sprung floor made it easier to dance on and we looked forward to our regular Saturday nights here.
I understand the sprung floor and twin bands is a thing of the past,
Can anyone confirm this?
Family
My name is Philip Beach- my Grandmother hails from Inverness. Her maiden name was Isabel Martin, born about 1890, her sister's name (married) was Euphemia Archibald who lived to be 101 in my hometown of Rochester, NY USA. Isabel married Powlus (or Paulus) Beach, and moved to Nova Scotia, Canada in the mid 19 teens. They had 6 children- 5 girls and a boy, my father Charles Osker Beach. I currently live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and I am 50 years old. Does anyone have a memory of my family?
Memories of Invergarry
While living in Helensburgh, Scotland, I met and married a handsome blue eyed gentle man from Invergarry. Shortly after we moved there to live in a council house with his two children from a previous marriage. Soon we were a family of six, having the first twins born in the village in forty years, cause for celebration. Do you remember Invergarry when we had a gathering at New Year's, spilling from house to house, eating wonderful foods and drinking each other's Best Wishes, and Jock McIntyre shooting his rifle at midnight. Do you remember Invergarry Hotel and Glengarry Castle Hotel, and my hard work in your dining rooms and receptions and kitchens? Do you remember Invergarry Presbyterian Church, my playing the organ and our choir singing at Christmas? Do you remember Invergarry School, my cleaning your classrooms and toilets? Do you remember Invergarry my son's funeral when all of you gathered to give us heart. Do you remember the happy times of soccer up in the... Read more
