Childhood In Moodiesburn

A Memory of Moodiesburn.

I remember staying in Beechgrove just at the begining of the electric scheme, we had some very happy memories of the glen, Bedlay Castle, and going for walks down the luggie for a swim. Mr and Mrs Brown stayed in number 1, we were in 3, the Ewarts were in 5, the Greers in 7, Mr and Mrs Muir were in 9 and a Polish couple were staying in number 11. All our friends stayed round the corner in Deepdene and Wellbrae - the Mitchells, the Rileys, the Slavens, the Johnstones and Chambells. Later on the Shevlins and Mcgiffs would move into our street. It was a great place to stay, everyone looked after each other. Wee Mattie Dinardo used to do the bus runs in the summer to Portabello or Ayr. Wee Byrls was where the Chinese shop is and the Blanefeild bus parked in front of the wooden houses. Mr Johnstone was the janitor at our school, St. Michael's, before him it was Mr Tonner. We used to sit and look towards the Campsies watching the coal trains going along the east coast line. After school we would go down the glen to play on a rope swing or jump the burn. At weekends we would walk along the old railway to the swimming at Kirkintilloch, then walk back looking out for the kingfishers. What happy memories.

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