Holiday Memories

A Memory of Balloch.

My paternal grandparents lived at number 8 Muir Street. We used to travel up from England to visit them for the long school summer holidays, for many years. If I remember correctly, their neighbours were the Welches (hope I've spelt this correctly)and later Mr and Mrs Flynn.

My grandfather - Joe Quinn - used to work at the torpedo factory in Alexandria. I remember lying in bed listening to the boots of the men as they made their way along the street in the early morning and voices greeting each workmate as they joined them on their trudge to work.

I have fond memories of Balloch and of trips up the Loch on the yellow-funnelled 'Maid' to Balmaha and of family walks up' Staney Mullen' sometimes over the hill as far as Cardross, then by bus to Helensburgh which, if we were lucky, meant fish and chips, ice cream and donkey rides. Happy days!

I believe my dad -John Quinn - used to go to school with one , or more, of the Sweeneys who owned the small boats that used to be based at Balloch Bridge. Are these boats still running and are they still owned by the same family?

Another favourite of my dad's, as a boy, were the Tank Woods above Christie Park in Alexandria. It became one of our favourites as children too, for hide and seek and cowboys and indians! There is a bench in the park, dedicated to my father's memory.

I have so many memories! We used to catch the 'wee bus' - always a double decker - to the havoc shore near Dumbarton, where we had a picnic and played on the beach. We could also venture into the water, fit less for swimming but more for 'going through the motions'!! Can anyone tell me why the havoc is so named?