Glasgow Scotland - NEWLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL - Parkhead - is Your NAME or FACE hiding in here?

THE JAMES & FLORA POWELL MEDALLISTS

2011-01-28T14:58:00.014Z

I recently received an e-mail from Ian Dickson

regarding the James & Flora Powell Medals.

I have reproduced Ian's e-mail and photos below:

OUR
FIRST
VIEW
OF A
JAMES
AND
FLORA
POWELL
MEDAL

"When I was reading about former Dux Medalists on your blog I remembered that my mother-in-law, Mary Cree McMurray Fulton, was a medalist at that school.

She was born in 1919 and attended Newlands Primary from 1924 till 1930. I`ve attached photographs of her Dux Medal, the James & Flora Powell award. It is inscribed with her initials, `M. C. F.` on the front and with `James & Flora Powell Medal, awarded to Mary C. Fulton, Newlands School, June 1930` on the back. I am not sure whether there was an Honours Board in 1930.

Events are vague now but I assume she was then entitled to enroll in the High School for Girls. Mary, however, came from a very poor family and couldn`t afford the school uniform. She had to sit another exam to obtain a further bursary. She passed the bursary exams but poverty and home conditions prevented her from going to the High School. Remember there was no NHS or Social Security in those days.

Because of her background, Mary never went on to higher education.

Mary was of a generation, born after the First World War and lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War. Although she had no professional qualifications she had a flair for finance and management. She married and became Mary King, living in Dennistoun and Shettleston until her death in 1998, aged 78.

My wife and I will always treasure her little medal.

Many Thanks, Ian Dickson."

This makes me wonder if the DUX and the POWELL MEDAL are actually the same thing as we have assumed in other posts below. If you look at the post showing the award won by Frank Wales, it shows a Trophy and NOT a Medal.

Can anybody out there throw any light on this subject ?

Regards, Brian.

A GLOWING SCHOOL REPORT.

2009-07-10T17:51:00.014+01:00

NEWLANDS SCHOOL REPORT

Here is a copy of an early hand written Newlands school report that was sent to me by the owner "Helen Cater". As you can see, the report is dated 8th January 1953.

Does anybody remember the infant mistress who wrote it "Miss Howie" ?

Helen was born in 1947 and only attended Newlands for a short time before her family emigrated to New Zealand in 1953. She now lives in Australia.

.
To see a bigger version of the images, simply click on them.

Use the BACK button to return to this blog.

Helen lived in Burgher St. in Parkhead she had a sister called Shirley and her father was "Eric Cater" and he was a Polis in the area. He was English and was known locally as the Sassenach Polis. This is a picture of him in his uniform.

Helen Said:

"One memory I have is of my mother sending me out in the freezing cold to get biscuits and cigarettes for my father when he came off duty at 11 oclock. Things were tough we could only afford a wee packet of choc biscuits and if my memory is correct a pack of 2 or 3 cigarettes. How times have changed could you imagine now the uproar sending a toddler up the road at that time to buy cigarettes ? but as my mother said, she could see me all the time and the neighbours were always protective."

Does anybody remember Helen or her Dad ?

A VERY SAD DAY FOR OUR BLOG

2009-05-08T14:25:00.012+01:00

WITH DEEPEST REGRET I HAVE TO INFORM YOU

THAT OUR BELOVED LIZ HAS PASSED AWAY.

Liz was a founder member of our Blog and will be sadly missed.

Her full name was June Elizabeth Mellis and her maiden name was June MacWilliam, on the internet, she was known to many as Scotbandit.

I just dont know how our wee blog will continue without her.

One of Liz's friends, known as "Mags" on the Glesca Pals site posted the following tribute to Liz on the Glesca Pals pages.

"I received an airmail letter today from my aunt in Canada who informed me that my pal Liz (Scotbandit a Glesga pal) also known as Liz, June Macwilliam married name was Mellis has died. I am in shock as I have spoken to Liz for a few years and we had family connections we used to speak a lot on Skype. I will miss her dearly. Liz was only 59 and died on April 13th there is a family gathering this Saturday 9th May to celebrate her life there will and open house in Sechelt Canada from 12 noon to 4 pm with a eulogy and address starting at 1-30 pm this is for her friends and family who can make it.

RIP Liz, I will miss you so much.

Mags "

Liz lived in Sechelt in British Columbia on the west coast of Canada,

she once sent me this picture of her beloved home.

It does indeed look like a wonderful place to live.

Liz was the main "Driver" of this Blog and I am just not sure how it will survive without her.

To read a little more about Liz, just click on her name under "Admin" on the right hand side.

HERE IS A COPY OF THE DEDICATION TO LIZ THAT WAS POSTED BY HER FAMILY IN THE LOCAL PAPER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA IN CANADA.

TO READ IT, JUST CLICK YOUR MOUSE ON THE IMAGE,

YOU WILL THEN BE PRESENTED WITH A LARGER VERSION.

THEN JUST USE THE BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE.

OUR HEART FELT WISHES GO TO ALL OF LIZ'S FAMILY

AND FRIENDS AT THIS SAD TIME.

SHE WILL BE SORELY MISSED ON THIS BLOG AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER PLACES WHERE SHE MANAGED TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON EVERYONE SHE ENCOUNTERED. SHE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

GOODBYE LIZ

REST IN PEACE.

You can see the Glesca Pals postings regarding the sad passing of our Liz
by clicking on the link below :-
http://glesgapals.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=prayers&action=display&thread=6223&page=1

DID YOU LIVE ON MALCOLM STREET?

2009-03-16T06:31:00.018Z

Margaret (nee Davis) Young, sent us a short message in which she shared some of her happiest memories from childhood, and expressed a desire to see photos of Malcolm Street, where she and her two sisters lived with their parents. (See her posting for January 30th 2009.)

So volunteer admin Stewart Merrilees, from Malcolm Street, and now in Nanango, Australia, with his beloved wife Dani, searched all the computers in their household for photos Margaret might not have seen.

Did YOU live on Malcolm Street?

Can you tell us for SURE it is Malcolm Street in these photos?
Can you identify any of the people in these photos?

At the same time, why don't you send in YOUR memories of that time you got into trouble for fighting. Or the time you got busted for chewing gum in class - and sent to the Headmaster to receive Six of the Best. Perhaps you won a Prize one day that you'll never forget....send photos if you have them. We'll make sure they are Posted on the Blog here, and we can weave your memories into our growing Collection that is enjoyed by so many Newlands survivors.

Just email to: Brian.Charlton@HotMail.com this handy link should open your email program for you.

(It really would be terrific to know the names of these two well-scrubbed little people, who look like they are dressed up to go to Sunday School.)

Loss of Our Childhood Places is Heartfelt

2009-02-03T08:51:00.019Z

Anonymous/A.J. (from Glasgow) recently shared his feelings on the neglect & subsequent demolition of our old childhood streets....and his remarks are heartfelt for many of us. (See below.)

A.J. wrote.......
I used to stay in 33 Palace Street around the time that photo {Edmiston Street} was taken. I loved the place and I remember well being around the back of Leitch's Bakers close, getting off with some of the girls.

The old place might not have been in the best of shape at that time but now the whole area is a sad and deserted-looking place. During the years I lived there, I was a pain in the butt to everyone and a nightmare for the local Police, but I was only a boy then and everyone (even me) eventually grows up!

I miss the old places because while I lived there, it seemed like most everyone knew each other - and we had time to say Hello to our neighbours. Now, everyone appears to be in too much of a rush. But it's just SAD that they did not include Palace Street, Malcom Street, Delburn and Edmiston Street, with the other tenements in the area which were renovated and restored to their original condition.

I can still see my nickname on Ward's Store (ALKA).
Sadly, the other name on it is no longer with us.
A.J. ( Glasgow)

Liz~ says: (LIZ was known as Scotbandit)
Hello A.J. - You have spoken for many of us in your genuine heartfelt recollections. Thanks so much. Make sure to come back often and tell us more about your years around the neighbourhood.

MARGARET (nee DAVIS) YOUNG Remembers....

2009-01-30T09:18:00.019Z

Margaret Young (nee DAVIS) left her Comments on an older post, but she provides so much valuable information that we wanted to be certain everyone could read Margaret's recollections from Parkhead/Newlands days..... someone reading it now my feel a memory jog!

MARGARET's earliest days around Parkhead....

............. I just came across this site. I also went to Newlands as did my two sisters. My name was Margaret Davis, born 1948 - and my sisters Sylvia Davis, born 1947 and Rachel aka Rae Davis born in 1943 also attended Newlands. We often visited my granny who lived at 18 Malcolm Street. I attended Newlands for two years and then had to move to a new school built in Barlanark when I was 7. However, both my sisters Rae and Sylvia Davis did all their primary school at Newlands Primary.

It was great to see pictures of the old neighbourhood. I hated to see Malcolm Street go. I always remember old Mum Greg at the dairy.... I saw a picture of the hall monitors and was so pleased to see one of the only class mates I remember from my early years; Ernest Laughlan [in the back row]. He also lived on Malcolm Street.....I later heard he grew up to be a traffic cop at Parkhead Cross? I am afraid I have few good memories of the school.

I was terrified my first day leaving my Mammy, and we had to sit on orange crates because of a high enrollment that year. Have you any info or pics of Malcolm Steet?
I remember going to the 3 Peas with my granny to see Elvis in King Creole.....I loved Parkhead even worked briefly in Woolworth's.....those were the good old days....I now live in Ontario Canada.

written by.......
Margaret Young (aka Davis) .........now from Ontario, Canada

*Editor's note/......Some news for YOU Margaret: When last we heard of your old pal Ernest Lauchlan, he was living in the USA, around New York/New Jersey areas and he played Trumpet for a serious professional events band named Black Tie Boogie....see their website at http://www.blacktieboogie.com/

EDMISTON STREET - PARKHEAD

2008-12-16T17:08:00.011Z

Paul Gallagher has kindly e-mailed me some old photo's of the street that I used to live in - Edmiston St.

(Although the Photos are from the"Glesca Keelies" Website.)

The first one showing the corner of Edmiston St. and Springfield Rd. Showing "Leitch" the bakers, I was sometimes allowed in the back shop to help the baker to cut up the dough for the morning rolls, these were of course made at night. Also the wall behind the back close was also the back wall of the oven, so it was always warm and was a favourite spot for winching couples in the winter. Many a time my pals and me were chased away for annoying them ! Two or three doors up from the bakers, was a butcher who used to sell steak pies in enamel ashets. When you returned the ashets, you got back your deposit of 6 pence. The butcher would wash and re-use them, but he would place them up on the bars of the open window to dry. Well we would nick one every now and again and return it to him after a day or two for the 6 pence. He never twigged to what was going on because we never got "greedy" on it.
Ward's stores on the opposite corner, I remember as being called something like "The Star Emporium" but maybe it is my memory playing tricks. Anybody else remember this store ?

The second photo looking into Edmiston St. The tall man in the back left/middle of the photo is in front of the house on the corner of Palace St. Well when I lived there, that house was where the "Ness" family lived, the father was a bookies runner and used to take bets at that window. His daughter was Catherine Ness and was in my class at Newlands.
Our first house was the next close past the "Ness" house, No. 61 we were one up on the left. But this house had an outside shared toilet, so we later moved across the street to No. 48 which was on the right and had an inside toilet.
There was a wee dairy at the far right hand corner next to Delburn St and the owner (can't remember his name) had the only car that I ever remember being parked in our street in those days.
At the first close on the left there is a woman in white standing at it. Well just past her, you will see a wee low building between the two tenements. This was a wee single end flat (ground floor only - like a wee bungalow). it had it's own door in the back court which you had to access through the close. My cousin Billy Gibson lived in that flat when he first got married in the 1950s.

( Both photos are reproduced here by kind permission of Charlie McDonald at the "Glesca Keelies" Website.)

A Young-ish Pupil Surfaces... from the U.S.A.

2008-12-03T16:23:00.045Z

Paul Gallagher who now lives in New Jersey USA., sent his class photo from Newlands and some of his memories which he relates in his email below. He also forwarded some nice old photo's which will be posted soon. Paul thinks Newlands continued to run as a school until around 1976/77, and if anyone can confirm, or give a best guess, we'd appreciate it.

.....extract from Paul Gallagher's email:.
My Name is Paul Robert Gallagher, I went to Newlands from 1967-to 1974 then went on to Riverside Senior Secondary. I lived on Burgher street, around the corner, and I could see the school from my bedroom window. The school photo shows me top row first from left. I can name most of my classmates. My best recollection is this photo was taken springtime of 1969. I remember the Head mistress as Mrs Spiers, although I may be mistaken. I can' t remember the teacher in the photo.

I had a great time at Newlands, and I have many great memories.

Some of the highlights were the football team run by two Policemen. Also at Christmas time of 1970, six of my classmates were chosen to appear on the STV religious program Late Call, (the very show the late Ricky Fulton spoofed On Scotch and Wry) although the reverend involved with my classmates and I was much more serious relating the Xmas message. I clearly remember watching them on TV which was so surreal, and they were all the talk of the school during the weeks leading up to the appearance, and after.

I remember, too, participating in the "Newlands Variety Show" with a full stage set up in the gymnasium. This was performed in front of the other students, and parents. A group of classmates and I were dressed as a Black and white Minstrels, singing Al Jolsen's April showers, (how I cringe at the thought of my singing), although it was fun.

There was a Teacher named Miss Horn who taught on the second floor at the front of the school on the Girls side. Also Mrs.Taylor, who's class was on the top floor at the back of the school on the girls side, was German with a very obvious strong accent. Was this a first for the school, having a foreign teacher? I wonder if anyone remembers the lollipop man's small room, first right as you walked in from the boys entrance. It always stank of cigarette smoke.

After I left Riverside I moved to Auchenshuggle for a short while, then moved to Mount Florida right next door to Hampden Park. Around 1986 I emigrated to the USA, were I have lived since. I have been back to see the old neighbourhood, and was shocked to see the changes, particularly to my old street.

. . . . PAULS CLASS PHOTO FROM AROUND 1969 (Modern)

JUST CLICK ON THE PHOTO

OR THE CLASS LIST

TO SEE AN ENLARGED VERSION.

( Then click on the BACK button )

. "THE TEACHER LOOKS LIKE A WEE LASSIE, SURE SHE DOES !"
.
. . . . . . . . . . PAULS CLASS LIST AS HE REMEMBERS IT !

THE ??? MEANS THAT WE DON'T YET KNOW THE NAMES.

IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

Thanks again to Paul's good memory - he has identified the Teacher as "Miss McLean."

......written & submitted for Posting by PAUL R. GALLAGHER, now of New Jersey, U.S.A.

FIRST SIGHTING OF AN ACTUAL DUX TROPHY FROM NEWLANDS

2008-09-23T15:47:00.016+01:00

DUX TROPHY COMES OUT OF HIDING

True to his word, Frank Wales has sent us a photo of his Dux Trophy that he won at Newlands Primary School for the year 1972-73.

Shown here in all it's glory.

A great opportunity for all us numpties who never had any chance of getting near one to see what an actual dux trophy looks like.

Although he has still to send us a copy of the photo of his Granny selling flowers at Parkhead Cross, the arrival of which we await with bated breath !

As a wee aside:

"Anne Armstrong" added this comment to the post below:

"Can you please tell me Is that the correct photo of Frank Wales. I don't recall him looking like the handsome man in that photo. Might be wrong, but think he may have gone around with my brother for a while at Riverside. A few of the boys went on a camping trip in the 1970s and got up to monkey business, my brother would never tell me what."

Well I can't comment on the authenticity of the photo below, as I had left Newlands long before Frank was there and therefore did not know him. Is there anybody out there who can confirm or deny that Frank Wales is indeed the handsome character portrayed below ? How about a wee photo of YOU Anne to allow Frank to comment on if you are how he remembers you ?

ANOTHER DUX CRAWLS OUT OF THE WOODWORK...

2008-09-17T05:44:00.008+01:00

Seems like a case of DUX FEVER has broken out on this blog recently....FRANK WALES is our latest Claimant to the famous Dux Trophy - and we may actually get a glimpse of the renowned trophy if Frank keeps his word to provide this blog with a photo of his very own shining Dux Shield.

*Frank Wales' email as received.........

...........Hi, I was Dux at Newlands in 1973, and I'm another one of the many winners who has never actually seen his name in gold lettering on the Dux Board as I've not been back into the building since I left the school. (Hmm, I think I see the problem....)

Just to annoy you, I was also Dux at Riverside in 1978, shortly before Riversides's long-awaited refurbishment into..... a pile of bricks..... If I was lucky, my name on the Dux Board in the stairwell got dry before the joint got demolished. (Of course, I didn't get to see that either....)

For the history buffs, my mother also attended Newlands and Riverside; she was one of the first pupils to go to Rivvie, around 1934, and I was apparently one of the last, which I guess is some kind of symmetry.

I might have some photos from when I was there, which I can try to dig out and scan for you, to add to your collection of mystery faces. I'm pretty sure I do have a picture of my granny selling flowers from her basket at Parkhead Cross, which she did every Saturday, if you'd like that.

Also, thinking about it, I *do* still have my little Dux shield from Newlands. Would you like a picture of that? I'd better polish it up first, eh? ( See the post above this for Franks Trophy )

Frank Wales ....email: frank@limov.com

(Editor's Comment: .... Yes please Frank - we await pics of your granny up at Parkhead Cross.)

MARGARET WATSON TURNS UP - NOW WHERE'S FIONA?

2008-09-16T23:06:00.006+01:00

One more missing DUX MEDAL winner has found her way to our wee Newlands Blog. We'll gladly publish her photo as well, if she sends it to us here at the blog.

Here is Margaret Watson's e-mail..... If you remember Margaret or can help her, you can email us (Editor/Admin) or contact Margaret directly via her e-mail address given below

Margaret Watson writes.......Regarding the DUX MEDALLISTS, I discovered this website last night and it brought back so many happy memories for me.
I was Dux of Newlands in 1971 along with a girl called FIONA. Are there any photographs of the Dux Board for that date? I would love to show it to my children as my Dux Medal was lost by a relative and consequently my children have never seen it.
I was also chuffed when a photo of my old house was shown. Its the top floor flat of the tenement on London Road at Silverdale Street. Happy Memories!

Margaret Watson..... wmargaret69@yahoo.co.uk

(*Editor: Margaret, we're happy that you found both the blog and the photo of your childhood flat at the same time. Please send us any photos you still have so we can Post them for everyone to enjoy.)

ANOTHER DUX MYSTERY CLEARED UP

2008-08-21T14:27:00.010+01:00

We recently received an e-mail from George Drummond who was a past Dux at Newlands and who's name appears on the famous Medallist Board. See the post about the Dux Medallists about 10 Posts down from here. He is the 6th one listed on the board and held the Dux for June 1944. We had an idea that he had moved over to the Calgary area of Canada, but could not confirm this at the time, but now we know. He later went into medicine and his son also followed this profession.

Here is his e-mail sent to the blog:-

......My name is George Drummond, born 1932 and lived at 45 Edmiston St. I went Newlands from 1936 till 1943 ( I may be out by a year ) and was the Dux Medallist.
Then I went to Allan Glen's school on a scholarship and then to Glasgow University where I graduated in Medicine in 1956. I was an Intern at Greenock Royal Infirmary for a year and then was conscripted into the army RAMC as a lieutenant for 2 years. I served with a Field Ambulance unit; the 2nd-- 10th Gurkhas and 3rd Battalion Royal Australion Regiment and was a Captain when my army service was over. After my military service I was a General Practitioner for a year in Appleby, Westmoreland, England.

In 1960 I emigrated to Canada and for 4 years I was a Resident in the Department of Anaesthesia at the University Hospital in Edmonton Alberta. I obtained my FRCP Canada in this specialty in 1964 and was a Consultant at this hospital for 2 years until I moved to the Foothills Hospital (Alberta) as a Consultant in 1966.

After 10 years at Foothills, I moved to the Calgary General Hospital and eventually became Head of Anaesthesia there as well as at the Peter Lougheed Hospital.
I retired in 1985 and now live in a small country town in south Alberta called Magrath. I play golf here and visit my daughter and her kids who live here. She is married to a town GP. My son is the Head of Pediatric ENT Surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Calgary.

George Drummond,

Magrath, Alberta, Canada

2008

MS. JEAN BRODIE at Newlands?__ by DAVID TEMPLETON

2008-01-31T05:29:00.000Z

Former Newlands' lad David Templeton sent us a very comprehensive and interesting account of his years at Newlands and Parkhead. It's printed here for the enjoyment and edification of all our Newlands bloggers......

DAVID TEMPLETON wrote ....
............Hello. I stumbled across NEWLANDS BLOG by chance tonight and couldn't believe some of the wonderful stories about my old primary school, as well as great pictures of the Parkhead area where I spent my first 12 years. Thank you so much for capturing the history of the place in which I spent my formative years. I'll let my own two sons have a look at the site (albeit most of the entries seem to be from folk who are a good bit older than me!)

My name is David Templeton and I attended Newlands Primary from around 1969 until 1977, before leaving to complete one year at Riverside Senior Secondary. Our family then moved to East Kilbride and that move effectively brought to a close my association with the east end.

We lived at 1358 DUKE STREET in the last close on the right hand side of Duke Street - right on Parkhead Cross, above the Clydesdale Bank. Although the close entrance for 1358 was at the top of Duke Street, our flat looked into the Gallowgate, down Springfield Road, up Tollcross Road and Westmuir Street and also into Duke Street itself. It was a terrible place to bring up a young family (I had two younger brothers) because we only had a high back court to play in. Both my brothers went to Newlands primary too, although only for a short period of time.

We were regular attenders at Calton Old Parish Church in Helenvale Street. My dad was an Elder and a BB Officer and I attended Sunday school, Shipmates, Junior Section and one year of Company Section in the BB - the famous 67th Company. My old man worked in Begg Cousland, also known as the Springfield Wire Works.

The Newlands' class teacher I remember most was Mrs. Gibson whose first name may have been Eleanor.
Mrs. Gibson was simply superb and prepared her class for the transition from primary to secondary in an exemplary fashion. She also inspired me, and several of my classmates, to "stick in" against all the odds, and ultimately progress to university.
She was Newlands' version of Ms. Jean Brodie !

I will look for any of my old class photos, or those of my younger brothers, which may have survived - and will email them for the blog.
Kindest regards,
David Templeton
___________________

*Ed/Admin note: David, what a great gift you have shared with us about NEWLANDS. It is truly inspiring to find that you gained an appreciation for Learning under the Leadership of a teacher like Mrs. Gibson, who proved to be a good mentor for you. You obviously made the best of her personal dedication to her students. Thank You for this very thoughtful contribution. Please let us have a wee photo of you to show alongside your story. And if we could show your email contact info it would make it easier for someome from your class to get in touch with you after reading your Post.
Many thanks David,
from LIZ~ (aka Scotbandit604@hotmail.com )

Newlands Class of 1967 (Confirmed by Lesley Hunt)

2008-01-30T16:13:00.022Z

We were recently furnished with this old class photo by email from EDDIE GRUMMETT. Eddie has not yet been able to provide detailed information other than this:
(Eddie writes........Here's an old school photo from a bit later than the others shown on the Newlands Blog. It's Circa 1968 +/- 2 years. I'm not even sure if you have any readers from such "later years" !)
After posting this photo, we were contacted by "Lesley Hunt" who is in the photo (Row B, No 10) and she is confident that the date of the photo is 1967, so we will take her word for it. I have added the table below of some of the names that we have so far. We hope they are correct, if you know any different please let us know.

.............Pupil list for the Newlands 1967 Class.

CLICK ON THE LIST
FOR A LARGER VIEW OF IT.

Then use the BACK button.

If YOU see yourself in the picture, or know anyone else in the picture, please advise us asap so we can add the right names. Eddie forgot to mention to us whether he himself is in this old school photo. If you can shed any light on this nice-looking group of weans from Newlands around the late 1960's, please either email Admin OR add Your own Comment below by Clicking on the word "COMMENTS" shown beneath this Post.

( You can also CLICK ON THE PHOTO for a slightly larger view. Then use the BACK button. )

* Our Thanks to Eddie Grummett for sending this class photo to be added to our growing collection about Newlands Primary School. And YES Eddie, this blog is regularly Discovered and Read by bloggers young and old from everywhere on the Planet (almost), contrary to your suspicions that you are the Youngest blogger on here!

Irene McKechnie (B2) added on 26/07/2010 - Sorry for the delay Rene.

William Reid added a comment saying that he was position "A11" this has got me confused as there are only 5 kids in the front row "A" so I assume that he meant "A5" but I will not add his name to the list until he confirms it. I have now added Hugh Reid at A3 is he any relation to William Reid ? Also, Hugh said the teacher was Miss Christie ?
William also feels that the photo was taken in 1965 can anybody confirm this ?

MY DA WAS YOUR COALMAN _______ by IAN HYDE

2008-01-28T14:57:00.000Z

IAN HYDE recently left a COMMENT under the Post named "Calton Church Parkhead":

Ian writes......
______" Hi - just found your site about NEWLANDS and think it's great!
My name is Ian Hyde and my da was the local coalman in the late 50's,60's and early 70's. -- His name was Charlie Hyde or just "Charlie Mac."

Some of you might remember him delivering your coal in the old days.

We lived at 61 Edmiston Street. Then for a while we moved over to number 4 Palace Street before eventually moving to Tollcross.

I went to Newlands and then Rivvie and I remember well Calton Old Parish Church as I was in the Lifebouys and then in the BB there.

I was Born in 1955, and I now live in England."

by.........IAN HYDE .... now from England.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*Ed/Admin note: Thanks for giving us this great wee story about your famous dad Ian !
I'll bet he humphed many a heavy bag up two flights of stairs to my mum's coal bunker at number 18 Edmiston Street. Also. if you want enquiries and email from your long lost pals forwarded to you, please send your e-mail address to LIZ (who goes under the handle Scotbandit) and we'll take care of this for you. We'd also be glad to have a photo of you Ian to show beside your Post. (Thanx for the memories.)

Another Happy Customer ( Free Photo's )

2008-01-26T14:48:00.001Z

252 CRAIGPARK DRIVE DENNISTOUN.

Ramsay Millen (see post 2 below)

contacted me a while ago about maybe taking some photo's of the east end for him.

I did this for him and we entered into a little bit of correspondence. Ramsay and his wife live in Australia and are in their 80s.

Here are some extacts from our e-mails :-

Hello Brian
You mention in your Blog about photographing special places which hold memories, 252 Craigpark Dr Dennistoun and Crail St, Parkhead, Are of special interest to me. The close next to the ladies hat shop. its a long time ago.

Any photo’s would be great. Any reward for your generous help will be granted.

The families were, The Pettigrews, and Toners. they lived in and around these districts. I owe my life to Mrs Pettigrew, she delayed me in returning to my ship thereby I missed being aboard when she sailed, and it was torpedoed.

She shall have gone to her reward, but granchildren maybe around the eastend,.

Excuse my meanderings on days of yore.

[PS – He never explained HOW he was delayed by Mrs Pettigrew !]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Ramsay & Mhairai,
I will try to get your requested photo's taken as soon as I can. Some people seem to think there is a catch to the offer, there isn't. The only "payment" that I ask for is if you will go back to the web site and post a wee comment about the photo's for others to see. Depending on your comments, I may make a wee feature of the photo's and your comments on the site.

Brian.

ENTRANCE TO CRAIL ST.
( FROM TOLLCROSS. )

Hello Brian
My skill on the p,c.is limited/ so excuse me.

Mhairi and I thank you for the photo's. Memories, memories. if nothing else its all weve got in our twilight years.
Some are bad, most are worth casting the mind back.
Thanks Again, Yours Faithfully Ramsay.

----------------------------------------------

Hello again Brian
Craigpark Dr, a bit aged looking, but it still retains its romantic ambiance. Youthful view.

The photos have rekindled memories of days of yore, and the folies of youth.

Once more, Faithfully Ramsay.

-----------------------------------------

Hello Brian
We both thank you very much for all the scene;s of childhood,especially, Crail St,. And Dennistoun,
My wife is not blessed with a glasgow childhood, she's from the Outer Hebrides, Gaelic and all.

But she has been around the Eastend, walks in Tollcross Park. The banks of the Monkland Canal, etc,.
My life here has been spent in Prison. In a similar unit they have in Carstairs. I of course was staff. Forensic Trained. Quite interesting. Human beings, give food for thought,

We thank you for thoughtful care in sending us the photos. We have thought about coming hame, ''but'' its the time spent on planes, we came over in 1997. We were over 12 hours waiting in Heathrow for our flight, Today would be impossible. Wer’e both past our use by date.

Thanks again Brian for the photies, At times we had a wee greet,

Thanks Again’ Faithfully, Mhairi-----Ramsay.

--------------------------------------------------

If anybody wants to contact Ramsay, his e-mail is : millen451@ozemail.com.au

PS: The offer of FREE photo's still stands. See the post about 20 down from here.

Rubber Glove Restaurant ...... by Anne Nish

2008-01-21T22:39:00.000Z

To celebrate my father's retirement, we planned a special evening for him at the Crowwood Golf Club, where he happened to be Captain. It was a beautiful warm summer evening and the guests had enjoyed a wonderful evening's entertainment and fine dining. The photo below shows me with my dad, the Late Craig Davidson, taken that evening. (Dux Medallist in 1947 at Newlands Primary.)

As we prepared to leave for home, my father suddenly noticed that his gold ring, a precious family heirloom passed down to him from his own father, was missing from his finger. He was so distressed that we all pitched in to look for the ring. Dad thought it had most likely slipped off his finger during dinner, perhaps into a napkin or even into leftover food on his plate. What an uproar followed!

We searched the remains still on the table. We got down on our knees and searched UNDER the table. The waiters joined in the search for this family heirloom as they could see how upset my father was about losing it. We lifted dishes, looked under tablecloths, even checked in the restaurant's kitchens and still the ring could not be found. As a last resort, my husband and I had to borrow RUBBER GLOVES so we could rake through the rubbish bins outside....our hands felt through chicken carcasses and all the other food debris from the evening's diners. UGH. It was disgusting......

We just couldn't find it, and feeling a bit sad, we drove my parents home. No sooner was my father home than - hey presto - the precious ring was found in his golf bag - the NUMPTY !!

He had a good sense of humour though. Dad could appear to be quiet at times, but he enjoyed reading all kinds of books and he studied many Open University courses. (He did work for a while in Yarrows Shipyard before joining Springburn College.) He seems to have been a scholar. I know he worked hard to get where he was and I will always admire and love him for it. He was a good father and I wish I knew more about his younger life, at Newlands etc.
Best wishes to all. Thanks, Anne Nish.

by......ANNE (nee Davidson) NISH..of Cumbernauld, Glasgow.

OLD TIMES AROUND CRAIL STREET.......by RAMSAY MILLEN

2008-01-11T23:54:00.001Z

Ramsay Millen, a former Newlands Primary scholar who has been living in Australia for more than 60 years sent email with some of his thoughts of the old familiar places........

......Ramsay writes: ......" Casting my mind back to school days at Newlands Primary, and then Eastbank Academy, I realize it's been sixty-odd years since I left the district around the Parkhead area and I would presume its beyond my recognition now. Ah, but in my mind it retains its magnetic hold on me!

Many of my friends from pre-war times (WW2) have most likely gone tae their just rewards now as my wife and I are well up in our Eighties ourselves, but I do sometimes wonder who is still around.

It makes me appreciate what a marvellous invention the Personal Computer is. I wish it had been around just after the War. Tracing long lost pals and even auld flames would have been quite simple then. Still, there is just a possibility that there could be an old school pal from the early years, still living around Parkhead or from around Crail Street who might be online and get in touch with me via this Newlands Blog.

I had best desist from days of yore, they jist make yi greet. Yours Faithfully.

by........RAMSAY MILLEN, living in AUSTRALIA.

MY DAD WAS A DUX .......by Anne Nish

2008-01-08T05:40:00.002Z

I was looking through the Newlands Blog and discovered that my dad, the late CRAIG DAVIDSON, was listed on the Newlands Dux Medal Board. What a strange feeling it brought to me. My father had recently passed away and I was missing him - and wondering why on earth I had never really asked him about his own childhood and earlier life. I'm sure many people can relate to the feeling I had. My dad had passed on, and only then did I discover that he had been a clever scholar at Newlands School.

In 1947, he is shown to have won the DUX MEDAL jointly with AUDREY FLEMING.

My dad's sister, JEAN DAVIDSON, who also went to Newlands told me that she had been good friends with ROSE REYNOLDS, another medallist shown on the Dux Board.

Like many of the Dux winners, my dad was sent on to Allen Glens School for Boys and did well there. After he finished his two years' National Service in Malaya, he became a Lecturer in Springburn College. He eventually was named Department Head at Springburn College and continued his career there until his retirement.

He and my mother lived happily in Stepps for over forty years until dad passed away at the age of 68 and my mum still lives there. Mum was brought up in Shettleston and decided to go to a Dance at a hall in Parkhead one night. And having gone to Parkhead, fate stepped in and introduced her to her future husband and my future father.

Their firstborn was my older brother (also named Craig Davidson), and I made my entrance into the family in 1957. Obviously my dad was an early starter......in fact my mother very charmingly jokes that my birth was the end result of a 48-Hour Pass that my dad had obtained so he could attend the funeral of my grandfather! My mother had me blushing bright red when she shared this little gem of knowledge with me. (It was too much information!!) lol....

My husband and I live in Cumbernauld and we have one son, Graeme. I really miss my dad and I would just love to hear from anyone who remembers him, or his sister Jean Davidson, also from Newlands. Thank you and best wishes.

by ANNE (nee DAVIDSON) NISH.

( Photo of board by kind permission of Charlie McDonald at the "Glesca Keelies" Website.)

MY FAVOURITE UNCLE gets us intae IBROX.....by Bobby Irvine

2008-01-06T19:46:00.000Z

"Boabby" Irvine noticed the post about Tiny Wharton and left these interesting comments:-

........Just a wee side bar to the Tiny Wharton post.

We all remember the terrible Ibrox disaster: Well I was actually at that game with my Uncle Bobby Stewart from Canada. My uncle decided that he wanted to see a game before he went back to Toronto.

We couldn't get tickets anywhere, but Uncle Bobby was reading the Daily Record when he noticed the Ref's name. He said, "Hold on a minute" and left my Granny’s house which was on London Road across from Belvedere Hospital. (My Granny lived there since they were built and she also worked at the hospital until retirement.)

About an hour and a half later my Uncle Bobby came back with a big smile. I asked him where he had gone and he said something about phone calls. The night before the game he told me to get down to Granny's early. Imagine the surprise when he told me we were going to the game! After the usual banter of “aye right” and so on, we left the house and made our way to Ibrox. We proceeded to the front of the stadium where we were met by none other than Tiny Wharton himself. I was absolutely “gob-smacked.” After the very friendly greetings we were taken to the stands and shown to two of the good seats. Once we were seated in style, I could hardly wait to quiz my Uncle Bobby on the obvious....how, why, where, when?

It turns out that Tiny Wharton and my Uncle Bobby were old school pals who had kept in touch over the years. (Friendships can be a beautiful thing, eh?) Strangely enough, we didn't even know anything about the tragedy at Gate 11 until we had walked around the stadium to meet my brother-in-law who was at the game with some friends. Needless to say, this is a day that will always stick in my memory.

My uncle Bobby Stewart, like his famous pal Tiny Wharton, has since passed away. But I believe my uncle kept in touch with Tiny Wharton until he died - which was twenty years ago now. Thanks to Brian Charlton for reviving the memory of that time.

by......... BOABBY IRVINE, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

("Boabby" is the nickname of our famous adventurer Bobby Irvine.)

........Thank YOU Boabby for providing us with this great wee story.

p.s.

did your uncle Bobby Stewart go to Newlands School too? (See Comments just below for the Reply.)

2008-01-02T18:12:00.000Z

Another wee gem from Richard Evans.

I noticed a photo of Silverdale St on your site and I was wondering if you knew that this is the street where world famous football referee Tom (Tiny ) Wharton grew up. He attended Riverside and was a member of Calton Parish Church on Helenvale St. as well as the bowling club facing where he lived. He started refereeing schools and Juvenile football before moving on to Juniors. It was only when he hit the big time with the seniors that he became 'Tiny Wharton' Tom passed away not too long ago and the last time I saw him was when he was part of the F.I.F.A. organisation suprvising the final of the under 16 World Cup held in Toronto.

From Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia:

Tom "Tiny" Wharton OBE (born 3 November 1927, in Glasgow; died 9 May 2005, in Newton Mearns) was a Scottish football referee in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Universally and ironically known as Tiny, due to his colossal 6'4" frame, he was one of the most iconic and respected officials of his generation.
An engineer by profession, Wharton took up refereeing at the age of 21 and had reached Class I status within 3 years.[1] He refereed a number of important and high profile games during his career, including the Scottish Cup finals of 1961-62, 1962-63, 1965-66 and 1970-71, and the League Cup finals of 1960-61, 1962-63, 1966-67 and 1970-71.
Wharton's prowess was recognised outside Scotland as well and he officiated 16 international matches, from Belfast to Brazil. He also oversaw 24 international club fixtures, including the 1962 Cup Winners Cup Final between Atlético Madrid and Fiorentina at Hampden Park.
In later years, Wharton was chairman of the Scottish Football Association's Referee Supervisors Committee between 1976 and 1990 and served as part of FIFA's Referees Committee between 1981 and 2000. He was awarded the OBE in 1990 for his services to Scottish football and FIFA's Order of Merit in Gold in 1992. He was described by FIFA president Sepp Blatter as "one of the world's most distinguished refereeing officials".

WHERE ARE our DUX MEDALLISTS?

2007-09-17T11:39:00.001+01:00

James and Flora Powell Awards for Scholarship.

Do you ever wonder about those awfie clever folk whose names fairly shone in gleaming golden letters from what we think was the DUX MEDAL BOARD in Newlands Primary? A blogger who recognized the name of George Drummond sent us teenage memories and an account of George's career, summarized below .....

Richard Evans writes....
..........Although I'm from Bridgeton and went to Dalmarnock school and from there onto Riverside, most of my teenage pals were from the Newlands area of Parkhead.
One of these pals was George Drummond, who lived in Edmiston Street. When George finished Newlands Primary as a Dux Medallist, he was sent on to Allen Glens Secondary School for boys. In due course, he undertook studies at our famous Glasgow University where his scholarship and hard work in the field of Medicine resulted in George graduating as a Qualified Medical Doctor in 1956.

After he was demobbed from the army, George spent some time as a family doctor, practicing in the north of England. It so happened that his sister had emigrated to Canada in the mid-fifties and shortly afterwards, the Drummond parents followed their married daughter out to Toronto, Canada where they had settled.

I suppose this may have played some part in his reasons to make another move, as around 1960 George took his leave of the U.K. and set out to meet up with his parents and sister in Toronto. However, after a short time there, George apparently got itchy feet again and he made another big move - this time out to Calgary, Alberta, where cowboys and oil wells still ruled.

Once he got his feet on the ground in Calgary, George returned to post-graduate studies and this time he emerged as a Qualified Anaesthetist to add to his distinction in his chosen career of Medicine.

Although I no longer have direct contact with George these days, I am reliably informed that he has retired and still lives in Calgary. I trust this will be of interest for the blog..... Best Wishes, Barbru.

by RICHARD EVANS
(e-mail to barbru@sympatico.ca)

(*A wee note of interest:
Admin actually did manage to dig up a phone number for a George Drummond in the City of Calgary, but an elderly lady who answered our phone call claimed it was not the home of "our" George Drummond from Glasgow, Scotland. Maybe she thought it was a nuisance call to sell double-glazing.....who knows really?)

Great Eastern Road - Parkhead

2007-09-14T12:11:00.001+01:00

This entry was prompted by the request of Shiela McDermid for photo's to be taken of the area where her mother lived in Parkhead. Her mother lived in Great Eastern Road. Not a lot of people nowadays know that this was the original name of the part of the Gallowgate from Parkhead Cross, westward to Fielden St just beyond Camlachie.

The picture above shows the bank building at the corner of Duke St. and the Gallowgate (formerly Great Eastern Road). The reason I know about this is that my mother and several of her sisters were a born in Great Eastern Road, yet some of her younger sisters (who were born in the same house) were born in the Gallowgate. From birth dates, we can tell that this name change took place between 1925 and 1929.

The picture on the right shows the Anchor Bar at 1401 Gallowgate, at the corner of Ewing Place, this pub bears an inscription with the date 1904 shown on it. So this bar would originally have had an address on Great Eastern Road.

The picture on the left shows The Old Black Bull pub at 1316 Gallowgate near Elba Lane. I am not sure about the date of this pub, but it has been there since I was a nipper.

The main entrance to the Barrs Iron Bru factory was through a pen at the right side of this pub and I remember that the lights at this entrance were in the form of huge soda syphons on the wall.

* * * *

THE OFFER OF FREE PICTURES STILL STANDS

SEE THE POST ABOUT 12 FURTHER DOWN.

* * * *

LET'S GIVE BRIAN A HAND.....by Sheila McDermid

2007-09-12T06:17:00.001+01:00

Newlands' Blog Photographer and Admin Team guy, Mr. Brian Charlton, has taken many photos for folks who take up his offer to go around and take foties of their old house etc. He doesn't often hear back from them, (with a wee thanks) but he generously carries on - quietly doing a lot of good work for Newlands Blog Readers ....So it was nice to receive recently this email sent by Shiela McDermid, in Ontario, who thinks Brian Charlton is a swell guy and wrote in to say so. Sheila's "Thank You" is printed here as she requested.....

===========

"I want to take a moment to thank Brian Charlton for his generosity in taking time to photograph various areas of Glasgow for me. He was quick to get back to me again, and his photos were amazing.

I'm really hoping I have found the area where my ancestors once lived - and knowing that on my visit in Glasgow last spring - that I may have been so close (and yet so far) from standing on that property.... was almost overwhelming.

Again - thank you so much Brian, for taking time off your busy day to help a fellow Scot (Canadian Scot). I hope to come back for a visit some day......and if anyone has any information on any of the names listed above...please do not hesitate to contact me."

Cheers!!!!

Sheila McDermid,
Manitoulin Island, Ontario ( sheilam2001@hotmail.com )

NEWLANDS TWINS....by Tom Donaldson

2007-09-11T10:15:00.000+01:00

Tom Donaldson - shown here with his twin brother Jack Donaldson - and very handsome too - recently found our Newlands Blog and sent us photos and quite a few names of long-lost friends from school and early days.

Tom, after an interesting life is now retired and very much enjoying his retirement, along with lovely wife Mary, in Victoria, B.C. - one of the most beautiful garden cities in Canada, known for its very mild winters and glorious summers.

Tom writes:
"Just a little info about myself and my twin brother Jack Donaldson. We both went to Newlands Primary School in Parkhead. Later our family moved to Sandyhills.....we subsequently attended Eastbank Academy.

"My very first job was in a dental laboratory on Bath street. I also managed to complete two years of further education at Langside College....then it was time to do my National Service and I served in the Highland Light Infantry.
I ended up signing on for three years Regular Army, serving in the canal zone, Cyprus, and Sweden.

"Since I was an experienced player of drums and bugle from my days in the Boys Brigade (and various pipe bands), I eventually went on to teach drums at Maryhill Barracks..... and did so until that unit closed down. I decided to emigrate, and my wife Mary and I arrived in Canada in 1957.

Once in Canada, I worked for the B.C. Government and for the Federal Government, and finally retired in 1994.

I am happy and very much enjoying life in Victoria, British Columbia. My wife Mary and I served as Best Man and Matron of Honour at the wedding of friends in 1995.

And I've sent in this photo showing our younger brother Ronald on my Right side , I am in the middle, and twin Jack is on my Left side - at our Family Reunion 1981.

My twin Jack set off to live in the USA when he was 17 yers old, along with his friend Billy Capperauld. Jack was drafted into the US Army where he served for 25 years. We maintained contact with each other right up until he died six years ago.

Friends I still remember and would love to hear from include Billy Cameron, Robert Wiley, Hector Daly, Ian Hay, and John and Robert White, Susan Green, Nancy Nicol and Janet Young who excelled as a tap dancer.

It would be nice to find out how they fared in their adult lives.

Tom Donaldson
VICTORIA, B.C.
Canada

(*If you remember Tom or anyone he has mentioned, you can Contact him by sending your email to us here at the Blog....we will Forward your mail to Tom. He will be delighted to hear from you.)

STEWART MERRILEES - Australia's Secret Weapon

2007-05-23T04:07:00.000+01:00

Well, it's Official.....Bulletin from Down Under.
Our long-lost classmate from Newlands Infants Class of 1954/55, Stewart Merrilees, (aka stewmeggs) has been offered one of the best deals ever. Stew has accepted a one-year contract aboard one of Australia's high-tech Navy Frigates, HMAS MELBOURNE. I'm sure he would tell us the details if most of them weren't Classified Information. He'll act as Secretary and right-hand man to the Commander of the ship.

Our Stew moved with his parents to Australia in the late 1950's and by age 16 decided to join the Australian Navy. This photo shows him at age 16, in 1966 on his first trip to sea. Stew's choice of career evidently suited him as he went on to serve in the Oz Navy for forty (40) years.

Those are "Australian Years" of course: Relentless sunshine - palm and date trees in every port - endless supplies of rum - and no traffic jams to worry about. His biggest expense was likely the purchase of Sunscreen. After his retirement from full active duty, he continued with the Navy as a Reservist, Reporting for Duty in Brisbane HQ several days each month. From time to time he has been seconded from the Navy to help the Army get their act together too.

Whilst toiling away in his Brisbane Office, Stew has been responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing special projects such as planning and organizing large-scale training excercises. This may include such events as transporting batallions of foreign military personnel (U.S. troops & others) to Down Under for training in desert warfare.

At the end of his workday when he shuts down his office computer, Stew heads back home to his beloved NANANGO - a small town & rural area about 140 miles inland from Brisbane. At home with his lovely wife Dani, Stew takes care of his six acres of paradise while studying the local wildlife, who often share his garden with him. The Wallabies and Hares are particularly partial to grapevines. Despite wildlife raids on his crops, he manages to enjoy some delicious wines and then he probably kicks back on his front porch and relaxes by belting out a few catchy tunes on his clarinet.

With a six-acre backyard I don't suppose he'll ever have to worry about complaints (or compliments) from the neighbours about his music being too loud.

Stew, We wish you smooth sailing and good ship-mates!
And we are hoping to receive news from you while you're out at sea on the Melbourne defending our planet.

The BLACK CAT versus the C.I.D..... by Ken McMurray

2007-05-19T09:26:00.000+01:00

After reading Oor Boaby's post about the Black Cat Cinema, [see Bobby Irvine's Post below] I clearly remember that great unexpected treat as well. When the teacher announced that we were to collect all our stuff as we wouldn't be coming back to school that day, it was like Christmas all over again. It was our big chance of maybe getting "on the telly" and to be seen by millions.

Later, after the old place was taken over by the BBC and changed into one of their T.V. Studios, I also clearly remember two C.I.D. men sitting in our front room keeping obs on the place from our windows.

One of their big stars at the time (think it was Andy Stewart) had been threatened because he was doing the Ne'erday show from there. Our house directly overlooked the place so we used to see all the scenery and folk going in and out those gates that oor boaby mentioned in his Post. Apparently the polis didn't fail to notice this vantage point too.

It was a really good spot for the C.I.D. Surveilance Team to run their Operations. Any suspicious activities or unknown identities entering and leaving the bulding were monitored and recorded during the time of the threat against the t.v. star. I don't remember hearing what the outcome of that situation was.

Prior to transforming itself into the BBC Studios, the old Black Cat Cinema employed my dad as a " chucker oot" or Usher. He did this part-time ushering job there after he finished his day job. This was great for us because it meant we got in to see films for free sometimes, depending who was Duty Manager on at the time.

By Ken McMurray, May 18, 2007

(Ken McMurray currently lives and works in England, around Sherwood Forrest. You can contact him to say Hello at kenifscot@yahoo.co.uk )

MORE BEES - and HEROES by Bobby Irvine

2007-05-12T03:22:00.000+01:00

Here is another slant on bee invasions that came to mind after reading Gary Nolan's vivid account of the Janefield Street Invasion.

In 1972-73 I was living in Argyllshire on the shores of Loch Eck about 10 miles from Dunoon. I was riding on the local bus going into Dunoon on a lovely sunny morning when the bus stopped to pick up a woman and her two young daughters.

After the mother and girls had settled in their seats, a large Queen Bee, which had apparently followed them on to the bus, settled (almost unseen) on the shoulder of the older of the two girls. Swiftly, and without warning, an enormous gang of bees entered the bus and headed straight for their leader, all landing on the shoulders of this poor lass. All of this took place so quickly that not more than ten or fifteen seconds could have passed.

The passengers were all stunned and there was dead silence for a few moments. Then a confident voice from the rear of the bus was heard to declare firmly, "Don't move hen!" The wee girl was so terrifed that she just froze.

The owner of the confident voice was found to be an older fella about 65 or so.
He calmly walked towards the front seats where the unfortunate wee girl was seated. Then, cool as a cucumber, he placed his hand right into the middle of the swarm, extracted the Queen, and continued smoothly towards the bus door. He quietly instructed the shaken driver to open the door. Then stepping down off the bus, he walked a few paces and placed the Queen gently on the branch of a nearby bush at the roadside.

Almost immediately the whole bee colony registered the fact that their Queen had moved from their midst and as the passengers held their breaths, the bees took flight from the girl's shoulders and headed outside. They rejoined their Queen and settled majestically around her on the bush. Almost the instant the danger was past, the wee girl crumbled and started to scream from the tension and fear she'd just come through. Her mother and nearby passengers moved quickly to soothe and reassure the lass.

The point of this account is simply this: How many people would have known exactly what to do in that situation?
Certainly not me! I could hardly believe what I had just seen first-hand. It was truly an amazing event. I don't think I have ever admired anyone as much as I did that old fella who took courage for granted and thus prevented a very nasty and serious situation from developing on that otherwise beautiful sunny morning.

I have been blessed to have witnessed many amazing things in nature during my life but the actions of that old fella who stepped up to deal with the Bee Invasion that day has to be right up there as one of the most heroic things I have ever witnessed.

By BOBBY IRVINE, May 12th 2007.
(bobbythescot@yahoo.com)

P.S. By the way - Whit's up? Is every body too busy?
This blog has been too quiet of late - get yer comments oan here and shake things up so we can all enjoy them.

Glesga Humour at it's best

2007-04-04T00:47:00.000+01:00

As if proof was ever needed that Glaswegians have a great sense of humour. This photo was taken in the Trongate area of a wee shop that sells kids (weans') clothes.

A tribute to the famous film "Wayne's World"

JANEFIELD STREET INVASION - by Gary Nolan

2007-04-03T10:20:00.000+01:00

I was enjoying the summer holidays from Newlands Primary School one warm sunny day, and was kicking around Palace Street looking for entertainment when I became aware of The Janefield Invasion.

Just around the corner down at the lower end of Palace street - where it meets Janefield Street - there used to be a sort of free-standing electrical junction box. I could hear the sound of many voices and there seemed to be a lot of people milling around there.

Heading on down there to find out what was up, I discovered that Janefield Street had been invaded by the most enormous swarm of bees I'd ever seen. These bees had settled on that electrical junction box and there were so many of them that they entirely covered almost the whole of that junction box.

As the bees moved around, squirming, squiggling and crowding each other for landing space, sometimes flying around a bit before re-settling with the swarm, the whole crowd was fairly thrumming with tension.

I remember that along with the hordes of kids all fascinated by this strange sight, there were many adults too, with worried mothers trying to persuade their offspring to get inside to safety. Nobody there seemed to have the least idea of what this enormous swarm was going to do next, so it was a toss up between feeling excited or feeling fear of being stung to death. This invasion of the giant swarm was almost certainly a new experience for most of the spectators.

Hours and hours went by, with adults coming and going, watching the behaviour of the swarm and warning us to keep back a safe distance and so forth. During all this time, these bees continued to rest or squiggle about on the electrical box surface, with the odd few taking off for sudden short patrol flights - to keep off intruders no doubt.

Eventually "the men" arrived from who knows where. This was another treat. It was quite a spectacle to watch them work by using honeycombs to re-capture the whole swarm and transport them - presumably to a more bee-friendly location.

Does anyone else recall seeing this invasion on Janefield Street that summer day? I can't recall after all this time who else was there, only that there were a lot of people, adults as well as children.

GLAMIS ROAD CHRISTMAS

2007-04-02T01:09:00.000+01:00

Looking at the photo of Calton Church brought back this early Christmas memory.

Christmas eve, aboot wan in the mornin, saw me looking oot ma bedroom windae. I wis at that age when I never knew if Santa wis real or not - so it's Christmas and I canny sleep..... and forbye that.....IT'S SNOWING.....a rerr thing indeed!

It was so very quiet......and showing in the snow were two horizontal lines with what appeared to be scuff marks. Like something had been walking right down the middle of the road. Or could it have been something pulling something? A sleigh perhaps?
I was beside myself wi excitement.
There it was at last - the PROOF I needed.
My brother Stewart had been saying that Santa was only our Dad..... but I was a determined believer and having none of it. And now here was the proof!

I stood there and stared out at the softy falling snow and then I suddenly heard voices.

As I stared hard at the street with ma heart thumpin, the source of the voices came into view. It was two big Glesga Polis walking doon the middle of Glamis Road pushing their bicycles alang through the snow. One bike on either side and the two polis in the middle. I was gutted.

That was probably the worst Christmas I ever had. But I still believe in the festival of Christmas. And in my heart - who knows - maybe, like a lot of us, the child inside still believes just a wee bit..... don't you think?

(original Comment from Calton Church post: Editor)

Newlands Primary Class 1957-58 (Teacher: Miss Mgt Critchley)

2007-03-21T18:03:00.001Z

NEWLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASS OF 1957-58

Does anybody out there know the the missing weans
on this list ? If so please let us know.

PARKHEAD LIBRARY & BATHS - by "Boaby" Irvine

2007-02-23T08:31:00.000Z

That good picture of the Parkhead Baths takes me back.
I remember well the baths and the steamie.

Monday morning would see all the wives and Mothers in the area with prams loaded up with the biggest bundles of washing you ever saw.

And of course there were the other bundles, smaller in size usually, with a suit or a coat.

These were destined for one of the two pawn shops up the street at Parkhead Cross where they would remain until the following Friday - in time for the man of the house's Friday or Saturday night oot at the pub.

I don't know if my Mam ever pawned any thing - but I am open to the concept that she may have had to.
My Dad was a coal miner and over the years he was on strike more times than I care to remember.

Good old Parkhead steamie!
.
(Posted by Robert (Boaby) Irvine)
.
aka Bobbythescot@yahoo.com
.
*Editor's Note:
Our Wee Bobby Irvine from Glamis Road, Parkhead, and former inmate of Newlands School, nowadays lives in eastern Canada, in the city of Oshawa, Ontario. He also maintains a summer residence in the beautiful Lake Country of Ontario, where he can spend time engaging in one of his favourite pastimes - fishing - and at the same time escape from the worst of the sweltering summer heat of the big city - not unlike the sweltering heat of the old Steamie!

The Black Cat Cinema, by Boaby Irvine

2007-02-23T07:55:00.000Z

I remember the Black Cat well!

Ma aunty Ina took us tae see Calamity Jane in there. Ina was a rather young aunt, not much more than a teenager - aboot 18 or so.

.
We settled into watch the picture and then along comes this big fat wummin who sat right doon in front of my aunty Ina, blocking oot the whole screen. And to make matters worse she was wearing a hat with big feathers in it.

.
Ina was beside herself as the big wummin settled doon tae watch the glamorous Doris Day.

Ina fidgited about and then finally seemed to settle doon. At the end of the picture we all trooped oot in a single file, when Ina, calm as a mill pond, tapped the big wummin oan the shooder and haunded her the feathers or what ever the decoration wis oan her hat.

The big wummin's face turned awe shades of red and we took aff running like the boaggy man wis efter us.

.
It seems what Ina was looking for in her Bag was her nail scissors, and unseen by us and all around, she cropped the big wummins hat as if she were cuttin floowers fur the hoose.
Ma wee aunty Ina was, and still is to this day, a riot - and a force to be reckoned with.
Awe ra best,
Boaby (Robert) Irvine
a.k.a. Bobbythescot@yahoo.com

Free Glasgow East End Photo's

2007-02-21T14:44:00.000Z

I am going to try a wee experiment here... I am offering to try and take pictures of specific buildings or places in and around Parkhead and the East End of Glasgow.

All you have to do is e-mail me the specific location of the photograph that you would like me to take, and say a wee bit about why you would like that photo. I will then do my best to take the requested photo as soon as I can. I will then e-mail the photo directly to you, and if I think it will be of general interest, I will also post it on this Blog page. I am thinking that it will be appreciated by ex pats and former citizens of the East End of Glasgow who want to know what a specific place looks like now ! You can link to my e-mail via my profile on the right hand side (Brian Charlton) Admin Team.

Newlands Wall Plaque

2007-02-21T14:08:00.002Z

We have been asked to display this picture in the hope that someone out there may recognise some of the names on it. It was mounted in the hall in Newlands School and the dates run from 1942 to 1954. Does anybody know anything about it ? What are the "James & Flora Powell Medalists" ?

(I have lost the original e-mail about this, if you sent this to me, let me know your name and I will add it to the posting. Brian Charlton)

(Photo by kind permission of Charlie McDonald

at the "Glesca Keelies" Website.)

Calton Church Parkhead

2007-02-19T17:23:00.000Z

Just for you Boaby (and anybody else who is interested) since you have mentioned it a few times. Here are a couple of photos of Calton Church in Helenvale St Parkhead as it is today. My brother Eddie and me both went to the Life Boys then the B.B. in this church when we were young.

The Black Cat Cinema

2007-02-15T20:06:00.000Z

The Black Cat Cinema was at the corner of Springfield road and Dechmont street. Some time in the 1950s it was bought over by the BBC and made into a recording studio. There was an outdoor kids show that the BBC had touring around Scotland, I think it was called "Caravan" and it was a bit like the later "Crackerjack". Anyway I remember one time they were supposed to be puting on a show in Tollcross Park but it poured from the heavens all day, so they abondoned the park and decided to have it in the Black Cat Studios. But of course they did not have a live audience to hand, so they came over to Newlands school to see if they could borrow all of the children to make up an audience. We were all trooped over to the studio to see the live show which was great. Imagine my mothers surprise when she came home from work that afternoon and sat down for a cuppa in front of the telly only to see me and my brother jumping up and down live on T.V. in the front row.

Parkhead Library & Baths 1963 -1966

2007-02-15T17:42:00.000Z

Thanks to Brian Charlton

for making special trips into Glasgow
to capture for us these photos of the places we spent our childhood years in and around.

It's terrific to see the colours these buildings were originally - and not the shade of Dark Black (!) they appeared to be made of back in the 1950's and 1960's.

I was a member of this Library my whole school life and went once a week for new adventure stories to read in bed at night. Later on, in my early teens, my pals and I would use the Baths.

We would typically go up to the Baths on Saturday morning and, while soaking in the hot tubs, would sing our hearts out, rendering our best efforts with the latest releases: "She Loves Me," the Beatles, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction," Rolling Stones, and most of the songs in the Top Twenty that week. Some of the younger married women, unseen in their own private bath cubicles around us, would join in singing the chorus with us, as almost everyone knew the Lyrics, or at least the chorus, from listening to the pirate radio stations - Radio Luxembourg & Radio Caroline, and television's best show, Top of the Pops, on each Saturday evening at 6:00pm.

That program on Saturday night gave us the lyrics, and we had all week then to practice them by heart, in time for our next Expedition & Concert at the Parkhead Baths. We had to put up with the occasional shout from some crabbit auld wummin who'd snarl loudly, "Here youse! Ahm tellin youse tae KEEP IT DOON HEN!"

Undaunted, we would call back, "Sorry missus, we'll try tae sing quieter." Then after a wee interval, we'd go back to expressing ourselves lustily. Those ancient Romans in their famous Baths had nothing on us up at Parkheid!

See the Newlands team rehearse for Saturdays at the steamie......

Beach Ponies at Prestwick 1953

2007-02-14T06:50:00.000Z

Mr. McFarlane, Stew Merrilees, Grace McFarlane and my Mum, Sadie Merrilees. The families had met outside the City Bakeries and obviously got on well with each other.
Imagine riding the ponies along the beach (sheer terror) although they were probably hand led.
Years later I remember leaving the 3Ps after watching The Lone Ranger and all I wanted to be was a cowboy with a white horse, I think I gallopped all the way home to Malcolm Street.

What a great photo and memory Stew.....you seem to have been consistently photographed with young ladies from your earliest years on earth........and I do believe this trend continues to this day. ~ (Scotbandit)

Telling The Time

2007-01-29T12:05:00.000Z

One thing that sticks in my memory at newlands school, was that my teacher (Miss Foley) never had a watch and every now and then she would pick somebody in the class to go and find out the time on the school clock. Well I was just getting to grips with telling the time when she picked me, so off I went to the main hall where the clock was and to my absolute horror I discovered that the clock was in Roman numerals and there was no way I could figure out what the time was on that (slow learner). So I had to hang about the corridors until an adult passed and asked them the time. I got into a right row when I got back and told her that I had to go to the toilet while I was out but she was not amused at all.

(why the old bugger never had a watch, I don't know)

Newlands Janitors House 2007

2007-01-27T18:57:00.000Z

Here is the schools Jannie's Hoose (January 2007)

God knows what they have done to the door !

Newlands School 2007

2007-01-27T18:52:00.000Z

This is the school as it looks now (January 2007) Still a braw looking building. The girls gate is on the left and the boys gate is on the right next to the Jannie's house so that he could keep an eye out for the bad boys.

Janefield Street

2007-01-13T16:07:00.000Z

Here is a wee photy of me "Brian Charlton" (the chubby wee guy in the waistcoat), with my big brother "Eddie" (right front) and my 2 big cousins "John and Mae McEwan". It was taken in my granny's back court in Janefield street (Circa 1955). I can't remember my granny's close number but it was about the 3rd close on the left coming in to Janefield street from Springfield road. The houses in the background behind us are in Dalriada street with Janefield on the right.

One memory I have of Janefield street is that a man (we usually called him the gypsy) used to come to the street with a wee pony and trap and all the kids would line up for a ride in the wee cart for thrupence a time. He would get about 6 or 8 kids in at a time and the ride would be right up the back of Celtic park, past the prefabs and under the railway bridge at Stamford street and back again. It felt as if it was going at about 50 miles an hour with the wind blowing in our hair and the kids all letting out whoops of joy. It was a rare terr, so it wis. But the poor wee pony must have been knackered by the time all the kids in the area had a wee run (some rich yins mer than wan).

Brian Charlton at Newlands Primary

2007-01-02T17:20:00.000Z

Hello all, my name is Brian Charlton I was born in 1950 and I went to Newlands primary from 1955 to 1962. I have searched high and low but can't find any of my group photos at Newlands. This single photo was taken (I think) round about 1961 at Newlands. If I look as if I am peering a bit, it is because I have been short sighted since birth and have worn specs almost all my life, but my mother always made me take them off for photo's. I think she was embarassed that she could not afford decent ones so I had the standard National Health (Harry Potter) type. Either that or she thought they made me look a bit glaikit !
My earliest memory is that I went to nursery school in a little wooden building in a lane behind Newlands school. It was called Elba Lane.
I was in Parkhead the other day and took a wee walk along to where I thought the lane used to be, and believe it or not - It is still there, and even more amazingly, so is the nursery. I will try to get some photos of it some time.

Eddie Charlton my brother.

2007-01-02T17:02:00.000Z

My older brother, Eddie also went to Newlands primary. He was born in 1947 so would have started in Newlands in about 1952. I have found some of his group photos from Newlands :- The photo below was taken in Newlands Primary around 1958 and Eddie Charlton is the 2nd from the right in the back row. If you recognise yourself or others, please let me know ! (Brian Charlton).

This photo was taken a bit earlier, probably about 1955 ? and Eddie is the 2nd from the left on the back row.

City Bakeries

2006-11-02T07:14:00.001Z

( Original photo from the "Mitchell Collection.)

Is this the place Liz? Loved your story. I seem to remember taking my young sister in the pram up to Quarrybrae Street to my Aunt and Uncle's. Our parents must have trusted us back then.
Told Mum and Dad about your story and the City Bakeries.

Apparently that was were we met Grace's parents. I was in my pram and smiled and laughed at them, must have been wind, and they stopped to chat. Keep the old stories coming please.

Parkhead Cross - The City Bakeries

2006-10-21T20:52:00.000+01:00

Thanks Stew for putting up the photo of Parkhead Cross.
Although this photo shown here was taken in Rothesay, it shows my little sister Shirley with me and our parents, Margaret & John MacWilliam. (Rothesay,circa 1960)

Who remembers The City Bakeries at Parkhead Cross? The fabulous confections made there were the stuff of dreams. My mum used to send me up there with a shopping list, and sometimes I was told to take my infant sister in her pram with me. This was supposed to give me some kind of domestic training or something. It was annoying since none of my friends were burdened with infant siblings in prams.

It was always boring to stand in the long queues in The City Bakeries. I remember one such day with great clarity. I was in a rush to get home and re-join a great game of "Rounders" that was being played in Edmiston Street - so I forgot all about the pram. I had rushed home, handed in the packages from The City Bakeries to my mum and was on my way back out the door when she called after me, asking if the baby was still asleep in her pram. What? The pram?

I had completely forgotten that I had even taken it with me in the first place.

This is my earliest memory of feeling pure terror.
I stammered out a vague reply - and I RACED back up Springfield Road to Parkhead Cross until I arrived at the City Bakery again and found my infant sister still sleeping peacefully among half a dozen other babies, all of whom were parked outside the Bakery in assorted prams. I soon returned baby and pram to the foot of our close, contrived to look and act innocent, and ran off to re-join the games.....

Now I had only to get through a couple of days of worry that some neighbour woman might have seen what happened and decide to tell my mum.

I kept this scary secret for more than two decades and my mum never knew about it until I was in my mid-thirties. It was about then she told me she had once done the same thing, leaving the pram outside Curley's on Springfield Road!

Looking back, it is amazing that our mothers regularly left infants in prams parked outside the shops, or at the close. Of course, one great thing about Glasgow was that there were plenty of fierce old battleaxes around who minded the general business of their neighbours and weren't afraid to challenge anybody who seemed out of place. (God Bless Them All.)

Did anybody from Newlands ever meet their first date at Parkhead Cross? I've heard it was a popular meeting place.
Liz.

1961 School Monitors

2006-08-03T08:16:00.001+01:00

Top Row: Margaret Shepherd, Margaret Dearie, Ernest Lauchlan, Gary Nolan,
Margaret Law, Anne McKenzie.
Middle Row: Marjorie Meiklejohn, Mr D. Carmichael (Headmaster),
Joan Palgrave, James Dick, Mr James D. Mutch (Deputy Headmaster),
Pamela McCarron.
Bottom Row: Kenneth McMurray, June-Elizabeth MacWilliam, Robert Porteous.

A Class circa 1955(?)

2006-08-03T08:10:00.000+01:00

Teacher at Left is Presently Unknown:
Top Row of Boys (starting at Left beside Teacher - number 5 looks like Alan Perrins who eventually was moved with many other pupils to a new school in Easterhouse.

Class of 1957/58 Miss Critchley

2006-08-03T08:06:00.000+01:00

This Newlands class photo shows my class with our teacher, Miss Margaret Critchley, before she left to get married and, with her bridegroom, go all the way to Australia where they would work as missionaries. Missionaries being sent to Australia in 1959? I wonder why Ozzies in Sydney, Australia needed missionaries by the nineteen-sixties.

Do you remember that Miss Critchley used to hold Scipture Union classes after school on Fridays? Do you remember if you ever attended any of the Scripture Union mtgs?

The S.U. meetings were held on the upper level end classrom on the boys wing - the Music Room - and they were FUN. We would sing well-known children's choruses, memorize scripture verses for prizes (special fancy pencils etc.) and compete in guessing games for other wee treats.

Miss Critchley always tried to include every child who was willing, and gently coached those who were a bit quiet or shy.

Infant Class of August 1955

2006-08-03T07:59:00.000+01:00

This class photo was sent in by KATHIE McGHEE, formerly of Palace Street. Kathie is in the Second row from the front, which is seated, and is fourth in from the Right (the teacher is on the far Left).

Very Young Stewart Merrilees

2006-08-03T07:57:00.000+01:00

Came across this one. Thats me bottom right. Taken out the back of 24 Malcolm Street.
Afraid I don't know or remember any of the girls.

Parkhead Cross

2006-08-01T06:22:00.000+01:00

Do we all remember this place? I scanned it off an old calender 1960 I think.

Ernie Lauchlan

2006-07-22T02:26:00.000+01:00

Ernie is has toured the world with many famous acts. With Black Tie Boogie, he gives the horn section a kick that will leave you jumpin' and jivin' all over the dance floor!
Ernie has been performing with Black Tie Boogie for nearly 3 years!

Is this the start of the Newlands Swing Band, do we have any others out there. I play the clarinet (badly).

Stewart Merrilees Progress Report Card

2006-07-22T01:10:00.000+01:00

It appears that we started school on 25 August 1954. I don't think I was ever destined for University.

Hey Stew: It might be said that the most Remarkable thing about this REPORT CARD is how long your parents kept it after it's date of issue! 52 years is amazing, especially since this wee Newlands Report Card travelled all the way around the world to Australia in your family's luggage, and survived very nicely for another half a century in the Land Down Under.

Your parents deserve a prize for this report card - and you can tell them we said so!

Jose Fleming with husband Brenton

2006-07-21T11:13:00.000+01:00

Jose with husband Brenton Pettigrove in Perth,WA

What a lovely couple.

Jose (Fleming) Pettigrove - Perth, Western Australia

2006-07-21T07:52:00.000+01:00

Here's the lovely Jose (Josie) Fleming, formerly of Palace Street, shown in this photo with her mum.

The Fleming Family decided to leave Palace Street in 1965 and so at age 15, Jose emigrated to Australia and a new life.

Jose and her husband Brenton currently live in PERTH, Western Australia.

Contact Jose via scotbandit@uniserve.com

Margaret (Shepherd) Berry

2006-07-20T18:29:00.000+01:00

DID YOU KNOW?

The lovely Margaret Shepherd was escorted to our Eleven Plus Dance by James Dick, the 1960/61 Dux Medalist at Newlands. They were the Celebrity Couple that evening.

Margaret eventually met and married a handsome Geordie, John Berry, and they were blessed with a daughter, Annette, and a son, Gavin.

The Soccer Fans among us may have seen Gavin Berry's name in the Sunday Mail - he's a Reporter for Rangers.

June-Elizabeth MacWilliam - Newlands 1954 Infants Class

2006-07-19T00:33:00.001+01:00

This Grannie was known in her schooldays as "June MacWilliam," to anyone who can remember me.

A switch to my middle name of Elizabeth (Liz) plus the acquisition of a married name along the way, have resulted in a totally different name than I used back in August 1954 when I marched into the Girl's Entrance at Newlands for the first time with my classmates.

I can remember as a child of 3 or 4, sometimes walking past Newlands at Playtime with my mother. She would stop for a minute or two and say Hello to one or two older girls from our close at 18 Edmiston Street.

I stared through those railings at Playtime where a really big party appeared to be going on. As the only child of my parents for their first ten years, I had no siblings to share games with at home, so I longed to start school - simply for the social aspects of course!

Another treat for me was having my wee leather satchel strapped to my back like the bigger kids. At age five, I had finally arrived.

I soon was glad to discover that I had a willing accomplice in my milk scam. Miss Bone insisted on every child collecting and consuming his or her own milk, but I couldn't drink warm milk, so the noble young GARY NOLAN came to my rescue by gurgling down his own bottle, then quietly & calmly disposing of mine, using a fair degree of skill in deception for a five year-old, for he had to avoid detection by the sharp-eyed old witch, our Headmistress. I loathed that warm white sickening stuff that everyone else was drinking like nectar.

When shortly after lunchtime, the ferocious Miss Bone dismissed our class, I felt very let down. I longed to stay the whole day in this new and exciting world of Newlands School and attend the big parties in the Playground.

A few months later I got my wish as the Infants Class day was extended to 3:00pm, an hour before the regular dismissal. This simple strategy avoided bullying by smart-alec older kids during our journey home. I think we may have been dismissed an hour earlier for the whole of our first Term, but I'm not really sure.

How about you? Can you remember anything else from our beginnings at Newlands?

...........Thanx to Stew for his magic with all of the photos in this blogsite......

RICHARD KELSO - circa 1956/57

2006-07-18T10:10:00.000+01:00

This fine looking lad, one our Lost Bairns, has been identified as Richard Kelso and hopefully he will discover he is in this gallery and respond by telling us where he has been this past 40 years.

Class Photo 1956-57 Top Row 4

2006-07-18T10:08:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

Class Photo 1956-57 Top Row Number 3

2006-07-18T10:07:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

GORDON LENNOX - circa 1956/57

2006-07-18T10:05:00.000+01:00

This turn out to be Gordon Lennox and we look forward to hearing your story Gordon...
Gordie....if you don't give us some news, we might have to invent a story for you. (Just Kidding.) It will likely turn out that you live down the road from Stew Merrilees in NANANGO........one thing about the internet:

We can Run, but we can't Hide !

Class Photo 1956-57 3rd Row number 8

2006-07-18T10:03:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

DONALD SHARP c. 1956-57

2006-07-18T10:02:00.000+01:00

Thanks to his pal BOBBY IRVINE, Donald Sharp has been identified as the wee boy in our class photo. Donald if you see this why don't you send us a wee email and let us know whereabouts in the world you are now. Your old pal Bobby Irvine is living in Ontario Canada, only an hour away from George Higgins who also lives in Ontario. I wonder how many other Newlands survivors have settled down in Ontario. There seem to be a large population of Scots there.

Class Photo 1956-57 3rd Row number 4

2006-07-18T10:00:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

Class Photo 1956-57 3rd Row number 3

2006-07-18T09:31:00.000+01:00

This may be JOHN WALKER - Can anyone Confirm please?

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

Class Photo 1956-57 2nd Row number 4

2006-07-18T09:26:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

HELEN DUFFY - from Newlands Class Photo 1956-1957 Row 2, number 2

2006-07-18T09:19:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn No Longer!

Helen's son Alan contacted us to confirm this is indeed his mum, Helen Duffy. A friend had seen this entry and contacted Alan about it. We don't have contact info for Helen yet, but her son Alan has kindly offered to Forward a message to her from us.

A Big Thanks to Alan and to the Thoughtful Friend who first saw Helen's photo here and got the ball rolling to solve this wee mystery once and for all!

scotbandit@uniserve.com Stewmeggs@gmail.com.au Brian.Charlton@talktalk,net

Class Photo 1956-57 2nd Row number 1

2006-07-18T09:16:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

Class Photo 1956-57 - Front Row number 8

2006-07-18T08:49:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

JANE WHITE c.1956-57

2006-07-18T08:46:00.000+01:00

This wee lassie has been identified as JANE WHITE. Jane, if you run across this, please leave a Comment and tell us whereabouts you are now since this class photo was taken almost 50 years ago! That's bloomin hard to believe we could all be that old already.

Class Photo 1956-57 - Front Row number 2

2006-07-18T08:40:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

Class Photo 1956-57 - Front Row number 1

2006-07-18T08:37:00.000+01:00

Lost bairn. Does anybody recognise. Please post details.

David Parkinson

2006-07-18T08:33:00.000+01:00

David if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Spelling

2006-07-18T08:30:00.000+01:00

Apologies to anyone whose name may have been mis-spelled. Do please leave your message with YOUR NAME spelled correctly and it will be corrected by our team of tiny mice who work all night to get your details right. These mice, for many years, made their HQs underneath NEWLANDS PRIMARY, but now they have hopped over to the Newlands Blog and will keep things running, even while we are spending time in the land of nod. We may be from all different time zones, but we all need to get some beauty sleep sometime, eh?

STEWART MERRILEES (stewmeggs) NEWLANDS 1956/57

2006-07-18T08:24:00.000+01:00

Did you ever think we'd find out what happened to this wee boy 48 years ago? Even from this early photo, you can see Stewart has a look of Command about him. Perfectly suited to serving forty years with the Australian Navy?

Prior to the family move to distant Australia, Stew joined the CUBS with Gary Nolan from Palace Street. He lived in the same close as Grace McFarlane and if anyone knows Grace, please tell her we'd love to hear from her.

Contact Stewart at stew.meggs@gmail.com

Brian Barbour

2006-07-18T08:21:00.000+01:00

Brian if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com
I am on your immediate left.

Georgina Docherty

2006-07-18T08:20:00.000+01:00

Georgina if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Linda White

2006-07-18T08:14:00.000+01:00

Linda if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

MARGARET BAIN - Newlands 1956/57

2006-07-18T08:07:00.000+01:00

Margaret Bain at Newlands School, 1956/57 Margaret if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Edwina Struthers

2006-07-18T08:02:00.000+01:00

Edwina if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Suzanne Moffat

2006-07-18T07:53:00.000+01:00

Suzanne if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Linda Hamilton

2006-07-18T07:49:00.000+01:00

Linda if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

George Higgins

2006-07-18T07:46:00.000+01:00

This cutey has been happily hiding out with his wife Pat in London, Ontario. If you were a buddy of George at Newlands and want to contact him, you can send email to him via Stew or Liz and we'll forward it.

George if you are around and see this please jump in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Helen McIntyre

2006-07-18T07:43:00.000+01:00

Helen if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Margaret Trainer

2006-07-18T07:38:00.001+01:00

Lost child, does anyone recognise her.

stew.meggs@gmail.com

Joseph Hewittson

2006-07-18T07:35:00.000+01:00

Joseph if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

James Dick - Infants Class 1954/55

2006-07-18T07:32:00.000+01:00

JAMES DICK grew up and became a school teacher. He married a teacher, and they had three children.

James if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

Ian Whitters

2006-07-18T07:23:00.000+01:00

Ian if you are around and see this please feel free to join in and supply a recent photo. If you have any problems drop me an email at
stew.meggs@gmail.com

GOLFER GARY GAINS GROUND

2006-07-17T06:38:00.000+01:00

For those who have been waiting to hear about Gary Nolan, I'm happy to report that he has gained ground in his lifetime devotion to Golf.

He can be seen regularly on the LENZIE GOLF COURSE, bashing (or gently teasing) those wee white balls into small holes in the grass. I'm told this golfing lark requires a high level of skill - which Mr. Nolan has demonstrated by Winning the Lenzie Golf Tournament at least three years running. (The man's a machine).

At this time Mr. Nolan is keeping things moving for a famous purveyor of The Water of Life. He is the Head Project/King Engineer for the whiskey bond and keeps a staff of many sub-engineers working diligently to ensure his company's product keeps its enriching reputation.

But that's just to fill in the time between Golf tee-off schedules.....
Brian Charlton would like to challenge you on Lenzie greens and again at the 19th hole whenever you feel ready to take on a much younger man at this golf racket.

Stewart Merrilees

2006-07-16T06:14:00.000+01:00

16 July 2006, 57th birthday. Just about to crack a bottle of sparkly to celebrate lasting this long. Cheers to all my old school pals.

Liz (nee) June-Elizabeth MacWilliam

2006-07-16T05:08:00.000+01:00

Since Bob Porteous had the mad idea to collect our Newlands memories here in one spot, he has gone off to drink beer at the top of some mountain.

I haven't been a blogger up til now, but I guess I can give it a try and find out how it all works.....

I hope this blog will help us find more Newlands pupils.....it's great to hear from people from 40 years ago.

Class Photo 1956-67

2006-07-12T03:37:00.000+01:00

Class Photo 1954/1955 5yr olds+

2006-07-12T03:32:00.000+01:00

First Post

2006-07-09T16:44:00.000+01:00

This is the first post, hopefully of many, to the Newlands Primary Blog.

This is a photo of me taken on Thursday in Glencoe (I'm halfway up the Devil's Staircase with Buchaille Etive Mor in the background - if I'm not mistaken that we white building in the distance over my right shoulder is Jimmy Savile's hoose). I've superimposed a picture of me at Allan Glen's in 1963 and, as you can see, I haven't really changed much - still at my happiest when I'm in in short troosers (mind you, if you double-click on the picture, the sticky-oot ears look vaguely familiar, hairstyle hasn't improved much either).

I've recently taken early retirement after 15 years at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies where I was a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Software Development.

Actually it's semi-retirement, I intend to work part-time at some other colleges but something a bit more civilised like 2 to 3 days per week. This will hopefully give me time to pursue some of my other interest such as the one shown in the photo above. This was me on my way to Kinlochleven on the final 20 miles of the West Highland Way. On checking into the bunkhouse at Kinlochleven the caretaker enquired if this was my first visit to the village. I explained that I had been there many times. I further explained that in my youth I often visited to run the Mamore Hill race as part of the Highland Games (one of the toughest races on the hill running calendar) and once finished in fifth place (not bad for an East End kid since the biggest hill I'd ran up until that point had been Carntynehall road). Then it hit me, I was 17 and it was 40 years ago.

Definitely time to (semi) retire. I will also be working with the Scottish Qualifications Authority for the next couple of years as can be seen by this link to the SQA Computing Blog. If you scroll down to the first picture you will just about see me. I'm on the extreme left in the blue shirt - well at least you can see my arm nose and moustache. If you click on the June 2006 link and scroll down to almost the bottom of the page you'll see what I'm up to with them.

Anyway, that's enough about me. Let's here from the rest of the gang.