Memories of times long gone

As the title of this blog indicates I originated from Scotland, but effectively left when I was the tender age of 15+ to join the Air Force - In those days they could they (RAF) could sign you up for 12 years, but omitted to tell you that the "clock" did not start until your 18th birthday - Nice one Queenie !

Well I came across these pictures recently, and so I thought I would take the opportunity to publish them and thereby answer to all of those who occasionally ask "where are your from ?"

So I was born in Stewarton, which was ( sadly no longer) a small town in Ayrshire ( Land of Rabbie Burns). It major claim to fame was the manufacture of woolen goods, the balaclava worn my whats his name who first climbed Everest was made in Stewarton) and the fact that until the early sixties, had five churches and no pubs ! - now it has 2 churches and god only how many pubs - Ahhhhhhhh........... progress.

The first picture is of Main Street Stewarton, probably taken about the mid fifties, and the building with the yawning was my Fathers & Mother Bakery Shop Had I taken up this profession I would have been the third generation Master Baker ( and no puns re Captain Pugwash please !!).

This was where I spent my childhood, and in those days you walked or cycled everywhere, to School - where ever.

One of the joys at the weekends and during the summer holidays was to go up the "Corsehill", which in those days was a huge expanse of open countryside, where we all lived out our childhood dreams, cowboys, soldiers etc.

One great memory was when the leader of our "gang" Ernie Hearn, discovered a fallen tree, and decided that we would make a dugout canoe from it.

I don't remember how long it took us, but I do remember the day we launched it under the very same bridge that you can see in the picture - It sank without trace.

Regretfully much of the Corsehill has now been developed, so the children of today can no longer enjoy these simple pleasures. - Sad........

If anybody is interested in learning more about Stewarton and why it is called the Bonnet Toun go check this out :


http://www.stewarton.org/

I have not been back for many a year, and when I did go back many years ago to show my daughters where Dad grew up, I think we stayed about an hour - Like most things in life better to keep the memories alive in your head, than to revisit in the flesh.