Extracts from a letter written by Nan and Betty Campbell, October 2000 containing delightfully detailed memories of their family in Auchterhouse 1920s onwards and their own childhood visits to the village. Accompanying photographs were sent with the letter.
Time slips by - days and months slip away, so we wonder if this is of any interest about our grandfather and relatives.(Nan and Betty Campbell, Port Glasgow)
Grandfather with his dog, at Parkside Cottage
William
Robertson, employed as a gamekeeper,
lived at Parkside. His wife was Annie Lourie. Family - Barbara,
Annie, Betsy, Charles - Barbara was our mother. William Robertson
was well liked and popular, well known in district for catching
poachers. He gave them a dram - sent them away - promising
next time gaol!
School children
Our family went to the village school. Teacher
was an elderly man known as the "Dominie" and he could teach from
very youngest - but no strap - he used cane on table. Most of children
came from nearby farms.
On a Monday they were given one penny each for lunch - only a farthing to be used at village shop/Post Office, where they got a big pancake spread with syrup - a scone another day, and a buttery. Some days a cup of milk, should a kind farmer leave it for their lunch. Sometimes we would go down to the village wishing well, which we enjoyed when there, and wished a wish.
School Prize
A Countess of Airlie's Prize was presented
to the best top girl. Barbara Robertson won one year. It was a polished wood work box - with her name on
lid - lined with red silk. There was an inset tray with little boxes
which had buttons, pirns, fasteners, pins, needles and, underneath,
reels of thread, ribbons, elastic, scissors and a button hook for
their boots. She proudly took it home. She was 14 (died aged 89
in 1972). We still have this box iin our family, in good condition.
Work
Barbara got a job as a maid at the Mansion
House. She did all the work for 2/6d wages. She gave her mother
1/6d, the shilling she kept. Later she moved to Blairgowrie and
got 4/6d from a lady who had three maids. She saved her pennies
and bought a bike to get home on odd days.
Charles Robertson got work on farms to get money
to go to Dundee. Then he got a job in Glamis fabric jute mills where
he studied and learned how jute could be used. The owner trained
him in office work, too, where until his death he was Managing Director
and part-owner. He met various Royals - including the Queen Mother.
Love and Marriage
Dundee families sought lodgings at Auchterhouse
for Fair Week. William Campbell came with some of his family and there he met Barbara - fell in
love and married - that's how our mother met my Dad. They were married
in 1911 in the village hall. All the villagers in the district came
to Barbara's wedding.
Aunt Annie married
later in life to Arthur Anderson who was signalman at Station. Lived
in cottage leading down to Downfield. They were very happy. Arthur
had a grown-up family. She was well loved by them all.
Next to her house was a May Stewart who lived in Cortachy Cottage - she married one of Arthur's sons, John. She was 23 years older than John - and very happy. They loved coming to Port Glasgow. We enjoyed their visits.
Holidays
My Dad bought a motorbike and sidecar so visited
Auchterhouse lots of times.
Mum loved coming home. My sister and myself loved going up the lane
and with friends from Port Glasgow going to White Top (Betty as
baby was carried up - she is now 75). We liked going up by Sani
(Auchterhouse Sanatorium) - sitting on rock seat seeing all names
scratched on it.
Friends and neighbours
The only one living is a Mr Grahame
Anderson who
lives at Tealing and has business in Dundee - his father married
a Liz Morrison who lived on a farm there.
Your new Minister came from a wee church just 15 minutes away from here. Our neighbour and friend went to it as a girl and still does. Her name is Mrs Helen Miller. Another lady friend is Mrs Ena King. They with others went to induction and would like to go again. The Minister was thrilled with the church and so was Helen and friends.
Hogmanay
As years passed, on Hogmanay Mum all excited
to see our Annie. What a welcome we got. Come 12 am Dad would go
out bring in a piece of coal placed on fire, then we would stand
at door as guns went off all round the County.
On New Year's Day Charles and his wife arrived. Dinner was a very tasty steak pie that she got from Newtons of Newtyle.
Food
He brought van round district Tues and Thurs
with everything in food line. Annie was a lovely baker. She cooked
on a paraffin cooker - no burnt food. The boys made use of press
in kitchen which had window shelves for dishes and pans.
The special was a sultana cake made with Pitpointie butter (Grandfather later worked there). Mum always brought this home, and fresh eggs from hen farm and sometimes honey.
We looked forward to going to church if Communion Day. John was an Elder. Arthur took on janitor of school. He and Aunt Annie scrubbed the floors with Lifebuoy soap - kept school so clean got only 50 pence each from Education Authority - a difference from today.
The sisters
Well my sister and self . I am 87 - are visitors
to Auchterhouse since I was six. There must be lots of changes in
village.
How we looked back at the happy times there.
I guess our thoughts will always be in Auchterhouse.
Letters received requesting copies of our Auchterhouse 2000 calendar included many interesting comments about the village.
Jim Todd
My father was born in 1912 in a farm cottage
just outside Auchterhouse. The cottage is still standing. He attended
the village school, and on leaving around 1925/6 worked on several
farms in the district. His recollections of life in and around the
village in the 1920s are still very clear and include delivering
milk to the Sidlaw Sanatorium during the period.
Jean Grant nee Walker
My grandparents, father, 2 uncles and 1 aunt
were born in Auchterhouse. My grandfather and great-uncle built
Avenue Cottage and Rock Cottage. We were also evacuated to Auchterhouse
at the beginning of the second world war.
E. Cooke
I was on the train stuck in the snow in 1947
then aged 5 and remember it clearly.
Angus Reid
I came to the village twice a week with the
butcher's van from Newtyle "Dave Reid" but sadly he died very suddenly
in 1950, but I carried on until 1958 then moved to Blairgowrie so
knew the village and lots of the folk in those days. I also played
for the local football team. I also remember 1947 when all the roads
were blocked with deep snow.
Margaret Reid
I went to school in Auchterhouse from 1942-49,
I grew up at Pitpointie farm.
Jean Grant
We were brought up at Dronley and Auchterhouse
in the 1930s and 40s. We were taught dancing by "Dancie Reid" in
the school.
Emily Kinloch
I was a patient at Sidlaw Sanatorium in 1941/42
and well remember the area.
Mrs M Henderson
As a child I spent many happy visits to Arran
Cottage which was opposite the Bonnyton Road This cottage was owned
by relatives Mr and Mrs George Wighton and later their daughter
Alice. I also knew the family who had the cottage between Arran
Cottage and the Post Office, their name was Glen and the lady in
the Post Office at the beginning of the war was Jessie Bryson and
her niece Jean Bryson took it over. I spent my first holiday at
Arran Cottage in 1938 as an infant. My own son spent his first holiday
there as well.
Do you have memories of Auchterhouse or the people who lived there in the past, or photos of the village? If so, do get in touch and we would be happy to add the information to this section of the website. Contact us by email or write to Bob Bruce
We look forward to hearing from you.