Does anyone know what year the Arnotts fire actually was? I am almost sure it was 1977, but I may be wrong! Does anyone have a newspaper cutting from the time?
i was at the demolition with my boss andrew simpson we stripped all the slates for re use the three wheeled car you see was owned bye richard podlesney he gave us a wave as he passed us the buiding was pulled down bye paterson of longside using a drote and steel strope
Has Richard passed away? I haven't seen him for years now! He used to go up and down Clerkhill Road (where i used to stay) in his green 3 wheeler, N-reg (1974)? can't remember for sure. that woud have been in the mid to late 1980's!
I knew him from the days when i used to help out at Doug Emslie's garage in Jimmy reid's pend, Broad Place i think it was. Richard was a customer of Doug's! Richard was Polish a far as i can remember, and i would assume he came to Britain after WW2. He was a character, but as i mentioned above, i haven't seen him for years now!
Most of these old characters have heard that higher calling. I suppose when you are 6 or 7, you think that these people in their 60's as they would have been, were ancient! Michty me, i'm in my 40's now, and my son's pals who are 10 & 11, think I am ancient! I suppose to them I am (he,he!)
It's good to see someone taking an interest in the old pictures. Sadly, the Peterhead of the 1970's has gone forever, it's just not the same town nowadays! Nowhere near as friendly as it was back then, the heart was torn out of the town centre when the redevelopment started, and it was never the same after that! The old corner 'shoppies' are gone and so are many of the characters who were around then in my childhood.
On my travels down the town with my old grandad (now sadly also gone!) we used to sometimes meet these people:
Big Eck Cameron Wee Gordon (can't remember his surname, Hay, possibly?) he was a retired stone mason! Jackie Mclean at the harbour. Jimmy Fraser Tasher (Ex Wiseman's of Broad Street)
And in later years I went around the harbour with my pals, there was Alec Thain John Strachan (Reaper PD5) ripper boatie!
These are just a few, there were many others I can't remember right now.
corner shop was mini mart owned by murdoch gray next to that was taylorts taxis then thistle boot store then walter findlay pets supplies then alex geary butcher on corner
where you see ladder on roof that was my house when i was a boy does anyone remember the car mini mart owned by murdoch grey it was where the lorry is parked
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john allan(Private Message)
04.05.09 0:10
Never mind T&Cs fine fare, fan last did you see an A series Fordy, 3.6 six cyl york diesel
A long time ago John! I think that particular one belonged to Stickers engineers down at the harbour - GSA - - - N? - They had it for years & years at the harbour. Mr Munkle - (03/05/09)
Hi Ian, I remember this scene well. We used to go to the 'Lido' on our summer school holidays. In the early 1970's it still looked like this before the South Bay development changed the landscape forever!
Maybe it's just me, or a sign of growing a bit older, but the summer days back then seemed to last for ever! Remember the sweltering hot summer of 1976?
Petrol was about 70p a gallon, yes a Gallon!, not a litre! (Yikes!!!!!) Those were the days!
I don't remember the street looking like that but I do remember the map of the town that's up against the wall behind the cars, if you pushed the buttons then little lights came on to show you where places were.
I remember that map very well, I used to love going down town with my old Grandad in the Summer holidays, and playing on that map for ages! The town centre has changed beyond all recognition, and it's nowhere near as friendly as it used to be!
Who remembers Marioni's in Marischal Street? Mr Munkle - (31/01/08)
I remember my Mum buying me and my sister coats in Arnotts and she had one to match, that was a couple of weeks before the fire. I would have been 9 at the time.
Jings, I was only 4 when this happened, and I remember being in Arnotts BEFORE it burned down. They had a 'Bambi', one of those coin-operated rides that swung back and forth on the first floor. Great!
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I am almost sure it was 1977, but I may be wrong!
Does anyone have a newspaper cutting from the time?
He used to go up and down Clerkhill Road (where i used to stay) in his green 3 wheeler, N-reg (1974)? can't remember for sure.
that woud have been in the mid to late 1980's!
I knew him from the days when i used to help out at Doug Emslie's garage in Jimmy reid's pend, Broad Place i think it was.
Richard was a customer of Doug's!
Richard was Polish a far as i can remember, and i would assume he came to Britain after WW2.
He was a character, but as i mentioned above, i haven't seen him for years now!
Most of these old characters have heard that higher calling.
I suppose when you are 6 or 7, you think that these people in their 60's as they would have been, were ancient!
Michty me, i'm in my 40's now, and my son's pals who are 10 & 11, think I am ancient!
I suppose to them I am (he,he!)
Mr Munkle - (12/01/10)
It's good to see someone taking an interest in the old pictures.
Sadly, the Peterhead of the 1970's has gone forever, it's just not the same town nowadays! Nowhere near as friendly as it was back then, the heart was torn out of the town centre when the redevelopment started, and it was never the same after that!
The old corner 'shoppies' are gone and so are many of the characters who were around then in my childhood.
On my travels down the town with my old grandad
(now sadly also gone!) we used to sometimes meet these people:
Big Eck Cameron
Wee Gordon (can't remember his surname, Hay, possibly?) he was a retired stone mason!
Jackie Mclean at the harbour.
Jimmy Fraser
Tasher (Ex Wiseman's of Broad Street)
And in later years I went around the harbour with my pals, there was
Alec Thain
John Strachan (Reaper PD5) ripper boatie!
These are just a few, there were many others I can't remember right now.
Hi Shona T, apologies for not replying, I have been so busy with other things. Did you grow up in Peterhead in the 1970's?
Mr Munkle - (04/10/08)
I wonder if a line-up of modern cars would be so easy to identify? They all look the same now!
A long time ago John!
I think that particular one belonged to Stickers engineers down at the harbour -
GSA - - - N? - They had it for years & years at the harbour.
Mr Munkle - (03/05/09)
I think a lot of bairns were at the time!
Mr Munkle - (08/01/09)
I remember this scene well. We used to go to the 'Lido' on our summer school holidays.
In the early 1970's it still looked like this before the South Bay development changed the landscape forever!
Maybe it's just me, or a sign of growing a bit older, but the summer days back then seemed to last for ever!
Remember the sweltering hot summer of 1976?
Petrol was about 70p a gallon, yes a Gallon!, not a litre! (Yikes!!!!!)
Those were the days!
I remember that map very well, I used to love going down town with my old Grandad in the Summer holidays, and playing on that map for ages!
The town centre has changed beyond all recognition, and it's nowhere near as friendly as it used to be!
Who remembers Marioni's in Marischal Street?
Mr Munkle - (31/01/08)