Just received word from "amazon.com" my copy of 'In a Marmalade Saloon' by Ardrossan's Patrick O'Connor is on the way (7 months to find a 2nd hand copy) I had copies of Patrick's two books back in the 1970s but gave them to other expats.

Patrick's books tell the story about Irish incomers living in Ardrossan from around 1920. My two uncles - well actually 2nd cousins were amongst the author's heroes. Charlie or perhaps it was his brother Nicky HAND was the author's best mate and Joe Cunningham was the author's hero. Joe was a billiard room hustler. Dad told me Joe kept them above water during the depression on his winnings from hustling. Naturally "The Den" in Kilmathew Street, Ardrossan was his second home.

In addition to "The Den" the three billiard halls in Saltcoats I can remember playing in during the 1950s were located in Canal Street, Factory Place off Raises St. and Windmill St across from the McPherson's dairy and up the stairs above the Café I think that one was known as 'Benaldies'. As for Stevenston, the Rec (ICI Recreation Club) was a magic place to us if we could get signed in which was usually pretty easy.

Hugh McCallum

From: "mcguire" <mcguire@xx.tele.dk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2000

Wow Hugh you have a better memory than I do regarding Billiard/Snooker halls. The only one I can remeber was in Eglinton Street. It was ,as far as I remember, part of the Eglinton Café. My cousin Brian McGuire was a regular visitor there in the fifties (he was also a reasonably good player). Does anybody remeber him. He used to live in Auchinharvie Rd. You also mentioned Raise St. wher I used to live (No. 47) and Factory place. I can´t remember a billiard hall there. A few houses on the left side and a milk dairy at the end. Then there was just waste ground stretching up from Factory place to the road (I cant remember the name) that was a sort of continuation to Argyle Road heading down to Canal Streett. Please enlighten me more.

Regards
Tony

From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2000

Hello Tony,
The Rink was the name of the billiard Hall in Factory place in Saltcoats I'm talking mid-fifties. I also remember McPhersons factory there too where the milk was bottled. I worked for a time in Bailies Butcher Shop in Raises Street about 1957 unsure if the Rink was there then though.

When George McGrattan sent me the details for the Ardrossan Fire Brigade page there were a few 1938 advertisements in the paperwork, one was for "The Rink Holiday Camp" saying Tom Hamilton (late of Rangers F.C.) was the proprietor.
Wouldn't mind putting a page up with old advertisements on if they had a bit
of substance and reflected the times in the three towns. If you have any that you
feel might fit the bill contact me.

Hugh McCallum

From: "james james" <jamesbarr50xxxx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2000

hi hugh toni

the name of the road toni is gladstone road and that bit of waste ground u r talking about had a building built on it for the then G.P.O. they moved out a couple of years back it is now lying derelict factory place i can remember being demolished as i had a pal who lived there on that site now is a small garage and a formely coal merchants yard which now belongs to a man who deals in seafoods my brother also worked in baily's the butchers in raise st he was the delivery boy after he left school.

best regards
jim.

From: mcguire
To: ThreeTowners
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000

Lindsay mentioned that the GPO had a building near factory place. I can't remember it of course but I did work behind the counter at the post office in Chapelwell St. Does that still exist? I began my short PO career at the Post Office in Largs before moving permantly to Saltcoats. Also had a spell in the Ardrossan office in Glasgow Street as well as a short summer relief tour in Brodick on the sle of Arran. Any other PO/Civil Servants in the group?

I enjoyed your Nardini story Hugh. Have eaten a few of their ices myself on the way home from Largs or on a Sunday afternoon outing by courtasy of Clydeside busses.
Regards from Denmark

Tony