" A Saunter roon Stinstin"

[John Donnelly]

Hi Neil,

yes, I can confirm that there were wee holiday houses there. They were privately owned, so it was not some kind of Butlins. They were on the left, when you were going towards Kilwinning, just before you turned right to go under the railway bridge. They were on that bit of ground that is higher than the road.

I remember my dad commenting, that during the war, Glasgow families came down there to escape bombing raids on the city and Clydebank, not realising that they were actually sitting right on top of an even bigger and more dangerous target.

JD.

[little plum]

Hi John, thanks for confirming that. Your description of the location matched my old pals. I don't remember them, and I was a regular along the back road with my pals, he recons they were demolished poss '52. A wee bit before my time.

[calleytwo]

Hi Neil,

I remember my dad commenting, that during the war, Glasgow families came down there to escape bombing raids on the city and Clydebank, not realising that they were actually sitting right on top of an even bigger and more dangerous target.

JD.

I don’t know that Ardeer was more dangerous a place than Clydebank John. The construction in the sand hills with buildings designed to explode upwards rather than out made chain reactions almost impossible and probably ensured it was visited by raiders less often than you might have assumed. It might have been expected that Stevenston itself was heavily damaged by misdirected bombs but then we are talking about the German Air Force and not the WWII US one! (My dad had plenty to say about that after his time in the North African and Italian campaigns and seeing numerous casualties from US friendly fire). On the other hand civilians were deliberately targeted at Clydebank so getting oot O’ Glesga was a good idea. Alistair

[morag]

Not sure about this, Alistair, my dad (RN) was posted at Ayrshire supposedly to protect Ardeer. That's how he met my mum and I came to be ..for all your trials!

[killiejok]

A great wander down memory lane, especially around the shore side of the station gates. It reminded me of my days as a paper boy for Lewis's (Carment Drive) then later for Sawyers (Shore Road) and then Winnings (Station Road). Not all at the same time, you needed moves to negotiate a pay rise. The routes included daily visits to the Greystones, Millers bookies Sommerville Drive, Ardeer Tavern as well as a tour of the sweet shops mentioned in others posts.

[June McBride]

Just to let those from Stevenston know, there is a Facebook page called "Stevenston Ayrshire - Then and Now" if you want to google it. Nothing as grand as this site

June

[little plum]

and then Winnings (Station Road). Not all at the same time, you needed moves to negotiate a pay rise.

Not much chance of that with Peggy Robinson behind the counter.

[killiejok]

and then Winnings (Station Road). Not all at the same time, you needed moves to negotiate a pay rise.

Not much chance of that with Peggy Robinson behind the counter.

Too true, and missing a delivery was a definite no no.

I recall a mention of Tom Wilson and the animals. It was his older brother who was studying to become a vet, his dad worked in ICI. I used to top up the feed and water for the rabbits and guinea pigs when they were away on holiday.

[little plum]

killiejok, I think it might have been one of my earlier posts re Tom. I knew there were animals/pets of all sorts and the notion of a vet, well remembered. I can recall the shock I got when I clapped eyes on their giant, now this is where my memory lets me down, Dutch rabbits ?. I was used to seeing the normal sized rabbit up the slag bing.

[killiejok]

I can recall the shock I got when I clapped eyes on their giant, now this is where my memory lets me down, Dutch rabbits ?. I was used to seeing the normal sized rabbit up the slag bing.

They were certainly much bigger than the wild rabbits. Mentioning the slag bing has me thinking - was that behind Golf Avenue and to the left when walking toward the Villas and the factory gates?

[killiejok]

In my introduction posting, I mentioned a Holiday Guide from around 1967. Many of the advertisers have been mentioned in earlier posts, especially the collated list by John Donnelly, but here is a complete listing.

Isaac Cherry Ltd, Builders, 83 New Street (also has a shop with fireplaces, furniture)
Mrs M Armour, Ironmongery, Shore Road
Mary Baillie, Hair Stylist, 6 Townhead Street and at 8 New Street
Russell's, Wool, 9 New Street
The Douglas Bar, 13 & 15 Main Street
W R Climie, General Store & Post Office, 1 Caledonian Road
C Y Neilly, Footwear Specialist, 23-25 New Street
J B Ward, Draper, 10 New Street
Ardeer Tavern, Ardoch Crescent
The Grangeknowe Inn, Townhead Street
J M Winning & Son, Newsagent, Station Road and Hayocks Road
W & R Halbert, Automibile Engineers, 9 & 11 Main Street
Greystones Hotel, New Street
R T Evans & Sons, Photographic & Cine Dealers, 43/49 New Street
S Anderson & Sons, Grocers, 8 Fullarton Place
T Laidlaw, Butcher, Main Street
The Grant Arms, 90 Boglemart Street
Wm B Allison, Next to Post Office
Curlett & Lawson, Joiners, Glaziers & Undertakers, 43 Warner Street
Cross Keys Tavern, 1 Fullarton Place
R E Evans, General Drapery and Everything for Baby, 17 New Street

Other adverts were placed for
James Lee & Sons, Quality Drinks, Dalry Road Ardrossan
South of Scotland Electricty Board Showrooms, Saltcoats
Dodds Coaches Ltd, Local Office, 93 Chapelwell Street, Saltcoats

[morag]

Boy, those names bring back many memories! Thanks for listing them.