The air raid shelter was on the sea wall where the new houses are. It was set about 5 feet back from the edge. Standing at the door on the east end nearest the water corner that we used to store our canoes. Directly opposite was Don’s old Blacksmith shop and forge. Maybe about 20 ...
2022 marked the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of the Newport, Wormit and Forgan war memorial. To mark this centenary, the Newport History Group embarked on a remembrance project, entitled Lest We Forget. We also wanted to involve our two local primary schools so that the pupils might gain a deeper understanding of the meaning ...
While based at Woodhaven the Catalina flying boats were not always loaded with lethal explosives destined for German U boats. Transportation of goods to Norway was equally important. Sometimes they carried passengers to or from Norway. On other occasions their cargo consisted of food and medicines for the civilian population. One of those who carried ...
Living in Norwood, we looked out on the station – it was often interesting, and noisy, especially in the time before diesel replaced steam. Most of the trains were pulled by BR 2-6-4 tank engines. My dad taught in Dundee art college, and often gave evening classes, so he made good use of his season ticket. The coaches had ...
Many local people still fondly remember the football and cricket matches held regularly on the sandbank out in the river. “The original sandbank football matches were an annual one between a team from Wormit Boating Club and Dundee Corinthian Boating Club (who were based near Craig Pier). By then they were usually on the sandbank between ...
Walking down the south side of the High Street there was Beatt and Tait's, with Frank Smith's a little further on. Now Frank was a gentleman, I worked for him, firstly with an evening paper round then latterly also a morning round, meeting Frank at the station to get the papers from the train and ...
Written by Ena Scott (nee Gleig) in 1989. In the early 1920s a Mr George Collie and his son who had been running a successful horse hiring business started a motor business (now Stanford Motors). The Collies repaired and sold cars and had a bus for hire for special occasions. All cars in those days were ...
Kenneth Hart recalls happy days playing at Highfield in the 1950s, the great stretch of open ground above Birkhill Avenue, an area now pretty much covered with housing. "Highfield had some importance to me growing up. My great friend Aly Wilkie lived there in one half of the solitary house which was there. This was a ...
In the 1950s, some of my school chums and myself would explore the derelict Kinbrae House. What with its massive structure and baronial appearance, it always made me feel as if we were in a Famous Five adventure when we gained access through a broken kitchen window. Magnificence The upper floors were most impressive, with the huge ...
Ann Sheach (nee MacLean) recalls times spent in St Thomas' Church in the 1960s and 1970s. "I was christened and married in the church. "I loved the Sunday School Christmas Parties in the church hall - playing traditional party games, watching Tom & Jerry cartoons, singing carols and with lights dimmed waiting to hear Santa’s bell as ...
The Granary was used by the Blythe Players as storage and a scenery workshop. In the latter half of the sixties my father was the Stage Manager with the players, I was his assistant and together with a few willing helpers we were responsible for the post production work prior to each play presentation at the Blyth ...
Written by Ena Scott (nee Gleig) in 1989. Ena was born in 1912 and lived nearly all her life in Woodhaven and Wormit. She grew up at Woodhaven farmhouse which looked out on the Mars Training Ship, moored off Woodhaven Pier until its departure in 1929. When a squad of workers was required on the farm, ...
We used to go every Friday night after Cubs and a 3d poke of chips from Stinkie's. I always had a free pass from Fag Louttit's because I did a paper round there. Great fun beating the seats in the ninepennies when the cavalry appeared over the hill. The dust we raised added to the atmosphere. Handfuls ...
June Turner’s memories of the Rio Youth Club, as told to Wendy Irons on 19th September 2020. “I was working as a youth leader in a school in Dundee in the evenings. A young woman knocked at my house door in Newport one evening and said that Newport needed a youth club. I can’t remember her name. ...
I was also involved in starting up the youth club. We used to meet in the West Hall in Wormit and the leaders, a husband and wife (cannot remember names), were instrumental in getting the Rio as a venue. I donated many of my 45s to the record collection for the discos. My brother Bob ...
Willie Rankine (1890-1976) operated the family joinery business from the workshop at Woodhaven pier. His grandfather William Buist had started the business in 1875. With the death of his mother when he was an infant, Willie grew up with his grand-parents at Woodhaven. Willie had a lifelong interest in the local area and its history. ...
Written by Ena Scott (nee Gleig) in 1989. Ena was born in 1912 and lived nearly all her life in Woodhaven and Wormit, dying in Newport in 1998. She grew up at Woodhaven farmhouse and moved to Naughton Road after her marriage. My parents came to Woodhaven Farm in 1907. At that time the estate was ...
My mom Jane Nicoll took over the shop from Mr Clark. I must have been 10 or 11 at the time and had the job of doing the paper rounds (2 on a Saturday evening). I used to hide from my friends under the counter when I was scrubbing the shop floor when everyone was ...
Ken Hart of Wormit remembers travelling on the train in the 1950s. "Wormit was built for trains and existed on trains. The advantages of enjoying an upbringing in a country village but only a few minutes from a busy city must have been fairly unique. It had its drawbacks of course and one of these was ...
Recollections of Ena Scott (Gleig) in 1989. After the Mars boys had gathered stones from it, the field down at Wormit Bay became Wormit Bay Golf Club. It opened in 1912, and was a very popular 9 hole course. Local people donated cups and trophies, and then a very attractive clubhouse was built where for many ...
Written by Ena Scott (nee Gleig) in 1989. Ena was born in 1912 and lived nearly all her life in Woodhaven and Wormit. The Boating Club formed in January 1911 and was mainly a rowing club. The first clubhouse was mainly just a shed at Wormit Bay, then a clubhouse and sheds were built east of ...
Written by Ena Scott (nee Gleig) in 1989. Ena was born in 1912 and lived nearly all her life in Woodhaven and Wormit. The Bowling Club started at the beginning of this century 1901 and many business men were the first members. At one time bowling was considered to be men only and it was not ...
Written by Ena Scott (nee Gleig) in 1989. Ena grew up at Woodhaven Farm and started school in Wormit in 1917. I had perfect attendance at Wormit School and only once in my life did I get the strap. That was when an inspector called and the headmaster had to leave the class unattended while he ...
Written by Ena Scott (Gleig) in 1989. Wormit Lawn Tennis Club was always very popular. Gradually it changed to blaze courts. Unfortunately the 2nd World War took its toll and young men and women were called upon to join the forces. The club folded completely despite many efforts to keep it going and it was not ...