Remembering the way it was in Helmsdale

Today the group was reminiscing about the way of life in Helmsdale and how it has changed over the years.

Anne Sinclair

"We playing marbles, hop-scotch, cops and robbers and pushing our dollies pram along the pavement - there were fewer cars about then.  There seems to be fewer children playing outside these days and no sledging in Stafford Street - we used to sledge all the way down from the top of the brae right down to the harbour."

David Cowie

"When the nights were dark we used to play a prank in Stafford Street.  We used a cardboard box and made it look like a parcel or present.  We tied string to one end of the box and placed it in the middle of the road.  When a car came along it stopped to see what was this box on the road.  We waited till someone got out of the car and tried to pick up the box - and then we pulled the string and the box came with it.  It gave the person such a fright!"

"I also remember when the scaffie cart used to come around the village to collect the rubbish and dump it at the area now known as the lobster ponds (or the 'distill'), beyond the end of Shore Street.  One of the scaffie men called Hughan Sinclair had a white horse.  It was thought to be bad luck for a white horse and cart to cross the old Telford Bridge.  If this happened the legend foretold that the bridge would collapse!  So, Hughan unleashed the white horse from the cart and took the cart and horse across the bridge separately."

"In pre-electricity times all the people took their wireless wet batteries to A R McLeod's for re-charging.  They could do 30 at a time.  Villagers could also get paraffin from McLeod's or at a shed near Nellie Ross's.  McLeod's were the main television distributors and as boys we used to watch sports events through the window of their showroom."

Gerry Wood

"I had my veg delivered by horse and cart as late as the early 1980s by Bob Humble."

Jean Sargent

"I remember my mother telling me that Tilley lamps were still being used in the upstairs rooms of the Bannockburn Hotel up until the 1950s.  When I used to come to Helmsdale on holiday I noticed that all the women wore headscarves and used wicker shopping baskets"

Jim Mackay

"The fish lorry used to take the fish from the harbour ot the train station and they went from there to Glasgow for sale.  A small tanker with paraffin was used to refill the boat engines at the harbour and the fishermen had to take their own supply of water with them as there was no provision at the harbour."

Christine Cowie

"The fishermen used to call into each others house on their way down to the harbour to go to sea.  They used to just come into the house and call 'put the kettle on' and after a cup of tea was had they would then make their way to the next house.  On a Saturday the crew would put on their best suit and congregate at the skipper's house where he would distribute their earnings.  Chocolates would be bought for the wives, sweeties for the bairns and maybe the men would have a few drinks in the local pub."

Joan Murray

"In the 1960s Helmsdale still had an unofficial school truant officer."

Our last meeting of the year will be on Wednesday 22nd from 10.30am to 12.30pm.  The group have begun to put up a dispaly in the Timespan workshop area - please come in and see our research for yourself - maybe you can help us.  We are now looking for old house photos!