Heathmount hotel

[latviaman]

Does anyone remember the mad dash to the Heathmount after an Thistle home match, the Aberdeen imported players usually arrived for a quick drink before legging it to the station to catch the train home. Boots in bag along with a carry out I remember the place being packed. The barman was Jimmy ? Cameron I think

[Kingsmills]

I tended to favour the Corriegarth myself.

[Charles Bannerman]

I've heard it said that it used to be the Corrie that the legendary Inveness Thistle "Half Time Harriers" used to patronise. This was a group of Jags fans who would sprint there from Kingsmills at half time for a quick pint but inevitably they would not arrive back until after a few minutes of the second 45.

It's said that on one celebrated occasion, Jags were a goal down when they left but they returned to find that in their absence their team had had a nightmare and had rushed to a 5-0 deficit!

In the old days the Heathmount was rather differently arranged with two bars on the left side of the building as you look at it. At the front, in the bay window, there was a small lounge bar which was for all the world like somebody's living room (I recollect under age brandy and babycham with a kick like a mule in there). Then behind it there was a public bar which was perhaps a little further down market then than now.

[L_G]

I was too young to drink when I went to Thistle games.  :007:  Even too young to under age drink.

[Heilandee]

I was too young to drink when I went to Thistle games.  :007:  Even too young to under age drink.

aye right!!!

One of meh best days oot at footy was in the Heathmount when a few of us RAF lads fae Alness hit the big town for Jags v Killie in the SC. Great craic wi all the Killie fans before the game,no so chipper afterwards  :015:

[Action Man]

Was I there HD?

[latviaman]

Great , at least not suffering from dimmensure yet!!

Does anyone remember the old Empire theatre manager was John Worth.. a man before his time, he brought so many things to the theatre, wrestling, Bridie Gallagher, when she was sober, I seem to remember a magician who had a lady undress in a box.

I also remember music nights when John got musicians who were working for Albert Bonici the promoter from Elgin,  to do a few numbers before travelling to Strath Thurso etc .. anyone remember Johnny Mike and the Shades, they got enrolled a few times. When in Weymouth in Dorset I met Duke Demond of the Barron Nights(this is for the oldys on here) and he remembers the old Empire very well as he did Nairn Town hall and the Assembly Rooms in Wick, and they are still going .. same line up but a wee bit slower

[Charles Bannerman]

I believe that John Worth latterly (after the Empire closed I suppose) set himself up as a freelance "impressario", general arranger of Inverness entertainments, because I remember a plate with his name on it, outside an office I think in Queensgate. He also did a lot of production work with the Opera Company among others.

PS Latviaman - it's "dementia"!

[latviaman]

Re' spelling, true, but thought it looked right at the time!!

I saw a photo of old Eastgate, which showed the alleway where the Boys Brigade hall was. Now if my dimensure has declined was that not where the football times was printed in a press below it . I remember waiting for copies and rushing them to a shop in the Hill district and then delivering them after being sorted.

Now is /are my memories correct... Anyone!!!

[Charles Bannerman]

latviaman... this was Hamilton Street (side of Markies now) and BB HQ was Washington Court. Some will have memories of Scoobies getting the whole battalion in order for church parades on Sunday mornings. Now that you mention it, I do think i might have a vague memory of the FT being printed there too. There was also an ironmonger in Hamilton Street  (Gilbert Ross?)... you know wehat I mean, brown coats and "forkhandles" like Fraser and McCall. What was the ironmonger in Academy Street between Station Square and the old Academy building? Mitchell and Craig?

[latviaman]

Yes saw the old postcard and it brought back memories. Used to practice drumming for the BB's there I wasn't in the 4th rather the 3rd led by a teacher from the Royal Academy,  Thom was his surname we were scared to ask him his real name ,but I have it on good authority it was Hugh.

I used to go to the Crown School and there was a sweet shop at the bottom of Hill Street, across from the school where we got gobstoppers to last the lessons.

As for the Ironmongers yes I do remember and have a memory of going downstairs with my Dad who wanted an item, and they had lots of little drawers with knick knacks in them and sure enough they had it all for the princely sum of 2p, they wore brown coats as well I remember

[L_G]

The ironmongers between station sq and the academy building was Gilbert Ross however  the one in Hamilton st was Mitchell and Craig (a red shop)  in name but was owned by Gilbert Ross

[Charles Bannerman]

Laura... couldn't remember which way round the two ironmongers were. Ta.

Latviaman ....the Captain of the 3rd BBs you refer to would have been David Thom who was Principal Teacher of Classics and latterly Depute Rector of the Royal Academy until he died in 1970. He was quite a disciplinarian and was also starter at a number of athletics meetings. There was always the fear that if you did a false start, the next one was a live round and was for you! (He had two sons, one of whom became a chiropodist, the other a dentist... they were known as "foot and mouth".)

The sweetie shop in Hill Street became legendary to generations of Crown, Millburn and IRA pupils as "Frankie Jew's" but I think in the era which you are describing it would have been called Galloway's. Tom Galloway owned it until about 1965 when he was succeeded by one F.C. MacKay... aka Frankie Jew. To give you a flavour of what Frank was like, those who smoked (not myself!) would have the following kind of conversation:

"Single please, Frank."

"Threepence"

"And do you have a match?"

"Ha'penny."

[latviaman]

He wore a grey polyester coat as well, in that shop, I had a friend who lived near his shop and because he was close to the school, was tasked with ringing the bell at the Crown each school morning, sorry if I am boring but it brings back such innocent memories

[Guest Jock Watt]

I can't say that I remember the Heathmount but, if I'm correct, back in 1932 I was born in it when it was known as the Ida Merry Home !

[Alex MacLeod]

And I'll be staying in it next saturday night.

[exgrover]

The ironmongers between station sq and the academy building was Gilbert Ross however the one in Hamilton st was Mitchell and Craig (a red shop) in name but was owned by Gilbert Ross

Was Mitchell and Craig not a 'quality'grocery shop in Academy Street near the Market Hall entrance?

[Kingsmills]

I'm prety sure that Mitchell and Craig was an ironmongers.

[Charles Bannerman]

So am I... but I may be less certain about that late of a Saturday evening whilist availing myself of the hospitality in the Heathmount Hotel!

Edited September 21, 2008 by Charles Bannerman

[canuck]

exgrover is correct, Mitchell and and Craig was an upscale grocery shop/ wine merchants.

Gilbert Ross was indeed where L G mentioned, across from the old Royal Hotel.

Fraser and McColl had a work shop on Hamilton St. where they did tiling work making fireplaces etc. a well known local worthy''Coddles'' MacDonald worked there as well as popular ex Jaggie great Sandy Ballantyne,also I believe one of this site's regular users Sandy Kent had two close family members working there.

Fraser and McColl's shop and showroom was in Eastgate.

exgrover as an exgrover myself I an curious as to your identity! when I lived in the ''town'' the only grove was Lilac Grove-- I stayed at #20. If you remember Mitchell and Craig you could possibly be almost as old as me!

[Charles Bannerman]

Having checked it out on Google, canuck and exgrover are indeed right. So what was the ironmonger that was on Academy Street between Station Square and MacRae and Dick then? Fraser and McColl was in Eastgate, Gilbert Ross was in Hamilton Street and I had associated the name Mitchell and Craig with the other one, but that's beginning to come back as a grocer now indeed. So what was that other ironmonger which was straight out of the "four candles" stable?

[canuck]

Having checked it out on Google, canuck and exgrover are indeed right. So what was the ironmonger that was on Academy Street between Station Square and MacRae and Dick then? Fraser and McColl was in Eastgate, Gilbert Ross was in Hamilton Street and I had associated the name Mitchell and Craig with the other one, but that's beginning to come back as a grocer now indeed. So what was that other ironmonger which was straight out of the "four candles" stable?

Gilbert Ross was the ironmonger on Academy St. not Hamilton St.

[Charles Bannerman]

Was there not also an ironmonger on Hamilton Street then?

[Kingsmills]

I'm sure that there was but, then again, my memory is increasingly fragile.

[canuck]

Was there not also an ironmonger on Hamilton Street then?

Other than Fraser and McColl's workshop I don't think there was an Ironmongers shop on Hamilton St.