JIMFURD

Scarlet and Bughtie - thanks for the memories of National Service . I think I'm still glad I didn't have to do it. And the memories of youth club Table tennis are very similar to mine although I was admittedly a Ping Pong player rather than a TT player and could never aspire to playing in a league . I did play later in life in the Crit darts team in one of the leagues in Inverness - does that count as a league player?..... or just a miss spent youth? Your memories of the matinee at 3d downstairs and 4d upstairs were also appreciated. I will maybe have to start a cinema/matinee thread to see who owns up to throwing stuff from the balcony "over the top" onto the stalls below.also enjoyed Batman and Robin but Flash Gordon was my favourite. Anyway back to the youth clubs - anybody any other memories?

When I was working as a CA apprentice back in the early 80s I remember that one of our jobs was to go to Munros the bakers in Tomnahurich Street every morning to collect the cash from the shop from previous day before checking and banking. It was also the chance to get (most times) a free snack for our morning office break. I'm torn between the pies and the cream cookies as to what was best!

When I read some of the posts and responses on here it never fails to amaze me how they can take on a life of their own. Here I start a thread about old youth clubs in inverness and we end up discussing national service and some of the memories it brings back to those who endured or enjoyed it. Ah well - next time I'll start a thread/post on the Inverness cinema/matinee and see where it takes us. I enjoy the national service memories and thanks to Charles know that I just missed out by a couple of weeks or so.

Charles - Doc Hays YC was indeed the Dr Andrew Hay, Gynaecologist at Raigmore- I was there in late 50s and early 60s - the canoe building I mentioned was about 1958 I think and incidentally on the subject of National Service I managed to just miss out as my birthday in June 1960 when I was 18 was about 6 or 8 weeks after the last call up

I know that they've been mentioned indirectly on other occasions in other posts but here's your chance to bring back memories of any youth clubs that you went to in the past in old Inverness. In my teens I went to the Crown Church YC and also to the 50/50 Club - Doc Hays Club - at the top of the Raining Stairs. Yes enjoyed the weekend dances with live bands but got up to other things as well. I have great memories of making a canoe from a kit at Doc Hays and then using it on the river especially up the Islands and then "shooting" the rapids. There were a few of us doing the same thing. Transported it around on an old bogey. Needless to say it used to annoy the anglers on the river who accused us of scaring away the fish. Were you a member of a youth club and if so what did you get up to?

I don't remember Burnetts function room but in my uni days I did have a summer job at Burnetts Longman and footie games were known to be played with certain meaty products. - usually in the middle of a night shift if memory serves me

Scarlet = not ashamed to say that the year of 42 was a good one for me as I greeted the world of Rosedene Nursing Home in Island bank Road. And IHE I love your pic of the Strath many great (sometime drunken) Friday nights there. Anyone remember the Irish Show bands there?

On reflection - think it was 3d for 1 play and 6d for 3 - must have been earlier

I remember going to the castle Snack Bar as was back in the late 50s. Sadly no one has mentioned one of my old favourites - the Queensgate Snack Bar enjoyed a coke after school and a plate of egg and chips - great Also used to enjoy Charlies and its Juke Box - 6d for 1 play and a shilling for 3.

Thanks for the tip about the Caps lock Scarlet - works a treat and much appreciated

Oh and one thing I forgot - the Prefects did nothing about it

Maybe I was the IRA at a time when a group of bullies passed through the school and yes I suffered a bit of bullying myself on occasions - but never a swirlie thank goodness. I find it also very interesting that at a school reunion about 20 plus years ago that one of the main instigators of the bullying came and apologised to the person concerned and they ended up having a drink together. And just in case you thought that I was shouting - it was a simple case of forgetting that the CAPS LOCK was on - oops!

I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS A BIT OF A THORNY SUBJECT OR NOT BUT IT CERTAINLY INTERESTS ME. I HAVE READ AND ENJOYED ALL THE USB BOOKS BUT ONE THING THAT CAME ACROSS WAS NO MENTION OF BULLYING AT THE IRA. I WAS A FEW YEARS OUT OF THE IRA BEFORE CHARLES STARTED HIS 6 YEARS AND CERTAINLY BULLYING WAS A PART OF SCHOOL LIFE. NOT ONLY BY OLDER/BIGGER BOYS ON YOUNGER ONES BUT BY BIGGER BOYS ON THOSE IN THEIR CLASS WHO WERE SKINNY/ WEAK/WEEDY/SMALL. SADLY TOO IT WAS LARGELY IGNORED BY STAFF AND ALMOST ACCEPTED AS PART OF A "BOYS WILL BE BOYS" CULTURE. I REMEMBER ONE PARTICULAR CLASS MATE WHO WAS BULLIED MERCILESSLY BY MANY OF HIS CLASS MATES - BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN HIM USUALLY AND SOME TIME INSTANCES OF HIM BEING GRABBED IN THE BOYS CLOAKROOM BY A "CREW" AND HAD HIS HEAD PLUNGED INTO THE WC AND THEN THE HANDLE PULLED - BEING GIVEN A "SWIRLIE" WAS THE TERM USED I THINK. ANYWAY ARE MY MEMORIES SIMILIAR TO YOURS OR HAD IT BEEN CURTAILED BY THE LATE 60S /70S WHEN CHARLES WRITES HIS BOOK? WHAT VIEWS OR MEMORIES DO YOU HAVE? WAS IT THE SAME AT THE TECKIE?

Bughtmaster and Scarlet- I know what you say about a glint n your "ee or wherever else. Maybe it's true what they say that you only lose that glint when you're in "the BOX"

IHE - I went to the dancng at the end of the 50s - 59 really and then carried on into the 60s. I also remember the nights at the meeting rooms when the Camerons and Seaforths and who ever else was mad enough got stuck into each other. I tended to beat a hasty retreat to the Rock n Roll upstairs especially if the Rebel Rousers with Sally, Gus and Adrian were playing. So do I qualify for the old fogeys then?

Hi All - I'm new to this game so please be gentle with me. I've read and enjoyed many of the topics on the forum and that mention is often made of various haunts of my youth. I rememember the dancing at the Caley, Meeting Rooms, 50/50 club and further afield at the Strath, the Ballerina in Nairn as well as Elgins 2 Red Shoes.. and of course the country dances! Many, many memories of these places - the drinking (and driving too), some times getting a girl and most times not. Was there not a "regular" club on a Sunday night at the Ballerina in the 60s with a resident band? Do you remember that or am I just havering? So what memories do you have of your dancing years before they fade away?

Does any one remember the Hollies appearing at the Empire - maybe earlyy in 1963? That was a saturday night and on sunday we discovered that they were staying at Drumossie Hotel so went up there and got their autographs. Great guys! Also what about Cat Stevens at the Caley just when "Matthew and Son" had come out?