Dalneigh & Ferry Memories

[canuck]

Donmac298

Freddie Warburton has'nt changed one bit since you last saw him! He worked in the printing business until taking early retirement. He lives in Culcabock in the the Draikies area and is a member of Inverness Golf Club. He still is a fanatical Hibs fan (we all have a cross to bear) I believe he has a little part time job in a garden centre near where the old co-op supermarket used to be  in Culcabock. As you know he was a fine inside forward for the ''Jags'' in his young days.I really enjoyed meeting up with him the last time I was ''home'' Fred is more of a ''friend of a friend'' although I have known him for many years. Canuck.

[Scotty]

It's strange how simply coming from the other side of the same housing scheme (St. Andrew Drive) makes it an almost different culture ......  and finding Parade magazines abandoned in the St. Valery undergrowth.

Definitely a different culture .... It was "Escort" magazine on our side  :015: :015: :015:

The bike conversation also gave me another couple of memories ..... "Cheepy" Charlie in Caledonian Road with his ultra-cool "Chopper" bike  :021: when the best any of the rest of us had were "cowhorns" ... and when thinking of Caledonian Road it reminded me of the Morrisons Bakers van that went round the scheme every day .... used to enjoy that van and Campbell Allan's van, never quite enjoyed the fish van as much  :015:

[SMEE]

Does anyone remember the car exhibition that took place in Caley PArk in late 70s? The whole pitch was full of cars of the day. And the was a guy dressed up as michelin man. I liked him. And you could go and sit and play in the cars and get loads of glossy brochures and stickers and freebies. Saw my first pair of real boobs there to. the woman was bending over to blow up my baloon. got a right eyeful i did  :crazy07::021:

[Charles Bannerman]

And was the "Michelin Man" shouting "Get off ma f*****g pitch!"?

[Charles Bannerman]

I've just heard that Dalneigh Primary School is holding an Open Day for former pupils from the 1950s through to 2000 in the school itself between 4pm and 7pm on Wednesday 28th November.

[DJS]

Sounds like it could be worth a visit.

[morris]

Macrae and **** held their centenary celebrations in the caley park in 1978 so i suspect that is what you refer to . Need more detail to help with the idenity of the balloon lady !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The groundsman worked at Macre and **** so Charles may not be far away from the truth with his comment!!

[Charles Bannerman]

BUMP... just to remind people that the Dalneigh School FPs' open day is today between 4 and 7.

[DJS]

Went along tonight and it was good to be back.  It was quite remarkable how little has changed since I left in 1974 and even older people were saying the same thing - the same doors, blackboards, floor tiles, radiators, windows, cloak rooms etc etc.  Those who visited were given the freedom to more or less roam the building at will, and every corner you turned, or room you entered, brought back fresh memories.  Some wonderful old photos on display too and if one person mentioned MacLeod and his drinking, I think half a dozen did.

Several hours later, and back home now, I am struck how even after all this time I had a huge sense of belonging there when I went back today.  I must be getting soppy in my old age.  :003:

[Charles Bannerman]

Yes, enjoyed it too. Bumped into DJS in Room 15! It's even longer since I left and there have been equally few changes in that time. I was just wondering how they managed to get 42 desks packed into these classrooms in these days.

Met Davie Love who was in my class at Dalneigh and he was remembering when he was put in Mallinson the music teacher's cupboard in the GP room for misbehaving and then got belted by the headmaster for appearing wearing Mallinson's coat and hat.

Lots of old photos, including those of football teams from various eras (I was never good enough to play though). They were all with John MacLeod the deputy headmaster who, I would emphasise, was the drinker and not John MacLeod the headmaster. They both happened to have the same name. The deputy lived in the Moyness Hotel in Bruce Gardens.

I was also reminded of having to go down to behind the hall and collect the milk crates and take them to the various classes... ah the days of free school milk before Maggie Thatcher abolished it.

And I didn't know Rod the Mod was a Dalneigh School FP!

[SMEE]

I am really gutted I missed the Dalneigh open day. A few of us had talked about going but it never materialised. I think THE big memory of Dalneigh was wen you hit the age where your class was on the second floor :021: Its offices now methinks. As i say, am quite downhearted :019:

[Charles Bannerman]

Strangely enough I did 7 years there and never got off the ground floor. P1 and 2 (Miss MacKenzie) R3. P3 (Miss Cameron) and P4 (Miss Fraser) R7. P5 (Mrs Anderson) R11. P6 and 7 (Mrs Ballantyne) R10.

Also met Grassa making his way in when I was on my way out. Another Dalneigh boy.

[PullMyFinger]

I was in his class.  :hiding03:

[Charles Bannerman]

No, you mean Grassa was in YOUR class.  :015:

[PullMyFinger]

Don't tell anyone, please. :023:

[CaleyD]

4thStand, you would have been in school with my father.

[PullMyFinger]

4thStand, you would have been in school with my father.

4thStand:  what was his name?

CaleyD:      Dad

:018:

Must try harder

[CaleyD]

Billy Johnstone

[PullMyFinger]

Sorry, I don't recognise the name but was probably nearer my brothers age. I'm only a whippersnapper @ 42.

[Guest Jock Watt]

WHAT DALNEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL?

THERE WASN'T ONE WHEN I LIVED IN LAUREL AVENUE!

[+weeman]

Must have been pre 1954 that you lived there. Quote from AM Baile;

"Although the school wasn't officially opened until 1957 pupils had been attending since 1954. The Dalneigh area is located in the west of Inverness between the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal. The primary school is one of the feeder primaries for Inverness High School".

The school fronts onto St. Ninian Drive and the rear to Lilac Grove.

[Scotty]

I was in the same class as Grassa's little sister Carol.

4th Stand - you were probably in the year above me ....as I am a year younger than you. My year had some pretty decent footballers .... I made it to the subs bench a few times but never onto the park ... not surprising really when Donald McDonald, Ian McLeod, Billy Skinner, Canyon and a few others whose names escape me for the moment were the backbone of the team. Thats why I opted for Rugby when I got to the High School and found I was much better at that than I was at football  :003:

[Charles Bannerman]

The school fronts onto St. Ninian Drive and the rear to Lilac Grove.

The rear to Limetree Avenue surely? They're getting mixed up with their trees!

(I was there 1958-65).

[JockWatt]

On 6/15/2006 at 6:37 PM, sandykent said:

Jock Watt -

I remember yourself and the Dalneigh Utd team well. I used to stand on the touchline with my elder brother Don. I was in the Youth Club briefly in 1955/6. My family lived at 49 Laurel Avenue.

    Charles. You are correct on all of your points. I now recall the wind blowing through the fence surrounding the new primary school in the mid fifties. In the middle of the night the sound was terrifying (especially if you had`just seen one of the La Scala horror films.)

    The Rooneys moved into 55 Laurel Avenue in 1949.

      Hamish MacIntyre was at the church in the mid fifties. He officiated when I got married in the brick church in 1960. I seem to recall the brick church replacing the wooden hut about the same time as the primary school was built.

   

June the 20th 1955 - now just over 64 years married by Hamish !

[Scarlet Pimple]

Sandy Kent

I notice you went off to the RAF, National Service , in 1957. I think that I was also drafted similarily in the same year at the age of 19.

Believe this or not but, whilst posted to JEVER in North Germany as a radar operator down a hole in the ground, I met IBM on a football field on our base at Jever when his team  from another nearby base came over to play ours. That's a coincidence and a half isn't it.

Although I was born and raised in Dunain Road I rarely ever went  into Dalneigh. except that I remember the houses being built  when I was younger. The canal  and surrounds were  of more interest at that time but when I remember looking down into the locks then yes, unless you were a good swimmer, I think drowning was  a real possibility unless you were able to swim to the side of the lock where the built-in ridges might have allowed you to climb up but my memory is now hazy on that one.  

Where did you end up in the "Forces" Sandy?