Early 60's in Inverness

[latviaman]

Does anyone remember the FLock, Size Four, Accents where have all these people gone to. Does anyone remember the Club at the top of the raining stairs, which has gone now, some hairy nights there. ]

Anyone with memories get in touch

[Charles Bannerman]

I met Beenz MacBean at Jim Love the Courier editor's funeral and we had a good blether about the Flock, his mini van which used to be almost  - I didn't go to secondary school until 1965. Size MacKay is, I believe, very successful in the legal profession in Edinburgh or at least I did hear that said at the time of the merger. I think his father was Eric MacKay who was big in the Boys' Brigade and also MD of Fraser and McCall the ironmongers in Eastgate (in the days that everything was wrapped up in brown paper by men in brown coats.... forkhandles!)

The Club at the top of Raining's Stairs is long gone and is now a car park. It began life as Dr. Raining's School in the 18th or 19th century. I was never in it as a club (nor as a school for that matter!) but it did have something of a reputation as a den of iniquity.

[Kingsmills]

"Size" McKay is indeed a very well respected member of the Faculty of Advocates.

[Charles Bannerman]

Which reminds me of a conversation between two Rangers fan when a certain Dutch manager was appointed....

"I here's we're getting a **** Advocaat."

"I thought we had one already!"

Think about it!

[latviaman]

When I was last home someone told me Size was either an advocate or a judge and owned a house in Barbados.

I parked my hire car at the top of the raining stairs ... well the street when I wanted to find the Market steps.

Ps did we know what iniquity was in the 60's

[Highlander4]

Charles, unless born out of wedlock, Eric Mackay was not Size Mackay's father. Eric had one son Bobby,

who followed him into the business.

I am sure Size's father was a driving instructor.

[Charles Bannerman]

H4.... I'll stand corrected on that...I was VERY young in the early 60s!

[latviaman]

Spot on...

Sizes Dad, was a driving instructor, taught me to drive but didn't tell me about emergency stops on Ardconnel Street in winter time, still passed though

[sandykent]

I assume that the club at the top of the Raining Stairs was the Fifty Fifty Club which started in the mid fifties. Another club was the Jazz Club which operated from the basement of the shop situated on the corner of the road next to the town hall leading up to the castle - it is now an Italian restaurant.

[+L_G]

My mother used to go to 50/50 club.  She talks about it from time to time.  I know I have mentioned this on other threads, but she is one of the Lynn's from Lilac Grove.

[een]

Was there not a club at the top of the Raining Stairs called the "Doc Hay Club" which was run by a gynaecologist from Raigmore Hospital.

Is there a somewhat sinister connection there? 

[Charles Bannerman]

That would possibly be Dr. Andrew Hay. His son David was a year ahead of me at school. Very clever guy but with an unfortunately high voice.

[The Long Man]

Ah, so that's why we called it the Doc's club. Some good times there. Eric Allan taught a very successful guitar class there, great place to just hang out. A MacCaffrey ran it for a while as a youth club. Hot Cottage played there. I remember when Noddy played there with his band, who had just returned from one of thier forays south, with equipment we were informed 'liberated' from the HP agreements. To make it a 'special' night, Noddy also cooked a curry for everybody in giant cooking pots the club had. We thought it was great, though it is surprising we didn't all feel the effects the next day. There was a derelict Rover parked there, which was the scene of many a young man's exploration of his sexual education, or at least his girlfriend's.

[Guest Jock Watt]

YES, the Club at the top of Raining's Stairs WAS the 50-50 Club, right enough!

It was where I first learned to dance when a young lady asked me for a "Lady's Choice".

[Johnboy]

It was where I first learned to dance when a young lady asked me for a "Lady's Choice".

Did you give her one?

[Guest Jock Watt]

YES!  But it was all over in about four minutes flat !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[latviaman]

Well this shows you how old I am I can remember in Doc's Hays days a ditty being sung, at the 50/50 club going like this,  Here comes Doctor AB Hay in his Jaguar, the rest I for :014:get , put it down to the word beginning with D, I cannot spell (Charles) :