Tramps

[RednBlackComeback]

(*) what was the Shapla called for years before it was the Shapla? It's on the tip of my tongue!!! You could get an under age drink in there is the late 60s.

The Tryst ... and they were still doing underage drinking in the 80s !

Was it not also known as Treetops for a while, possibly AFTER it was the Tryst?

Was it not 'The Hebridean' after 'The Tryst' ?

[dougiedanger]

Back in the late forties when I was at the Central School there were three names that most struck fear into our minds that was Bunnoes, Fortypockets and Clayuck cant say i ever met any of them and thought in latter years they were fictitious

Now it's got me thinking was IHE .... no..... or could it be.... surely not.... got to think about this will post again later!!

These sound like interesting characters--anyone else heard of them? Were they mates with 40 pockets? Why were the kids scared of them?

Edited April 29, 2012 by dougiedanger

[exgrover]

Bunnoes was certainly real.He used to live in Caledonian Road and would go home via Lilac Grove with his bike almost every night.

[Scotty]

(*) what was the Shapla called for years before it was the Shapla? It's on the tip of my tongue!!! You could get an under age drink in there is the late 60s.

The Tryst ... and they were still doing underage drinking in the 80s !

Was it not also known as Treetops for a while, possibly AFTER it was the Tryst?

Was it not 'The Hebridean' after 'The Tryst' ?

Yes, I believe it was ... and after that the downstairs bar became "Rumours" while the upstairs changed names to "Waves" ...

[Scarlet Pimple]

The names that stuck in my mind from these times were Bunnows, Forty pockets, Pinky and Nugget.

And Bughtmaster you must have been at the Central school when I was there.--in the late forties.

In 1948 I was ten. How old are you?

[gordieict]

(*) what was the Shapla called for years before it was the Shapla? It's on the tip of my tongue!!! You could get an under age drink in there is the late 60s.

The Tryst ... and they were still doing underage drinking in the 80s !

Was it not also known as Treetops for a while, possibly AFTER it was the Tryst?

Was it not 'The Hebridean' after 'The Tryst' ?

Yes, I believe it was ... and after that the downstairs bar became "Rumours" while the upstairs changed names to "Waves" ...

Think that was other way about and downstairs was Waves

[+bughtmaster]

The names that stuck in my mind from these times were Bunnows, Forty pockets, Pinky and Nugget.

And Bughtmaster you must have been at the Central school when I was there.--in the late forties.

In 1948 I was ten. How old are you?

Spot on Scarlet, I was the one who refused to go to the Kaddie! Don't rememember the latter two names you mention but then at our age memories can be fickle.

[Charles Bannerman]

Spot on Scarlet, I was the one who refused to go to the Kaddie! Don't rememember the latter two names you mention but then at our age memories can be fickle.

I think you were one of a few who declined the said offer - and in a number of cases that was a good shout. A number of kids turned that down because they knew their family circumstances woulsd require them to get a job at 15 anyway. The modern day parallel is the kids who decide not to take up one of the far too many places now available at universities, often because they know that getting a job with a load of student debt into the bargain will not be easly. Nothing wrong with that.

I say this as a Kaddie Boy but I fully appreciate where you were coming from.

[+bughtmaster]

You too are spot on Charles but I did not in any way say that in an apologetic way, I was quite happy to go to the Tech.

Besides the Kaddie was much too much a rugby school at that time and my game was football!!!!!! ( We always hammered the Kaddie when they did put out a team) and I didn't like the blazers or the snobbieness either.

[Alex MacLeod]

I dont think its fair to compare the 'tramp' with the homeless of the post Thatcher era. The 'tramp' or 'milestone inspector' as they were sometimes called, chose that lifestyle. They travelled the roads, usually with a bicycle loaded with their belongings, and picked up a bit of work here and there to keep them if food and drink. I remember two or three who would appear in Roy Bridge every so often.

Neither should the 'tramp' be confused with the highland tinker. The tinkers, of which the aforementioned McPhee's and Williamsons were, travelled the highlands and lowlands working the fields and doing jobs for householders in the towns and villages. Many folks confuse the tinkers with Gypsy Travellers though, through the years there has been inter-mingling.

The tramp, tinker and Gypsy chose not to have permanent homes, preferring to travel around to reap the fruits of the seasons and they enjoyed their lifestyles up until they became persecuted in the late seventies, early eighties. Persecution that was brought about by those who chose to adopt a similar lifestyle but refused to work and instead robbed and pillaged and lived of state subsidy. Namely the 'New Age Traveller'.

[Thorfinn]

Blimey! The Tryst (going back to that, for a minute) was the first place in Sneckie that me and my mates got a drink - about 14, we were, on a Saturday trip in from Ardersier - and we were so scared that we sat facing the door, convinced the Police were going to come in at any minute! This would have been early or mid 1970s. What the blazes does "Shapla" mean, anyway??

Edited May 7, 2012 by Thorfinn

[Scarlet Pimple]

Bughtmaster , the Academy wasn't that special. Heck, my brand new blue jumper was stolen out of the cloakroom the first day I put it on to school. In it's place was left a very old, very threadbare one so obviously that lad came from somewhat impoverished circumstances. I thought my mother was going to go ballistic when I walked in with it on but, strangely, she took it all in her stride and never said a word.

Can't say there was much obvious snobbishness at all. Never gave the techy school a second thought, to be honest. Hadn't got a clue what went on there from day to day. Did the Tech have teachers in robes--- or in fits?

[+bughtmaster]

Scarlet, my first thoughts were did you swap that brand new garment for a tube of wine gums? Full marks to your Ma though, mine would have sent me back to get it!!

Teachers in robes ?.................. only when at black masses!............. fits......only when they saw my homework!

Snobs, in retrospect they only thought they were.

Your last year at Central who taught you. Mrs Ross or Miss MacDonald ?

[Scarlet Pimple]

Wine gums? Shoot! You mean 4 icecreams, two lollipos and a PART :love02: RIDGE IN A PEAR TREE.

My memory is not what it was , Bughtmaster, but I think it might have been Ms MacDonald. 'cos I came out reeely edicated, like.

Truthfully, about the only thing I do remember about that school was playing durbs in the playground at the rear of the school beside the air raid shelters,We used to dig holes in the dirt and play punky with marbles.

Then I do remember the heady day when they announced the results of the qualifying exams. Scarlet pimple to the Academy. Was that good or bad I thought?

Oh, and I DO remember that first day at school --in the front door and into the classroom left of centre.

You'll have to stop whilst you are ahead, B.M .....the Pimple is getting all emotional. And it's contagious.

[+bughtmaster]

Final word Scarlet, durbs, what a beautiful word, had completely forgotten it.

'Thanks for the memories '

we probably had a few battles at that in these times, never ever managed to own a big steelack like most lads had though so got rooched a few times!!!

[Charles Bannerman]

"Durbs".... "steelachs"... "ge'een rooched"... what memories of something as simple as marbles! I wonder what contemporary youth, with their X boxes and i phones and Freeview channels, would think about kids of a previous generation deriving amusement from spheres of glass or, if you were lucky enough to have one, an old ball bearing?

Or splitting into rival groups and running about wasteland firing imaginary machine guns and throwing fictitious hand grenades at each other (with appropriate sound effects from the back of the throat) whilst re-enacting the re-conquest of Western Europe or various Pacific islands?

Or nicking the Minister's or the Sheriff's apples or going into the corner shop to buy penny bangers to throw into people's gardens or playing Kerbie or swapping Commando comics or Flags of the World bubblegum cards!

Oops... we've come a long way from Tramps!

[Thorfinn]

I had always imagined the word would be spelt as "DERBS"...but with our accent, it could go either way!

Talking of phrases past...anyone else recall "Seeken'd! Jarred a bunch!" - to mean "You've found yourself on the losing side of this argument, my friend"...or maybe that was just an Ardersier saying?

Or a group chant on the terraces of Telford Park - "Ayyyyyyyy - Oh! Ayyyyyyy Oh!" (was never quite sure what that meant).

And yes, sorry, a LONG way from Tramps etc!

[dougiedanger]

Bringing this back to the subject of the traditional vagabond, and linking it to the latest posts, what about the expression "derbs in the mooth" to refer to the garbled language of certain members of the travelling fraternity?

You would later hear the same nasal mumblings from Bon-Accord employees, and it seemed like a kind of lingua franca for Ferry-ites.

[+bughtmaster]

I still prefer DURBS it's got the right ring to it !!!!!!................ steelacks with a ch in, is acceptable !!!!!!!

Ge'een as in ge'een rooched fantastic I'd forgotten that one two.

I'll get back to the tramps later.

[Charles Bannerman]

I still prefer DURBS it's got the right ring to it !!!!!!................ steelacks with a ch in, is acceptable !!!!!!!

Ge'een as in ge'een rooched fantastic I'd forgotten that one two.

Now we're getting down to some of the nicetites of Sneck pronunciation and how it translates into written Sneck!

I have to say I would also go for "durbs" and probably also "steelucks" and indeed "rooked". But on the other hand there is a particular Sneck vowel sound which translates into the wirtten form equally effectively as an "e" or a "u".

For instance I instantly think of one all time classic which could be written as "Yersee'eenit" or "Yursee'eenit".

Sneck is actually full ambiguous vowel sounds and that Inverness poem which does the rounds has lots such as "tenas" played in "frully knuckers" and "fush sapper".

Then there are the two low cost hostelries which I patronise - "Tha Collee Clab" and "Tha Leejun".

[Charles Bannerman]

You would later hear the same nasal mumblings from Bon-Accord employees.

I'll have you know I was once a Bon Accord employee!!

Three student holidays worth 1971-72 working for Tommy Robb in "sales development" which was taking a wee truck round the doors trying to drum up new business. I got plenty, but for some reason the regular lorry drivers then seemed to "lose" it again.

That was actually where I first met Roy Lobban who was assistant manager down in Anderson Street. However the scariest experience I had there had nothing to do with any of the drivers. It was the time I was sent on an errand in Vince Robb's Mark 1 Cortina but I only found out that it was vastly overpowered when I got to the end of the street extremely prematurely. Or maybe it was when I had to visit this house is Beauly that smelled like a cess pit and just about threw up when the wifie handed me back a load of absolutely minging greasy empties!

[ictchris]

There used to be an old alkie guy called Dan who cut about around the IRA when I was there, in the 1990s. People used to shout at him and he'd chase you on his bike. It had a basket on the front for his empties.

I also remember that in the field between MacDonald Park and the back of Drummond School there used to be a caravan that had some old tramp living in it.

[Charles Bannerman]

There used to be an old alkie guy called Dan who cut about around the IRA when I was there, in the 1990s. People used to shout at him and he'd chase you on his bike. It had a basket on the front for his empties.

I also remember that in the field between MacDonald Park and the back of Drummond School there used to be a caravan that had some old tramp living in it.

Chris... I just don't remember this "Dan" - unless it was the guy that used to live in a sort of tent in Lochardil Woods? And was he one of these guys who always had "empties" since nothing remained full for long?

[culduthel]

Charles...... I've been racking my brains over one particular Tramp from the sixties / early seventies, just couldn't remember his name. It came to me this morning. You might remember him - Rod the Fish. He used to hang out around Academy Street, the Market and the Bus and Railway Stations most of the time and had his sleep - out at the back of the Railway Station.

He walked around with newspapers wrapped and tied up around his feet. You could smell him from 30 + yards away. He was minging. It was truly sickening to be near him as the smell was that bad.

Most of the business people around the area looked after him in a way. Providing him with food, coffee, cigs. etc etc etc. He was never short of a bottle of something and often he would be drunk. He sleep out in all weathers.

My Mother and Father told me that before the war Rod had been quite the young man around town, was considered good looking and quite a catch by the ladies. Seemingly he had a difficult war and went downhill pretty rapidly in the late forties and early fifties. They said he came from a decent family and went to Central School and from memory I think he also went to the Academy.

Anyone else able to add to the Rod the Fish story?

[Charles Bannerman]

Anyone else able to add to the Rod the Fish story?

Sorry Culduthel but that one is more or less a complete blank to me. Maybe the vaguest recollection of this chap about the town centre but no more than that. This does seem a very unfortunate story though.