Saturday 22 May 2010

THE CORNER BAR - HAWKHILL / PEDDIE ST

Moving further up the Hawkhill from yesterdays location, you'd find The Corner bar on the junction of Peddie Street.
In the 70's, when the pub was run by Jim Butters, one of The Corner bar regulars emigrated to Canada. Many years later in the mid 90's he came back to visit Dundee, and one of the first things he did was to venture up to his favourite pub. When he got there he was shocked to see that it had changed to the Hawkhill Tavern, along with a change of owner. He stepped inside and looked around it, half amazed, half saddened, then he spotted the new owner, Ray Martin, so he went over to greet him and exclaimed - "I can't believe it's not Butters!".
The above picture was taken in the early 80's, but below you can view the same corner from ground level, the footage dating from the late 60's.
It is believed that the guy walking by in the film clip is Dundee musician, Robin McKidd. A few folk who've viewed the footage recognised him instantly!
Oh yeah, and watch out for the ghost car..!!



10 comments:

  1. Believe Jimmy Cattanach was the one time landlord of the 'Hawkie'. Can't remember exactly when.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would have been the mid 70s. I was pals with his son Malcolm. It was still the corner bar then. In our late teens back then, we were commissioned to clean the pubs ceiling stained with decades of cigarette smoke. There was more sampling of the goods than there was cleaning getting done!

      Delete
  2. The block which extended around the corner and up Peddie St. was the subject of dodgy councillor dealings and was ultimately done up by Cleghorn.This has been done by the time this photo was taken as is witnessed by the Velux windows in the roof space.The shop beside the pub was of course Rainbow Music in the eighties before changing into a second hand shop and is now a flat.Beyond that, the open space was, I think, a scrap yard (Cosgroves?). This was built on approx. 1990 by Cleghorn and provides flats mainly for older people.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I had 2 cousins living on Peddie Street in the late 80s/early 90s.

    That photo of the pub brings back some memories :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. ..the view of the pub and Peddie St brings back such good memories. I lived at No 2 Peddie Street, top-floor flat. for the first 7 years of my life between 62 - 69. Many happy growing up memories!

    ReplyDelete
  5. It was Jim Cattanach - he was Jim Buttars son in law- I (Grant Anderson) worked there as a part timer with malcolm cattanach, Jim's son. There was Belle the cleaner, Ernie broon and Jim McGregor as regulars - some great folk, some hardnuts and some shysters who would sell their granny!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. my dad worked for jim butters in the 1950s and my uncle worked there who also lived at 8 peddie street before going to Canada ,my gran granda had the paper shop just beside taits lane ,also mind of got my first bike from reilys bike shop across the road next to fords lane and the ice cream shop

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi if anyone still reads this post. I am the Granddaughter of Jim Butters daughter of Jim and Dorothy Cattanach. Not forgetting my Granny Butters Jessie. It was a family business. Still remember Belle the cleaner and Mina. It was a real family pub. Belle was a doll and a real character. I remember going up to Her. D her husband Jim’s flat they where great so kind to a wee lassie. These Dundee women didn’t need feminism they where there own person as where the men. Happy memories of these folks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was friends with Donald - would love to catch up with him p cunningham

      Delete
    2. Anne says hi, Jane

      Delete