In the mid 70's, someone came up with the bright idea of attaching plastic Jif lemons to a tree in the landscaped garden area next to the Tay Road Bridge.A few folk I've spoken to have a hazy memory of it, but none of us can remember if the idea behind it in the first place was an April Fool stunt, or if it was just a general practical joke.
If it was supposed to be an April Fool then it went way beyond it's one day of glory, because the plastic lemons remained there for a few years.
A photo of it did appear in the local papers, so maybe it started off originally as an April Fool played on us by DC Thomson's.
Anyone know a bit more about it?
Well I never! Used to see that tree from my bus on the way to the centre everyday (except Sundays) and always thought they were real lemons...
ReplyDeleteYou used to be able to see them on the tree when you paid your toll (twelve and a half pence) on the bridge coming over to Dundee before the booths were demolished.
ReplyDeleteAh, so you only saw them on payment of the toll?
ReplyDeleteStupid boy !
ReplyDeleteThey were hanging on the branches of the tree next to the toll booths. So only folk travelling across the bridge would've seen them.
You saw them better coming off the bridge back into Dundee, they were just to your left. They were there for a good few years. I know folk who worked on the bridge yet there's not a definite story regarding them. (unless someone knows better) :)
ReplyDeleteThere just isn't enough quirky nonsense like this going on anymore...nowadays the lemons would be taken away on health and safety grounds or because the bridge staff were being lemonist!
ReplyDeleteThey were made to take them down, then gave them to the "Formica Cafe" in the Arcade @ Shore Tce, spent their last days swirlin' about in the orange crush machine :)
ReplyDeleteWhy is it when you opened a new plastic jiff lemon, you had to have a wee squeeze and taste , knowing fine well it was gonna be just as soor as the last time you did it ???? ;)~
ReplyDeleteGod my dad used to go about this. Honest my dad could have written this blog! Love reading it, minds me of all the stories he used to tell me and my sister haha.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog!
I remember those lemons really well and have been telling people about them for years!
ReplyDeleteI was told that they were put on the trees by the men who worked in the toll booths on the road bridge. That seemed to be common knowledg during my student days so I think it's probably true.
Yes finally someone else remembers the lemon tree apart from my family haha. That was the highlight of coming off the bridge into Dundee. :o)
ReplyDelete1977 i was 17yrs old and remember seeing the lemons on the tree.A mr connelly who worked in the booths is rumered to have started the craze along with fellow workers.
ReplyDelete