There may be quite a few of you who didn't know about this little patch of Dundee - it's Baldovie Curling Pond.It was situated near the junction of Baldovie Road and Drumgeith Road.
Not really cold enough for the sport when this picture was taken in the 60's however!
Photo from Gordon C.
I uploaded this for comparison. I thought I had a 'frozen' version but unfortunately not. This is from the 50s I think, though... virtually identical, right down to the swans!
ReplyDeleteOnly the big tree in the background has succumbed to old age apparently...
http://i55.tinypic.com/2eunxpw.jpg
Does any body know why it was called Baldovie Toll?
ReplyDeleteHope that was a serious question, because here comes a worthy answer...
ReplyDeleteIt's called that Baldovie was a toll post on the turnpike route that left Dundee via Pitkerro Road and continued towards Newbigging. Stobsmuir tollhouse, the first coming out of Dundee, was at the top of Old Craigie Road. The route running up to the crossroads from Broughty Ferry was also a turnpike and had a tollhouse on Claypotts Road where the bowling green is now.
(All very 'Craigie Column'!)
Yes it was a serious question.. and a very worthy answer...
ReplyDeleteSo, when you say turnpike, the government actually collected a toll for using the road, like they do on the bridge? Was that common?
Yes, the turnpike roads in Scotland were created by Act of Parliament in 1789, allowing landowners and magistrates of Royal Burghs to form trusts which set road tolls. The routes never covered the whole country and the system wasn't all that efficient. The turnpike trusts couldn't cope with the competition of the railways and were abolished under another Act in 1878.
ReplyDeleteBut hey! None of this has anything to do with the Retro Decades!
My father lived in a cottage opposite this pond and in the 70's would catch eels for the frying pan. they were lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy mother told me that when she and my father were courting (1950-52)one Sunday they were walking past the curing pond when Dad spotted some thing in the water. It turned out to be a body.
ReplyDeleteOne day when I find time I'll check the local paper in the city library for any report of this.