DUNDEE SHOPPERS #3 - 1985 & 1986

The top scene looking along the Nethergate was taken from Burton's doorway and is dated 13th April 1985.

A couple of things I spotted in the City Square - there seems to be some kind of petition going on with stuff laid out on a table, although can't make out what for.

The other thing is the yellow poster with "The Man" on it. I thought it may have been for a play at first, but I couldn't find any info about a play from 85 with that title. So a couple of other possibilities - there was a band on the go in 85 called Happy The Man, it may be a gig poster. Or, Elvis Costello released a best of album in 85 called "The Man", perhaps it's an advert for that.

The other colourful image below it was snapped on 2nd June 1986 and has some locals taking a wee break from shopping, down at the Steeple grounds.

Photos by Neale Elder

DUNDEE SHOPPERS #2 - 1986

Another 2 shopping pictures from the mid 80's, the High Street this time.

The top image taken on 15th September 1986 contains a tantalising glimpse into the fashions of the day! Smashing shell suit!!

The picture below it, dated 2nd June 1986, has more traffic than shoppers but this is how it looked just 6 months before I moved South. Some kind of work going on outside the Andrew G Kidd / Keiller Centre area. I recognise those orange vehicles too but can't recall who they belong to. Begins with a "P".

Photos by Neale Elder

DUNDEE SHOPPERS #1 - 1984

You may be able to have a bit of fun playing "Where's Wally" over the next few days, trying to spot someone you recognise in the crowd, in the next batch of photos coming up from the 80's.

Starting with the top one of the Cowgate, taken on 4th Feb 1984.

All that congestion at the Wellgate doorway is just how I remember it. Sometimes it seemed to take forever making your way in & out the entrance, with the less patient always attempting to barge their way past!

Must have been a bit chilly when the picture was taken mind you, judging by the attire on show.

Not so on the photo of the Murraygate underneath where everyone is in their summer togs. Not surprising, as this image was captured on 30th July 1984.

A couple of wee observations - the blue shop front at the top end near the Amusement arcade, is the fashion boutique called "Jean Jeanie".

Down the opposite end, the shop with the green & yellow sign is Richard Shops. Above it however, top right of the same building, there is a large chunk of concrete missing. Did this not come crashing down onto the pavement one night in a storm? I have a hazy memory of something like that happening back then.

Anyway, if you fancy having a go at identifying any of the faces in the crowd, click the images to enlarge, zoom in and have fun!

Photos by Neale Elder.

IN HAWKES AD - 1988

A 1988 advert for In Hawkes Hairdressing in Westport.
Not sure whether "Hawkes" is supposed to mean "Hawkhill" in a more upmarket slang way, or if it's someones surname, but anyway, I do like that haircut!

JACK AND IRVING AD - 1987

This ad for Jack and Irving Hairdressing in Commercial Street is dated 1987.
Dawn, one of their stylists, did the hairdo in the picture.

PARR & FREDERICKE ADS - 1968

2 ladies hairdresser ads from 1968.

Parr Salons was at 128 Gray Street in the Ferry.

I seem to recall Parr's had a bit of a reputation for being a cut above the rest, although maybe it was they themselves who planted this high opinion in the first place!

As well as the Cowgate, Perth Road & Logie Street addresses in the ad, Fredericke also, later on, had a Ladies Hairdressing Training Centre in the Nethergate.

Now, Fredericke was obviously doing very good business with ladies hairstyling, but back then, there was another hairdresser who was also very successful with the ladies!! John Watson on the corner of Cleghorn St & Benvie Rd, used to attract ladies from all over Dundee. Not because of his scissor work, but because of his good looks! Yes, females, even from the other end of town, would make a special trip to his joint just to swoon and go weak at the knees!!

Ach well, it was the swinging 60's after all!!

Last I heard, he moved to New Zealand.

So away and book your flight girls..!!

SUNSPAN AND COKE ADS - 60'S & 70'S

Here's me thinking Sunspan was an "Orange only" drink, but there's the evidence on the ad from 1970, that it was also available in Lemon and Cola. Sunspan Cola??!!!

All those fizzy bubbles must have given me the bends and affected my memory!

G & P Barrie were located at 191 Albert Street.

The last of the soft drinks ads is dated 1968 and is for the Coca-Cola Bottling Plant at 181 Clepington Road. This place had a window where passers-by could see inside the factory and watch all the bottles snaking around on the conveyor belts being filled.

The plant was closed down in April 1983.

All together now...

"I'd like to teach the world to sing,

in perfect harmony,

I'd like to buy the world a Coke,

and make redundancies!"

REFORM STREET - 1983

An ordinary, everyday scene of folk going about their business along Reform Street on 3rd December 1983.

The most prominent shop sign on view is the one for Wimpy, who also have the "Restaurant Open" sandwich board on the pavement.

Some of the other shop signs down the left are - Sixty Minute Cleaners? (it says 2 hour on the sign!) - Elena Mae (cameras) and the Cairds canopy.

The Christmas decorations in the city square are up as well.

Across the road you can see the main entrance to newsagent R.S.McColl. This is where, in 1984, I started to indulge in a magazine called "The Great Artists". It was one of those which built up into an encyclopedic collection, featuring a different artist each week. I was on the dole during this period so it was a bit of a luxury item for me! I did, after nearly 2 years, complete the set, and surprise surprise, I still have all 96 of the magazines, a sample of which can be seen above.

Nowadays I can afford proper books!!

Reform St photo by Neale Elder

JEANNE'S HAIDRESSER - VICTORIA ROAD

On the opposite end of the Wellgate area to where Paynes was, was another hairdresser called Jeanne. It opened up on Victoria Road in the mid 70's, with this picture of the premises taken in November 1976.
Again, it wasn't a place I was in as I'm guessing it was for ladies only.
Photo by DC Thomson.

PAYNES HAIRDRESSER - KING STREET

Paynes hairdresser was located at the bottom of King Street. It was there throughout the 60's and up to the early 70's when the shop disappeared along with the rest of that section of King Street during the demolition of the Wellgate.
This photo was taken in the early 60's and would have looked pretty modern in comparison to it's surroundings.
Not sure if the place attracted Dundee's young trendy hipsters back then mind you, as I never went there!

RADIO TAY'S JOBCENTRE - 1980

When Radio Tay started up in 1980, The Jobcentre teamed up with them and set up, what was known as, the Job Shop, at the stations premises. The idea behind it was to expand the Jobcentre's facilities in Dundee to help spread the word about work in the local area. Radio Tay would then broadcast vacancy updates 3 times a day, to remind the unemployed what jobs were available and they could make enquiries about the jobs either at Radio Tay or the main Jobcentre.
Below is a short, silent clip of the interior of the Job Shop in 1980.

TSB BOOK - MEADOWSIDE - 1986

This is my TSB bank book I used at Meadowside.

As you can see, my final withdrawal before departing Dundee was made on 27th November 1986, leaving me with 13p to my name!

I never actually officially closed this account as I just opened up a new one with a different bank when I arrived down south, so I suppose, technically, I'm still entitled to my TSB money!
Let's see, what with all the interest that must have accumulated over the years, I could be sitting on a 17p fortune here..!!

WHITEHALL STREET - 1978

I have 2 items linked to Whitehall St coming next, but before I do these, I thought I'd put up a wee reminder of how the street itself looked back in the day!
Here is the lowdown on the shops in the photo, taken in May 1978.
DRAFFENS dept store takes up the full length of the street down the right. The wee shade structure above the door on the far right has "Restaurant" on it. You could use this stairway to take you straight there without having to trek through the shopping departments.
On the left, starting at the Crescent corner, is - STORK CORNER, babywear - HYDRO ELECTRIC BOARD - LARG'S, musicsellers, with the clock above the entrance - the 2 stripy canopies next to each other are NICOLL & SMIBERT, bakers/restaurant and FISHER & DONALDSON, bakers - then MATHIESON SHOE GROUP - and the one chopped off at the far left corner is THE DESIGN SHOP, household goods.
There were also quite a few dentists in the premises above the shops.
Back then, Fisher & Donaldson sold brilliant strawberry tarts, but only during the summer season. A pricey luxury item available around June to August, then when they disappeared, you'd have another year to wait before you could indulge again!
A wee bonus in the picture is the reminder of the Wullie Low carrier bag. A design that resembled the "Keep Britain Tidy" logo, but in red & white.
Click image to have a nosey around.
Photo by DC Thomson.

LAND O' CAKES IN CRAIGIE

This was probably one of the lesser known Land O' Cakes shops in Dundee - the Craigie one in Huntly Square. These shops were built in 1962/63 and Wallace's were one of the first to move in.

The top picture was taken in December 1963 and as you can see, shows the full window display. However, it was a very short lived stay because by September '64, when the other picture was taken, it had a "Closed Down" sign on the window and nothing but empty doilies inside.

The sign also informs everyone that the nearest branch can be found in Baluniefield Avenue, but they meant Baluniefield Road!

Photos by DC Thomson.

WALLACE - LAND O' CAKES

Well I started this recent food theme with Wallace's pehs, and so I'll bring it to an end with another one of Wallace's gastronomic gems, their Land O' Cakes shops.

These 2 ads are from the 60's, with the top one showng an image of their main bakery HQ up at Stobswell.

Their most well known shop was probably the one in Crichton Street, but they did have lots of others dotted around town - Dura Street, Hawkhill, Hilltown, in fact we even had one in Craigie!

The last time I looked, the Stobswell Bakery HQ in Eliza Street had been demolished, and their adjoining shop on the corner of Dura Street was lying empty, although a large Land O' Cakes sign was still on the side of the wall.

XMAS SHOPPING IN REFORM STREET - 1965

2 Christmas ads from '65 for 2 shops that were next door to each other.

Cairds providing Gift Vouchers and Meldrum's offering gifts for all the family.

DRAFFENS PERFUME COUNTER - 1968

Here's a place that would be doing a roaring trade this time of year - the Draffens Perfumery and Cosmetics Department (it's posh title).
The photo was taken in 1968, so lots of Coty and Yardley on display no doubt.
Of course, not being a regular visitor to this part of the store, I've not got much to say about it - shopping for Christmas gifts probably the only time I was there.
I can remember being there in December 1973 when all the counters were lit up by candles because there was a power cut! That was during the 3 day week period, industrial disputes and strikes galore!
Draffens is also the only place in town that I can remember having revolving doors.

JOHN MENZIES RECORD DEPT - 1983

John Menzies moved out of their Commercial St/Murraygate corner position in 1983, and relocated further along Murraygate to the empty premises that was once Woolworth. This is a shot from the new location of their record department, taken in December 1983. The record racks were placed diagonally at first, as above, but by the next year they changed the layout of the racks to run parallel with the wall (see December 2008 Archives for comparison).
It's quite interesting to see the large display above the door advertising the very first "Now That's What I Call Music" album...the series being on volume 74 at present!!
And so, with this image, I will now fade out from the recent music theme and crack on with a couple of weeks of retro Christmas shopping!
Photo by DC Thomson

GABLE END ADVERT - WESTPORT

This photo is from around 1984ish when a lot of the Westport area was being pulled down. The ad was actually on the side of the former premises of Young's in South Tay Street, where the new buildings on the corner of Cross Lane now are. That means at the time I was taking the photo I would have been standing at the gap next to Slickers, looking over towards Marketgait.

John Young was still there in 1970 , and were present at this location for quite a few decades up to then. Looking at the phone number, I'd say the building ad is probably from around the 1930's period.

FERRANTI AT DUNSINANE

The photo featuring the front of the Ferranti factory at Dunsinane dates from the early 80's.

They made hi-tech instruments like transformers, microwave components, lasers and circuit board connectors. Their Dundee factory made the transformers for the Ariane satellite launcher.

The ad under it is from the 70's and they've used 2 connectors to make it look like the bridges on the Tay.