HILLTOWNS DISAPPEARING PUBS - 70'S

Here's a couple of Dundee pubs in the process of being wiped off the map.

The top one is the Empire Bar & The Copper Bell Lounge which was on the corner of Rosebank Street / Constitution Street.

Underneath it is Bradley's Bar & the Talk Of The Town Lounge located on the corner of Ann Street / Ellen Street.

Both pub positions are listed in my 1970 Directory, but in my 1974 Directory the 2 addresses don't exist, so this demolition occurred sometime in-between these two dates.

Photos from Gordon C.

DAVID LOW AD - 1971

I haven't mentioned much about Dundee's golf scene on Retro, so because I have some bits & pieces, not much, I'm gonna post them up over the next few days.

Starting with this ad from 1971 for David Low who were presenting themselves as golf specialists at the time. Although they stocked other sports items in their shop in Commercial Street, they did devote an entire floor to golfing equipment, a photo of which you can see in the December 2008 Archive.

David Low also used to have a shop in the Seagate on the corner of Gellatly Street but that one closed down in the early 70's allowing them to concentrate their efforts on this branch here.

ROOFTOP VIEW FROM THE LAW - 1970'S

A moody dusky evening shot looking over the rooftops at the base of the Law.
This was taken around the early/mid 70's, and snapped just at the moment of lighting-up time.
You can see the top section of Kinpurnie Place in the foreground, in the middle distance is St John's school and in the background are the Ardler multis.
The Law Hill area was like a 2nd playground to me when I was a wee schoolboy because my grandparents lived in Byron Street, so when the adults wanted to have a blether, me and my brothers would nip out to play for a while, with the Law being like an extension to their backies!
I also remember mucking about at the Kinpurnie swings because they had a Witches Hat there, something we didn't have at home at the Craigie swings, so that would be the first thing I'd make a beeline for!
If you want to see if you can spot anything else, click onto it to enlarge.

HANGING OUT AT LITTLEWOODS - 80'S

"Oh great, a windee seat"... now we get to look down from Littlewoods cafe and see what's going on outside.

Well when the top photo was taken around the mid 80's, there was a group of punkettes gathered at one of the benches. You can't make out their faces but you can see their hairstyles. A couple of the lassies have the peroxide look (one a Mohican) and another has a full head of green hair that resembles Hilary a bit, not sure if it is her though.

The other photo outside Littlewoods taken on the same day has a different flock of females on display - these ones dressed smart, but casual.

Bird spotting courtesy of The Bear.

WALLACE'S AD - 1973

Just thought I'd chuck on this '73 ad to finish off the local bakers theme.
Wallace's getting the final say with - FLOUR POWER!

CUTHBERT'S ADS - 1970'S

2 ads for Cuthbert's Sunshine Bakery in Ure Street.

Top one is 1973, the one below it 1974.

Those of you who know your 70's TV catch phrases will recognise the "Ooh you are awful" one.

It's from the Dick Emery Show - vox pop with double entendres.

Where's Hawkill?

ANDREW G KIDD - SUNBLEST AD - 1973

Here is an ad from 1973 for Andrew G Kidd's Sunblest.

THE LIGHT BITE - LATE 70'S

The advert is dated 1978 and lists all the Light Bites that were on the go at the time - Reform Street, Overgate, High Street, one in Lochee and one in the Ferry.

These wee cafe areas were part of Andrew G Kidd's baker shops who's Sunblest depot was in Lytton Street.
The winter shot, dating from around the same time as the ad, shows the Light Bite in the High Street.

SIMPSON'S SWEETIE SHOP - 1979

Bart and Lisa would have enjoyed this place - Simpson's Sweetie Shop on the corner of Graham Place and Princes Street.
The picture was taken in 1979, and although there is still a corner shop at this location, it isn't this one anymore.
On the subject of sweeties, anybody remember Ross's Chocolate Puff Candy? Same as a Crunchie but about the size of brick! Here's an ad for it from the 60's. It's black & white but my memory has it as being a red and yellow wrapper.

THE NELSON - ANN STREET - 80'S

The Nelson in Ann Street was a pub I knew of by name only - it wasn't one I've been in.

This picture of it, looking down Nelson Street, would have been taken around about the same time as the ad which is dated 1987, when Bobbie Glennie was the host with the most!
Nelson himself may have been victorious in his campaigns, but for The Nelson it was a losing battle. Along came the Dundee bulldozers and the little watering-hole on the corner sank without trace!
Photo by The Bear.

CITY CENTRE POINT DUTY - EARLY 60'S

This is policewoman, Sarah Christie, on point duty at the junction of Nethergate & Union Street in the early 60's.
I can remember the police in the 60's directing the traffic at Arbroath Road/Princes Street crossroads and Seagate/Commercial Street junction, so I'm guessing these were occasions when the traffic lights weren't working. Or unless it was before traffic lights were introduced?!!
So just as Sarah brings the traffic to a halt, it's time for me too to put the brakes on the present car topic that's been running the past few days and prepare for a different kind of trip - a journey back in time to the terminus of Dundee's music scene!

LOCHEE HIGH STREET TRAFFIC - EARLY 70'S

Another line of period cars, this time along a segment of Lochee High Street in the early 70's.
My attempt to name some may not all be 100% accurate so feel free to correct me (without swearing!)...here goes...Morris 1100, Humber Sceptre, Austin Maxi, Morris Traveller, 3 Mini's and 2 Vauxhall Viva's..not too sure of the remainder but it's a typical everyday display from this time zone.
I can name the shops though because I have an early 70's directory by my side.
Left to right - Kosto (newsagent) complete with Pola Cola sign above the door - Gall & Co (drapers) - Miss D. Fenton (fish merchant) - D. Webster & Co (butcher) - J. Milne (confectioner) - W. Low (supermarket) - Idea For Living (household accessories) - C. W. Carr (shoe retailer) - Forbes Johnston (chemist) and Alex Munro (butcher) with the canopy.

CITY CENTRE TRAFFIC - 1960'S

In contrast to yesterdays empty road along Hawkhill, here's a couple of pictures from the 60's showing a traffic packed High Street and Murraygate.

This was the era of Anglia's, Hillman's, Sunbeam's, Wolseley's and such like, and I'm sure some of you will be able to identify a few retro classics in there.

That's a Zodiac parked outside DM Brown's doorway.

Even the bus is in on it with an advert for SMT, who were Vauxhall and Bedford dealers.

The top picture comes from the "Dundee And Round About" book I featured last year, dated 1964, and even back then they were discussing the pedestrian v traffic battle, with the forecast being a victory for pedestrians!

Underneath it is the Murraygate when it too saw plenty vehicle action.

You can make out a beer lorry delivering fresh barrels to The Old Bank Bar.

Both sides of the street are crammed with cars, and yet the sign at the foot of the lamppost says "No Parking"!!

Click on the images to have a closer look.

Photos by DC Thomson.

SLIC CHIC BOUTIQUE AD - 1978

So then, who shopped in this wee kinky corner of town back in 1978?
It's the Slic Chic Boutique advertising their rather specialized stock - exotic underwear.
Here's me thinking the Albert Street area was more of a string vest type of neighbourhood too!

ALEX SMITH'S AT NIGHT - 1964

On a rainswept night in April 1964, Alex Smith's store in Commercial Street is illuminated and some of their Spring collection is on display.

Photo by DC Thomson.

FILMING IN DUNDEE - EARLY 80'S - #1

I put a few items up in 2008 relating to the time when the BBC filmed the Alan Bennett play "An Englishman Abroad" in the early 80's, with Dundee being transformed into Moscow.

Well I have a really good bundle of photos which were taken behind the scenes when all this was taking place.

So, in the 2 pictures above, we have shoe shop Peter Lord, on the Murraygate/Commercial Street corner, being modified into it's Russian equivalent.

Across the road on the other corner was John Menzies, who also got the Moscow name change treatment.

It was actually forecast for snow around the time of filming but only a tiny flurry dropped, not nearly enough for what the director, John Schlesinger, had in mind. So the decision was made at 4am to use salt instead. 14 council workers were brought down to the city centre to spread 80 tons of the stuff around town in order that filming could commence at 8:30am pronto.

I was there. They did a really convincing job.

Below is the part of the film where you see the Commercial Street scene.

The actress is trying to find someone who could give her directions to an address she had been given. She then ends up searching around Exchange Street.

 

REP THEATRE - OUTSIDE & INSIDE

1st pic - This was the main entrance to the original Rep Theatre in Nicoll Street. It had been here since 1939 until a fire in May 1963 completely destroyed the interior, forcing the Theatre Company to move into new temporary premises in St Columbus church in Lochee Road, a picture of which can be seen in the January 2009 Retro archives.

2nd pic - This is part of a mural commissioned by the Rep and painted by the guy in the photo, Richard Demarco. It's called "The Spirit Of Culture Descending Upon Dundee" and features a selection of local landmarks compressed into a kind of semi abstract skyline of the city.

This was actually thought "lost" in the 63 blaze, but apparently it was rescued and stored away until as recently as 2004, when it was rediscovered!

3rd pic - This then is the aftermath of the '63 Rep fire. Not much remaining inside. The gal sitting in amongst the charred debris is a student member of the Rep, Norma Longmiur.

DUNDEE REP PROGRAMME - 1963

I have a few original 60's Rep Theatre programmes in my collection.

So plucking an example out for Retro, this one here is for a play written by Peter Ustinov called "Photo Finish", which ran for a couple of weeks in April 1963.

You may recognise a couple of the actors in the play who later went on to be well known faces on TV - namely Hannah Gordon and Glyn Worsnip.

Also, if you look closely, you'll see a young Brian Cox listed as being assistant stage manager.

The Rep Theatre back then was in Nicoll Street.

Talented all-rounder Peter Ustinov became Dundee University Rector a few years later in 1968, a position he held till 1974.

Then lo & behold, our very own Brian Cox was inducted into the same role just earlier this year!

Quite a versatile wee troupe!

You may need to click onto the images to read the large versions.

THE BOULEVARD AD - 1988

This ad from 1988 is for French restaurant, The Boulevard, who were based at 10-12 Crichton Street.
I don't know anything about this place but I guess it must have been a rather upmarket joint judging by it's 7 course meals on offer!

No 10 - SOUTH TAY STREET

No 10 was in South Tay Street from around the late 70's and all throughout the 80's.
It was a pub I never had a drink in. Passed it hundreds of times too, but only once did my mob stop off and have a nosey at it from the doorway - we looked inside, and we all went "Naaaah!", wasn't lively enough for us. It seemed like a cosy wee place for middle aged couples to spend the evening, or perhaps we just caught it on a quiet night, but off to the noisy, more youthful pubs we went!.
I recall being told back then that the folk who had No 10 also had it's politically related partner around the corner, Chequers. Not sure if it was a fact or someone just linked the 2 names, as No 10 was the actual street number of the pub, but I'm certain they had wee framed political caricatures on the walls.
Maggie Thatcher was in the real No 10 at the time which may have also influenced us in choosing to avoid it!