Campbeltown Memories

"At the start of the Second World War, I came to stay in Campbeltown with my Granny. I was eight years old. I went to school in the Kirk Street Hall the Wee Grammar was being used by The Royal Navy.

"My Granny, Aggie McKay, had the wee fruit shop on Cross Street, McKay’s and her sister, Maggie Black (nee McKellar) had McKellar’s Dairy. I delivered milk and rolls from Blue’s the Bakers, from 7am in the morning and was back in time for school. We delivered to Low and High Askomil and we went to the back entrance with the deliveries. I got an old sixpence a week (2 and a half pence) for doing this work. I also got a penny a week pocket money.

"You could go to Borthwick’s and Noal’s to get sweeties from the penny sweetie trays. I also remember sitting around Campbeltown Cross which was at Cross Street then (near the Town Hall) with my friends singing: “Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam”. All the funerals went around the cross, so it was always there. It was moved later in the war for its protection.

"It was later put down to where the Weigh Uss (Weigh House) was, at the head of the Old Quay. I have a memory of walking into a wall that was built alongside the pavement on Main Street outside Liptons. I am not sure why it was built there, but I do remember that I cracked my head on it and Mrs Bertie Grumoli gave me a Florin to put on the lump which was quickly changed to a penny by my Granny.

"I went back to Perth, where my father worked, after the Campbeltown bombings and returned to Campbeltown every summer to stay with my Granny.

"My father later retired to Campbeltown in 1952. I got engaged, finished my Nursing Training in Paisley and came to work in the Campbeltown Cottage Hospital."

As told by Agnes C Johnston

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