Chips and pokey hats on a sunny afternoon

Earliest memory of Glasgow?

I was second youngest in the Gillespie family of 12 – seven brothers and two sisters, and my mum and dad. We were not well off, my father worked a few jobs and my mother worked hard to rear such a large family. We had quite a strict upbringing and had to do our fair share of chores around the house.

Which street did you live on? South Chester Street in Shettleston.

Describe your house:

We lived in a four-ina-block. All of the neighbours knew each other and helped one another. Everyone played in the street, I have happy memories of that. We had a small garden as we lived at the bottom of the block.

What school did you go to?

I went to St Paul’s Primary in Shettleston. I’d spent primary one at St Mark’s, waiting for St Paul’s to be built. A neighbour took my brother Jim, sister Maureen and I to school. I liked school – I remember the headteacher wore a cloak. We were taught Scottish country dancing, but I couldn’t do the competitions as I didn’t have the right outfits. We couldn’t afford it. Mr Smith was my favourite teacher as he had time and patience with us.

Favourite local cinema? There were two in Shettleston – the Odeon, which we went to for the matinees, a real treat; and the State Picture House which was a bit bigger. I remember my sister Jessie, the eldest, taking me to see the Sound of Music at the Odeon.

Favourite local shop? Joe’s – the chippy and the café for the pokey hats. For a very special treat, sometimes we’d sit in for an ice cream drink made from American cream soda.

Where did you go dancing? Mainly the Savoy and Joanna’s, on a Saturday after work with my friends.

Happiest childhood memory: I loved going to the steamie with my mammy, to help her. It was at the Shettleston swimming baths and you had to book your turn. I remember the candy apple man, who’d shout “fresh whelks and candy apples” and the rag man with his horse and cart who would come on a Monday and you’d run out to see him, just to get a balloon.