An ex-pat remembers

Louise Dando-Collins, who moved to Australia in the late 1950s, still vividly recalls her childhood in 1940s and 50s Dundee. Here she shares more of her memories:

“When the Stobsmuir Pond froze over, it turned into nature’s skating rink, and skating was a favourite free sport.

“Another popular entertainment of the times was dancing to big bands. Dundee was entertained by the Gloria Gay and Ivy Bensen all-girl bands which toured the country, and the Dundonians gave them, and locally-born lead trumpet player Betty McGhee (my mother), a great welcome.

“The Law Hill, aka the Law, was the place where on a good day at Easter, Dundonians rolled their Easter Eggs. It was thought of – as it is today – a special place – an extinct volcano, smaller, but not unlike Mt Wellington in Hobart, Tasmania (where I found myself in 1958 as a migrant) sitting behind the city as if protecting it; beautiful in both summer and winter.

“Shops in Victoria Road catered for everything the housewife needed. Coops, butchers, bakers, grocers, newsagents.

“But the favourite, was the ‘chipper’ where fish’n’ chips was often the main diet, with the addition of a potato fritter, or a piece of black or white pudding, eaten with a sprinkling of vinegar – a staple diet for some, along with tongue in jelly, and potted hough or haggis.

“The Indian restaurant was still just around the corner of time, although Indian films were shown at the Rex Cinema on a Sunday because of the large number of Indian students then living in Dundee.

“Happy memories indeed.”