Parking in Wormit

A typing glitch meant that the date of the Highland Show photograph was given as 1947 instead of 1949. It prompted Mairi Shiels to get in touch.

“I was interested to see the picture of the cars parked for the Royal Highland show in Dundee,” she says. “The 1949 event in Dundee was one of the most successful in the show’s history, with record numbers attending, both people and animals, and wonderful weather.

“Fast forward a few years and the show returned to Dundee in 1957. This aerial view of Newport (see right) shows cars parked in the grounds of Tayfield at the top left of the picture. Extra parking was provided there for show visitors. Owners left their cars there and took the ferry over the river to the show.

“Visitors were also encouraged to make use of parking facilities at Wormit and take the train over. The 1957 show was also one of the most successful. Just three years later however, in 1960, the show moved for the first time to its permanent site at Ingliston.

“The photograph shows many changes in this central area of Newport. The Blyth Hall has no extension to the front, the old school is still in Blyth Street, and the Congregational Church at the bottom of Kilnburn is clearly seen.

“The granary is opposite the bottom of Cupar Road with the burgh yard next to it, and the old houses of Granary (Gas) Lane are still there as well as all the buildings to the rear of the Newport Hotel. J T Young’s garage takes up most of Boat Road, and of course the ferry waits at the pier. Of the buildings mentioned, only the Blyth Hall remains.”

Changes in central Newport. See story on left.

Was this Dundee’s smallest pub? Read about it on the right.