Craig Dhu remembered
Sir, The article in the Banner about the Craig Dhu guest house in Lamlash (Saturday December 29) reminded me of three memorable holidays in 1952, 1953 and 1954 that I had with my parents.
We visited during the Kilmarnock Fair fortnight in August and so there were several family groups from the town like ourselves. There were also folk from Paisley and Clackmannan I remember. I attach a snap showing me with my mother’s bike in front of the entrance porch in 1954.
On our first visit we were ‘housed’ in a wooden shed situated in the rear garden at the end of the drive. In the later years, we were ‘promoted’, as frequent visitors, to the annex. This addition to the house on the right end of the building as you face it, is still there but it no longer has an external door as far as I can see.
The receipt displayed by Ms Linton showing a twoweek family holiday at £35 7/- is interesting too. I remember my father having £1 a week reserved from his £8 wage packet every week to accumulate to pay for the summer holidays. In the early 1950s the cost was around £30 for the three of us. As this was around four weeks’ wages, it was a significant family expense despite the amount seeming now so low.
The location of the guest house was ideal for a child living away from the coast. Right in front of the guest house was the sea with a narrow sandy bathing strip. In those days there was a lot of international shipping on the Firth of Clyde so from the windows of the Craig Dhu you could spot large cargo ships in light tropical colours making their way to and from Glasgow.
Sometimes a large naval ship would pass in the distance and about 15 minutes later the wash would come crashing on to the beach as it swept between Clauchlands Point and the Holy Isle and into the bay. Happy days. Yours,
Ian A Brown, Blairgowrie.