The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Abertay’ s trailblazing women are celebrated
Pioneering women who shaped the history of Abertay University are being celebrated during Dundee Women’s Festival.
Abertay began life as Dundee Technical Institute in 1888 and specialised in arts, science and textiles training.
The Abertay archives project has created a collection of videos featuring female graduates and academics to provide a snapshot of the university’s heritage.
The project is bringing forgotten voices from the university’s past to life and will go into the digital archives ahead of International Women’s Day on Monday.
Two of the interviewees are Jenny Mcneil, one of the first graduates of Scotland’s first science-based nursing degree in the 1970s, and Louise Giblin, a biotechnology graduate who was a founding member of the university’s first LGBT society.
Both women speak of how their experiences of Abertay, and the university’s predecessor institutions, have impacted their lives and shaped their career paths.
Louise said: “Times were different then and it wasn’t so easy to be out and proud.
“It wasn’t as accepted in society as it is today.
“It was 30 years ago, so there’s great leaps forward now.
“It was a great time to get involved and again it gave me a real political awakening to see how other people have to deal with situations in their life.
“Now I’m the chair of my trade union for Sepa and I still believe in equality for every person and every person should be treated the same.”
Abertay’s archives team invited two ‘young ambassadors’ from Dundee Young Carers to conduct the interviews after forging strong links with the organisation during the university’s 25th anniversary commemorations.
Jenny said: “It was a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing course and at that time in 1975 the majority of nurses weren’t degree trained, whereas now today they are.
“The idea of nurse degree courses was relatively new and in Dundee it was the first science-based course, so it was a really important thing that happened and developed in Dundee and it was so exciting for our group to be the first class.
“The course was new, too, and it was new to the group of us, but also to all the tutors and the nurses that we met over the period of our training, so everyone was learning together which was interesting, and, sometimes, a little bit challenging.
“Computers weren’t really something that were used on a regular basis but it’s amazing now just to see how much has developed.”
Dr Rebecca Wade, a passionate STEMM ambassador who teaches on Abertay’s Civil and Environmental Engineering course, was interviewed as part of the project. She said: “I was honoured to be part of this project for Dundee Women’s Festival.
“One of the best parts of my job is getting to show how rewarding studying and working in STEMM can be and how it can positively impact the planet. I hope projects like these help inspire future generations of women and girls to consider giving it a go.”
Abertay archivist Ruaraidh Wishart said having the young people on board was a valuable experience for both sides.
He added: “We are thrilled to be part of the Dundee Women’s Festival again this year and cannot wait to share the stories of these fascinating women with the public.”
The Dundee Young Carers video project is now live on the Abertay University website ahead of the official launch of Dundee Women’s Festival on Monday.
A major road safety project to improve a notorious stretch of the A92 in Fife is set to get under way next week.
Scores of serious accidents have taken place over the years near the Balfarg junction in north Glenrothes, including the death of nine-year-old Logan Carrie, who was struck by a car in February 2015 while trying to cross the busy trunk road.
Efforts to make the route safer for pedestrians and motorists were stepped up in the wake of Logan’s death and, while a number of measures have already been put in place, work beginning on Monday is expected to make the biggest difference yet.
Traffic signals are to be installed at the A92’s junctions with Western Avenue and Star Road, while work to improve the approaches to the new junctions to make them safer for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists will also be carried out.
This will involve new kerbing, surfacing, new dropped crossing points, safety fence improvements, traffic signage and road markings.
Ian Stewart, Bear Scotland’s north-east representative, said: “This major road safety project on the A92 at Balfarg Junction will see a significant investment from Transport Scotland which will help improve road safety within the area.
“The traffic management planned is essential to keep everyone safe during the project and we’ve planned the improvements to take place in phases to help limit the overall impact to road users.
“The overall programme for the works will be provided in due course following discussions with the sub-contractors involved in the project to finalise the details.”
The project is scheduled to begin on Monday and is programmed to take place over 14 weeks, although operators are hoping to 25 keep disruption to a minimum.
“Our teams will do all they can to complete the project as quickly and as safely as possible,” Mr Stewart added.
“We would like to thank motorists in advance for their patience during this project and advise them to plan ahead by checking Traffic Scotland for up-todate journey information and leave some extra time to reach their destination.”
The initial phase will take place over four weeks and will involve site clearance, verge works and the installation of traffic signal ducting crossing the carriageway at various locations.
Sinatra’s Bar in King Street opened 40 years ago and became a popular haunt for Dundee revellers for three decades.
Sinatra’s was the brainchild of local businessman Ian Hindmarsh whose plan was to provide an “outstandingly comfortable and stylish lounge bar for Dundonians”.
Mr Hindmarsh was on holiday on the Costa Del Sol when he saw a place called Sinatra’s bar and thought it would be a great name for a pub.
The image of Sinatra adorned virtually every wall in the Dundee pub with a choice of cocktails with such titles as My Way and Strangers in the Night.
A two-page advertising feature in The Evening Telegraph in March 1981 said Dundee’s latest city centre bar was in the superstar class.
It read: “The very name ‘Sinatra’ immediately brings to mind a man who has been at the top of his field of entertainment for just about as long as anybody can remember.
“And that is probably because he has more of what is essential to superstardom than most of his rivals.
“Indeed, his rendering of the song, which includes the line ‘You either got or you haven’t got style’, is undoubtedly better known than any other version.
“And when it comes to style and class, Dundee’s latest lounge bar, Sinatra’s in King Street, is all set to follow the superstar’s lead.”
The advert made clear the Dundee pub was not owned by the legendary crooner, just in case anyone thought the Chairman of the Board had added to a property portfolio which included real estate on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Palm Springs.
“From the moment you walk in through the main entrance at the bottom of King Street, you have a feeling of being somewhere just that bit out the ordinary,” it continued.
“At the top of a flight of stone steps leading up from the street is a large porch, fronted by a magnificent polished wooden door flanked by ornamental trees.”
The advertisement highlighted the fact that the furthest away you could sit from the distinctive central bar area was only about 20 feet, which meant there was “less chance of spillage in the journey from bar to resting place”.
The opening of Sinatra’s happened at a time when there were a record number of licensed premises with 152 pubs and 112 clubs operating in Dundee.
Established publicans were concerned for their livelihood, which led to the Scottish Licensed Trade Association asking the Scottish secretary of state to intervene.
Sinatra’s remained popular for almost three decades before closing in 2011 and plans were approved in 2016 to turn the club into 12 high-end flats.
The bus stop outside the building is still known by Dundonians as Sinatra’s.
Frank Sinatra never did pop by for a drink in the pub which was named after him but he did perform two shows in Dundee in 1953.
Sinatra was bitten by the golf bug and was lured across the Atlantic to watch Ben Hogan at the 1953 Open at Carnoustie and did a few gigs to earn some pocket money.
Organised by Glasgow theatrical agency Chalmers Wood, under 600 people attended the 6.15pm show at the Caird Hall.
He made sure his Dundee fans in the cheap seats weren’t strangers in the night and invited them to “come down where I can
see you”. They took him at his word and invaded the empty 15 shilling seats at the front of the stage at the venue which was originally capable of seating 3,300 people.
His two performances in Dundee were backed by Billy Ternent and his Orchestra, a high-quality band who were renowned among professional session players for the difficulty of their arrangements.
The second house at 8.45pm attracted 1,189 fans.
Sinatra was undeterred by the poor turnout and was full of praise for the reception he received, describing the crowd as “wonderfully enthusiastic”.
“That happens in other cities,” he said.
“What really matters is their response and it was wonderful.
“I have a very high opinion of Scottish audiences.”
Despite the onset of a cold and the big arena, Sinatra said the acoustics were splendid.
He had the fans in raptures with a 13-song, 45-minute set with a pause in between for a cup of tea.
The set highlights included Birth Of The Blues, Nancy With The Laughing Face, You’ll Never Walk Alone and Ole Man River.
The tickets for both performances ranged between five shillings and 15 shillings, which might have explained why there were so few people in attendance.
One letter writer afterwards contacted the local press and said whoever arranged the concert “must have been optimistic regarding his fans’ finances”.
She said: “Teenagers form the largest part of his following, with the result that they just couldn’t afford the Caird Hall prices.
“A popular all-over price would have filled the hall easily with young people.”
Sinatra returned to Scotland in 1990, aged 74, to perform a concert at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow.
Around 11,000 fans paid in excess of £75 a ticket to catch the crooner take to the stage for what was believed to have been his last ever UK and one of his last European shows.
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I have a very high opinion of Scottish audiences