Deschar Road in the Boat of Garten
Her family had moved to Boat of Garten from Cawdor. George McKintosh Grocers were in the Boat of Garten. They were a general store and sold newspapers as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. There was also pots and pans and haberdashery. Jesse started work there in 1951 at the age of 15. She had to cut the cheese to order and wrap it up. There was also a slicing machine for bacon. Some items were already packaged up however many products still needed to be weighed. Sugar, cereals, barley, split peas, lentils, oatmeal and porridge oats.
Judith Meakin (left) and Jesse Stuart (middle)
Cheddar Cheese came in a truckle (cylindrical) with a gauze on it. Jesse was trained to use the machines and how to mark up the products for sale. The largest markup was on the china. There sometimes had Dairylea processed cheese but not Crowdie/ The Cheese was cut into wedges and wrapped in paper. Another cheese they stocked was Gorgonzola. Cold meat was cut into slices on a meat machine. There was ham, corned beef, chopped pork and luncheon meat. Added flour to help clean the machine.
Jesse’s cut on her arm caused by the tin of ham
One day Jesse cut her arm on a tin of ham. Someone gave her a lift to the nearest doctor in Grantown where she got stitched up. She had the stitches out the next time that Dr Williams was in the Boat of Garten.
The shop also sold mash for hens, corn and kibbled maize. It didn’t sell any butcher’s meat.
Memory contributed by Jesse Stuart from Tomintoul
Additional information
Tulloch Talk– more information about George MacIntosh and his van going around collecting eggs.
Moray Heritage Memory Project 