Delivering pails of milk in Edinvillie by Aileen Garrow

Aileen was born into a farming family in Edinvillie in 1932. They owned Bush Farm in Edinvillie. Aileen’s first job was delivering pails of milk to three cottages in Edinvillie. Each house had their own pail (2 large and one small). Her Father milked their two Black Irish Cows each morning to fill the pails. From the age of 8 or 9 Aileen carried the three pails with her on her way to the local primary school in Edinvillie. The three families (Hume, Ellice and Grays) lived in Milton of Edinvillie and everyone spoke Doric. Each day Aileen was paid 6d per pail for the milk. At the end of each schoolday she returned to pick up their clean empty milk pail ready for the next day’s milk. Other people had their own cow to provide their milk. Milk would vary in consistency such as when the cows went out to grass in the summer. Her Father grew different types of grass for the cows to eat. Once she was ill and unable to do her round and they gave her the money anyway. She thinks her Father took the milk. She felt very guilty because she hadn’t delivered it herself.

Milltown of Edinvillie Primary school © Copyright Dave Fergusson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

At that time in the 1940s Edinvillie Primary School had about 40 children. There had been 70 children in her Father’s time there. It closed in 2000 when there were only 9 pupils. It had a Big End and a Wee End for the younger children (4 1/2 upwards). Each day Aileen took a bottle of milk (usually a camp coffee bottle).  Many children took half full used bottles of whisky for their milk. This was placed on the windowsill, which could sometimes be in the full sun. The children also took a play piece to eat and nothing else for the day at school. It could be a hard boiled egg, a softie with butter and jam or an apple if it was the season. Aileen met an old school friend recently who said she used to covet Aileen’s regular hard boiled eggs (a benefit of living on a farm). At Bush Farm they also made their own butter and jam (only limited by the sugar which was on ration). During the winter months the children were provided with a soup dinner paid for by funds raised by the Soup Dinner Committee.They made money from whist drives and concerts. Local farmers donated vegetables including neeps and tatties. The money raised was used for the purchase of peas, beef and bread. It also paid for a cook and a set of little soup bowls. Aileen remembers eating lentil and bacon, broth, yellow split pea soup and tattie soup. Being further from the coast they didn’t have Cullen Skink (smoked haddock soup). The bread came from a bread van from Walkers of Aberlour. It arrived on Tuesday and Friday travelling round all the houses. Although many people often made their own bread they still bought softies, plain loaves, butteries, and queen cakes.

When she was 9 she had another job in the fields of the farm. She learnt how to build sheaves of oats and barley. The farm had a Clydesdale Horse and a 2 wheel wooden cart.  The sheaves were forked into the cart when Aileen stood. She had to place them head down to “heart it up first”. She created circles turning round and round the bottom of the cart in a spiral. The heart holds everything together and eventually everything came level inside the cart with Aileen climbing on top. At the farmyard everything was lifted off and formed into a stack. During the farming year there were (and still are in places) ploughing matches and stacks were exhibited.

Aileen stayed on at school into secondary at Aberlour and completed her Higher Leaving certificate. She was not very good at maths. Mr Miller was her Maths teacher. She sat the Lower Maths in secondary in Class 4.  She then went on to do her Higher English, Arithmetic, French, German, Latin and History in Class 6 at Secondary. She went on Aberdeen University to study Arts and later a Masters with honours in English Language and Literature. Her first year involved the study of English, French and German. Second yr- Advanced English, German and Latin. Third year- Junior Honours year- English and Moral Philosophy. Final year- Honours English. She then completed her teacher training at Aberdeen Training College in Psychology, Education and Biology. Her first job was at Narin Academy teaching Higher English. She stayed there her whole teaching career. She did stop in 1961 to help her mother on the farm after her Father suddenly passed away. By then the family had two farms, Bush and Upperton. Mr Grieve was a manager and he ran both farms for them. In 1965 her mother died and she returned to teach at Nairn Academy commuting from Bush Farm. Later she got married to James “Grantie” Garrow and he moved into Bush farm. He came from a local farming family, the Grant-Garrows and she had known him since they were both children.

Memory contributed by Aileen Garrow from Fochabers

Additional Information

The Tale of the Cheeryble Grants written by Aileen Garrow

Farming work
“Arranging the sheaves on the cart was very skilled as well – as with rick-building the sheaves had to be arranged carefully or the cartload or rick collapsed” source: Dorset Life website
Another link to an e-book about stacking sheaves
Stacking on a two wheeled cart- some pictures of farming in the 1930s.

Edinvillie 50th Dinner Dance
Aileen spoke at the dinner on 14th August 2009 about the early days of the Village Hall.
“Mr Burns then called upon Aileen Garrow, a former resident of Edinvillie, who spoke about the early days of the Hall, remembering many of the personalities who had contributed to its successes.”

History of Edinvillie School

Edinvillie History website featuring the school

Here is a website with information about the History of Edinvillie School.

Margaret Joy’s work in Speech and Language in St Andrews

Margaret’s first job was in the Citizen Office in St Andrews. It was 1942 and she was 14 years of age. She worked in the library because she liked working with the books. She earned 8 shillings a week in the Citizen office. She had to start work at 7 a.m. and finished work at 6 p.m. She had to put out the morning papers and looked after the library. She met a lot of local people. There was no job training. You just learnt on the job. In her spare time she went swimming and played tennis.

Margaret Joy was interviewed by S2 pupils from Elgin High School

Working at Johnstons Woollen Mill by Hector Henderson

Hector was born in Cooper Fraser Close. He attended West End Primary School from 1933. He remembers Mr Reid and Ms Hossick. He was 14 when he left. He worked for Yeadons the Grocers in Queen Street, Elgin. He had a message bike. He also worked at Rhynes (Beggs) in South Street. He tidied up the shop and put shoes back in their boxes. He learnt to drive after he left the RAF. During the war he had to grow potatoes in the garden.
He had to carry a gas mask. Elgin wasn’t at risk. German planes were shot down beside Fochabers. Big blocks were put onto the coast for stopping tanks. Horses got a drink of water at the fountain in town. You could take a driving test at 14 when you left school. There were no yellow lines on the road, no certain car parking spaces and one big car park. No parking wardens as the police did that job as well. You paid for your driving licence and insurance as well. He saw a variety of cars on the roads including Ford, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce (only a few of these). In those days there were no seat belts in the car. There were traffic lights but during the war taxi lights were covered up.

Hector worked at Johnstons mill from the age of 19/20 in 1948 after he left the RAF,  It was the only place he could get a job at that time. His job was in the weaving shed. He got a morning tea break and took a flask to work with him. He had his lunch at work. He enjoyed his work and continued to work there for thirty five years. The machines had guards on them and he felt fairly safe.

Memory contributed by Hector Henderson, Elgin

Rosemary’s office work at R & R Urquhart

“I worked for R R Urquhart’s, Forres in 1948 when I was 16.  The job was advertised in the Forres Gazette.  I think I got it because the Town Clerk knew my Dad.  I worked in the office, I copied letters on a gestetner machine, and had to walk the length and breadth of Forres to deliver them (it saved the boss a stamp, but not my shoe leather!).  I also had to deliver them after I left work, which meant getting home late.  I went to evening classes to learn shorthand and typing, then got promoted upstairs to the typing pool which I enjoyed because one of my jobs was to type up about the films being shown in the local cinema.  I worked there for 3 years until I got married to an airman and was posted away from Forres.  I was paid 30/- per week initially, and £2 after promotion.  I had Saturday afternoon and Sunday off and 2 weeks holiday per year.”

Rosemary Chester was interviewed by Heather Heppenstall, WRVS volunteer in Elgin

Joy’s first job as an Air Stewardess in Belize

An AA 757-200 Landing runway 02 at Toncontin International Airport (Prior to removal of the hillock), Honduras

Joy’s first job was for the Transatlantic Central American Airlines based in British Honduras (now known as Belize). One of the routes she flew was from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa from Belize City. She was offered the job in 1948 when she was 16. Her mother was Scottish, her Father was Welsh and her first language was English. The training took place in Belize and she was required to speak Spanish. The flights she worked on were of one hour duration with no drinks. The airline used small passenger planes. Sometimes she had to change planes in San Pedro Sula to a plane which could carry people and cargo. When there was cargo Joy often stayed behind in San Pedro Sula as they needed a man to unload the cargo at the destination,

The South London Hospital for Women

Later in life she moved to London where she worked in the South London Hospital as a trainee nurse. The hospital was for women and children run by women. One man was a porter and all the doctors and nurses were women.

The three arms of modern fencing (Foil, epee, saber)

In the 1960s Joy took up fencing. There are three weapons in fencing the foil, sabre and epee. She was allowed to use the foil. She was a member of a club and fenced all over Cramwell, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. She was the Individual Women’s Champion for Lincolnshire. Joy preferred team competitions. For matches she had to wear a mask, special gloves, padded jacket (torso only). There was no electric fencing at club level as it was too expensive, but once you were at competitive level it was used. Fencing was good fun and very good exercise, however a legacy of her fencing days is a problem knee from all the lunging.

Memory was contributed by Jo Crowley, a WRVS volunteer

Additional Information

WRVS

Joy is a valuable member of the team of WRVS volunteers helping with this project. She has been interviewing people in a variety of settings in Moray including this educational event at Cluny Primary called Then and Now in May. Here she is talking to Cluny teacher Mrs Paxman (left) about their shared experiences of Lincolnshire.  
 

Toncontin International Airport
“The airport received much notoriety as being one of the most dangerous in the world due to its proximity to mountainous terrain, its short runway, and its historically difficult approach to runway 02.” source 

Description of landing at the airport- click here

South London Hospital
The South London Hospital for Women, Clapham Common South Side was entirely staffed by women. The hospital was founded in 1912 and opened by Queen Mary on July 4th 1916. It was enlarged in the 1930s and closed down in 1984.

“South London Hospital for Women (Incorporated); 1912; Out-patients, 86-88, 90, Newington Causeway, S.E. In-patients, 103, South Side, Clapham Common.; To give medical and surgical treatment by qualified medical women – to provide private wards for women of small means (1 to 3 guineas a week).” source

Lost Hospitals of London– information on the South London Hospital for women and children

Kathleen Milne’s work as a secretary

Kathleen trained at Webster Business College. Her older sister advised her to do the work. She learnt shorthand and typing and then went on to work at Johnston and Carmichael.

Memory contributed by Kathleen Milne from Elgin

Winnie Cumming’s work in Childcare

Winnie worked at the Thorngrove Home which cared for children awaiting adoption or fostering. There were toddlers there and a nursery. She had to wear a uniform of white caps and collar. She later worked at Forresterhill Hospital in Aberdeen in the Special Care Baby Unit. Then she became a home help for 26 years.

Thorngrove is now a care home and supported housing unit.

Memory contributed by Winnie Cumming from Elgin

Horace Thomson’s first job

While training to become a medical doctor in Aberdeen, Horace was involved in war work. This was in 1942 when he was 21 years of age. He worked on Corvettes. Their job was to protect the Atlantic Convoys. The corvette was a type of gunship and they were being built in Aberdeen at that time. His job was to go into the bowels of the ship to cover the steam lines. Got asbestos is as asbestos was used to lag the pipes.

He married while still in training at the age of 21 to Mabel, a student of Domestic Science. In the city during the war were communal eating houses. There were in other parts of the country as well. They allowed working mothers and their families to eat together. Mabel worked in Robert Gordon School as they had can teen as well.

He qualified in 1944 and his first medical job was dealing with the wounded at Wood End Municipal Hospital, Aberdeen. They were pre-assessed there before going on to specific centres to serve their specific needs i.e. eye, limbs etc… The hospital specialised in sorting out the wounded and sending them to certain wards. There was assessment and treatment there. Horace was a house officer with two wards under his control. One was a V.D. ward and the other was a gastrointestinal ward. During the war catching V.D. was a way of not serving in the armed forces so some people tried to catch it on purpose. One symptom was no night vision and one chap went out for a bit of fresh air and he fell flat on his face outside.

Penicillin started to appear later on in the war for the treatment of some of the diseases. Prior to this one treatment was to raise someone’s core body temperature by putting them in a human oven. The size was similar to a modern MRI scanner.

Tuberculosis (TB) was very common and all types of people got it. Horace had thought about going to Canada in the 1940s but Canada was riddled with poliomyelitis (polio) and by then he had a young family and he didn’t want them to catch it. There was no vaccine at that time. The hospital wards were full of polio patients. the vaccine was eventually licensed for public use in 1962.

His grandfather GeorgeThomson had worked for the Royal Chemist Messers Squires in London and he had filled prescriptions for a variety of clients including Florence Nightingale. Horace has a transcript of letter she sent requesting lotions etc… and for them to sent on to her by passenger train to Clayton House in Buckinghamshire. He left London and started the Chemist Shop in Elgin. One of the products he created was Thomson’s Cod liver oil cream. It was said to be used by Royalty. The address on the letter is Sir Harry Verney Bart, Clayton House, Bucks because Sir Harry had married Florence’s sister Frances Parthenope Nightingale in 1958.

Thomson’s cod liver oil cream advert from the Northern Scot Christmas Post 1905

Although it was before the NHS Horace remembers being paid as a doctor with a salary and not having to bill individual people. His father died at the early age of 45 after following a 200 Capstan cigarettes a day smoking habit. Horace was called back to Elgin to run the family Chemist business which included Thomson’s cod liver oil cream. At that time a qualified medical doctor could run have a chemist business. Horace had to stop practising as a doctor for ten years and move his family to Elgin. Horace went back to being a medical officer in the 1950s associated with the local authority. He took a diploma in public health. He had to keep the health statistics for Banffshire County Council and run baby clinics dealing with vaccinations. he also organised nurses to do public health. He then went to be a Medical officer and Health Education Lecturer at Aberdeen where he worked in close co-operation with the gynacological department.

Memory contributed by Horace Thomson from Elgin

Additional links

Thomson’s Cod Liver Oil , Elgin

The factory was based in Abbey Street, It was halfway down on the right-hand side and set back.  Have a look at this link on Google Maps. Can you remember where the factory was? 

The Factory business emulsified the oil to make a cream which was taken by mouth on a spoon.
Porcelain spoon to serve the cod liver oil cream- click here for more information on the spoon. –picture

Information on the Polio vaccine. Licensed in 1962.

Florence Nightingale -more information

http://www.victorianweb.org/history/crimea/florrie.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nightingale_florence.shtml

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REnightingale.htm

Horace regularly uses his computer to Skype his wider family who live in South Africa, Australia and Canada.

Elgin Golf Club
Horace was involved closely in the beginnings of the Elgin Golf Club. His father George Rutherford Thomson had also loved the game and Horace gave a trophy to the club in his father’s memory in 1949. He is still involved with the club.

Margaret Dunwoodie ‘s work for Johnston and Carmichael

Margaret Dunhoodie’s was an Auditor/bookkeeper at Johnston and Carmichael in Elgin. She started work when she was 16 in 1940 but before she started working she went to Webster’s college, which was in the same building as Johnston and Carmichael. She was interviewed by John Carmichael and she decided to take the job.  She hardly saw Mr Johnston. He had volunteered at the start of the Second World War for active service and he only returned to the firm at the end of the war.  One man was really quick because he counted in his head. Across from them was a barracks for officers. She worked there for several years and then went to work for Dr Gordon Thow as a Doctor’s secretary. The practice was where the Seafield club is now, near St Giles on the High Street. Dr Thow did surgery at the hospital.  Every time someone was seen a mark went against their name. The doctors charged a patient according to how wealthy they were. Wealthier people would be charged more. Some people wouldn’t get charged because they were too poor. Dr Thesson had a clinic which checked people’s blood for illness.

Memory contributed by Margaret Dunwoodie of Elgin

George’s work as a gardener

George started his working life for Christie’s Garden Centre in Fochabers. His work started at 8 o’clock and finished at 5 o’clock with lunch at 12. He enjoyed working outdoors. In his spare time he played football.

Memory contributed by George Forsyth from Elgin