During the Second World War, the newly formed BOAC continued flying civilian services to several countries, including neutral Portugal and Sweden. These flights could be of great importance to the war effort and of course, could be very hazardous. In “Captain Gilbert Rae, OBE”, George Beattie discusses this little known aspect of the war and gives us a short biography of one of the brave pilots involved in these dangerous times. Captain Rae was the grandson of Gilbert Rae who founded the well-known lemonade manufacturer in Dunfermline. By George Beattie By the time he completed his apprenticeship, aged 21, Gilbert had enough flying experience, to immediately transfer to the pilot staff of Scottish Airways. For the next two years, he flew light aircraft to the Western Isles. Scottish Airways provided both scheduled passenger flights and an air ambulance service that would land on the grass runways and beaches of the outer islands. Dick Smith, who was brought up in Golfdrum Street, recalled that during the 1930s, Gilbert, on more than one occasion, landed a bi-plane in a field near Berrylaw, on the west side of William Street whilst visiting his parents at Baldridge. Captain Rae’s flying colleagues, when operating in the Fife area, used the factory chimney at Baldridge Works as a landmark, naming it, ‘Gibby’s chimney’. Gilbert left Renfrew in 1940, to join the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). He spent most of that year training on the Flying Boats,…
The Collier’s Bearer and the Stolen Child
by Dr. Jean Barclay Part 1 – the Child-Stealing. In May 1817, in the harsh times after the Napoleonic Wars, a young woman, Janet Douglas of Gilmerton near Edinburgh, aged about 18, found herself out of work as a collier`s bearer. The job, which involved hauling hewn coal from the bottom of the shaft to the pithead, was heavy and degrading but at least brought in a wage however small. Janet, who was said to be sober and industrious, looked about for work but could find nothing in her locality. She was told, however, that there was work to be had at Halbeath Colliery across the Forth near Dunfermline and that she stood more chance if she had a child with her as a potential pair of hands. Janet decided to try Halbeath and on May 12th began her journey north. Reaching the Grassmarket area in the late morning, she noticed a little girl of about three in a light dress, a checked pinafore and a green bonnet and, giving her some sweets, persuaded her to come with her. The little girl was Margaret or Maggie Reach, one of the three children of James Reach, a mason, of King`s Stables, Portsburgh, and his wife, Marion Brown. With Margaret in tow, Janet headed towards Queensferry, stopping now and then to ask for food and water for herself and `Jeannie`, as she called the little girl, and at Muttonhole (now Davidson`s Mains) a Miss Marshall gave her a penny to help pay for the ferry crossing. Passing Braehead near Cramond at about 3.30pm, they reached the ferry, crossed to North…
“Horses” by Mima Robertson, born 1901
Mima Robertson was a prolific Dunfermline author who wrote fiction for “The People’s Friend” for many years, five novels and some non-fiction. The best known is “Old Dunfermline” a history of the town from it’s beginning to the turn of the 20th Century. Jean Barclay is assisting with the archiving of her papers and presents here a short piece written by Mima on the working horses she came across in her childhood, followed by a brief biographical note.
Amelia Robertson Paton
Amelia Paton was a talented artist and an accomplished sculptor, whose best known works are the statues of David Livingstone near the Scott Monument in Edinburgh and of Robert Burns in Dumfries. She was also the sister of the well known artist Sir Joseph Noel Paton and was married to David Octavius Hill, the artist and early pioneer of photography in Scotland. In “Amelia Robertson Paton” George Robertson relates her biography and her involvement in artistic life of Victorian Scotland.
Woodrow’s Lemonade
James Woodrow and Sons, Aerated Water Manufacturer By George Beattie Born and brought up in Edinburgh, James Woodrow spent much of his early working life employed as a lemonade bottler in the City. He moved to a similar job in Leven around 1890, where he went on to become manager of an aerated water works for some 18 years, probably that of A. Hutchison, Parkhill Works, Leven. Having worked in the aerated water business for some 20 years, it seemed a natural progression for him to start in the business for himself, and, in 1908, he achieved this aim when he acquired the aerated water business of Frank Danks, at 37 Rolland Street, Dunfermline. The Rolland Street premises had been occupied by Danks from around 1890, having previously been operated by another aerated water manufacturer, Messrs Hardy and Ramsey. Robert Ramsey’s son, James, founded the well known egg merchants firm in Cowdenbeath which bore his name. There is the likelihood that Messrs Hardy & Ramsey were not the original manufacturers on the Rolland Street site, as a house adjacent to Woodrow’s office premises bore the date 1864. It is believed, but not yet confirmed, that the house was built on the site of a burned-out cottage, and that the manufacture of aerated water had been carried on there before the 1864 house was built. On another historical note, the Rolland Street Hall, used as a place for social gatherings by the people of the area, and later used as a store by Messrs Woodrow, once housed the…