Reader’s memories of wartime Almondbank

Jul 22 2008

Dear Editor, – Your story about the hall in Almondbank brought back memories of when I lived there as a child in the wartime.

My grand-parents lived in the small cottage at the top of Scroggie Hill. My father, David Shand Dingwall, and his sister, Nell, were born there.

I remember the village hall in question very well. The bungalows which are built in the centre area were not there then, instead there was a open area which I believe used to be called the village green where my brother and myself used to play.

They used to hold dances at the village hall for the local girls and the soldiers who used to man the anti-aircraft guns sited in the area over the stone wall at the rear of the cottage.

I remember how we walked down Scroggie Hill and across the main road to a narrow path between two houses, of which one was a small shop. The path led to the river which we used to paddle in.

Then there was the post office at the corner of Scoggie Hill where we used to spend our pocket money.

On a recent visit to Almondback with my wife to recollect my childhood memories, we had a look at the cottage and were quite surprised at how small it seemed, even with the new extention to it.

The post office is now closed. We also paid a visit to my grandfather’s grave which is in the old graveyard and were very sad to see that his gravestone and that of many others had been toppled over. I would be interested to know what happened there.

If anyone out there has any knowledge of my grandparents or my father and his sister, I would be very interested to hear about it.

David Dingwall,

By e-mail.