GlescaPals caltoncuddy

GlescaPal Caltoncuddy
was born in 10 Ducraig Street, Shettleston, Glasgow, 24th Nov 1940 and attended St.Mark's primary and secondary schools.                                                                                          School photo 1945        School photo 1948

He moved to Glasgow Cross in 1953 then emigrated to Australia in 1959 with his parents, younger brother and two sisters.
Lived in Adelaide for a year then moved to a small town called Millicent in the SE corner of South Australia.
1965

He married a local girl, Corry, of Dutch decent on 11th Sept 1965 and they had four daughters who
are scattered all over Oz.

He was self-employed for 35 years and retired in 2004.

Caltoncuddy joined GlescaPals in Nov.2005

Caltoncuddy: again due to GlescaPals I have found an old school pal whom I haven't seen since the 1950s,
Thanks webbie cheers from a chuffed Caltoncuddy.

Caltoncuddy: This is a wee bit of my story when I lived in Glasgow and my last Hogmanay 1958 before emigrating.

It was Hogmanay 1958 and Mum was baking a steak pie the aroma permeating every corner of the house even people coming up the stairs you could see them sniff in the scent, wee Mattie our next door neighbour said she couldie wait tae midnight fur a taste, and hung around all day just in case Mum would give her a wee bite, the steak pie was only one of many dishes Mum would prepare for new year,. then would come the big clean, no dust or dirt could be left over for the new year, This was a job that Dad got stuck with dusting the high ceilings and cleaning windows jobs that Mum couldn’t manage, start out as you would for the rest of the year as my auld Granny would say quoted Mum, the boys were in and out all afternoon bringing guitars drums tape recorders records a seemingly endless supply of gear, Tommy and big Eddie carrying bottles of booze trying to hide them unsuccessfully under there coats, just put them on the side board said Dad as they come through the door aye said Tommy with his usual cheeky grin big Eddie trying not to laugh, this was the first time I would be celebrating Hogmanay as an adult or need I say a near adult being that back then you were not an adult until your twenty first birthday, that being neither here nor there I’ll get back to my story, the table was decked with Mums best linen, spread on top were lots of goodies home made biscuits cake trifles, shortbread, scones, not to count the mice pies and sausage rolls, all were laid out before our eyes what a feast ,the steak pie last but not least only being put on the table few seconds before the bells chimed. All this food was a great temptation to the gang Mum and Dad watching us at every turn, don’t touch would be the catch cry leave them alone we would all yell but still the goodies would slowly disappear Tommy getting away with pinching a biscuit every time he passed the table, he was Mums favourite what else. Dad opened every door and window in the place, a minute before midnight this was to let the old year out and the new-year in, right on midnight the silence would be shattered by the noise of the Bells from the Tolbooth Steeple ringing along with a cacophony of fog horns and boat sirens welcoming in the New Year out side in the street you could here the sound of singing

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne

Within minutes of the bells stopping in walked our first foot Tommy of course who else, tradition dictates that a tall dark man should be you first visitor for the year as this will bring you good luck for the rest of the year, Tom meeting both criteria made Mum very happy, he was closely followed by the rest of the gang Mum and Dad had let the kids stay up to see the new year in and round the table sat James Margaret and Jane all tucking in to the food as though they hadn’t been feed for a week, wee Mattie at last getting her mouth round a piece of steak pie, bottles of whisky were being opened all over the place Happy New year everyone said Dad.

Before long the air was filled with the music from guitars and drums Hendy strumming the melody Hughie belting out the beat, with Tommy singing the latest Hank Snow number, then changing quickly to Rock island line a Lonnie Donagan hit at that time everyone joining in the singing, we were having a ball The atmosphere was tremendous everyone was enjoying themselves. About three o’clock in the morning Rita conked out, she just fell to the floor and lay there, we lifted her up and put her on my bed where Mum tried to waken her Rita would open her eyes look at her and say hello Mrs Gall Happy New Year and promptly go back to sleep, where did she get that much to drink angrily Mum asked I have been watching all night to make sure none of you overdid it , Dad started to laugh pointing to the mantelpiece where about a dozen small shot glasses stood empty, Mum stared in horror o my god . all night long the boys had poured Mum drinks she would say thanks and promptly sit the small whisky glass on top of the mantle, meaning to back later and pour them back in the bottle, Rita had found the stash and made short work of them, the rest you know,

After a very hectic night the gang decided to go out for a walk to freshen up I think it was about six thirty in the morning. What a racket we must have made yelling and screaming as we run down the stairs and spilling out into the street, not giving a jot about the other tenants probably trying to get some sleep after there celebrations.

It was freezing cold as we hit the street, clouds of steam streaming from our mouths,as we were still warm inside from all the New Year cheer it didn’t seem to bother us a great deal. “Ok where urwie goawn,?” yelled Tommy “a think wie shood go up the square an see wuts gaunoan” ( George square is the central square in Glasgow) “good idea” said big Eddie taking off as he spoke,with his big legs pounding the pavement he was almost at the cross before you could say Jack Robinson, we took off after him shouting at him to slow down, we needent have botherd as he hit a patch of ice and skidded across the pavment stopping when he hit a lamp post. We gatherd around him staring, concern all over our faces he just lay there motionless, flat on his back no expresion on his face with his eyes tight shut. Slapping his face Tommy shouted “Eddie ur ye awrite?” no response, so again Tommy slapt him “ yoo dae that wan mere time an all cloak ye said big Eddie as he sat up grinning from ear to ear, he was ok just winded.

Crossing the Gallowgate and heading up the High St we were in rerr spirits singing at the top of our voices.the sound bouncing of the high buildings echoing along the road in front of us anoying no one as there wasn’t to many about at that time of the morning.Turning left into Bell St towards the fruit market up the Candleriggs and through the few remaning sreets we at last reached George Square,it too was deserted apart from a few drunks sleeping it off on park benches and some workers sweaping broken bottles from around the cenotaph we had the place to ourselves. A couple of us climbed up on to the backs of the stone lions flanking the memorial, no sooner had our bums sat down there was a loud piercing whistle followed by a gruff adjitated shout, “Wit the divel dae ye think yer upty? get doon fae there ur a wull kick yer bliddy erses” turning we could see a police man heading our way he was right amonge us before we reolized what was happining, “get doon a tell ye get doon” sorry officer “we wurnie dain any herm jist tryin tae sober up afor gawen tae church” blurted out Hendy “ an we better get gaun afore we ur late” “haud oan an haud wiesht,wut church wid that be then?” the polis asked, Hendy replied “the cafflic wan” “ well ye better get a move oan ur yeal be late fur the eight .o,cloak mass,well aff ye go an don’t caws anymerr trubble am wachin yees noo” “aye thanks constable we wull” murmurd Tommy, “keech* wut did ye say that fur? ya bliddy bampot”wisperd big Eddie, “adonoe it jist came oot, it jist soundit rite it the time” said Hendy cringing.
As we walked off towards Queen St I said “the nearest catholic church is St Andrews cathedral in Clyde St” “a wis only jokin aboot gawn tae chappel” said Hendy, “aye anoe bit we better go cause the polis is up oor erse an still watchin us”said I,. picking up the pace we hurryed for all we were worth, every so often glancing over our shoulders to find he was still on our tail.

As we aproached the the cathedral Hendy said “av niver been in a cafflic chapple affor wut dae a hiv tae dae” “aye wut dae we dae” courist about half the gang, “jist dae wut we dae” Tommy addvised ,across the street stood the policeman he had followed us all the way,and with a big grin on his face he gave us a wave.as we enterd the church, Tommy bein an old Mungo boy took charge then dipping his hand into the holy water faunt and making the sign off the cross wispering to the boys “ye hivtie dae this” I had never seen such a mess big Eddie splashing watter everywear, Rita trying to wash her hands and face you would have died laghing, an usher shushing us to be quite pointed to an empty pew down the front was not amused, we marched to where he had indicated there must have been about ten of us and by squeezing up we filled the bench, when Tommy stood we all stood when Tommy sat we all sat, when he knelt we all knelt. It was very warm inside and you could smell the damp riseing from the parisheners outer garments making the atmosphere stifling, some of the gang were having trubble staying awake and had to be prodded.,again Tommy stood up as did big Eddie the sudden movement pluss the muggienes made him dizzy and he colapsed in a heap, well you would not believe what happened next like nine pins they dropped one after the other, the priest looking from the alter in amazment, the alterboys mouths wide open wondering what was going on, ushers coming from all directions and waisting no time bundled us out, “well how wis we tae noe that big Edddie hid faintit, we thought that wis wit ye hud tae dae”” its awe daft anyhow” lamented Hendy.

Caltoncuddy: I thought it was about time I jotted down some memories I have of my early years in Glasgow.
I can remember quite vividly when we lived in 10 Ducraig Street, Shettleston, mum and I stayed with Granny Keays and my Uncle Charlie; I was about 5 years old,
Charlie was 15; this was in 1945 near the end of the war. The tenement building we lived in was four stories high and built from red sandstone, known locally as the red building. We lived in the middle flat of three on the top floor, the flats were made up of two rooms, i.e. a bedroom and a kitchen, the fittings sparse, the kitchen had a coal fired cast iron range (fire stove) which was used to cook and heat the apartment. A wooden cupboard beneath the only window held a white porcelain sink serviced by a brass cold water tap; Glaswegians call this a jaw box.. There was no hot water and no inside toilet; we shared conveniences with the tenants in the two other apartments on the same floor, the house was lit by gas, as there was no electricity. From the landing you entered through a small lobby that took you to the kitchen, on your left a door led to the small narrow bedroom, facing the lobby door was the window and sink, the fireplace and a built in press (cupboard) opposite the bedroom door, alongside the lobby door was a recess bed, locally called a ‘hole in the wall’, these were common in the city tenements.

Mum slept with Granny in the hole in the wall bed in the kitchen, while Uncle Charlie and I shared the bedroom, our beds were placed end for end along one wall, with a chest of drawers and a wardrobe placed each side of the door on the other wall. On the narrow far end wall, a long slim window looking out over the street was squashed alongside a tiny fireplace that I don’t ever remember being lit even on the coldest of nights.
On the floor below my Great Granny Coyle lived alone, in an Identical flat ( she was Granny Keay’s Mum), next door to her lived my Uncle Owenie and Aunty Lizzy, their two sons and three daughters, Owen, John,. Maria, (Rya) Cathy and Betty. (Uncle Owenie was Granny Keays’s Brother).

It was a tough being brought up in the city at this time, most men were away at the war and everything was rationed. But I was very fortunate in having an extended family, I never wanted for anything. Charlie started work in Turners a small engineering shop but he hated it, leaving after a few months to go down the pits (coal mines). As a coal miner he was allowed a ton of coal every now and again as part of his wages, this was quite a luxury as coal was scarce and expensive, It was delivered by truck and dumped in the street out side our close (entrance to the stairs) from there we had to carry it up the three flights of stairs to the house this was quite a job, but having a large family made it easy as everyone chipped in, all of them sharing in the windfall. Being the smallest my job was to stand guard, making sure none was stolen by the crowd of onlookers eyeing it up. Lack of storage meant we had to heap it up under the recess bed, even the dross (coal dust) was saved and mixed with a small amount of cement poured into old flower pots and left to set, this produced briquettes that we could burn. As the winters were extremely cold in Scotland the coal was put to good use but even this didn’t last and when we had nothing to burn, us kids would walk along the railway line and pick up the coal that fell from the trains. When an engine come along we would shout insults at the driver and fireman as they passed, shaking there fists they would throw lumps of coal at us, I now realize they knew what we up to and tossed it for us, not at us, how thoughtful and kind these men were, we would have frozen many a time if not for them. On really cold nights, not
having enough blankets to go round Granny would place old army coats on our beds for added warmth.

Caltoncuddy, memories o' the ragman: If when playing in the back court we heard the sound of a bugle and the call “ Delf fur Rags Delf fur rags” we would race up the stairs and ask our Mums Grannys Aunties or whoever for some old rags shouting “the rag man is here”we then run back down and out to his horse and cart to find it filled with balloons gold fish in jam jars, paper Mickey mouse masks cups saucers and plates he would exchange your rags for his goods woollen rags were always the most sought after and you would get more for them “ heres a wee gold fish fur ye son tell yer Maw ye dindnie hae any woollens” Delf fur rags an he was off , up the stair Id go and Granny would say what did ye get, “wheres ma cups an saucers? gold fish al gei him gold fish take it back the noo and get me some cups an saucers” Id run down the stairs and wait a wee while and then go out to see if he was still there, what do you know he was gone, back up the stairs id go “he’s gone Granny” “och well a suppose you better keep the wee fish then” most of them died in a couple of weeks, I wonder if it was what I feed them, worms and wee lumps a bread.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Caltoncuddy: My first job in 1955 was in a ham curers in St Andrews Street called Menzies and son Grocery wholesaler and ham and bacon curers
this is a wee bit of a story that I wrote for my family as best as I could remember

Hurrah the happiest day of my life had arrived I was leaving school, I wanted to stay home but Mum insisted I go, I never felt as happy going to school before, Nothing was achieved that day it was a total waste of time for pupils and staff alike,
We were out in the playground most of the day, just waiting for the last bell to ring.
The ceremony was brief, Br Joseph handed out our leaving certificates at a special mass, on behalf of the staff he wished us all the best in our future endeavours, and reminded us to be good Catholics and go to mass regularly and to keep the sacraments, we said the final prayers, the bell rung ,and we left for good.

First thing the following Monday saw me out looking for work; I wanted to be a Joiner but couldn’t start an apprenticeship until I was sixteen, I tramped all over the city looking for a job any job, I think every unemployed teenager in Glasgow beat me to it, more of the same Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on by Friday, I thought my legs were six inches shorter, and I was fed up knocking on doors, this went on for weeks I thought I would never find a job, Docherty’s a small grocery store next to our close where Mum would buy her Messages, gave me a couple of days work cleaning and sweeping the floor, sweeping the shop front one morning, a deliveryman spoke to me “new boy” he said , I told him, I was only here for a couple of days and I was looking for full time employment, he said his boss was looking for a lad, and it was only two streets away, he wrote down the name and address, and said tell the boss that he sent me, a minute later Mr Docherty came out, he said what are you waiting you had better go now before its gone, you can finish here later, the van driver must have spoken to him, off I went, it was called Menzies and son Grocery wholesaler and ham and bacon curers, in I went, boxes of tined fruit were stacked from floor to ceiling alongside boxes of tined beef, crates of eggs and barrels of butter and cheese, half sides of bacon hanging from hooks, I could smell wood smoke, and wondered where it came from,. I was just about to knock the office door when a pretty young girl came out holding a bunch of papers, “hello” she said “can I be of any assistance” I was taken a -back no one had ever spoken to me like that before, usually it was “what do you want” this was nice, mumbling something about a job she smiled and said ;hang on and I will get Mr Menzies, he will be able to help you” she went back in and shut the door, embarrassed I stepped back hands behind my back and waited, it seemed to take forever, the door opened again and out came a tall grey haired man with a moustache, and dressed in a blue pin striped suit, are you Rod, he took me in to his office, and asked me allsorts of questions, what did I want to do in life, what school I attended where did I live, but lucky he never asked me to do sums, or any writing, he seemed to more interested in my strength, the interview was over, he had given me the job, I was to start Monday and I would get 16/- a week ( $1.50) I was elated, wanting to run home and tell Mum and Dad, but I had to wait as Mr Menzies showed me around, introducing me to the other workers their were two ham curers or boners, Joe and Ernie, an apprentice ham curer a lad about two years older than me, his name was Pete, two office staff, Miss Eddie, an older lady, and the girl I had met earlier, her name was Delia, two van drivers both out on their rounds, and his son Mr Menzies Jnr, whom was away for a few days, Home I sped running all the way, straight up the stairs two at a time, my heart was racing, I opened the door and run straight into the kitchen, gasping for air, and out of breath, but before I could say a thing, Mum said “you have it then” Mr Docherty had told her about me going to see about a job, she could see by my face I had the job”

I swaggered into Peter Rossi’s, Café, feeling like a man, I had left school and now I had a job, Andy was sitting in the corner with his twin brother George, it was early, not many around as yet, it was only four o’clock Peter brought me over a hot orange, “thanks” I said as he placed it on the table, Andy said “that’s great news, where are we going to celebrate,” hell I hadn’t thought about it, George said “how about the going ice skating?” “I can’t skate; I have never been to the skating before”
“That’s settled then meet you at the cross at five thirty” ‘see ya’ and both he and George got up and left me sitting on my own, finishing my drink, I said good by to Peter and went home.
Mum was apprehensive about it, who were these boys, how much would it cost, did I have enough money, what would I wear, I told her they were nice lads, and I had four bob from cleaning Mr Docherty’s, and I would wear my denims ‘jeans” “I suppose it will be ok, here you better take this it might help” handing me a two shilling piece, “have a nice time and don’t be to late”.

I was waiting at the cross early, this was my first time out on the town I wasn’t going to miss this for anything. From around the Gallowgate corner Andy and George appeared and with them a guy I had never seen before, “Meet Hughie he always goes to the skating with us” “hello pleased to meet you” then off along Argyle St heading for St Enocks train station, the train for Crossmyloof ice rink was packed with young people, heaps of talent this was looking good, crushing into a carriage we were on our way, this was a special train none stop to Crossmyloof, we were there in no time running up the ramp and out of the station I was greeted by a long queue of skaters waiting for the rink to open, it stretched from the station to the entrance to the hall, a couple of hundred yards away. Hughie waved to a couple of girls in the crowd “hi”
“Not bad them two, always good for a laugh” he nodded to us with a smile.

It didn’t take long before we were let in, the cold air hitting you in the face as we went through the door, what a sight a large patch of ice surrounded by a barrier about three feet high, with two rows of seating facing the rink, a narrow passage run all the way around behind the seats, at the end of the room a set of stairs took you to a mezzanine floor with seating, this was where Andy and his pals sat between skating sessions.
We hired some skates from the skate shop along side the mezzanine floor, I was ready to have a go, going down the concrete stairs was a bit tricky, I had to hang on to the banister on the way down, walking on ice skates was an art. Andy on one side and George on the other, off we went around the ice, “Sh--- BLOODY HELL” down I went, I must have fell on my Bum about a hundred times before we were made it around. My Jeans were sopping wet “my feelings of embarrassment were exasperated when the girls Hughie waved to, skated by and shouted “yer supposed to skate on yer feet noe yer erse” having a great laugh at my expense, id show em just you wait.
After a few times going around with the lads, they left me on my own for a spell, in which time I spent trying to stay upright by hanging on to the barrier rail and pulling myself around the perimeter, after a while I felt a little gamer and let go for a few yards, grabbing the rail at the least sine of falling, before long I was wobbling along quite well, I was feeling proud of my achievements, when bang wallop someone had crashed right in to me, I skidded across the ice like a like a curling stone, knocking skaters over left and right, a steward helped me up, laughing at the state I was in wringing wet from top to bottom, this was the second time someone had laughed at me, no more I was going to master this skating lark if it killed me.

Monday morning I was up early this was my first day at work, I was wearing a new pair of denims, no grey school trousers for me any more I was a working man, after a slice of toast and a cup of tea, Mum gave me a kiss on the cheek, saying behave yourself, and do as your told, I run down the stairs, Mum still shouting instructions after me. The deliveryman I met at Docherty’s, was loading his van in front of the store, “good morning glad you got the job”, “just watch out for Pete he can be a nasty bampot* if he doesn’t get his own way”.” best of luck” I nodded and went on In through the front door, Joe the ham curer met me “: good morning lad” “gies a haun tae git these bacon sides oot owe here” indicating to a large dark space behind a metal door that he was swinging open, sides of smoked bacon hung from hooks, suspended from the ceiling, “mind ye don’t faw doon atween the planks” pointing to long narrow planks of wood laid about eighteen inches apart across the room, below the planks I could see smouldering wood shavings glowing in the dark, I remembered smelling wood smoke the day I came in for the job, I wouldn’t want to fall in,
“jist walk oan the planks an grab a side an hing it on the hooks ower their” pointing to a rail with sliding hooks hanging all along its length. It had taken us about an hour to empty the smokeroom, I smelled like a piece of Belfast smoky bacon, and black as soot, I soon learned not to touch the smoky walls then wipe my face.

“You”, come here and unload these eggs” looking up I could see Pete the apprentice, waving his arm at me and shouting “hurry up boy we haven’t got all day” I was about to say something when Joe spoke “don’t let him worry ye he’s awe pish an wind” out side a lorry loaded with egg crates, was waiting to be unloaded, we had to stack them six high along the wall on the pavement, the slatted wooden boxes held ten dozen eggs, and were quite heavy, now I know why Mr Menzies was more interested in my strength than my academic capabilities, the driver climbed up on top of the truck and lowered the crates down to us, we would then carry them on our shoulders to the stack, this wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be, only when you had to place then up on the top row, to do this we had to carry the crate on its end and push it up at arms length and shove, not being the tallest of people I found it a bit awkward, so when the stack was five high I would start another row then stand on the bottom crate and place the next on top easy peasy, but o no that was not to Pete’s liking, he would pick up the bottom crate, and put it on top, so when I came with my eggs, I would have to put it on top along with his, after a while I got feed up with him moving my crates, i told him to stop or else, his response was to drop a crate of eggs on the footpath, breaking them in the process then calling out to Joe that I had dropped them, because I was mucking about, Joe came out and told us both to behave winking at me as he walked away, we finished unloading the truck right on lunchtime, half the staff went at twelve the other half at one, being the newest and youngest I had to wait until one o’clock. After lunch, Joe took me down to the basement; this was where the ham was prepared. A large vat of water stood in the middle of the room heated by a coal fire, this was for boiling ham, alongside on a low bench was a stack of ham presses, it was Pete’s job to place the prepared hams into the pots, fit the lids, and drop them into the vat to cook overnight, this was done every afternoon, I would have to assist when needed, in the mornings he would pull the pots from the water, and push the sprung lids down tighter compressing the hams, then put them back for an few more hours, later empting the pots on to scrubbed pine boards, placed across an old enamel bath, and left to cool. Against the wall another old bath used to wash the hams before packing, it was my job once a day to hose the place down and scrub the floor with a stiff broom, I spent the remainder of the day helping Pete with these chores, only when I had finished saying good night to Joe, did Mr Menzies show his face, “how was your first day Rod” as he stepped out the door not waiting for an answer.
This was the end of my first day and yes this was better than school.