The Invergordon Archive

That's great Eddie, can make a good comparison now. The old High St. was much wider. This one looks congested but there is a lot more traffic now..otherwise looks pretty much the same

Wow, looks a lot better than the day I managed to visit with some of my family last June. Beautiful day, and the scenery was up to its usual standard, but the High Street and the other streets we walked were so quiet, the place looked deserted. Maybe I should have tried to stay for a bit longer to see a bit more, but unfortunately we didn't have time. In any case I'm still happy I grew up in Invergordon.

Hi Eddie, hope you are staying safe during this time.
Yes, Inver-g back in our day came alive when the fleet came in, but quickly returned to peace and quiet once they left.
Great childhood

Hullo Harry how the devil are you ,its a long time since i dropped yu a word hope you keeping well in these troubled times , when i seen yur one of many posts on here i thought i would drop yu a line or two

Hi Dan, good to hear from you. I am fine dodged the virus so far. you can contact me via e-mail if you like would be great

Hi all! I was in Inverg a couple of years ago..probably for the last time as it has no attraction for me now. So much of what was there when i was young has been destroyed or changed beyond recognition.The town seems to have little spirit as compared to Alness which is now a vibrant community. strange...we used to look down on Alness as a hick backwater. Widowed since my last post and so not too happy ,but life goes on. Bill.

Hi Billy, sorry to hear of your loss. Wondered why you were not posting, missed your comments. You are one of the originals from old Inver-g..
We can still remember the place as it used to be..
All the best to you Billy..

Hi Eddie, I was just browsing and saw your picture of the High St. Happy memories. I'd hoped to have caught up with you this year, but Covid - 19 got in the way.

We must try and get together when I'm next up visiting my sister Bunty.

Thanks for your thoughts Harry..its hard to be alone after a 50 year partnership...life can never be the same.Just on this pic is that Gilberts Ironmonger shop on the left? I can still smell the Jeyes fluid which hit your nose as you went in for your parafin. Then there was "Frank",bachelor and religious fanatic who lodged with Emma who owned the houes on the corner of High Street and Munro Street. Does anyone know if my birthplace is still standing? No 2 Munro Street was looking very sad last time I saw and and no bloody blue plaque!

Good one Billy, no blue plaque "Billy Geddes lived here". Your dad Willie was on council, did he ever run for Provost? He was in our home a few times, well respected man..

I think the building on the left is where the car showroom used to be, Munro's? Gilberts was further to the left not shown in picture

Hi Harry, Yes the building on the left was owned by Wm Munro and was a Shell petrol station and car showroom for Rootes Group vehicles. The showroom had big windows in these days which have been replaced by windows with many small panes of glass. The building to the right of the garage was occupied by Gilbert Ross the Ironmonger managed by Tommy Ross from Balintraid.The Ironmongers premises were demolished and replaced by the present building which contains three shops, a bookies, a gents barber shop and another shop. To the left of the car showroom there was a two storey house adjoining SCM Fowler the shoemaker premises. These were demolished and replaced by office accommodation which occupies the entire area between the car showroom and the junction of Shore Road and High Street. Something to stir your memories!

Thanks for this Ron, it clarifies a lot and illustrates just how much of the town is unrecognisable from the 50s. Fowler the shoemaker was the rival of my grandfather Willie Geddes (Sen) who had his shop in King Street next to Dalgarno the Butcher and Scottie Campbells Bike shop. I dont think either were very reliable shoemakers...I could never get my Grandad to sew up my football covers..he always had and an excuse. Fowler was quite a character..."wacky" is how I would describe him. I belive that after a "mental" episode he had a Certificate in his shop stating he was proven to be of sound mind ..he used to boast about being the only man in Invergordon who had proof that he was sane!

Remember Munro car showrooms they had a television and they would allow us kids to come in on a Saturday to watch The Lone Ranger and Tonto that was many moons ago.

Hi William, it was many moons ago, probably 1954-5. I was one of the onlookers back then. On other occasions we would watch from the outside.

Yes Harry we also looked on from the outside but I think they felt sorry for us especially in the winter time when that cold wind would blow down the high street.

William, are you the son of the p-way man from the railway at Invergordon ?
Billy Macpherson ?

No that's not me Harry.We lived at the bungalow Joss street.

OK, thanks William, all the best...

Billy, the line between the sane and insane, is as you know, very thin...
Fowler's son was in my class all through school, Alec, he was a big lad, towered over the rest of us..
Thanks Ron, for your info..there were some really odd housing configurations around Fowlers, Sonny Macleod lived in behind surrounded by huge stone walls.There is a photo on this site showing him and I and the stone wall.

Hi Ron did Mrs Nonnie not have a small shop between Willie Munro and Gilbert Ross. I think she sold haberdashery.

Hi Gordie. I was going to ask that question as well, and now you mention it I believe you are right. I can remember there was more than just the ironmongers in that building but wasn't sure exactly what was there. Was there not a way you could go from one shop to the other without going outside. A long time ago so stretching the memory a bit.

Refresh my memory, in relation to this picture, where was Bremner's bakery located.

picture #911 on this website and dated 1948 shows the Ironmongers shop as I remember it in the '50s. The windows of the east end are screened. I have no recollection of any business which may have operated there. Oddly enough I remember the gate across the entrance to the furniture department, but don't think it was ever opened, access was via the main entrance.

Hi Harry, you've probably realised by now your answer to Bremners bakery lies in the comments for picture #911.
I had forgotten about the television set in Munro's garage showroom but I do remember it now. Does anyone remember the shop to the east of Nonnies that sold television sets, I know it was there because our family bought our first tv set there in the late 50s. Not sure but I thought Willie Munro owned it, it was run or managed by Dougie Macleod, maybe thats where the showroom tv came from?.

Hi Eddie, yes thanks Bremners Bakery next to 102 High Street, thanks..

was it Roddy McKenzie that sold the TVs

OK, what was the name of the people who ran the wee sweetie shop on the west side of the high street. You used to step down into the shop and it always smelt of chocolate! I used to spend my pocket money in there..usually aniseed balls, I think 6 (old) pence for 2 ounces.

Think it might have been Logan's

You got me there Billy, there wasn't much for shops on the west side of the High Street only Strachans

The sweetie shop with the step down into the shop was indeed Logan’s ... it was opposite what was in these days Mac’s Cafe and JE Macdonalds. It was on the site currently occupied by Tanstar Gifts. My eldest brother Ian is married to the Logan’s daughter Jennifer and after Logan’s closed Ian extended the property and opened a Sweet/Grocery shop in the early sixties. The shop was subsequently occupied by Dalgarno Butchers when they moved up to the High Street and later by Fraser Sports. It lay unoccupied for some time before the current business moved in.

I think the shop was referred to as Granny Logans,and she used to sell single cigarettes.

I'm sure I remember Jennifer Logan when she would come into Mrs. Wilson's class to teach would have been 1954 when I was in that class.

Yes that makes more sense Logans located on North side of High Street. Tobacconist, used to get 5 woodbines there, came in small packet.

That timescale fits William, Jennifer would have been in College at that time and may well have been doing “teaching practice” in Invergordon.

I was a visitor to your town in the early 80's, working (welder) on one of the Sedco rigs that came in for maintenance. There was a bar on the high street that we 'may have frequented'. I seem to recall it was upstairs. I have fond memories of Inver-G and the locals, all lovely people.

That would be the Commercial Hotel. One New Years Eve heading home about 1.30am we noticed the door wide open.
We shouted in, closed the door and got the police. They dealt with it. The barman of the day forgot to close it.

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