The Invergordon Archive

There was Bill Leslie's newsagents and fancy goods, and through the back was a gents hairdressers. My late stepmother's husband William Chlodek was a barber there, as was Teresa Malicki. Mrs Leslie's hairdressers shop was next door and then Sandy Mackenzie's sweet shop, later to be Dalgarno the butchers who had a shop on King Street prior to moving. The Stebbens family lived in the flat above and the Little Shop, which sold wool and was owned by Mrs Ross Mackenzie who lived in Saltburn Road - in the house now occupied by JM Fraser the chemist. The Ross Mackenzies owned a large number of feus in the town and I remember being sent along to her house with an envelope on the very last day the feue duty was due, such was my father's objection to it.
Then we have Donald the butchers house and the shop which we always new as Jimmy the butchers, as Jimmy worked there too. Beside it was Roddy Mackenzie's, the electricians, who later moved across the road to Mort Jamiesons. Then Cathie Mcleod's ladies shop (Noreen Kelman's & Mary Murdoch's mother). Urquharts the shoe shop was next. Eric Urquhart was also a photographer and I have a baby photo of myself taken by him. Fiona (Oag), his daughter, had a pony called Dinky. I remember Mackenzie the grocers vaguely and getting a Robertsons Gollie gold coloured pencil from the owner. JM Fraser the chemist started his business there afterwards and then there was Billy Clark's shoe shop. How many of you remember your mothers going to the dreaded sale and coming back with some nice sensible shoes that you hated on sight?
If anyone is interested I can remember most of the shops and I put an article into the Alness & District Times a couple of years ago about my memories of the town.
Great sight by the way - could go on forever but might bore you.

The date is maybe 1967/1968. In the foreground is Hamish and Margaret Mackay (my grandparents) and my father Clive Mackay on the bike (who wasn't born until 63).

Hi Liz, the Sweety Shop you mention was in fact owned and run by my eldest brother Ian, not my other brother Sandy. The property prior to that was owned by Ian's wife's parents - the Logans - it was a tiny wee shop and is mentioned on many other articles on the site.
As you mention the shop was later owned and run by the Dalgarnos and by coincidence both my brother Ian and Benny Dalgarno now both live near each other in Inverurie.
My shoe shop memories are more of Billy Clarks's shop with shoes and boots not only on the shelves but hanging from every conceivable hook and nail on the walls and roof. Not to mention an amazing smell of leather - don't get too much of that in many of today's shoe shops! I got my first pair of football boots there "Top Dog Continentals" they were called - hard as iron and nails on the studs and soles but I thought they were the business.

Great photo which brings back many memories. Liz, you are spot on with all the shops. "Big Dave" my great uncle was the owner of Mackenzie Grocers. "Clarkie's" always had a good supply of shoes and I remember the sales well!!!!

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments


Your Name


Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.