Horse and Carts in the 50's

[Murchiemannie]

Been having a little doddle down memory lane (to try and keep the old grey matter in working order)
Wonderd how many businesses can you remember in Wick 50's who used the horse and cart as transport means.
I came up with 6 but may be someone can remember others.
There was Willie Taylor who stayed in Ackergill Cres who used to work at the harbour delivering Oil
Alex Coghill who worked for Ronaldson Westerseat and delivered the milk (Wick side)
Andy Durrand from Willowbank who sold his Baker's fare for I think McCallans (corner of Thurso Road/Barbara Place(never tasted "biscuit loaf anywhere else like it"
David Stewart (Stewarty) worked for Nicholson's the grocers in High Street
J. Martin the Milkie from Oldwick Farm and the last but not least I can think of is
Alec Mat. the carter from Albert Street.
If you needed anything shifted he was your man
any more anyone?:confused

[willowbankbear]

I wasnt even a twinkle in my fathers eye then Murchiemannie, sorry. Betty & some of them that go in the chatroom at night will ken tho, Ive had a few interesting history lessons about Wick& Willowbank from Her, Ill ask her later on for ye

[golach]

Up until 1946 my Dad was a ploughman on Staneland Farm just outside Thurso and he had a pair of lovely big Clydesdales to work with. Then we moved down to the Carse Of Gowrie just outside Perth where he had another pair of massive big Clydesdales to plough with. I loved those big gentle horses, and to catch a lift with my Dad sitting on one and me on the other heading back to the stable for the end of day, at the age of 7 & 8, no words can describe the feelings I had. In 1950 we moved and a smelly but also dearly loved Ferguson tractor took over from the horses......ahhh the industrial revolution [disgust]

[brokencross]

There was a rag'n'bone man who used to give balloons to the kids in exchange for the rubbish, but was only a child so can't remember the name.

I vaguely remember an articulated lorry which delivered for the railways, the unusual thing was the "tractor" bit was a three wheeler.

I also remember a really old abandoned taxi near a row of houses on Willowbank and we used to spend hours playing in it.

(I know it is not horse driven but of that 50's era)

[Murchiemannie]

I wasnt even a twinkle in my fathers eye then Murchiemannie, sorry. Betty & some of them that go in the chatroom at night will ken tho, Ive had a few interesting history lessons about Wick& Willowbank from Her, Ill ask her later on for ye

Thanks willowbankbear, I'd really appreciate that as my Hubbie ,brother and myself often have discussions about Wick.
In fact my brother was only speaking about the three wheelers today.
He remembers 3 folk in Wick who used them.
Jimmy the Sweep
One of Dada Davidson's sons selling firewood and
Lal Bain from kennydy/Cairndhuna also selling firewood.

[kenimac1]

My grandfather worked his croft in Latheron with a horse well into the 1960s.

[Lavenderblue2]

Jimmy Nicol my uncle by marriage had a horse and cart from which (as far as I can remember) he used to sell greengrocery. He lived at 3 Browns Place and was married to my aunty Peggy who worked for Cabrelli's. Prior to that they had both worked for the Horne's in Stirkoke House where Jimmy was the chauffeur.
Also my grandfather Davie Steven ploughed all his working life using two Clydesdales – he won many prizes for it too. He died in 1959.

LB

[Pennylane]

Jimmy Nicol my uncle by marriage had a horse and cart from which (as far as I can remember) he used to sell greengrocery. He lived at 3 Browns Place and was married to my aunty Peggy who worked for Cabrelli's. Prior to that they had both worked for the Horne's in Stirkoke House where Jimmy was the chauffeur.
Also my grandfather Davie Steven ploughed all his working life using two Clydesdales – he won many prizes for it too. He died in 1959.

LBHi Murchie,So did you live in Murchision Street ??I remember sooo well Coghills Westerseat,John George Durrands Dad Andy,from Willowbank :D ,not too sure about Stewarty lol,but Martins from Oldwick Phewwwwwwww Swoon:Razz my first ever crush on a male was the milkboy from Murchison steet who collected the milk money,and Alex Matt moved our furniture from the Baragohill in a sale to our first home lol a bedsit.

[johno]

they used to go round the schools for the left overs from the dinner centres pigs swill[disgust]

[jimag]

My grandad was from Dunbeath and during the 20's and 30's would regularily cart goods between Wick and Dunbeath. It would have been a normal crofters' long cart with a single horse. My mother told me of the hard work it was as if he had a full load he had to walk alongside the horse - 42+ miles round trip. Of course if he was lightly loaded either way he could sail on the cart but he would have less money for his trip and (as she said) the horse still ate the same. He was also a ploughman and I have one of the medals he won at a ploughing match at Dunbeath Mains in 1901.

[johno]

hi ,i recall something about angie murray from hill avenue[ boat painter at the harbour] he worked a horse & cart years ago at the harbour, did,nt he put the horse&cart in the harbour, hence the name[ angie horse overboard]
if any one knows anything about this, reckon it would be interesting to post on the org??? [lol]

[sweetpea]

I know it's not directly releted to your post but my granny in Inverness used to get horse dung for her roses of all the carts going eing a great advocator of gardening thought I would tell u x:D