Help Me Tell The History Of Viewfirth

[Alistair Fraser]

Hello world, I'm currently compiling a history of Viewfirth, the Dounreay Sports and Social Club, on behalf of UKAEA, and would welcome any of your memories, the hilarious, the memorable, the unforgetable, and the downright bizarre, well perhaps not too bizarre! Your memories can help record for posterity the unique part this facility played in the history of Thurso and beyond.

I would also welcome the offer of pictures that again tell something of the Viewfirth history. I would particularly like to get photos of the Dounreay Drama Group that existed for ten years from the late fifties. Photos featuring Dounreay Athletic Football Club would also greatly assist me.

Your memories, your pictures of Viewfirth, if you have any worth sharing, then please share it!

I can be contacted on 01847 806084 or by e.mail; alistair.fraser@ukaea.org.uk

[rich]

I may be wrong but didn't the Miller Academy Rector, a Mr. Ironside live there with his wife whose name might have been Dina. Dainty Dina to we schoolkids. Ironside was a tall, gaunt figure who wore a long, rust-cloured, overcoat.
He lived to a great age, I believe, and was carrying out some sort of engineering project which led him to dig trenches in the garden.
Of course this was all pre-Douneray.
In its post Dounereay incarnation I can remember cleaning the windows at Viewfirth with Robert (Rocky) Marshall. We used two remarkably wobbly ladders lashed together with binder twine and somehow I was always the one to climb up to do the third and fourth storeys while Marshall lounged around below, ostensibly steadying the ladder but in reality smoking cigarettes (Kensitas) that he had mooched off his mother.

[rich]

I googled up Ironside and there is reference to him, here:

http://www.milleracademy-thurso.co.uk/Webpages/pressure_planning_new_building.htm

Apparently he was a major player in the redesign of the Miller Academy which took place in 1937 (I think)

[Errogie]

The great problem with Viewfirth was how the hell you got into the place if no member of your family worked at Dounereay, you knew no one who could sign you in but it was where you knew the best dances and social scene was to be found.

I spent adolescence and teenage years bluffing my way past the doorman, slipping in behind parties at the desk, or crawling in through windows. Great training for MI 6 or a life of crime but the segregation and discrimination against locals was really bad news.

[Gleber2]

The great problem with Viewfirth was how the hell you got into the place if no member of your family worked at Dounereay, you knew no one who could sign you in but it was where you knew the best dances and social scene was to be found.

I spent adolescence and teenage years bluffing my way past the doorman, slipping in behind parties at the desk, or crawling in through windows. Great training for MI 6 or a life of crime but the segregation and discrimination against locals was really bad news.

Aye, the window in the bottom toilet was the best one. Probably a ghost walking around now crying in a sepulchral voice "Homes to go, Homes to go." On cold, dark winter's nights you can see old Tinribs digging his trenches.

[moncur]

Aye, the window in the bottom toilet was the best one. Probably a ghost walking around now crying in a sepulchral voice "Homes to go, Homes to go." On cold, dark winter's nights you can see old Tinribs digging his trenches.

Was his name not 'Punch'

Ma dad always talks bout him when hes talkin bout the viewfirth

[Gleber2]

Was his name not 'Punch'

Ma dad always talks bout him when hes talkin bout the viewfirth

Indeed his name was Punch. The bane of every young drinker trying to squeeze an extra few minutes in the bar.

[rich]

Correct me if I am wrong but I can't remember there being any real View of the Firth from Viewfirth. Could you see it?

[Errogie]

You probably could see the Pentland Firth about 60 years ago before more recent houses got in the way. Now it would have to be a rooftop sighting.

[Scaraben1976]

Correct me if I am wrong but I can't remember there being any real View of the Firth from Viewfirth. Could you see it?

I remember about 5 or 6 years ago, a family friend who used to work in the photographic section at Dounreay gave us a look at some old photos of Thurso. There was one taken from approx where the hall of the Viewfirth now stands, and you could indeed see the firth. But to give you an idea of how old this picture was, from what I can remember of it , there were only a couple of houses in the line of sight between Viewfirth and the cliffs. By my guaging this must have been late 19th / early 20th century.

Also on the subject of the headmaster who used to live in the Viewfirth, if you ask many of the member of staff that the Viewfirth had, many of then (mostly women though) used to sense something "supernatural" around the place either when opening up or locking up. One I believe even seen a character in a long school masters cloak...........

.........I also believe that until just a few years ago, relations of Mr Ironside still used to come up every year or so to have a look at the place and see how it had changed since Dounreay bought it.

[Gleber2]

Mrs. Ironside, I believe, continued to live in the converted stables long after the Atomic take-over. Don't know when she died. Tinribs was the rector of the Miller and I seem to remember him being in the new High School for our first year there.

[Bobinovich]

but the segregation and discrimination against locals was really bad news.

I believe this was one of the Viewfirths major downfalls in recent years. If they had just opened it up sooner to everyone there may still be a social scene happening there :(.

[Axe Grinder]

I believe this was one of the Viewfirths major downfalls in recent years. If they had just opened it up sooner to everyone there may still be a social scene happening there :(.
The lack of help that their committee received was the main reason for the club closing. Dounreay employed numerous people with business and financial experience. If they had offered such an individual on a short term basis then things could easily have been turned around. CASE, the local enterprise company, also didn't want to know. After all, why should they bother helping a venue that only employed a handfull of people. Even if it had been the hub of sports & liesure activity in Thurso for 50 years. They were far too busy throwing millions of pounds at the white elephants of Hunters of Brora, Grampian Records, Caithness Glass and Norfrost. Coincidently, I note that CASE has just changed its name. Not something that successful organisations tend to do. Need I say more!

[scotsboy]

I beg to differ - the ring of social exclusion began and ended with the committee members of the Viewfirth, nepotism was rife.

[Scunner]

I beg to differ - the ring of social exclusion began and ended with the committee members of the Viewfirth, nepotism was rife.

Nepotism and procrastination was the major downfall of Viewfirth. CASE did help with funding for a study of 'Viewfirth in the future'. As always the study was put into a drawer and never seen again.

[the nomad]

Nepotism and procrastination was the major downfall of Viewfirth. CASE did help with funding for a study of 'Viewfirth in the future'. As always the study was put into a drawer and never seen again.

Never a ruer word was spoken but it also extended to the Glasgow mafia and extended family of committee.

Blinkered vision was its downfall.

Jes I remember trying to stick 50 p in the bandit the old dears would eat your head off as it was in their heads for their use only.

[Errogie]

Does anyone remember the Bingo sesions in the main hall?

If you happened to be in the area and made a noise at the wrong time the glare from assembled ranks of geriatrics poring over cards with poised pencils would turn you instantly into a sample from the deepest layer of sedimentary flagstone.

[EDDIE]

I used to remember molly used to go to bingo she got a brandy for helping clear up the glasses after the bingo she used to ask for her brandy before the bingo started and when she finished collecting the glasses in at the end she used to kid on she didnt get her brandy at the start so she got another one we all knew she did this but nobody ever said anything because she was such a nice person