Old Thirsa Piccys

[thirsaloon]

Is the photo looking down High Street towards Town Hall Square taken from the Shore Street end of town, or the Rotterdam side?

Does the water still run alongside the Old Mill today, or is it a footpath that exists there now?

Its from the Shore Street end of the town!

[plasticjock]

Is the photo looking down High Street towards Town Hall Square taken from the Shore Street end of town, or the Rotterdam side?

Thanks thirsaloon. Using an OS map from 1879 I've starred where I believe the picture was taken from.
You can just make out the Town Hall 'pinnacles' left of centre.

[Sporran]

Thanks for that, thirsaloon and plasticjock! I thought it was probably taken from the Shore Street end, and from about the same spot you marked on the map, plasticjock. That would be about where MacGregor's (Betty Riddle's) toy and fancy goods shop was (I know it's a different shop now), followed by Tollemache House and the Arcade. How that section of town has changed!

[Sporran]

Plasticjock, I think your new arrows are in the wrong place. Those houses would have been north of Wilson Street, not south of it. The Town Hall and former library next to it are just north of Wilson Street, and the houses were further north than that. Which leads me to believe that your star should be moved up a bit to above the junction, just up from where it is now.

[plasticjock]

Plasticjock, I think your new arrows are in the wrong place. Those houses would have been north of Wilson Street, not south of it. The Town Hall and former library next to it are just north of Wilson Street, and the houses were further north than that. Which leads me to believe that your star should be moved up a bit to above the junction, just up from where it is now.

Hi Sporran.
I hadn't adjusted the arrows, just added the star to where I reckoned the picture was taken from, which is either just north or on a par with Wilson Lane and not, <cough>, Wilson Street.

[Sporran]

Mea culpa, plasticjock! I forgot there was a Wilson Lane as well as a Wilson Street, and when I saw the segment of the map you posted, I assumed "Wilson" meant Wilson Street. I have since found a full copy of the map, and after zooming in on that, everything is now clarified!

http://www.nls.uk/maps/towns/detail.cfm?id=1923

[ian.in.germany]

Hi Ian, are you referring to the Herbert Sinclair pictures from the Caithness 1925-1926 book?
He states that all the pictures in the book were taken by himself and developed in Johnstone's the Photographers of Market Street, Wick's dark room.

No, sorry, I mean the ones which form a series elsewhere in this forum. I think they are from about 1900 and they all have the letters GWW next to the title along the bottom. I didn't know how to add my post into that section.

[plasticjock]

No, sorry, I mean the ones which form a series elsewhere in this forum. I think they are from about 1900 and they all have the letters GWW next to the title along the bottom. I didn't know how to add my post into that section.

No problem, Ian.

[plasticjock]

Plus last couple of pics from Caithness 1925-1926.





from Herbert Sinclair's book 'Caithness 1925-1926'

[Grovelaner]

I have been looking at the Caithness.org site for a number of years now and the other night was the first time I looked through the forum. The old pictures were great, pity some seem to have been removed as I would have liked to have seen them. A lot of the old names rung bells. Thirsaloon had one in particular of the crew of Primula. My uncle worked on the Primula. I also remember seeing one of the old Mill. My grandfather used to work there when it was a working mill. I used to go to the Youth Club there and I seem to remember that the Amateur Dramatics club used the building on the other side of the arch. I used to do a paper round for Tommy Souter in the arcade and also do some ushering at the Town Hall with my mates when the likes of Calum Kennedy etc were booked. Spent a lot of time in Gunns Garage, next to the Picture House when I was young. Went to the West Public, then the Miller Academy (Donald Dallas with the Head), the High School and finally the tech college. My mates uncle used to use the old tin hall at the West Public as a gym and myself and my mates used to do some weight training there in our teens. Big changes when you see a modern gym now.
Anyway I must look through some more.
Keep the photos coming it's been great to see them all.

[thirsaloon]

A lot of the old names rung bells. Thirsaloon had one in particular of the crew of Primula. My uncle worked on the Primula. I also remember seeing one of the old Mill. My grandfather used to work there when it was a working mill.

Depending who your grandfather is (and guessing I think I know who it is) I may have a photograph of him in the Mill.

[Grovelaner]

Thirsaloon, it would be good to see a photo if you have one.

Cheers

[Dynamic Sounds]

from Herbert Sinclair's book 'Caithness 1925-1926'

Was wondering does anyone know when this church closed?

I always remember it as the funeral parlour, and no one I've asked can actually remember it as a place of worship.

[Sporran]

Was wondering does anyone know when this church closed?

I always remember it as the funeral parlour, and no one I've asked can actually remember it as a place of worship.

St Andrew's was still a place of worship until 1968. Although it wasn't the church I usually attended, I did go to some services there when I was in primary school, in the 60s. If you click on the link below, then scroll down, you will be able to read some of the history of the church.

http://users.ecosse.net/spandsacos/allnew/Church.htm

[plasticjock]

I don't think this has been posted before.....

[Sporran]

Do you have any idea when that photo of Sir John's Square was taken, plasticjock? I'm guessing maybe the 1950s or 60s.

[plasticjock]

Do you have any idea when that photo of Sir John's Square was taken, plasticjock? I'm guessing maybe the 1950s or 60s.

Judging by the globe streetlamps, and in comparison with other photos of the same location, I would say it has to be the from the 50's. By 1960 the lighting had changed to the ubiquitous sodium lighting.

[Kodiak]

Train at Thurso Station 1930.

[Kodiak]

Old Photograph of Royal Hotel Thurso

[fingalmacool]

(believed to be) Thurso Royal British Legion Club Commitee 1966



(believed to be) Thurso Royal British Legion Club Official Opening 1967

I might be wrong but i think the minister in this picture was from Halkirk, can't remember his name but he used to read us stories from the bible in the late 60s in Halkirk school that I used to enjoy, the guy behind him reminds me of another Halkirk man, but I could be wrong again, Macdonald was his last name, and i believe his nickname was Gogs???? might be way off the mark but its worth a punt?