DAYS GONE BY - Shops in Caithness

[silverfox57]

as a you boy in early 60s would buy fish hooks to go fishing at harbour,think the shop was called the ships chandler and was owned by A Sutherland he supplied boats might be wrong , think shop was where chip shop is now,

[trinkie]

Two more shops ..

Funny how an old photograph can jog the memory. I was updating my album and came across an old picture of my mother wearing a most beautiful red coat. The photo was black and white of course, but I know the coat was red, as she told her story many times.
She had spotted the coat in Mrs Black’s shop window – that’s what the jogging brought to mind – Mrs Black’s shop was on the Cliff Road down past the Library and next to Fred Shearer’s Gents shop ( the manager was Mr Gall at one time, I think) Mrs Black’s window was always a joy to the eye, with the very latest fashions from London. Well mum decided she must have the coat and asked if it could be set aside until she had saved enough money. I don’t know how long it took her to save – Mrs Black was not cheap! But the day came and mum purchased the coat in good time to meet her then boyfriend who was returning from a trip south.
Her Sunday Best shoes, gloves and handbag completed the picture and she felt richt smart as she set off to meet her young man. He proposed that night, and later asked her to have tea with his family the following Sunday. She said she would have to ask her mother, as they usually had tea with an aunt on Sundays .
All was well, her mother agreed and she arranged to meet her boyfriend that night to tell him she could make the Sunday afternoon tea date. He was delighted of course, and added ‘ Mind and wear that bonnie blue coat’ ‘BLUE!!’ said my mother…. You can imagine the rest!
Little changes.


Silver Fox. I remember the Ships' Chandler, it had the most wonderful smell and sold spices, china, rope and everything needed for the running of a ship!

[Mosser]

Great story Trinkie, Mrs Black then had a shop in Ebeneezer Place called The Hat Shop the sign was written in a sort of script and we always thought that it said The Flat Shop. The owner before that was Barbara Calder.

Yes it was Sutherland's Ship Chandlers and at the other end of the Harbour breast was Andrew Buchan's Chandlery on the corner of Rose Street, he had a model of an old time fishing boat, (was it the "Guide Me?") in the window and it moved up and down as if at sea.

[Tighsonas4]

the ship chandlers did quite good business at that period as things were at a peak then
was duncan and jamesons and bloomfields along the breast at that time
stevens wasnt there at that time, there was a second hand furniture shop along the front at one time
canna mind what ran to the corner of martha terrace???? tony

[Mosser]

the ship chandlers did quite good business at that period as things were at a peak then
was duncan and jamesons and bloomfields along the breast at that time
stevens wasnt there at that time, there was a second hand furniture shop along the front at one time
canna mind what ran to the corner of martha terrace???? tony

Also The North Of Scotland Steam Navigation Coy office, the St Ola Could be booked here for the local holiday trips to Kirkwall. The 2nd hand furniture shop was Manson's, much later.

Something else popped into my memory, before the Davidson sisters moved to Bridge Street with the Dolphin Restaurant therE was a previous cafe above Begg's shoe shop, it was called the Chic Cafe, we didn't know anything about things chic in Week so we called it the Chick Caffy

[Tighsonas4]

can mind the old ola coming in here if the weather was bad. there was acaptian swanson on her for years and they used to say he would only miss maybe three days in a winter[no cars in those days ]
have taken the old st clair from here to aberdeen if you walked aft the coos were penned there, happy days tony

[Fly]

What about Milne and Macadie, two jewellers or watchmakers in Union Street and Black the draper

[Tighsonas4]

yes fyl both these watchmakers were there were both jewellers but dont know were they both watchmakers
there was also dave cormacks in bridge street, tony

[trinkie]

Mosser, you've just mentioned a couple of Wick shops in the Streets Thread, and I had to look back at this.
Maybe some more old shops could be added !

Trinkie

[Mosser]

Mosser, you've just mentioned a couple of Wick shops in the Streets Thread, and I had to look back at this.
Maybe some more old shops could be added !

Trinkie

Just been thinking about that Trinkie and between Charlie Beggs and Dunnett's was Waters Butcher run by the late Dan Thompson of earlier football fame and latterly coach of the old Louisburgh juvenile team.

Also down Kirk Lane was Addie Donaldson, saddler, and in the early 50s British Insulated Cables had their office down the lane on the left.

There's a couple more for you.

Mosser

[JWM]

Anyone remember the bon-accord restraunt in the butchers nxt to christies?

Also my grandad had gibbies shop in coach road, before that he had a place up at e droam at was in the old days when there was nothing there bar a housing scheme if i remember correctly from the stories he used to tell me, he delivered sunday news papers around town for 50 years. Man that was dedication!!

There was also Janets shop at the end of the street where the beautician Gilian is now. Used to get lovely gundy there never see it anywhere nowadays loved it when i was a kid.

[Fran]

This is an old thread, it was started in April!!
I think the biggest loss now which old shops always had is... a chair. There is never a chair for old wifies to sit on when you go shopping so my mother wont come out to shops with me now.

[Mosser]

Anyone remember the bon-accord restraunt in the butchers nxt to christies?

Also my grandad had gibbies shop in coach road, before that he had a place up at e droam at was in the old days when there was nothing there bar a housing scheme if i remember correctly from the stories he used to tell me, he delivered sunday news papers around town for 50 years. Man that was dedication!!

There was also Janets shop at the end of the street where the beautician Gilian is now. Used to get lovely gundy there never see it anywhere nowadays loved it when i was a kid.

Yes the Bon Accord was a very popular place well run by sisters Lena and Betty Davidson.
Gibbies shop at the 'drome was next to the houses and was a tiny place but well supported by the folk around.
In Louisburgh St before Janet's John Cameron owned the shop and along from him was Mrs Reid another grocer.

Mosser

[Bonnie Parker-Duke]

I wonder if someone can help me. I'm wondering if, since Cabrelli's, then L. Iaccheri's, continued to operate during WWII (albeit under management other than the Italian family), the menu changed substantially. How did it change? What did they serve? Did they find a way to serve ice cream? Or did they have to change the menu completely?

I would appreciate any help you may be able to give and I thank you in advance.

Bonnie

[Mosser]

I wonder if someone can help me. I'm wondering if, since Cabrelli's, then L. Iaccheri's, continued to operate during WWII (albeit under management other than the Italian family), the menu changed substantially. How did it change? What did they serve? Did they find a way to serve ice cream? Or did they have to change the menu completely?

I would appreciate any help you may be able to give and I thank you in advance.

Bonnie

The place was taken by Charlie Ball (the Italian family were interned) and run as a restaurant completely different from Cabrelli's, it earned the nickname of "Hell's Kitchen."