Interviews of Margaret (Greta) Hawthorn aged 78

Biographical interview with Margaret (Greta) Hawthorn (aged 78) who was born at Claymoddie Farm, Whithorn. Margaret reflects on her life and recalls her schooldays, working life, Whithorn during World War 2, community life and the changes she has seen. Of her schooldays she can remember the 3-mile walk to school and taking logs for the fire in the winter months. She talks about the respect commanded by the teachers and recalls spending free time on the beach, playing games and collecting kindling for use at home. Other childhood jobs included turnip work, picking berries to sell to David Doughty and picking snowdrops which were packed in tissue and sent overnight to the markets in London.

Margaret recalls in detail the shops in Whithorn that she remembers from her childhood: grocers, butchers, general shops, hairdressers, repair shops, garages and pubs and hotels. she also recalls the visiting doctor and dentist, law enforcement and the local courts. Margaret remembers the big estate houses at Glasserton and Physgill, which provided local employment. Of her own home, she recalls that part of the wages paid to the family came in the form of coal, potatoes, flour and oatmeal. The farm only took on a dairy herd after electricity was installed. Many of the local farmers took their milk to the creamery and Margaret says that when the creamery closed and the railway shut down, that finished off Whithorn. She also remembers the Irish potato workers and their time at Claymoddie; the local worthies and tramps and people coming to the area on pilgrimage.

Talking about recreation, she recalled the whoopee train, which took folk to Stranraer to go dancing and the cinema (which was a big tent to begin with) and the circus and shows visiting the town. Margaret also talks about the war years and recalls the impact the troops had on the town. She remembers refugee children coming to stay on the farm and helping to knit khaki socks for the soldiers (for which the family were paid 1 shilling per pair). She also talks about her working life at The Grapes in Whithorn. Towards the end of the interview, Margaret remembers that the furthest she went as a child was to attend the Wigtown cattle show once a year. She remembered going by taxi to Dumfries one time and feeling that it seemed to take forever to get there. Talking of change over time, she said she regretted the loss of the big houses and the employment they provided and the sense of neighbourliness there was in the past. She was concerned about the move towards a more throwaway society now and felt times were harder for people now.