Interviews of David Brown aged 81

In this interview, Julia Macdonald interviews her father, David Brown, who was born in Stranraer in 1930. David begins by talking about his childhood in Stranraer and also Castle Kennedy, where the family (except for his father) stayed with relatives during World War 2. Most of the interview thereafter is concerned with David's working life. He started as a telegram delivery boy when he left school at 14. The work was difficult in many ways. The push bikes were big and heavy and you were often required to cycle out of the town after dark. On one occasion David was terrified by a figure by the side of the road which, on closer inspection by the telegram recipient who came back down the road with his dogs and gun, turned out to be a scarecrow.

David talks about his time in the Army and the Territorial Army and his working life with the post office after his war service ended. There is lots of information here on a range of subjects including: changing transport - from bikes to motorbikes and then vans; routes taken; working patterns and local characters. Beyond the post office, David also talks about his life as a cyclist, including the journeys he made as a youth and his racing career. There is also information and anecdotes relating to World War 2 and the aftermath, when boats at Stranraer were deployed to dispose of munitions and other war-related inventory.