Interviews of Tom Allan

Biographical interview with Tom Allan, who moved from Borland to Lochmaben when he was 9 years old when his father took up the post of head gardener at the Lochmaben sanatorium. Tom talks about his schooldays in Lochmaben. This includes information relating to: the layout of the school; teachers; the dinner ladies and being sent out to Baggie Broon the butcher to buy the pies. After sitting his 11+ exams he went on to Lockerbie and then, when he left school he got a job as a chimney sweep which he recalls was a lot of fun. His father wanted him to get an apprenticeship so he went to work with McColl Wells as an apprentice mechanic. He relates anecdotes from that time, including an occasion when he and another mechanic passed out from gas fumes. At that time, Lochmaben loch was frozen for several weeks and there were 50+ curling matches on the loch that same day.

Tom also talks about helping to make the street decorations for the coronation and recalls the great celebrations, bonfire and pipe band playing which accompanied this event. Tom also speaks about his National Service time, which included spells in Singapore and Northern Ireland. He also talks about working for the railway, coal work and garage work. Towards the end of the interview, Tom speaks about the shops he remembers from his youth and names quite a few. He also talks about the cloggers, Tweedie and Easton, and says that he was wearing clogs even when he was working with the railway. He could also remember horses being led up the vennel to be shod at Irvine the blacksmiths.