Interviews of Primrose Barr

In this interview, Primrose Barr (aged 82), who was born in Arbroath, talks about her life in East Lothian. Primrose's husband was born in North Berwick and trained as a doctor. He joined a practice in Gullane and the family moved there in 1962. Primrose talks about her life as a doctor's wife and how the village has changed over time.

She recalls the different shops that were in the village when she was a young mother - remembering that the local baker made the best rolls in East Lothian. She also recalls how Mr Sinclair, the chemist, would often fill medicine bottles with whisky as a Christmas treat for some of the older people in the community. Although being a doctor's wife meant that Primrose felt slightly apart from the community, she also talks about the strong sense of community in Gullane and her involvement in initiatives such as the day centre (in the early 1990s).

She also remembers everyone going to the beach in the summer, church outings to Pencaitland and the annual Christmas party. Primrose reflects on change over time and is saddened to note the trend for houses to be only occupied part-time, or by people who work and do their shopping in Edinburgh and she is concerned that local people can't afford the house prices. Towards the end of the interview, Primrose talks about her husband's love of nature, Speyside and Scottish music and recalls foraging for mushrooms and brambles nearby.