Interviews of Calum Swinton

In this interview retired policeman Calum Swinton (b.1960, Macmerry), shares memories of his childhood in Macmerry and talks a little about his time in the police force in East Lothian and Edinburgh. Calum begins by recalling what life was like in Macmerry in the 1960s. He remembers life at home as well as schooldays and the extent of the village, recalling local businesses and the types of houses. There was very little technology in domestic homes at that time. His own family had no telephone and their black and white television had a meter on the back which had to be fed in order to pay the rental.

He also talks about the family business, J & M Swinton Slaters and Builders, which his father worked for. Most of their business was around East Lothian, often on farm building contracts and this was especially the case after the UK joined the common market and grants were available to farmers to improve their farms. Calum would often help his dad on the weekends or during the holidays and he shares details of what this might involve, such as cleaning chimneys with rods and a lead weight.

Calum also remembers Macmerry gala days where the community worked together for a week-long programme of events which included a fancy dress parade, pram races and the crowning of the gala queen. Special care had to be taken to make sure the Macmerry gala didn't clash with any of the other local galas run in other nearby mining villages, but said the gala would generally be held in the run up to the summer holidays. Calum's dad, who played cornet with the Penston Silver Band, played at the proclamation for the gala queen each year.

Some photographs from Calum's childhood are referred to in this interview and this includes one of Calum and his family on holiday. Calum notes that the clothes they are wearing are the special set of holiday clothes (of which there was one set) which would be worn for special visits etc. Towards the end of the interview, Calum speaks a little about his time in the policeforce where he rose to the rank of Detective Inspector in Edinburgh. When asked if he wants to add anything, Calum reflects that he thought Macmerry was a good place to grow up and he talks about the adventures he and his pals had around Macmerry once they were 11 or 12 and able to roam more widely by bicycle. This would include visits to the disused airfield or going out to Bogg's Holdings to pick strawberries and includes a number of fire-related stories.