Interviews of Mrs Rae

In this interview DG47/19/1/1 (track 1 of 2) Mrs Rae (99 years old)speaks to David Hannay her life in and around Carsluith. Mrs Rae was born in a house on the shore in Carsluith, next door to one built by the Hannay's of Liverpool. Her father worked in the quarry and she could remember him travelling on the back of the wagon loads of stone which came down from the quarry by rail, were weighed at the weigh bridge and then loaded onto steam boats. She recalls Carsluith school when she was a child and later, when she returned there as a teacher. Mrs Rae also talks about growing up. Her father left the quarry and went to work at Bagbie farm, before moving then to Twynholm when he worked at the creamery. Mrs Rae trained as a teacher at Moray House in Edinburgh. She worked for five years at Townhead and left teaching when she married. Later on, she was called back into teaching during World War 2 and continued to work as a teacher until she retired.

As well as recalling different local people and places, Mrs Rae remembers the McClaggans and David's grandfather and uncle Percy. Towards the end of the interview, Mrs Rae and David look through some old photographs and memorabilia. Mrs Rae recalls when she was at school, on Empire day the children would all walk in procession up to Kirkdale house for a day of games and activities. She also recalls that when her grandmother, who taught needlework and sewing, came to Carsluith she stayed in the old school house, which is now part of the hall.

In DG47/19/1/3, the second (of 2) tracks, Mrs Rae her family, life in Carsluith and various people and the houses in and around Carsluith. Mrs Rae's mother was a dressmaker and walked back and forth to work in Creetown every day. She recalls the road was lovely to walk in the summer, with warm sand underfoot. She also remembers the first 2 people to own a car, Captain Weeks and Dr Stewart. As a child, she used to write down the registration plates of cars that passed along the road. Mrs Rae's uncle was a fisherman and the children would often go out with him when he fished, playing on the sandbank while he worked.

In her childhood, lighting was initially by candle, then paraffin lamp. Later, in Twynholm, they had electric lighting which was brought into the village by the local woollen mill owner, Mr Stewart, when he installed electric power at the mill. Back in Carsluith, Mrs Rae recalled Mrs Scott, who lived along from Burnfoot and was both nurse and midwife in the days before the NHS. She was also called on to help with preparations when someone died. Mrs Rae recalls when the Hall family used to come to Carsluith for holidays. The fair would make regular visits to the area and Carsluith became a popular visitor destination. Towards the end of the interview Mrs Rae and David look through photographs and books. Mrs Rae finds several books with inscriptions by members of the Hannay family.