Hi, stumbled upon this site. Fantastic information about the area. Sincere thanks to those who have put in all the time and effort researching.

I lived in 779 Shettleston Rd, above the postoffice and Mary's shop for the first 6 years of my life before my family moved to Cumbernauld in 1976.

Although young, I still have vivid memories of the area such as the 'midgie raking' of the 'middens' out in the 'back' by all the kids close to Xmas time when families would throw out old and broken toys etc. A find of any toy in any state would result in the finder shouting 'Lucky Bin!', followed by a stampede of the the other kids towards said bin. And being taken around the street in a wheel barrow doing the 'penny or the guy' routine outside Deans Bar and the Town Tavern.

Even as late as the early '70s I remember waiting for the lampman to light the gas lamps which remained in the close before I would run up the stairs afraid of the dark.

I remember before I had even started school lounging against Mary's shop window below where we lived completely unaware that there was a sign stating 'wet paint'and my mum having a fit at the line of white paint on my 'anorak' from cuff to cuff. I don't think I could even read at the time as a 3 year old!!!

I remember the exact route I took to school as a 4/5 year old to Thorntree Primary School and that there used to be a gypsy settlement on Duror St next to the railway. And going to the glassworks and stealing chunks if coloured glass during the school interval. I also remember getting caught with chunks of glass in my wee satchell and getting the strap across the buttom from one Miss/Mrs Dragsness!!!

I can also recall running for my life when the 'Ram St Gang' would come along the road brandishing sticks and stones.

I remember seeing the Hunchback of Notrdame (Charles Laughton version) in Jim Henderson's house above the Town Tavern and hiding scared behind the couch and climbing over the glass topped wall which seperated the 'back' of the tenements and the back of their garden.

I remember that my mum used to threaten both my sisters and I with being taken away by the tramp and 'child taker' 'Jacky Murphy' for misbehaving. There was a homeless man at that time with matted hair and a big bushy beard and moustache whom my mother used to tell us was Jacky Murphy.

I remember the middle aged man who lived in the flat on the top floor of our tenement who was always in a state of semi alcoholic inebriation that we called 'uncle Tommy'.