The Invergordon Archive
No: 1355 Contributor: Martin Briscoe Year: 1918
Invergordon High StreetThe source document referred to under the 'Group' description gives this picture the caption: 'Alness, near Base 17'. This is Invergordon High Street with the Royal Hotel on the right, flying the flag.
Picture added on 06 July 2010 at 19:35
This picture is in the following groups
The Northern Barrage
The Northern Barrage
Never noticed this before. Despite it being taken 26 years before I was born in the town it's instantly identifiable with how things looked when I was young. (Apart from the lack of pavements!) It looks a bit driech but then it often was and is one of the reasons I don't live there now.
Added by Bill Geddes on 23 November 2012
Yes, this is the part of the High Street I remember with part of Urquharts shoe shop then after the lane Mackenzies grocer (my Great Uncle, Big Dave) the Billy Clark's shoe shop and after that Lane....Nonnie's Fancy Goods Toys etc.
Added by Rosalie Graham (Samaroo) on 24 November 2012
Urquharts is now Boots the Chemist and the Grocers is now the Co-op. A solicitor occupies the next building and sadly the building after that and the hotel are now gone.
Added by JillianB on 26 November 2012
Hello Bill. It may have been a bit driech, but it take a fair bit to measure up to the views. Some of the photographs are good examples.
Added by Eddie Trotter on 26 November 2012
It's too bad we can't make out the other signs.
Added by Harry O'Neill on 26 November 2012
You're right Eddie and everyone had to (more or less) get on with everyone else. I have lived in much bigger places but I guess I never knew so many of the locals!
Added by Bill Geddes on 27 November 2012
Invergordon is not that driech. My daughters loved spending their Summer holidays with their Nanny Geddes and when they came back to Dundee I have the photos to prove they all came back with lovely sun tans. They loved the freedom they experienced on their holiday in Inver G.
Added by Jeanette Bremner on 01 December 2012
Thank you Jeanette for defending Inverg from your brother! Never dreich, it was a bright wide High Street with the lovely hotel, open air pool and the sun always shone. People came on holiday and I just wish we could turn the clock back and have it as it was..old cottages not car parks and big tin sheds...
Added by Liz Taylor nee Askew on 08 December 2012
Hi Liz and Jeanette Ditto your comments about Invergordon. Jeanette and Bill I remember sometimes arriving at your parents house at breakfast time after a hetic night of "first footing". They were always so pleased to see us. Great days !!!!!
Added by Rosalie Graham (Samaroo) on 15 December 2012
Rosalie, I have many (hazy) memories of Hogmanay at our house. My dad was such a gregarious man there was always strangers coming around. I remember him making friends with a black travelling salesman who sometimes stayed with us. I remember feeling proud that such an exotic person had been in our house. Changed days!
Added by Bill Geddes on 22 December 2012
For the life of me I can't remember the name of the tobacconist that was next door to Urquhart's. I should though, can anyone remember?
Added by Harry O'Neill on 18 May 2013
Not quite next door to Eric Urquhart, but Mr Logan and his wife ran a tobacconist and sweet shop near there.
Added by Ronald A Stewart on 21 May 2013
Thanks Ron, I remember it was a very small shop with a sweet aroma. Used to get a packet of 5 Woodbines back then and your age didn't matter.
Added by Harry O'Neill on 21 May 2013
Logan's shop was between the existing paper shop and the shoe shop. It was later to become JF MacKenzie's, my eldest brother who married the Logan's daughter Jennifer. It then became Dalgarno's the butchers for many years before Fraser Sports. Lately seems to be a series of arty/fancy goods shops.
You are right Harry was very small with if I remember rightly a step down and seemed to be very dimly lit. My brother Ian added an extension out the back towards Joss Street in the early '60s.
You are right Harry was very small with if I remember rightly a step down and seemed to be very dimly lit. My brother Ian added an extension out the back towards Joss Street in the early '60s.
Added by Graham MacKenzie on 21 May 2013
The Little Shop would have been next, then over the lane Donald Mackenzie the butchers, Roddie Mackenzie the electricians, Cath Macleods drapery shop then Urquharts the shoe shop...
Added by Liz Taylor nee Askew on 22 May 2013
Graham, was there not a small shop between Logan's/Dalgarnos and Urqhuart's the shoe shop? I remember the step down to Dalgarno's and it was dark, but I seem to remember one of the Harbour Masters and his wife had a material shop for a while beween the other two.
Added by Eddie Trotter on 22 May 2013
Eddie... My description was a bit misleading. I was describing Logan's as between the current paper shop and the current shoe shop. The current paper shop I refer to is the shop previously known as WH George/Bill Leslie and the current shoe shop is in the premises previously occupied by the material shop you mention. Eric Urquhart's shop was further along at the end of the next block going east now occupied by Boot's the Chemist. That is if my memory serves me right!
Added by Graham Mackenzie on 23 May 2013
You are correct Graham, the tobacconist was directly across the street from Mac's cafe. We are talking the '40s and '50s.
Added by Harry O'Neill on 23 May 2013
I'll go for the late '50s but you got me on the '40s Harry !!!
Added by Graham MacKenzie on 23 May 2013
Good one Graham, ok then me the '40s and you the '50s.
Added by Harry O'Neill on 23 May 2013
Hi Graham, I just drove up the High Street on Google to see which building was which. Took me back a few years, but the shops have changed, even my old home at No. 32. Still looks a nice High Street, for with all the changes.
Added by Eddie Trotter on 24 May 2013
Hi Eddie, Google Earth is amazing and a bit mind boggling, I'm always amazed by it. Your comment got me to thinking about the High Street and the changes in the businesses since say the mid '60s when I left the town for about 12 years. I was trying to work out what shops/services are still carrying out the same type of business that they were in the mid '60s and I could only come up with two. The Royal Bank (previously National Commercial) and the Commercial Bar and even that is no longer operating directly onto the High Street. Bill Leslie's newsagent is now occupied by a mini supermarket which does sell papers so maybe that counts as a third; cannot think of any others at all who are carrying out the same business. Maybe you could include the Police Station but seldom manned these days.
Changed days indeed but the High Street is still visually nice as you say if functionally questionable!
Changed days indeed but the High Street is still visually nice as you say if functionally questionable!
Added by Graham MacKenzie on 25 May 2013
My husband Joseph Ross once worked on the fountain on the High Street with Charliie Winters when it was damaged. They worked for Ross & Ross, builders in Alness.
Added by Mary Ross on 25 May 2013
Joseph Ross worked on the fountain in 1956/57
Added by Mary Ross on 26 May 2013
Mary, did Charlie come from Alness too and did they install the new tile fireplaces in the council houses in Invergordon?
Added by Harry O'Neill on 26 May 2013
Charlie came from Alness, Joe was born and lived at Hillhouse, Saltburn till he left in 1961. We moved there in 1973 for - a short time, and went back in 1977. Left again when the work dried up in 1989, so no he didn't put the fireplaces in council houses, maybe this Charlie did.
Added by Mary Ross on 27 May 2013