jmtaylor
Yesterday, 9:06 PM EST
Hi I am new to this website and just wanted to introduce myself. I found this site as I am now living in Cumbernauld and there was an article asking people who formerly lived in Springburn to contribute to this site. Great idea as I know a lot of people from Springburn and Balornock migrated to Cumbernauld.

I was born in Stobhill Hospital in 1962 although the address on my birth certificate is given as 133 Balornock Road. My parents names are Mary and Eddie Mackay. My father was born and lived in Ayr Street, he attended Hydepark Primary and later Albert Senior Secondary. He had 8 brothers and one sister. His parents were called David and Jean. My dad's family also stayed in Ferness Oval. My mother, whose maiden name is also Mackay, was born in Keppochill Road. She moved to Nairnside Road with her parents, Nan and Murdo Mackay when she was young. She has a younger sister Joan and two brothers, the twins Ian and Alisdair.

My first house was in Flemington Street although I was just born, so don't remember anything from that period. We moved away from the area until 1969. We returned to Springburn in 1969 and lived at 14 Bedlay Street, five of us in a room and kitchen. The close had gas lighting at that time and I remember the guy with a pilot light on a pole coming round each night to light the gas mantles. There was also an outside toilet which was shared with three other families. The bedroom looked onto Petershill Road where there were two bus stops and an another two further down. Petershill Secondary was also opposite and behind the bus shelters. We used to catch the bus to visit my gran and granda in Balornock (Nairnside Road) and my other gran in Barmulloch (Berryburn Road). My two brothers (Stuart and Malcolm) and I attended Hydepark Primary and I also went to Colston Secondary for first year before moving in 1977. I lived with relatives in Cumbernauld before my family secured a house in Cumbernauld. I couldn't wait to move, sharing a bedroom with my parents and brothers was no fun! When we got a five-apartment in Cumbernauld it was like moving into a palace. It actually had two bathrooms, quite a change from sharing a lavvy with umpteen different people. My family was one of the last to move and there were tenements getting demolished all around us.

Since chatting with my brothers I have remembered more. Coz they are boys, they don't remember things quite the same way I do! I remember some of the songs we played ropes and balls tae. I have some good memories of Springburn, but I also recall the stinking drains and puddles in the back courts and the midgies (and midgie rakers). Also the rats during the bin mens strike and the green goddesses as the firemen where also on strike. In fact, everyone was on strike. It was during the winter of discontent in 1972 or thereabouts. Blackouts where a regular occurence and we made our own bread during the strikes as well.

I also recall how neighbours helped each other in those days, there was a much greater sense of community in my opinion. The saying about not knowing the value of something until its gone applies for sure. Springburn, for all its faults was a very special place for those of us who grew up there.