Yes, Geordie Ellis junior, met many’s a lovely lassie at ‘’DOAK’S
Dancing at the Falkirk Bus Station of a Friday and sometimes Saturday
night, from 1958-1963.
Falkirk is only 4 miles from
Bonnybridge where GFE lived. on late dance nights there was no buses and
we walked hame at midnight.
He met Eleanor
Polland at another great dance hall in Whitburn, about 20 miles from
Bonnybridge. The walk was a nights work and many’ies a time we got hame
just as it was time tae get out a’ bed tae gang tae work for 7.30am at
his apprenticeship and later as a tradesman at his job as a metal
Fabricator/Welder at Mitchell and Russell Iron Foundry at Bonnyside Road
Bonnybridge.
Minty, oor dug, wid bark when i sclimmid up the
overhanging balcony outside the front door, and slid hied first down
onto to the upper landing where faithir wid shout frae his bedroom,
‘Wha’s that, Is that you George, Whit time ae the night is this tae be
common hame. A’ll se ye when ye git hame frae work the night.
And
pair auld Maw wid be distressed as ma faithir wiz a bit heavy handed,
wae his punishment routine. He had cast iron hands, just like the cast
iron stores that he fitted at work, in the firing shop just up frae ma
Apprentice workshop.
Then, a met this gorgeous
redheaded wee lassie wae braw eyes and fantastic dancer, at Armadale
dancing in the Whitburn Welfare Club, whaur a heavy rock singer wiz the
entertainment. And that was 20 miles sold walking tae Bonnybrig. Aye luv
his name boundaries?
Nae wonder a wiz only 10
stane 4 pounds in those days [and after] when we migrated tae Sydney in
13 jan 1964 after a month can the boat[MV Fairsky] frae Southampton via
the Mediterranean, then the Sue Canal, then into Aden, a British
protectorate, where the kitties shouldered Sten Guns tae keep the local s
in line.
Then doon the Pacific Ocean tae Fremantle[Perth's port], wae a day in Perth.
Then along tae Port Adelaide was a day in Adelaide, round tae Port Melbourne wae a day in Melbourne
Finally
that absolutely stunning dark dawning entrance through Sydney heads in a
romantic drilling rain and the ploughing bow waves on our wee 12?
thousand ton ship, the MV Fairsky, into Port Sydney.
Wending
for way through the most beautiful welcoming sights ever. Wae the very
tiny ‘coat hanger’ shaped harbour Bridge[designed by a Scot] getting
ever bigger by the minute. The absolutely stunning entrance was just the
sight for us month long passengers tae be sae welcomed.
What
a harbour, whit beauty and majestic vista it was. Finally getting oaf
the boat and the Aussie taxi driver, saying tae us, when he was handed
the ships Taxi chit, ‘Well, Mite you’ve won the Bloody lottery.[Or words
tae that effect. Whit he meant was that we were tae be boarded at
Coogee at 155 Coogee Bay Road, Which when we cum doon the Coogee Bay
Road all we saw was this absolutely stunning vista, of endless water and
beautiful beach and surrounds.
Whit a braw sieht fir 12 thousand mile sae voyagers!
Yes indeed we had won the lottery!
We
shared the house wae an Aussie Couple, Gwen and Murray Watt and their
15 yr auld daughter Carol. Gwen[nice lady] was a shop assistant in
Cursor’s, the swankiest womens shop in Sydney, She was nice. Murray, the
husband was a taxi driver, pisspott and gambler and conman, who made up
stories tae borrow money frae us. We always got payed back but in
Murray’s time. Both Ellis and I found work at the BMC plant in Rosebery,
through Ellie’s Scots pal, Nan Buchanan and her mechanic at the BMC
husband, Andy Penman.
Eleanor found that she
was pregnant wae Lisa, and we wanted out o the house sharing. She found a
flat in Flat1/155?? Havelock Ave Coogee.
When
Lisa was born, I painted the flat out. Len Bates, a Scot[and conman]
was a painter and decorator and told us tae approach the landlord’s
Factor, a lovely big 6ft plus, gentleman, Mr Foot, and he nearly fell
over when we asked if he would supply the paint, brushes and other
equipment, so that we could paint it out. He was amazingly receptive tae
such boldness and great [financially great idea- for him- and us].
The
upshot was that Mum, having Lisa in Crown St Womens’ Hospital, wondered
why i was sae buggered when I visited. Well the cause was night shift
cleaning doon ceilings and walls wae cleaning solution and painting the
one bedroom, plus kitchen plus hallway and lounge. I was knackered, but
very pleased when the new Mum and her new minted wain, oor wee Lisa
Maree Ellis wis brocht hame. Ma bonnie Eleanor was really stunned and
realized the tired laddie what came tae see her, wiz dainn. PAINTING IS A
BUGGER OH AE JOAB.
NOO, BACK TAE DANCIN PRIOR TAE MEETIN ELEANOR CRAYTON POLLAND AT WHITBURN DANCIN
I wiz goin tae falkirk Dancing at Doak’s . Noo if yir eyesights guid yee’ll see me dancing in this crowd at the bottom left hand side corner[as you look at the photo?
Tae
winner air maw fell fir me when later A went tae Whitburn Dancin [ a
couple oh miles frae air mum’s ARMADALE hame at Mayfield Drive.
NOO, DOAK'S BALLROOM was situated at the
bus station, and back in the 1950's/1960's was the place to go for
dancing (to a live band, of course!). However, it was a fairly "square"
venue then, and dancers were thrown out if they "smooched”.
YIR FAITHIR
AND MATES FREQUENTED DOAKS’ OAN A FRIDAY NICHT, THEN GRANGEMOUTH OAN A
SATURDAY NICHT, ’N’ WHITBURN OAN A SETURDAY NICHT, WHAUR HE MET
THE GORGEOUS, ELEANOR CRAYTON POLLAND. AND A FEW YEARS LATER WHEN 20,
MARRIED HER.
If
ye look close at the photo, oan the left handside [as you look
at the photo], The corner Couple is me and a lassie[Mo air maw, as this
wiz prior tae meeting the braw flaming redhead. Notice hoo suave and
sophisticated a’ am. Nae winner yir Maw fell hied oor heels fur this Bonny-brig Lad???
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