Closing the door, turning the key and a drive to Largs

On the morning of July 22^nd, I received a call from Scotland to tell me that my aunt had sadly died.

Over the past few years as her health declined, it was a call I had learned to prepare for, but not enough to temper the dread and fear I had about it. As her named next of kin, it was my task and obligation to go back to Scotland and deal with some requirements, which included completely clearing out her house to prepare it for selling.

The house in Cardonald, Glasgow was originally the home of my grand-parents (my mother’s parents), who as a direct result of WWII moved there with their young family on 26^th December 1940, from Grangemouth on Scotland’s east coast.

Prior to this my grandfather was a lorry driver with The London Midland and Scottish Railway ~ known as the LMS. But with the exceptional war time demands driving the movement of resources and manpower, it was during 1940 that he left the LMS and took a job with Rolls-Royce in Hillington near Glasgow. It was during this period of the war, that Rolls-Royce was working 24/7 supplying Merlin aircraft engines and parts to the Royal Air Force in direct contribution to the country’s survival during the Battle of Britain.

At the time in 1940, the house in Lanton Drive was brand new, having been built like so many others, for the large number of new Rolls Royce employees moving into the area.

Over the last couple of weeks, it was with much sadness my task to clear the house of 79 years of family history and 58 years of my own memories. With generous help, the enormous undertaking was completed within the two weeks I had in Scotland.

The following are street photos of Lanton Drive and of No.26 ~  

Finally, on Thursday 8^th August, I closed the door and for the last time turned the key, departing with only my memories of great visits to Gran and Papa, delightful Christmas dinners and many long gone family gatherings.

It was 11.30am when I left the house, the sun was shining, the air was warm and I thought, let’s go to Largs for Fish & Chips and Ice Cream ….

Like Lanton Drive, Largs too has great memories for me. As a young lad, it was from there on many Sunday mornings with my dad and others that we would go out in a beautiful old wooden hulled fishing boat called “Bluebell”. We would typically spend 8 /9 hours in all seasons fishing for cod, haddock, mackerel and plaice. While aboard Bluebell we would sail all around the Firth of Clyde, passing by the islands of Great Cumbrae, Little Cumbrae and Bute.

Upon our return to shore, it was customary to then go to “Nardini’s” for an Ice Cream, such joy …!!!

Below are photos of Largs and the islands from atop the Haylie Brae. The brae is a very steep hill which winds its way down to the town. During the descent, you cannot avoid noticing the bold warning signs about the tight bends, the danger of on coming vehicles and the need to “Select A Low Gear Now”.