The missing fruit shop in Hamilton st.

[cadoganman]

As a result of encouragement from “down south” I submit the following but alas without accurate dates. This was the fruit shop opened by my father Gerard shortly after his return from whaling in the South Atlantic aboard the “Southern Venturer” The person at the door is I believe my aunt Lila Clarke (nee Cunningham) who worked there at that time. I believe a plumber by the name of Shedden occupied a workshop at the rear of the premises which was accessed through a passage at the side of the shop.

The shop was latterly sold to Ailsa Lee senior (Melbourne Terrace) who was happy for her daughter young Ailsa to run the shop at that time.
Unfortunately for the Lee family, history was not to be kind and Mr John Lee senior died as the result of the well documented house fire at Arthurlie Place (still a gap site to this day I believe) which I witnessed from my bedroom window in our house just across the railway line. Young Ailsa married Matt Stevenson and they enjoyed some quality time together at the Reaper before young Ailsa’s far too early demise. I believe her brother John died within the last few years as did his brother Henry.
On a happier note I do remember one of my treats from the shop was to search the grape barrels for loose grapes as at that time the barrels were filled with sawdust to protect the fruit in transit. Empty Fyffes bananas boxes also made a decent base for a bogie. Mr Rankine had a toy and paper shop across the road which we passed en- route as my father took me for morning coffee in Winnie Bairds. I have also just noticed that my father had included the apostrophe in the shop signage, changed days.

[down south]

Thanks to a post from Michael's sister Liz a few years ago ( see here ) we know that Campbell's fruit and veg shop was at 27 Hamilton Street; opposite the area of Rankin's , Winnie Baird's and Rennie Howie's, and next door to Hay's Music Shop at No 25. You can see the optician's it is today in this Google Streetview image:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.63409 ... 384!8i8192

I must say I don't remember a fruit and veg shop there , Campbell's or otherwise; perhaps it closed when I was too young to recall.

Susan

[cadoganman]

Thanks for the google link Susan, as I remember the house to the left next to the old Clydesdale Bank was occupied by a Mrs. Sinclair and the disabled entry to Weatherspoons was where George Flemings original garage was. The Kandybar was where the Mcallisters first opened and stayed open late to perhaps 9.00pm to serve the people at the movie houses who did not want to wait in the queue for the confectionary stalls inside. Shrewd move.

[Lindalee3]

Lovely reading this wee story about the fruit shop. John Lee (jnr) was my dad and yes he passed away in 2010 & Henry in 2018. There is still a vacant space where the house fire my grandpa died in took place and I've often wondered why the didn't rebuild there. Sorry I can't be more informative about the fruit shop though. Ailsa (snr) my Nana also had a tea room in Bradshaw st where Motherland spice now is and latterly a B&B which she ran for a number of years in Winton Circus where she remained until she passed in 2009.

[Lindalee3]

Sorry I've made a mistake Henry dies in 2017.