Just Jock says

My favourite musicians from Kelty was two pipers John Tairney and Jim Buist, great pair they both played in Kelty pipe band, and in Brass band was Jock Malcolm, and Rock guitarists The Delaney Bros. Great Tenor singer John "BigErnie" Smith, and great accordionist John Mullen who can be heard on LP, "Along the Forth" famous LP for "Kelty Clippie"I dont know if all still going around but they were great.

Just Jock says

its Dan Teirney

Mariapola Macovaz says

Jimmy Muir known as "Morrell" was a famous piano accordionist and was a Champion of Scotland. His family came from lower Oakfield and had the first bus garage, Young's Garages, I think it was called.

His brother And (Andrew) Muir lived in the house in front of the garage. Morrell went on to live in Lawrence Street and had the bookies in the Kelty near Dr Moir's old surgery.

He married Mary Jones and had two daughters and a son, Linda, Maisie (now Mandy) and Alex.

OWEN OHARE says

Does anyone out there remember the go`s you please contests upstairs in the co`op hall.If so you must remember Big Skin Pryde singing "Ole Man River" also Jimmy (Bing) Allen ,another was George Simpson the Singing Postman from Dunfermline and Ernie Smith kelty`s Mario Lanza,the finals were always held in the Gothenberg Picture House.Yes Kelty had lots of Talent.

Tam Anderson says

Hello Owen,

I can remember Jimmy Allen and Skin Pride twa braw singers on a Sunday afternoon in the Club. Jimmy and his wife Annie were our next door neighbours.

Anither twa braw singers and twa braw lassies were the Paterson twins. I hae a tape recording of them somewhere in the hoose.

Tam Anderson says

Hello again Owen,

Are you the O'Hare's fae lochleven terrace?

OWEN OHARE says

Hello Tam

firstly that was my Uncle Eddie the Chimmney sweep who lived in Lochleven Terrace,my Dad was Wullie O`Hare I was born at 20 Adams Terrace in 1937 and we then moved to 64 Blair st when I was about a year old,I now live in Port Kennedy in Western Australia but my Brother Jack and most of his family still live in Kelty in Beechbank Crescent.

As for Jimmy Allan his Wife Annie Mcdonald was my Wife`s Auntie my wife is Rita Mcdonald,we were married in 1969 a year after my demob from the RAF and we emigrated in 1975 this photo was taken with our first Daughter Nichola you might recognise Rita and me from this.I can`t remember you by name Tam,what age are you and where was it you lived beside Jimmy and Annie?

Tam Anderson says

Hi Owen,

I can remember your uncle and I can also remember I think I have the name right a Jock O'Hare and I think he was in the Black Watch along with Annie MacDonald's son Neil Allan? Allan being her married name to Jimmy Allan. "Bing" Annie's faither lived doon the black road, I think? They were our neighbours in Keltyhill Avenue, we moved there from Nasmith place. I was also born in Adam's terrace in 1949 now just an empty field.

I can't remember you or your lovely wife in the photo, but I do recognize all the names.

Hae a guid day owen

OWEN OHARE says

Hi Tam,

that was probably my Uncle Eddie`s son John he would be ages weth Neil Allen,and you are right Rita`s Di Jimmy Mcdonald lived in a Caravan down Maryburgh and Annie`s other son Johnny Shaw lived with him.

Rita my Wife was born in Nasmyth Place at number 11 in1939 and they moved from there to 81 Beechbank Cres about 1950,her dad was Nikky Mcdonald and he worked in the Aitken Pit..Here is a Photo of Rita,her Older Sister Jeanette and her younger Brother Jimmy taken in Nasmyth Place.

Aw the Best Tam.

Tam Anderson says

Braw pictures Owen,

Thocht I wis richt aboot Annie's faither, but i did nae ken John Shaw lived there. It wis wan o they horse drawn caravans. I've nae idea whit happened tae Neil or John Shaw? She also had anither laddie Peter Allan who wis in the Navy but sadly he died young.

I think we lived at number 10 nasmyth place. Ma faither worked in the Aitken pit tae. I can't recognize your wife in that photo, but she's jis that a wee bit aulder than me.We moved fae nasmyth place in the 50 tae into the more modern houses in Keltyhill avenue. 

Happy memories Owen.

Lang may yer lum reek min    

OWEN OHARE says

Hi John,

I played the pipes in Kelty and Blairadam Pipe Band at the same time as Jimmy Buist and the Late Dan Cairney could it be him you were thinking of when you said "Dan Teirney" There was a teirney played in the brass Band,Also they had one of the best cornet players in Scotland called Jimmy Greer who joined I think it was the Army.

I also commented to one of your memories about Mario`s Cafe where you mentioned about the nice looking Bus Lassies like Rita Mcdonald.I Married Rita in 1969 and when I showed her the comment it made her day.We now live in Port Kennedy in Western Australia and I have just been told of this Site Recently by Davy Docherty who now lives in England.

Owen and Rita.O`Hare

OWEN OHARE says

Hi Tam,

If you look at memories there is a Photo of the bairns from keltyhill ave.in  the 1950`s sent in by Patrick Gavin also one from Nasmyth Place,I managed to pick out some of them,you might even be on them.

By the way since you worked in the Forestry did you know Mary Ritchie who used to live in the Prefabs up Cocklaw,I think she married someone who worked in the Forestry and lived up at the First Lodge where Tammy Smart used to live.I also remember a man Douglas who worked in forestry as well I think,he always wore a Saft Hat sort of like these Austrian ones he used to drink in Galloways.

Aw the Best

Owen.

Tam Anderson says

Fit like Owen?

Had a look at that photo but unfortunately i can't recognize any of the faces.

Remember the prefabs, but again the two people Mary and Tammy the names don't ring a bell.

I do remember Jim Douglas he liked a dram. I think I've got this right,did his faither no hae a ferm and was he not killed by a bull?

When I was about 12 years old I worked up at the small holdings, ye ken in the middle of Blairadams widds.Guid Scots word. Most of the men worked for the Forestry commission and the house and a few acres of land was a part of there wages. So I suppose working up there as a young lad and living so near to Blairadam and loving nature and working outside. It had big influence on the job I wanted to do. Wish I could remember there names, think one had the surname Stewart?

 If you've not already read this book it is worth trying to get a hold of it. Run to the rainbow by Jim Douglas. Its all about growing up in Kelty.

A wee bit of the gaelic owen, Moran taing! Many thanks 

Tam Anderson says

Should have put this web site on my last post. My last place of work for the past 25 years

www.stobhall.com

OWEN OHARE says

Hi Tam,

did you know the Bennets who had a Cottage in the Small Holdings,they were Friends of my Dad,I have called in there a few times when we were out for a Walk up Clentry and had a Jeely Piece off Mrs Bennet,I also went tattie Howkin at Dave Tylers Ferm when I was about 7year old,he was another friend of my Dad.

Rita my Wife wants to know if you had a Sister called Isobel and if your Family used to go to the Gospel Hall in the Staion Road,as Rita went ther and she also went to Kelty Public school with An Isobel Anderson.

I looked up Stob Hall on the net and it looks great,

As for Jim Douglas the Poet I had a letter from him about two weeks ago it was Snail Mail as Jimmy does not use the Computer,he used to live two blocks up from us when we lived at 64 Blair St he had three Sisters Helen ,Anne and Catherine,I put a Photo on Memories of the Doohill Castle Trip of his Mum and All us Kids,she used to take all of us from around the doors on this trip at Holidays and sometimes at weekends and a great time was had by everyone.

I have Jimmy`s Book( Doos Dugs an Dancing) which my Brother Jack sent out to me and I really enjoyed it.

Well Al awa the noo Tam look efter yirsel

Owen.

Tam Anderson says

Hi Owen and Rita

That's the three names Bennet, Tyler and Stewart. I did do some work for all three just for pocket money. Your days work was rewarded with a dinner and twa bob or twa and a tanner at the end of the day. That was guid pocket money tae me fir it got ye intae the Regal pictir hoose wi the girl freend, aye back row!!!!

To answer your Rita's question its no my sisters her name was Ann and she is three years younger than me.

Those were the days Owen :-)

Guid day tae ye min

PS  Dave Tyler faither lived on the ferm up the road a bit, cannae remember its name the noo 

OWEN OHARE says

I would like to apologise to everyone who has commented on this site for me wandering off the main theme" Kelty`s Got Talent"and getting chatting to Tam about Folk we kent in the good old days.so getting back to Kelty Talent does anyone remember Wee Charlie Hamilton who would play his Fiddle in the Big Club and also play to all us kids on his way home from theClub sitting on the fence at the corner of union and Blair st outside Gallachers hoose playing Jigs and Reels until Wee Effie his Wife would come looking for him and drag him up hame.Also you had the Mckay twins Dave and Eck who played the Flutes in the Orange Band,also someone mentioned Morrel the accordionist but there was also another one in kelty Jim Martin who used to play in a danceband at the Two Red Shoes in Elgin he was married to my cousin Mary Hynd..Another great singer at the Big club was Archie pitcairn.Kelty Musical society also had some good singers big Jock Smith to name one,if anyone would care to name some more go for it.

All the Best

Owen.

OWEN OHARE says

C`mon Tam,surely you can remember a few names from Kelty Club sing songs or the Coop Hall go`s you pleases even the British Legion.I remember when we used to go Guysin there was a wee boy called Tam Low who used to sing for the men in Skip Richardsons pub and he always made a fortune I think he lived in Beechbank Cres.he was a really braw singer.

NEIL MILLER says

the noizy minority! he he.

Susan Johnston says

Well i cany mind who was aw in that band but, i think they had to be the WORST band in Kelty!!!????? lol

Just Jock says

I remember  yer wife Rita McDonald shi wis thi baist lookin bus lassi in thit garage,shi yaist tae gaun intae Mario's eftir or afore her wark a lot fer coffee an blethir wi Mario, am shair he aiwis fancied Janet Thomson afore she ain Danny Hall got thigithir, I yaist to run aroon wi Rita's brithir Jimmy when wi wer yungir wi had a skiffle group me an Jimmy hiad  a guitar each wi went guisin yin week efter seein Lonnie Donnegan ain onli made ten bob fer thi week thit wis oor last go ait skiffle we followed Cliff Richard then,,am shair Rita's cousin Margaret frae Kinross marrit my cousin Hughie "Shug" Millar the weddin wis in a hall in Kinross,jings thit wis a lang time ago,lotta wattir under thi brigs since thae daes,

Whin a got aulder the singers in British legion I remember wis Gongi Paterson he yaist tae sing a song cawed "21 years" ain it had 24 verses awbiddy wid gaun tae the bog then fine interval and Fingers McKinlays wife wid sing "Ye kin only bi true to two" ain awbiddy wid laugh till wan nicht sumbiddi saed she sung that fer her man and her fancy man baith sitting drinking,ait thi saim table,hohohoho,Jock Ernie Smith wid sing "Because yer Mine" by mario lanza, ain maesel wid sing,a sang bi Jackie Dennis, "You have the whole warld in yer Hands", ain Paddy Trainer wid play a few toons on his piano accordion, Skin Pride wid sing Ole Man river, Wullie "Crossbow Fisher wid sing "Nobodys Child", Betty McKelvie wid sing ain her mithir also bit canna mind thir sangs,Compere wis Jimmy Nelson, Paddy Boyle was anithir singer,he sung a few irish songs, aye thair wis lots o guid singers in Kelty an nae doot mair in thi big club, a didnae ken oni thair a wis banned fer life oot o thair canna mind whit fer probably drunk ain daft numpty. anithir singer a remember wis Big John Dignan ye will mind o him he wis marrit tae an irish wifey, whit wis her naim agane a forgot jings,,need tae cut doon thi wackibacci memori's startin tae gaun, och weel am shair ye will mind o ithirs, ther wis tap dancers and step dancers, scottish dancers aw yaist ta gaun tae thi Goth Theatre afore it wis a pictir hoose, Harry Wilson the postmans mithir played the piano thair under the screen,jings aw that enjoyment lang afore TVs took ower,,bring it aw back cos nuthin on thi TV bit repeats an adverts,

OWEN OHARE says

well john nice to hear from you at last.

first off I agree Rita was one of the Best looking Bus Lassies and still is,her Brother Jimmy has retired now and I think he is back living in Kelty,we lived with him in Nottingham before we emigrated to New Zealand in 1975 and before leaving Kelty to go there I was working on the same site in Grangemouth with Jock Dignan he was in my class at Oakfield as well his wife was Called Hargreave and her rellies lived near us in Keltyhill Crescent.Shug millars wife Margaret Mcdonald was Rita`s cousin,I always remember they were away camping and Shug was lying sunbathing and had taken out his false teeth and laid them on the grass and a seagull swooped down and whipped them away.

As for the Legion my brother in law Peter O`Sullivan was called the singing waiter. you also had Bernie Callaghan who always sung Old Rugged Cross then you must remember Nessie Potter,as for the raffle the winning ticket was picked out in the bogs by some of the committee Paddy Owens,Big Eddie Campbell to name a couple,also the mystery song title was whispered to pals.my old man used to drink there a lot Wullie O`hare

Will catch up later on maybe